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 286 A necdotes.

��A young fellow, less confident of his own abilities, lamenting one day that he had lost all his Greek ' I believe it happened at the same time, Sir (said Johnson), that I lost all my large estate in Yorkshire.'

But however roughly he might be suddenly provoked to treat a harmless exertion of vanity, he did not wish to inflict the pain he gave, and was sometimes very sorry when he perceived the people to smart more than they deserved x. How harshly you treated that man to-day, said I once, who harangued us so about gardening ' I am sorry (said he) if I vexed the creature, for there certainly is no harm in a fellow's rattling a rattle-box, only don't let him think that he thunders.' The Lincolnshire lady 2 who shewed him a grotto she had been making, came off no better as I remember : Would it not be a pretty cool habitation in summer ? said she, Mr. Johnson ! ' I think it would, Madam (replied he), for a toad.'

All desire of distinction indeed had a sure enemy in Mr. John son. We met a friend driving six very small ponies, and stopt to admire them. ' Why does nobody (said our doctor) begin the fashion of driving six spavined 3 horses, all spavined of the same leg ? it would have a mighty pretty effect, and produce the dis tinction of doing something worse than the common way.'

When Mr. Johnson had a mind to compliment any one, he did it with more dignity to himself, and better effect upon the company, than any man. I can recollect but few instances indeed, though perhaps that may be more my fault than his. When Sir Joshua Reynolds left the room one day, he said, ' There goes a man not to be spoiled by prosperity V And

1 He wrote to Dr. Taylor on ton in Lincolnshire. Life, i. 476. Nov. 18,1756: 'When I am musing In the Taylor Gallery in Oxford alone I feel a pang for every mo- there is a water-colour drawing of ment that any human being has by the house.

my peevishness or obstinacy spent 3 Spavined is not in Johnson's

in uneasiness.' Letters, i. 72. Dictionary. He only gives Spavin.

2 In 1764 he paid a visit to the 4 'Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir, is the Langton family at their seat of Lang- most invulnerable man I know ; the

when

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