Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies II.djvu/232

 224 Sir Joshua Reynolds on

a rough answer ; but he only said, * Sir, I did not write them, but that you may not imagine that I have wrote more than I really have, the utmost I have wrote in that poem, to the best of my recollection, is not more than eighteen lines V It must be observed there was then an opinion about town that Dr. John son wrote the whole poem for his friend, who was then in a manner an unknown writer 2. This conduct appears to me to be in the highest degree correct and refined. If the Dr.'s con science would have let him told [sic] a lye, the matter would have been soon over.

As in his writings not a line can be found which a saint would wish to blot 3, so in his life he would never suffer the least immorality [or] indecency of conversation, [or any thing] con trary to virtue or piety to proceed without a severe check, which no elevation of rank exempted them from 4. . ..

Custom, or politeness, or courtly manners has authorised such an Eastern hyperbolical style of compliment, that part of Dr. Johnson's character for rudeness of manners must be put to the account of this scrupulous adherence to truth. His obstinate silence, whilst all the company were in raptures, vying with each other who should pepper highest, was considered as rudeness or ill-nature 5.

During his last illness, when all hope was at an end, he

1 There were only nine lines of on my death-bed I should wish which he could be sure they were his. blotted.' Lockhart's Scott, ed. 1839, Life, ii. 6. x. 196.

2 Ib. iii. 252. 4 Life, iii. 40; iv. 295; ante,

3 ' The highest praise which Thorn- i. 453.

son has received ought not to be 5 To Mrs. Thrale, who was too suppressed ; it is said by Lord Lyt- much given to flattery, he wrote : telton that his works contained * If you love me, and surely I hope " No line which, dying, he could you do, why should you vitiate my wish to blot." ' mind with a false opinion of its own Works,\\\\. 379. merit?' Letters, i. 221. 'Think as Sir Walter Scott said : ' I am well and as kindly of me as you can, drawing near to the close of my but do not flatter me. Cool recipro- career ; I am fast shuffling off the cations of esteem are the great corn- stage. I have been perhaps the forts of life ; hyperbolical praise only most voluminous author of the day ; corrupts the tongue of the one and and it is a comfort to me to think the ear of the other.' Ib. ii. 308. See that ... I have written nothing which ante, ii. 179 n.

appeared

�� �