第62章

Johnsonistodineathome。’——’Madam，(saidI，)hisrespectforyouissuch，thatIknowhewillnotleaveyouunlessyouabsolutelydesireit。Butasyouhavesomuchofhiscompany，Ihopeyouwillbegoodenoughtoforegoitforaday；asMr。Dillyisaveryworthyman，hasfrequentlyhadagreeablepartiesathishouseforDr。Johnson，andwillbevexediftheDoctorneglectshimto-day。

Andthen，Madam，bepleasedtoconsidermysituation；Icarriedthemessage，andIassuredMr。DillythatDr。Johnsonwastocome，andnodoubthehasmadeadinner，andinvitedacompany，andboastedofthehonourheexpectedtohave。IshallbequitedisgracediftheDoctorisnotthere。’Shegraduallysoftenedtomysolicitations，whichwerecertainlyasearnestasmostentreatiestoladiesuponanyoccasion，andwasgraciouslypleasedtoempowermetotellDr。Johnson，’Thatallthingsconsidered，shethoughtheshouldcertainlygo。’Iflewbacktohim，stillindust，andcarelessofwhatshouldbetheevent，’indifferentinhischoicetogoorstay；’butassoonasIhadannouncedtohimMrs。Williams’

consent，heroared，’Frank，acleanshirt，’andwasverysoondrest。WhenIhadhimfairlyseatedinahackney-coachwithme，I

exultedasmuchasafortune-hunterwhohasgotanheiressintoapost-chaisewithhimtosetoutforGretna-Green。

WhenweenteredMr。Dilly’sdrawingroom，hefoundhimselfinthemidstofacompanyhedidnotknow。Ikeptmyselfsnugandsilent，watchinghowhewouldconducthimself。IobservedhimwhisperingtoMr。Dilly，’Whoisthatgentleman，Sir？’——’Mr。ArthurLee。’——

JOHNSON。’Too，too，too，’(underhisbreath，)whichwasoneofhishabitualmutterings。Mr。ArthurLeecouldnotbutbeveryobnoxioustoJohnson，forhewasnotonlyaPATRIOTbutanAMERICAN。HewasafterwardsministerfromtheUnitedStatesatthecourtofMadrid。’Andwhoisthegentlemaninlace？’——’Mr。Wilkes，Sir。’Thisinformationconfoundedhimstillmore；hehadsomedifficultytorestrainhimself，andtakingupabook，satdownuponawindow-seatandread，oratleastkepthiseyeuponitintentlyforsometime，tillhecomposedhimself。Hisfeelings，Idaresay，wereaukwardenough。Buthenodoubtrecollectedhishavingratedmeforsupposingthathecouldbeatalldisconcertedbyanycompany，andhe，therefore，resolutelysethimselftobehavequiteasaneasymanoftheworld，whocouldadapthimselfatoncetothedispositionandmannersofthosewhomhemightchancetomeet。

Thecheeringsoundof’Dinnerisuponthetable，’dissolvedhisreverie，andweALLsatdownwithoutanysymptomofillhumour。

Therewerepresent，besideMr。Wilkes，andMr。ArthurLee，whowasanoldcompanionofminewhenhestudiedphysickatEdinburgh，Mr。

(nowSirJohn)Miller，Dr。Lettsom，andMr。Slaterthedruggist。

Mr。WilkesplacedhimselfnexttoDr。Johnson，andbehavedtohimwithsomuchattentionandpoliteness，thathegaineduponhiminsensibly。NomaneatmoreheartilythanJohnson，orlovedbetterwhatwasniceanddelicate。Mr。Wilkeswasveryassiduousinhelpinghimtosomefineveal。’Praygivemeleave，Sir：——Itisbetterhere——Alittleofthebrown——Somefat，Sir——Alittleofthestuffing——Somegravy——Letmehavethepleasureofgivingyousomebutter——Allowmetorecommendasqueezeofthisorange；——orthelemon，perhaps，mayhavemorezest。’——’Sir，Sir，Iamobligedtoyou，Sir，’criedJohnson，bowing，andturninghisheadtohimwithalookforsometimeof’surlyvirtue，’but，inashortwhile，ofcomplacency。

Footebeingmentioned，Johnsonsaid，’Heisnotagoodmimick。’

Oneofthecompanyadded，’AmerryAndrew，abuffoon。’JOHNSON。

’Buthehaswittoo，andisnotdeficientinideas，orinfertilityandvarietyofimagery，andnotemptyofreading；hehasknowledgeenoughtofilluphispart。Onespeciesofwithehasinaneminentdegree，thatofescape。Youdrivehimintoacornerwithbothhands；buthe’sgone，Sir，whenyouthinkyouhavegothim——

likeananimalthatjumpsoveryourhead。Thenhehasagreatrangeforwit；heneverletstruthstandbetweenhimandajest，andheissometimesmightycoarse。GarrickisundermanyrestraintsfromwhichFooteisfree。’WILKES。’Garrick’switi

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