Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies I.djvu/182

 164 Anecdotes.

��thought likely to seize the attention of her infant auditor, who was then in bed with her, she got up, and dressing him before the u\s.ual time, sent him directly to call a favourite workman in the houstTj to whom she knew he would communicate the con versation whils it was yet impressed upon his mind. The event was what she wished *', apd it was to that method chiefly that he owed his uncommon felicity of remembering distant occurrences, and long past conversations.'

At the age of eighteen Dr. Johnson quitted school 2, and escaped from the tuition of those he hated or those he despised. I have heard him relate very few college adventures. He used to say that our best accounts of his behaviour there would be gathered from Dr. Adams 3 and Dr. Taylor 4, and that he was sure they would always tell the truth. He told me however one day, how, when he was first entered at the university, he passed a morning, in compliance with the customs of the place, at his tutor's chambers ; but finding him no scholar, went no more. In about ten days after, meeting the same gentleman, Mr. Jordan, in the street, he offered to pass by without saluting him ; but the

^tutor stopped, and enquired, not roughly neither, What he had been doing ? * Sliding on the ice,' was the reply ; and so turned

Vaway with disdain 5. He laughed very heartily at the recollection

1 Boswell, who had also heard this Master. Ib. i. 59. A copy of his story from Johnson, thus concludes : portrait has been lately hung in the ' She sent him to repeat it to Hall of the College.

Thomas Jackson, their man-servant ; 4 Johnson's schoolfellow and cor-

he not being in the way, this was not respondent. Ib. i. 44.

done.' Life, i. 38; ante, p. 135. 3 The tutor's name was Jorden.

2 According to Boswell he went to Johnson, in telling this story to Bos- Stourbridge School at the age of well, added : ' 1 had no notion that fifteen, remained there little more I was wrong or irreverent to my than a year, and then spent two tutor.' Ib. i. 60. See also i. 272. years at home before he entered According to Hawkins (Lifeofjohn- college.' Ib. i. 49, 50, 56. This son, p. 9) Johnson once said to the would make him in his nineteenth same tutor : ' Sir, you have sconced year when he entered ; he was, how- [fined] me twopence for non-attend- n. 3. Mr. Falconer Madan, one of the

3 At that time one of the Fellows Sub- Librarians of the Bodleian, in- of Pembroke College ; afterwards the forms me that twopence was the

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