Boswell's Life of Johnson · James Boswell
'We visited the Observatory, a large building of a great height. The upper stones of the parapet very large, but not cramped with iron. The flat on the top is very extensive; but on the insulated part there is no parapet. Though it was broad enough, I did not care to go upon it. Maps were printing in one of the rooms.
'We walked to a small convent of the Fathers of the Oratory. In the reading-desk of the refectory lay the lives of the Saints.
'Oct. 11. Wednesday. We went to see Hotel de Chatlois, a house not very large, but very elegant. One of the rooms was gilt to a degree that I never saw before. The upper part for servants and their masters was pretty.
'Thence we went to Mr. Monville's, a house divided into small apartments, furnished with effeminate and minute elegance.--Porphyry.
'Thence we went to St. Roque's church, which is very large;--the lower part of the pillars incrusted with marble.--Three chapels behind the high altar;--the last a mass of low arches.--Altars, I believe, all round.
'We passed through Place de VendA'me, a fine square, about as big as Hanover-square.--Inhabited by the high families.--Lewis XIV. on horse-back in the middle.
'Monville is the son of a farmer-general. In the house of Chatlois is a room furnished with japan, fitted up in Europe.
'We dined with Boccage, the Marquis Blanchetti, and his lady.--The sweetmeats taken by the Marchioness Blanchetti, after observing that they were dear.--Mr. Le Roy, Count Manucci, the AbbA(C), the Prior, and Father Wilson, who staid with me, till I took him home in the coach.
'Bathiani is gone.
'The French have no laws for the maintenance of their poor.--Monk not necessarily a priest.--Benedictines rise at four; are at church an hour and half; at church again half an hour before, half an hour after, dinner; and again from half an hour after seven to eight. They may sleep eight hours.--Bodily labour wanted in monasteries.
'The poor taken to hospitals, and miserably kept.--Monks in the convent fifteen:--accounted poor.
'Oct. 12. Thursday. We went to the Gobelins.--Tapestry makes a good picture;--imitates flesh exactly.--One piece with a gold ground;--the birds not exactly coloured.--Thence we went to the King's cabinet;--very neat, not, perhaps, perfect.--Gold ore.--Candles of the candle-tree.-- Seeds.--Woods. Thence to Gagnier's house, where I saw rooms nine, furnished with a profusion of wealth and elegance which I never had seen before.--Vases.--Pictures.--The Dragon china.--The lustre said to be of crystal, and to have cost 3,500AL.--The whole furniture said to have cost 125,000AL.--Damask hangings covered with pictures.--Porphyry.--This house struck me.--Then we waited on the ladies to Monville's.--Captain Irwin with us.--Spain. County towns all beggars.--At Dijon he could not find the way to Orleans.--Cross roads of France very bad.--Five soldiers.--Woman.--Soldiers escaped.--The Colonel would not lose five men for the death of one woman.--The magistrate cannot seize a soldier but by the Colonel's permission.--Good inn at Nismes.--Moors of Barbary fond of Englishmen.--Gibraltar eminently healthy;--It has beef from Barbary;--There is a large garden.--Soldiers sometimes fall from the rock.
'Oct. 13. Friday. I staid at home all day, only went to find the Prior, who was not at home.--I read something in Canus.--Nec admiror, nec multum laudo.
Oct. 14. Saturday. We went to the house of Mr. Argenson, which was almost wainscotted with looking-glasses, and covered with gold.--The ladies' closet wainscotted with large squares of glass over painted paper. They always place mirrours to reflect their rooms.
'Then we went to Julien's, the Treasurer of the Clergy:--30,000AL a year.--The house has no very large room, but is set with mirrours, and covered with gold.--Books of wood here, and in another library.
'At D----'s I looked into the books in the lady's closet, and, in contempt, shewed them to Mr. T.--Prince Titi; Bibl. des FA(C)es, and other books.--She was offended, and shut up, as we heard afterwards, her apartment.
'Then we went to Julien Le Roy, the King's watch-maker, a man of character in his business, who shewed a small clock made to find the longitude.--A decent man.
'Afterwards we saw the Palais Marchand, and the Courts of Justice, civil and criminal.--Queries on the Sellette.--This building has the old Gothick passages, and a great appearance of antiquity.--Three hundred prisoners sometimes in the gaol.
'Much disturbed; hope no ill will be.
'In the afternoon I visited Mr. Freron the journalist. He spoke Latin very scantily, but seemed to understand me.--His house not splendid, but of commodious size.--His family, wife, son, and daughter, not elevated but decent.--I was pleased with my reception.--He is to translate my books, which I am to send him with notes.
'Oct. 15. Sunday. At Choisi, a royal palace on the banks of the Seine, about 7m. from Paris.--The terrace noble along the river.--The rooms numerous and grand, but not discriminated from other palaces.--The chapel beautiful, but small.--China globes.--Inlaid tables.--Labyrinth. --Sinking table.--Toilet tables.
'Oct. 16. Monday. The Palais Royal very grand, large, and lofty.--A very great collection of pictures.--Three of Raphael.--Two Holy Family.--One small piece of M. Angelo.--One room of Rubens--I thought the pictures of Raphael fine.
'The Thuilleries.--Statues.--Venus.--Aen. and Anchises in his arms.--Nilus.--Many more. The walks not open to mean persons.--Chairs at night hired for two sous apiece.--Pont tournant.
'Austin Nuns.--Grate.--Mrs. Fermor, Abbess.--She knew Pope, and thought him disagreeable.--Mrs. ------- has many books;--has seen life.--Their frontlet disagreeable.--Their hood.--Their life easy.--Rise about five; hour and half in chapel.--Dine at ten.--Another hour and half at chapel; half an hour about three, and half an hour more at seven:--four hours in chapel.--A large garden.--Thirteen pensioners.--Teacher complained.
'At the Boulevards saw nothing, yet was glad to be there.--Rope-dancing and farce.--Egg dance.
'N. [Note.] Near Paris, whether on week-days or Sundays, the roads empty.
'Oct. 17, Tuesday. At the Palais Marchand I bought
A snuff-box, 24 L. ------------- 6 Table book 15 Scissars 3 p [pair] 18 ---- 63--2 12 6
'We heard the lawyers plead.--N. As many killed at Paris as there are days in the year. Chambre de question.--Tournelle at the Palais Marchand.--An old venerable building.
'The Palais Bourbon, belonging to the Prince of CondA(C). Only one small wing shown;--lofty;--splendid;--gold and glass.--The battles of the great CondA(C) are painted in one of the rooms. The present Prince a grandsire at thirty-nine.
'The sight of palaces, and other great buildings, leaves no very distinct images, unless to those who talk of them. As I entered, my wife was in my mind: she would have been pleased. Having now nobody to please, I am little pleased.
'N. In France there is no middle rank.
'So many shops open, that Sunday is little distinguished at Paris.--The palaces of Louvre and Thuilleries granted out in lodgings.
'In the Palais de Bourbon, gilt globes of metal at the fire-place.
'The French beds commended.--Much of the marble, only paste.
'The Colosseum a mere wooden building, at least much of it.
'Oct. 18. Wednesday. We went to Fontainebleau, which we found a large mean town, crowded with people.--The forest thick with woods, very extensive.--Manucci secured us lodgings.--The appearance of the country pleasant. No hills, few streams, only one hedge.--I remember no chapels nor crosses on the road.--Pavement still, and rows of trees.
'N. Nobody but mean people walk in Paris.
'Oct. 19. Thursday. At Court, we saw the apartments;--the King's bed-chamber and council-chamber extremely splendid--Persons of all ranks in the external rooms through which the family passes:--servants and masters.--Brunet with us the second time.
'The introductor came to us;--civil to me.--Presenting.--I had scruples.--Not necessary.--We went and saw the King and Queen at dinner.--We saw the other ladies at dinner--Madame Elizabeth, with the Princess of GuimenA(C).--At night we went to a comedy. I neither saw nor heard.--Drunken women.--Mrs. Th. preferred one to the other.
'Oct. 20. Friday. We saw the Queen mount in the forest--Brown habit; rode aside: one lady rode aside.--The Queen's horse light grey; martingale.--She galloped.--We then went to the apartments, and admired them.--Then wandered through the palace.--In the passages, stalls and shops.--Painting in Fresco by a great master, worn out.--We saw the King's horses and dogs.--The dogs almost all English.--Degenerate.
'The horses not much commended.--The stables cool; the kennel filthy.
'At night the ladies went to the opera. I refused, but should have been welcome.
'The King fed himself with his left hand as we.
'Saturday, 21. In the night I got ground.--We came home to Paris.--I think we did not see the chapel.--Tree broken by the wind.--The French chairs made all of boards painted.
N. Soldiers at the court of justice.--Soldiers not amenable to the magistrates.--Dijon woman.
'Faggots in the palace.--Every thing slovenly, except in the chief rooms.--Trees in the roads, some tall, none old, many very young and small.
'Women's saddles seem ill made.--Queen's bridle woven with silver.--Tags to strike the horse.
'Sunday, Oct. 22. To Versailles, a mean town. Carriages of business passing.--Mean shops against the wall.--Our way lay through SA¬ve, where the China manufacture.--Wooden bridge at SA¬ve, in the way to Versailles.--The palace of great extent.--The front long; I saw it not perfectly.--The Menagerie. Cygnets dark; their black feet; on the ground; tame.--Halcyons, or gulls.--Stag and hind, young.--Aviary, very large; the net, wire.--Black stag of China, small.--Rhinoceros, the horn broken and pared away, which, I suppose, will grow; the basis, I think, four inches 'cross; the skin folds like loose cloth doubled over his body, and cross his hips; a vast animal, though young; as big, perhaps, as four oxen.--The young elephant, with his tusks just appearing.--The brown bear put out his paws;--all very tame.--The lion.--The tigers I did not well view.--The camel, or dromedary with two bunches called the Huguin, taller than any horse.--Two camels with one bunch.--Among the birds was a pelican, who being let out, went to a fountain, and swam about to catch fish. His feet well webbed: he dipped his head, and turned his long bill sidewise. He caught two or three fish, but did not eat them.
'Trianon is a kind of retreat appendant to Versailles. It has an open portico; the pavement, and, I think, the pillars, of marble.--There are many rooms, which I do not distinctly remember--A table of porphyry, about five feet long, and between two and three broad, given to Louis XIV. by the Venetian State.--In the council-room almost all that was not door or window, was, I think, looking-glass.--Little Trianon is a small palace like a gentleman's house.--The upper floor paved with brick.--Little Vienne.--The court is ill paved.--The rooms at the top are small, fit to sooth the imagination with privacy. In the front of Versailles are small basons of water on the terrace, and other basons, I think, below them. There are little courts.--The great gallery is wainscotted with mirrors, not very large, but joined by frames. I suppose the large plates were not yet made.--The play-house was very large.--The chapel I do not remember if we saw--We saw one chapel, but I am not certain whether there or at Trianon.--The foreign office paved with bricks.--The dinner half a Louis each, and, I think, a Louis over.--Money given at Menagerie, three livres; at palace, six livres.
'Oct. 23. Monday. Last night I wrote to Levet.--We went to see the looking-glasses wrought. They come from Normandy in cast plates, perhaps the third of an inch thick. At Paris they are ground upon a marble table, by rubbing one plate upon another with grit between them. The various sands, of which there are said to be five, I could not learn. The handle, by which the upper glass is moved, has the form of a wheel, which may be moved in all directions. The plates are sent up with their surfaces ground, but not polished, and so continue till they are bespoken, lest time should spoil the surface, as we were told. Those that are to be polished, are laid on a table, covered with several thick cloths, hard strained, that the resistance may be equal; they are then rubbed with a hand rubber, held down hard by a contrivance which I did not well understand. The powder which is used last seemed to me to be iron dissolved in aqua fortis: they called it, as Baretti said, marc de beau forte, which he thought was dregs. They mentioned vitriol and salt-petre. The cannon ball swam in the quicksilver. To silver them, a leaf of beaten tin is laid, and rubbed with quicksilver, to which it unites. Then more quicksilver is poured upon it, which, by its mutual [attraction] rises very high. Then a paper is laid at the nearest end of the plate, over which the glass is slided till it lies upon the plate, having driven much of the quicksilver before it. It is then, I think, pressed upon cloths, and then set sloping to drop the superfluous mercury; the slope is daily heightened towards a perpendicular.
'In the way I saw the Greve, the Mayor's house, and the Bastile.
'We then went to Sans-terre, a brewer. He brews with about as much malt as Mr. Thrale, and sells his beer at the same price, though he pays no duty for malt, and little more than half as much for beer. Beer is sold retail at 6d. a bottle. He brews 4,000 barrels a year. There are seventeen brewers in Paris, of whom none is supposed to brew more than he:--reckoning them at 3,000 each, they make 51,000 a year.--They make their malt, for malting is here no trade. The moat of the Bastile is dry.
'Oct. 24, Tuesday. We visited the King's library--I saw the Speculum humanae Salvationis, rudely printed, with ink, sometimes pale, sometimes black; part supposed to be with wooden types, and part with pages cut on boards.--The Bible, supposed to be older than that of Mentz, in 62: it has no date; it is supposed to have been printed with wooden types.--I am in doubt; the print is large and fair, in two folios.--Another book was shown me, supposed to have been printed with wooden types;--I think, Durandi Sanctuarium in 58. This is inferred from the difference of form sometimes seen in the same letter, which might be struck with different puncheons.--The regular similitude of most letters proves better that they are metal.--I saw nothing but the Speculum which I had not seen, I think, before.
'Thence to the Sorbonne.--The library very large, not in lattices like the King's. Marbone and Durandi, q. collection 14 vol. Scriptores de rebus Gallicis, many folios.--Histoire GA(C)nA(C)alogique of France, 9 vol.--Gallia Christiana, the first edition, 4to. the last, f. 12 vol.--The Prior and Librarian dined [with us]:--I waited on them home.--Their garden pretty, with covered walks, but small; yet may hold many students.--The Doctors of the Sorbonne are all equal:--choose those who succeed to vacancies.--Profit little.
'Oct. 25. Wednesday. I went with the Prior to St. Cloud, to see Dr. Hooke.--We walked round the palace, and had some talk.--I dined with our whole company at the Monastery.--In the library,Beroald,--Cymon,-- Titus, from Boccace.--Oratio Proverbialis to the Virgin, from Petrarch; Falkland to Sandys; Dryden's Preface to the third vol. of Miscellanies.
'Oct. 26. Thursday. We saw the china at SA¬ve, cut, glazed, painted. Bellevue, a pleasing house, not great: fine prospect.--Meudon, an old palace.--Alexander, in Porphyry: hollow between eyes and nose, thin cheeks.--Plato and Aristotle--Noble terrace overlooks the town.--St. Cloud.--Gallery not very high, nor grand, but pleasing.--In the rooms, Michael Angelo, drawn by himself, Sir Thomas More, Des Cartes, Bochart, Naudacus, Mazarine.--Gilded wainscot, so common that it is not minded.--Gough and Keene.--Hooke came to us at the inn.--A message from Drumgold.
'Oct. 27. Friday. I staid at home.--Gough and Keene, and Mrs. S----'s friend dined with us.--This day we began to have a fire.--The weather is grown very cold, and I fear, has a bad effect upon my breath, which has grown much more free and easy in this country.
'Sat. Oct. 28. I visited the Grand Chartreux built by St. Louis.--It is built for forty, but contains only twenty-four, and will not maintain more. The friar that spoke to us had a pretty apartment.--Mr. Baretti says four rooms; I remember but three.--His books seemed to be French.--His garden was neat; he gave me grapes.--We saw the Place de Victoire, with the statues of the King, and the captive nations.
We saw the palace and gardens of Luxembourg, but the gallery was shut.--We climbed to the top stairs.--I dined with Colbrooke, who had much company:--Foote, Sir George Rodney, Motteux, Udson, Taaf.--Called on the Prior, and found him in bed.
'Hotel--a guinea a day.--Coach, three guineas a week.--Valet de place, three l. a day.--Avantcoureur, a guinea a week.-- Ordinary dinner, six l. a head.--Our ordinary seems to be about five guineas a day.--Our extraordinary expences, as diversions, gratuities, clothes, I cannot reckon.--Our travelling is ten guineas a day.
'White stockings, 18 l.--Wig.--Hat.
'Sunday, Oct. 29. We saw the boarding-school.--The Enfans trouvA(C)s .--A room with about eighty-six children in cradles, as sweet as a parlour.--They lose a third; take in to perhaps more than seven [years old]; put them to trades; pin to them the papers sent with them. --Want nurses.--Saw their chapel.
'Went to St. Eustatia; saw an innumerable company of girls catechised, in many bodies, perhaps 100 to a catechist.--Boys taught at one time, girls at another.--The sermon; the preacher wears a cap, which he takes off at the name:--his action uniform, not very violent.
'Oct. 30. Monday. We saw the library of St. Germain.--A very noble collection.--Codex Divinorum Officiorum, 1459:--a letter, square like that of the Offices, perhaps the same.--The Codex, by Fust and Gernsheym.--Meursius, 12 v. fol.--Amadis, in French, 3 v. fol.-- CATHOLICON sine colophone, but of 1460.--Two other editions, one by ... Augustin. de Civitate Dei, without name, date, or place, but of Fust's square letter as it seems.
'I dined with Col. Drumgold;--had a pleasing afternoon.
'Some of the books of St. Germain's stand in presses from the wall, like those at Oxford.
'Oct. 31. Tuesday. I lived at the Benedictines; meagre day; soup meagre, herrings, eels, both with sauce; fryed fish; lentils, tasteless in themselves. In the library; where I found Maffeus's de HistoriAc IndicAc: Promontorium flectere, to double the Cape. I parted very tenderly from the Prior and Friar Wilkes.
Maitre des Arts, 2 y.--Bacc. Theol. 3 y.--Licentiate, 2 y.--Doctor Th. 2 y. in all 9 years.--For the Doctorate three disputations, Major, Minor, Sorbonica.--Several colleges suppressed, and transferred to that which was the Jesuits' College.
'Nov. 1. Wednesday. We left Paris.--St. Denis, a large town; the church not very large, but the middle isle is very lofty and aweful.--On the left are chapels built beyond the line of the wall, which destroy the symmetry of the sides. The organ is higher above the pavement than any I have ever seen.--The gates are of brass.--On the middle gate is the history of our Lord.--The painted windows are historical, and said to be eminently beautiful.--We were at another church belonging to a convent, of which the portal is a dome; we could not enter further, and it was almost dark.
'Nov. 2. Thursday. We came this day to Chantilly, a seat belonging to the Prince of CondA(C).--This place is eminently beautified by all varieties of waters starting up in fountains, falling in cascades, running in streams, and spread in lakes.--The water seems to be too near the house.--All this water is brought from a source or river three leagues off, by an artificial canal, which for one league is carried under ground.--The house is magnificent.--The cabinet seems well stocked: what I remember was, the jaws of a hippopotamus, and a young hippopotamus preserved, which, however, is so small, that I doubt its reality.--It seems too hairy for an abortion, and too small for a mature birth.--Nothing was in spirits; all was dry.--The dog, the deer; the ant-bear with long snout.--The toucan, long broad beak.--The stables were of very great length.--The kennel had no scents.--There was a mockery of a village.--The Menagerie had few animals. For Dr. Blagden see post, 1780 in Mr. Langton's Collection.--Two faussans, or Brasilian weasels, spotted, very wild.--There is a forest, and, I think, a park.--I walked till I was very weary, and next morning felt my feet battered, and with pains in the toes.
'Nov. 3. Friday. We came to Compiegne, a very large town, with a royal palace built round a pentagonal court.--The court is raised upon vaults, and has, I suppose, an entry on one side by a gentle rise.--Talk of painting,--The church is not very large, but very elegant and splendid.--I had at first great difficulty to walk, but motion grew continually easier.--At night we came to Noyon, an episcopal city.--The cathedral is very beautiful, the pillars alternately gothick and Corinthian.--We entered a very noble parochial church.--Noyon is walled, and is said to be three miles round.
'Nov. 4. Saturday. We rose very early, and came through St. Quintin to Cambray, not long after three.--We went to an English nunnery, to give a letter to Father Welch, the confessor, who came to visit us in the evening.
'Nov. 5. Sunday. We saw the cathedral.--It is very beautiful, with chapels on each side. The choir splendid. The balustrade in one part brass.--The Neff very high and grand.--The altar silver as far as it is seen.--The vestments very splendid.--At the Benedictines church----'
Here his Journal ends abruptly. Whether he wrote any more after this time, I know not; but probably not much, as he arrived in England about the 12th of November. These short notes of his tour, though they may seem minute taken singly, make together a considerable mass of information, and exhibit such an ardour of enquiry and acuteness of examination, as, I believe, are found in but few travellers, especially at an advanced age. They completely refute the idle notion which has been propagated, that he could not see; and, if he had taken the trouble to revise and digest them, he undoubtedly could have expanded them into a very entertaining narrative.
When I met him in London the following year, the account which he gave me of his French tour, was, 'Sir, I have seen all the visibilities of Paris, and around it; but to have formed an acquaintance with the people there, would have required more time than I could stay. I was just beginning to creep into acquaintance by means of Colonel Drumgold, a very high man, Sir, head of L'Ecole Militaire, a most complete character, for he had first been a professor of rhetorick, and then became a soldier. And, Sir, I was very kindly treated by the English Benedictines, and have a cell appropriated to me in their convent.'
He observed, 'The great in France live very magnificently, but the rest very miserably. There is no happy middle state as in England. The shops of Paris are mean; the meat in the markets is such as would be sent to a gaol in England: and Mr. Thrale justly observed, that the cookery of the French was forced upon them by necessity; for they could not eat their meat, unless they added some taste to it. The French are an indelicate people; they will spit upon any place. At Madame ----'s, a literary lady of rank, the footman took the sugar in his fingers, and threw it into my coffee. I was going to put it aside; but hearing it was made on purpose for me, I e'en tasted Tom's fingers. The same lady would needs make tea A l'Angloise. The spout of the tea-pot did not pour freely; she bad the footman blow into it. France is worse than Scotland in every thing but climate. Nature has done more for the French; but they have done less for themselves than the Scotch have done.'
It happened that Foote was at Paris at the same time with Dr. Johnson, and his description of my friend while there, was abundantly ludicrous. He told me, that the French were quite astonished at his figure and manner, and at his dress, which he obstinately continued exactly as in London;--his brown clothes, black stockings, and plain shirt. He mentioned, that an Irish gentleman said to Johnson, 'Sir, you have not seen the best French players.' JOHNSON. 'Players, Sir! I look on them as no better than creatures set upon tables and joint-stools to make faces and produce laughter, like dancing dogs.'--'But, Sir, you will allow that some players are better than others?' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir, as some dogs dance better than others.'
While Johnson was in France, he was generally very resolute in speaking Latin. It was a maxim with him that a man should not let himself down, by speaking a language which he speaks imperfectly. Indeed, we must have often observed how inferiour, how much like a child a man appears, who speaks a broken tongue. When Sir Joshua Reynolds, at one of the dinners of the Royal Academy, presented him to a Frenchman of great distinction, he would not deign to speak French, but talked Latin, though his Excellency did not understand it, owing, perhaps, to Johnson's English pronunciation: yet upon another occasion he was observed to speak French to a Frenchman of high rank, who spoke English; and being asked the reason, with some expression of surprise,--he answered, 'because I think my French is as good as his English.' Though Johnson understood French perfectly, he could not speak it readily, as I have observed at his first interview with General Paoli, in 1769; yet he wrote it, I imagine, pretty well, as appears from some of his letters in Mrs. Piozzi's collection, of which I shall transcribe one:--
A Madame La Comtesse de----_. 'July 16, 1775.
'Oui, Madame, le moment est arrivA(C), et il faut que je parte. Mais pourquoi faut il partir? Est ce que je m'ennuye? Je m'ennuyerai ailleurs. Est ce que je cherche ou quelque plaisir, ou quelque soulagement? Je ne cherche rien, je n'espere rien. Aller voir ce que jai vA", etre un peu rejouA(C), un peu degoutA(C), me resouvenir que la vie se passe en vain, me plaindre de moi, m'endurcir aux dehors; void le tout de ce qu'on compte pour les delices de l'anneA(C). Que Dieu vous donne, Madame, tous les agrA(C)mens de la vie, avec un esprit qui peut en jouir sans s'y livrer trop.'
Here let me not forget a curious anecdote, as related to me by Mr. Beauclerk, which I shall endeavour to exhibit as well as I can in that gentleman's lively manner; and in justice to him it is proper to add, that Dr. Johnson told me I might rely both on the correctness of his memory, and the fidelity of his narrative. 'When Madame de Boufflers was first in England, (said Beauclerk,) she was desirous to see Johnson. I accordingly went with her to his chambers in the Temple, where she was entertained with his conversation for some time. When our visit was over, she and I left him, and were got into Inner Temple-lane, when all at once I heard a noise like thunder. This was occasioned by Johnson, who it seems, upon a little recollection, had taken it into his head that he ought to have done the honours of his literary residence to a foreign lady of quality, and eager to shew himself a man of gallantry, was hurrying down the stair-case in violent agitation. He overtook us before we reached the Temple-gate, and brushing in between me and Madame de Boufflers, seized her hand, and conducted her to her coach. His dress was a rusty brown morning suit, a pair of old shoes by way of slippers, a little shrivelled wig sticking on the top of his head, and the sleeves of his shirt and the knees of his breeches hanging loose. A considerable crowd of people gathered round, and were not a little struck by this singular appearance.'
He spoke Latin with wonderful fluency and elegance. When Pere Boscovich was in England, Johnson dined in company with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, and at Dr. Douglas's, now Bishop of Salisbury. Upon both occasions that celebrated foreigner expressed his astonishment at Johnson's Latin conversation. When at Paris, Johnson thus characterised Voltaire to Freron the Journalist: 'Vir est acerrimi ingenii et paucarum literarum!_'
'TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON.
'Edinburgh, Dec. 5, 1775.
'MY DEAR SIR,
'Mr. Alexander Maclean, the young Laird of Col, being to set out to-morrow for London, I give him this letter to introduce him to your acquaintance. The kindness which you and I experienced from his brother, whose unfortunate death we sincerely lament, will make us always desirous to shew attention to any branch of the family. Indeed, you have so much of the true Highland cordiality, that I am sure you would have thought me to blame if I had neglected to recommend to you this Hebridean prince, in whose island we were hospitably entertained.
'I ever am with respectful attachment, my dear Sir, 'Your most obliged 'And most humble servant, 'JAMES BOSWELL.'
Mr. Maclean returned with the most agreeable accounts of the polite attention with which he was received by Dr. Johnson.
In the course of this year Dr. Burney informs me that 'he very frequently met Dr. Johnson at Mr. Thrale's, at Streatham, where they had many long conversations, often sitting up as long as the fire and candles lasted, and much longer than the patience of the servants subsisted.'
A few of Johnson's sayings, which that gentleman recollects, shall here be inserted.
'I never take a nap after dinner but when I have had a bad night, and then the nap takes me.'
'The writer of an epitaph should not be considered as saying nothing but what is strictly true. Allowance must be made for some degree of exaggerated praise. In lapidary inscriptions a man is not upon oath.'
'There is now less flogging in our great schools than formerly, but then less is learned there; so that what the boys get at one end they lose at the other.'
'More is learned in publick than in private schools, from emulation; there is the collision of mind with mind, or the radiation of many minds pointing to one centre. Though few boys make their own exercises, yet if a good exercise is given up, out of a great number of boys, it is made by somebody.'
'I hate by-roads in education. Education is as well known, and has long been as well known, as ever it can be. Endeavouring to make children prematurely wise is useless labour. Suppose they have more knowledge at five or six years old than other children, what use can be made of it? It will be lost before it is wanted, and the waste of so much time and labour of the teacher can never be repaid. Too much is expected from precocity, and too little performed. Miss---- was an instance of early cultivation, but in what did it terminate? In marrying a little Presbyterian parson, who keeps an infant boarding-school, so that all her employment now is,
"To suckle fools, and chronicle small-beer."
'She tells the children, "This is a cat, and that is a dog, with four legs and a tail; see there! you are much better than a cat or a dog, for you can speak." If I had bestowed such an education on a daughter, and had discovered that she thought of marrying such a fellow, I would have sent her to the Congress.'
'After having talked slightingly of musick, he was observed to listen very attentively while Miss Thrale played on the harpsichord, and with eagerness he called to her, "Why don't you dash away like Burney?" Dr. Burney upon this said to him, "I believe, Sir, we shall make a musician of you at last." Johnson with candid complacency replied, "Sir, I shall be glad to have a new sense given to me."'
'He had come down one morning to the breakfast-room, and been a considerable time by himself before any body appeared. When, on a subsequent day, he was twitted by Mrs. Thrale for being very late, which he generally was, he defended himself by alluding to the extraordinary morning, when he had been too early. "Madam, I do not like to come down to vacuity."'
'Dr. Burney having remarked that Mr. Garrick was beginning to look old, he said, "Why, Sir, you are not to wonder at that; no man's face has had more wear and tear."'
Not having heard from him for a longer time than I supposed he would be silent, I wrote to him December 18, not in good spirits:--
'Sometimes I have been afraid that the cold which has gone over Europe this year like a sort of pestilence has seized you severely: sometimes my imagination, which is upon occasions prolifick of evil, hath figured that you may have somehow taken offence at some part of my conduct.'
'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
'DEAR SIR,
'Never dream of any offence. How should you offend me? I consider your friendship as a possession, which I intend to hold till you take it from me, and to lament if ever by my fault I should lose it. However, when such suspicions find their way into your mind, always give them vent; I shall make haste to disperse them; but hinder their first ingress if you can. Consider such thoughts as morbid.
'Such illness as may excuse my omission to Lord Hailes, I cannot honestly plead. I have been hindered, I know not how, by a succession of petty obstructions. I hope to mend immediately, and to send next post to his Lordship. Mr. Thrale would have written to you if I had omitted; he sends his compliments and wishes to see you.
'You and your lady will now have no more wrangling about feudal inheritance. How does the young Laird of Auchinleck? I suppose Miss Veronica is grown a reader and discourser.
'I have just now got a cough, but it has never yet hindered me from sleeping: I have had quieter nights than are common with me.
'I cannot but rejoice that Joseph has had the wit to find the way back. He is a fine fellow, and one of the best travellers in the world.
'Young Col brought me your letter. He is a very pleasing youth. I took him two days ago to the Mitre, and we dined together. I was as civil as I had the means of being.
'I have had a letter from Rasay, acknowledging, with great appearance of satisfaction, the insertion in the Edinburgh paper. I am very glad that it was done.
'My compliments to Mrs. Boswell, who does not love me; and of all the rest, I need only send them to those that do: and I am afraid it will give you very little trouble to distribute them.
'I am, my dear, dear Sir, 'Your affectionate humble servant, 'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'December, 23, 1775.'
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End of part 34 of 91
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