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 174 Anecdotes and Remarks

1 Yes, Sir, but she is sick in bed.' { O ! ' says he, ' if it is so, tell her that her son Jervas [sic] called to know how she did;' and was going away. The maid begged she might run up to tell her mistress, and, without attending his answer, left him. Mrs. Johnson, enraptured to hear her son was below, desired the maid to tell him she longed to embrace him. When the maid descended, the gentleman was gone, and poor Mrs. Johnson was much agitated by the adventure: it was the only time he ever made an effort to see her. Dr. Johnson did all he could to console his wife ; but told Mrs. Williams, Her son is uniformly undutiful; so I conclude, like many other sober men, he might once in his life be drunk,, and in that fit nature got the better of his pride/

Mrs. Williams was never otherwise dependent on Dr. Johnson, than in that sort of association, which is little known in the great world. They both had much to struggle through ; and I verily believe, that whichever held the purse, the other partook what want required T. She was, in respect to morals, more rigid than modern politeness admits; for she abhorred vice, and was not sparing of anger against those who threw young folks into temptation. Her ideas were very just in respect to the improvement of the mind, and her own was well stored. I have several of her letters : they are all written with great good sense and simplicity, and with a tenderness and affection, that far excel all that is called politeness and elegance. I have been favoured with her company some weeks at different times, and always found her temper equal 2, and her conversation lively. I never passed hours with more pleasure than when I heard her and Dr. Johnson talk of the persons they valued, or upon subjects in which they were much interested. One night I remember Mrs. Williams was giving an account of the Wilkin sons being at Paris, and having had consigned to their care

1 Except during the six years in ever drew on her purse. For the

which he was living in chambers last twenty-one years he was never

(1759-65) he gave her an apartment in need, and at the time of his

(probably two rooms) in his own poverty they were not living in the

house from 1752 till her death in same house.

1783. It is most unlikely that he 2 Ante, ii. 141.

the

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