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 for his amusement after breakfast, and that Johnson was so attentive and polite to her, that, when Dr. Percy mentioned the literature proposed in the study, he said, ' No, Sir, I shall first wait upon Mrs. Percy to feed the ducks.' But those halcyon days were about to change, not as to Mrs. Percy, for to the last she remained a favourite with him.

I happened to be in London once when Dr. Percy returned from Northumberland, and found that he was expected to preach a charity sermon almost immediately. This had escaped his memory, and he said, that, though much fatigued, he had been obliged to sit up very late to furnish out something from former discourses; but, suddenly recollecting that Johnson's fourth Idler was exactly to his purpose, he had freely engrafted the greatest part of it. He preached, and his discourse was much admired; but being requested to print it, he most strenuously opposed the honour intended him. till he was assured by the governors, that it was absolutely necessary, as the annual con tributions greatly depended on the account that was given in the appendix. In this dilemma, he earnestly requested that I would call upon Dr. Johnson, and state particulars. I assented, and endeavoured to introduce the subject with all due solemnity; but Johnson was highly diverted with his recital, and, laughing, said, * Pray, Sir, give my kind respects to Dr. Percy, and tell him, I desire he will do whatever he pleases in regard to my Idler ; it is entirely at his service V

garden [of the vicarage] is still called Diary, v. 256. It was Miss Percy

Dr. Johnson's walk.' Wheatley's whom, when a little girl, Johnson set

Percy's Religues, i. Preface, p. 75. down from his knee, telling her that

Miss Burney wrote in 1781 or he did not care one farthing for her

1782 : * Mrs. Percy is a vulgar, fus- as she had not read Pilgrim's Pro-

socking, proud woman ; but very civil gress. Life, ii. 238, n. 5.

to us. Miss Percy is among the very * This sermon, I have no doubt,

well? Early Diary of F. Burney, ii. was the one preached before the Sons

297. In 1 79 1 she wrote : 'Mrs.Percy of the Clergy on May n, 1769;

is very uncultivated and ordinary published by J. and F. Rivington, a

in manners and conversation, but a copy of which is in the Bodleian

good creature, and much delighted Library. Johnson's thoughts are

to talk over the Royal Family, to one borrowed, but not his words,

of whom she was formerly a nurse. This sermon was preached seven

Miss Percy is a natural and very years before Cradock first met

pleasing character.' Mme. D'Arblay's Johnson.

VOL. II. F But

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