bably laughed as heartily as any- can as to revive some of the old body, when Boswell now ap- nights at the Mitre, and to get peared in a full suit of black, with up some dinners and drinking "Corsica" exposed in legible parties at his rooms in Old 1769. letters on his hat, as the dear Bond-street. One of the defunct he was in mourning for. dinners was fixed for the t. 41. Nor did the fit abate for some 16th of October; and the party time. It was not until several invited were Johnson, Reynolds months later that the old laird of (now knighted as the President Affleck (so was Auchinleck in of the Royal Academy), Goldthose days familiarly called) had smith, Garrick, Murphy, Bickeroccasion to make his famous staff, and Tom Davies. complaint to a friend. "There's Some days before it took "nae hope for Jamie, mon. Jamie place, however, an incident oc"is gaen clean gyte. What do curred of no small interest to 'you think, mon? He's done that circle. One of Johnson's "wi' Paoli; he's off wi' the land- early acquaintance was the Italian "louping scoundrel of a Corsi- Baretti, a man of cynical temper "can; and whose tail do you and overbearing manners, but "think he has pinn'd himself to also of undoubted ability, who "now, mon?" And here the had been useful to him at the old judge paused, to summon up time of the Dictionary, and whose a sneer of most sovereign con- services had never been fortempt. "A dominie, mon; an gotten. To Goldsmith, on the "auld dominie: he keeped a other hand, this man had made "schule, and cau'd it an acaa- himself peculiarly hateful by all damy." But, though not yet that malice in little, which, on a exclusively pinned to the auld larger field, he subsequently pracdominie's tail, Jamie so far tised against poor Mrs. Piozzi; abated his ostentatious attend- and they seem never to have ance on the landlouping Corsi- met but to quarrel. Their mutual dislike is described by Tom "him a Scottish officer (for he was sandy Davies. "He (Goldsmith) least 66 *Johnson thus writes to Mrs. Thrale "Poor "complexioned and in regimentals) who 66 was cautiously awaiting the moment of "promotion. All his heroism consisted "in bearing with composure the ac- of "the tyranny of B-i." "counts of his friends being tortured and "B-i! do not quarrel with him; to "butchered, while he was sunk into a "neglect him a little will be sufficient. "pensioner of that very court that had "He means only to be frank and manly, proclaimed his valiant countrymen and "and independent, and perhaps, as you "associates rebels." Letters to Mann, III. "say, a little wise. To be frank he thinks 386. Not the least remarkable thing "is to be cynical, and to be independent about Paoli was that he afterwards be- "is to be rude. Forgive him, dearest came godfather to the son of the Corsi-"lady, the rather because of his misbecan lawyer who became Emperor of "haviours; I am afraid he learnedpart France. 'of me." 15th July, 1775, Piozzi Letters, I. 277, *Note to Boswell, v. 131. 66 "of all mankind, approved Ba- charge. They were Reynolds, "retti's conversation; he con- Fitzherbert, Burke, and Garrick. "sidered him as an insolent All the friends met to arrange 1769. ас "overbearing foreigner: the defence; and it was at one "as Baretti, in his turn, of the consultations, on a hot Æt. 41. "thought him an un- dispute arising between Burke "polished man, and an absurd and Johnson, that the latter is "companion."* But it now un-reported to have frankly adhappily fell out that in a street mitted afterwards, "Burke and scuffle Baretti drew out a fruit "I should have been of one knife which he always carried, "opinion if we had had no auand killed a man (one of three "dience. "* Baretti was who had grossly insulted him, quitted, though not without on his somewhat rudely repuls- merited rebuke; and Johnson ing the overtures of a woman subsequently obtained for him with whom they were proved the post of tutor in the family of to be connected); ** and it the Thrales (which Mrs. Thrale further happened that Goldsmith lived to have reason bitterly to was among the first to hear of repent), and Reynolds that of the incident next morning, while honorary foreign secretary to the Baretti was under examination new Academy. before Sir John Fielding. The But Mr. Boswell's dinner is goodnatured man forgot all his waiting us. On that very day, wrongs in an instant, thought as Mr. William Filby's bills enonly of his enemy's evil plight, able us with commendable corand hurried off to render him rectness to state, Goldsmith's assistance. "When this unhappy tailor took him home "a half"Italian," says Davies, "was "dress suit of ratteen lined with "charged with murder, and sent "satin, a pair of silk stocking "by Sir John Fielding to New-"breeches, and a pair of bloom"gate, Goldsmith opened his "coloured ditto" (for which the purse, and would have given entire charge was about sixteen "him every shilling it contained: pounds); and to Old Bond-street "he at the same time insisted the poet would seem to have pro"upon going in the coach with "him to the place of his con*Boswell tells this on the authority "finement." *** Bail was given surely doubtful if in a matter of life and of George Steevens (VIII. 326), but it is before Lord Mansfield a few death the passion of talking for victory days later; and never were such could have displayed itself in a man nanames, before or since, prof-turally so humane; and it is to be added that George Steevens is not in any fered in connection with such a matter a very reliable authority. *Life of Garrick, II. 169. ** See Boswell, 111. 98-9, and note. *** Life of Garrick, II. 169-170. Ba retti's witnesses to "the quietness of his general character" were Beauclerc, Reynolds, Johnson, Fitzherbert, Burke, Garrick, Goldsmith, and Dr. Hallifax, 1769. ceeded in "silk attire."* Though waiting_however, Reynolds_not he is said to have been last at yet arriving; ** and, says Bosevery dinner party (arriving al- well, "Goldsmith, to divert the ways, according to Sir George "tedious minutes, strutted Beaumont, in a violent bustle "about bragging of his Æt. just as the rest were sitting "dress, and I believe was 41. down), when he arrived on this "seriously vain of it, for his mind occasion there was still a lag-", was wonderfully prone to such imgard: but Garrick and Johnson “pressions." Of course Boswell were come, and Boswell plea- had no such weakness, any more santly relates with what good-than Horace Walpole, also a humour they had met; how Gar- great laugher on the same score. rick played round Johnson with Though the one had so lately a fond vivacity, taking hold of figured in Corsican costume, and the breasts of his coat, and, as was so proud of his ordinary he looked up in his face with a dress that he would show off to lively archness, complimenting the smallest of printers' devils him on the good health which he his new ruffles and sword; seemed then to enjoy, while the though the other had just resage, shaking his head, beheld ceived a party of French visitors him with a gentle complacency. at Strawberry-hill in elaborate Dinner continued to be kept state, presenting himself at the I here give, from Mr. Filby's Ledger (Prior, II. 232-3), Goldsmith's sartorial account for 1769 and 1770. (Paid 401. February 8, 1771, by a note of hand on Mr. Thos. Davies; and 231. Oct. 2nd, by part of a note of hand on Griffin.) ** "I proposed, as usual upon such occasions, to order dinner to be served; add"ing, ought six people be kept waiting for one? Why, yes,' answered Johnson, "with a delicate humanity, if the one will suffer more by your sitting down than "the six will do by waiting.'" Boswell, III, 83. 1769. gate in a "cravat of Gibbons's the confessed object is to give "carving" and a pair of James- merely the talk of one speaker, the-First gloves embroidered up with only such limited fragments to the elbows; both be- of remark from others as may be lieved themselves entitled necessary in elucidation of the Æt. 41. to make the most of poor one. Thus, there are but two Goldsmith's "bragging:" and sentences preserved of GoldGarrick, however good the hu- smith's; both sensible enough, mour he might be in, had always though both of them indicating his laugh in equal readiness. that he was not disposed to ac"Come, come," he said, "talk cept all Johnson's criticism for "no more of that. You are per- gospel. He put in a word for "haps the worst eh, eh!" Pope's character of Addison, as Goldsmith eagerly attempted to "showing a deep knowledge of interrupt him. "Nay," continued "the human heart," while JohnGarrick, laughing ironically, son was declaring (quite justly) "nay, you will always look like a that in Dryden's poetry were pas"gentleman; but I am talking of sages drawn from a profundity "being well or ill drest." "Well," which Pope could never reach; answered Goldsmith, with an and he quietly interposed, when amusing simplicity which makes Johnson took to praising Lord the anecdote very pleasant to Kames's Elements of Criticism, that us, "let me tell you, when my it must have been easier to write "tailor brought home my bloom- that book "than it was to read "coloured coat, he said, 'Sir, I"it." Yet a very interesting din"have a favour to beg of you. ner to have been present at, one "When any body asks you who feels that on the whole this must ""made your clothes, be pleased have been. Goldsmith's new coat "to mention John Filby, at one would like to have seen, with "the Harrow in Water-lane.' "the first freshness of its bloom "Why, sir," remarked Johnson, upon it. Something it must have "that was because he knew the been to hear Johnson recite, “in "strange colour would attract "his forcible melodious man"crowds to gaze at it, and thus "ner," those magnificent closing "they might hear of him, and lines of the Dunciad which Pope "see how well he could make a himself could not repeat without "coat, even of so absurd a colour." a voice that faltered with emoCrowds have been attracted to tion. Nor could the eager engaze at it, and Mr. Filby's bloom-counter of Garrick with Johnson coloured coat defies the ravages on the respective merits of Shakespeare and Congreve fail of time! How the party talked after to have had its entertainment for dinner may be read in Boswell; us;* and, before and beyond all, in all whose reports, however,| * "Johnson said that the description who would not have laughed to dunce for his pains! Poor Bossee the very giver as well as well appears to have been the describer of the feast plucking only one who came off ill at 66 was the finest poetical passage he had up courage at it to "venture" a the dinner, as he did at 1769. remark, and bluntly called a several other meetings be- Æt. fore he returned to Scot- 41. "of the Temple, in The Mourning Bride, land; being compared to Pope's 66 ever read: he recollected none in dunces,* having his head called "Shakespeare equal to it. But,' said his peccant part, and receiving "Garrick, all alarmed for the God of his other as unequivocal compli66 idolatry, we know not the extent and "variety of his powers. We are to ments; so that he was fain to suppose there are such passages in his console himself with what he now "works. Shakespeare must not suffer heard Goldsmith, happily adapt"Johnson, diverted by this enthusiastic ing an expression in "jealousy, went on with great ardour: Cibber's comedies, say of his No, sir; Congreve has nature' (smil hero's conversation: "There is 66 ing on the tragic eagerness of Garrick); 66 6 ""from the badness of our memories.' one of but composing himself, he added, 'Sir, "no arguing with Johnson; for "this is not comparing Congreve on the "when his pistol misses fire, he "'whole with Shakespeare on the whole; "knocks you down with the butt"but only maintaining that Congreve "end of it."** "has one finer passage than any that "can be found in Shakespeare. Sir, a "man may have no more than ten * While Johnson was talking loudly "'guineas in the world, but he may have in praise of the closing lines of the "those ten guineas in one piece; and Dunciad, one of the company ventured to "so may have a finer piece than a man say (so Boswell tenderly introduces a re"who has ten thousand pound: but mark from himself, the host and enter"then he has only one ten-guinea tainer), "Too fine for such a poem:-a "'piece.'" Boswell, III. 87. If Johnson"; poem on what?" JOHNSON (with a disreally believed what he said of Congreve, dainful look), "Why, on Dunces. It was there is no more to be added than that "worth while being a dunce then. Ah, his own mind could not reach to a finer "sir, hadst thou lived in those days! It passage, and did not know it when it lay "is not worth while being a dunce now, before him. But, notwithstanding that "when there are no wits." Northcote, Congreve's lines really do make an ap-in his Life of Reynolds (11. 189), has mispeal to that superstitious side of John- told this same incident, evidently taking son's nature which gave always so ready it out of Boswell's book; and yet, as I a response, it is also very evident that he have elsewhere frequent occasion to rewas fond of this kind of paradoxical teas-mark, the copyist gets himself quoted ing of Garrick. "He told me," says Mrs. afterwards to corroborate or invalidate Thrale, "how he used to tease Garrick the only real authority. See Croker's by commendations of the Tomb scene in Boswell, 203, note 6. "Congreve's Mourning Bride" (evidently **Boswell, III. 104. Cooke reports anthe same thing quoted at Boswell's din- other saying of Goldsmith's to the same ner-table), "protesting that Shakespeare effect. "There's no chance for you in had, in the same line of excellence, no- "arguing with Johnson. Like the Tartar "thing so good; 'All which is strictly "horse, if he does not conquer you in "true,' said he" (a pity he did!) " but "front, his kick from behind is sure to "that is no reason for supposing Con-"be fatal." Cooke adds that Goldsmith 66 6 'greve is to stand in competition with never had any scruple in venting his "Shakespeare; these fellows know not pleasantries before Johnson, with whom "how to blame, nor how to commend.'" he might say and do many things cum Anecdotes, 58. privilegio; for, says Cooke very truly, 66 |