Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies II.djvu/188

 180 Anecdotes by Hannah More.

I expected r. He was no sooner gone, than the most amiable and obliging of women (Miss Reynolds.) ordered the coach, to take us to Dr. Johnson's very own house ; yes, Abyssinia's Johnson ! Dictionary Johnson ! Rambler's, Idler's, and Irene's Johnson ! Can you picture to yourselves the palpitation of our hearts as we approached his mansion. The conversation turned upon a new work of his, just going to the press, (the Tour to the Hebrides 2 ,) and his old friend Richardson 3. Mrs. Williams, the blind poet 4, who lives with him, was introduced to us. She is engaging in her manners ; her conversation lively and entertaining. Miss Reynolds told the doctor of all our rapturous exclamations on the road. He shook his scientific head at Hannah, and said, " She was a silly thing" When our visit was ended, he called for his hat, (as it rained) to attend us down a very long entry to our coach, and not Rasselas could have acquitted himself more en cavalier 5. We are engaged with him at Sir Joshua's, Wednesday evening. What do you think of us ? I forgot to mention, that not finding Johnson in his little parlour when we came in, Hannah seated herself in his great chair, hoping to catch a little ray of his genius ; when he heard it, he laughed heartily, and told her it was a chair on which he never sat 6. He said it reminded him of Boswell and himself when they stopt a night at the spot (as they imagined) where the Weird Sisters appeared to Macbeth : the idea so worked upon their enthusiasm, that it quite deprived them of rest : however they learnt, the next morning, to their mortification,

1 Miss Burney wrote of him ' sought after.' Ib. iii. 314. seventeen years later : 'The Bishop 4 She published in 1766 a volume is perfectly easy and unassuming, of Miscellanies. Most of her poems very communicative, and though not were corrected by Johnson. Ib. ii. very entertaining because too prolix, 25 ; ante, i. 403 ; ii. 172.

he is otherwise intelligent and of 5 He was living in Johnson's

good conversation.' Mme. D'Ar- Court as late as May, 1775, but by

blay's Diary, v. 256. March, 1776, had removed to Bolt

2 Johnson wrote on June 21, Court. Life, ii. 375, 427. For his 1774: 'Yesterday I put the first conducting Madame de BoufHers to sheets of the Journey to the Hebrides her coach and ' showing himself a to the press.' Life, ii. 278. man of gallantry,' see ib. ii. 405, and

3 The author of Clarissa one of post, p. 260.

the very few men whom Johnson 6 Life, iv. 232, n. I.

that

�� �