第63章

shouldnothavetakenthetroubletowritehiseulogy，anddedicateMortimertohim。’

Mr。Wilkesheldacandletoshewafineprintofabeautifulfemalefigurewhichhungintheroom，andpointedouttheelegantcontourofthebosomwiththefingerofanarchconnoisseur。Heafterwards，inaconversationwithme，waggishlyinsisted，thatallthetimeJohnsonshewedvisiblesignsofaferventadmirationofthecorrespondingcharmsofthefairQuaker。

Thisrecord，thoughbynomeanssoperfectasIcouldwish，willservetogiveanotionofaverycuriousinterview，whichwasnotonlypleasingatthetime，buthadtheagreeableandbenignanteffectofreconcilinganyanimosity，andsweeteninganyacidity，whichinthevariousbustleofpoliticalcontest，hadbeenproducedinthemindsoftwomen，whothoughwidelydifferent，hadsomanythingsincommon——classicallearning，modernliterature，wit，andhumour，andreadyrepartee——thatitwouldhavebeenmuchtoberegrettediftheyhadbeenforeveratadistancefromeachother。

Mr。BurkegavememuchcreditforthissuccessfulNEGOCIATION；andpleasantlysaid，that’therewasnothingtoequalitinthewholehistoryoftheCorpsDiplomatique。’

IattendedDr。Johnsonhome，andhadthesatisfactiontohearhimtellMrs。WilliamshowmuchhehadbeenpleasedwithMr。Wilkes’scompany，andwhatanagreeabledayhehadpassed。

ItalkedagooddealtohimofthecelebratedMargaretCarolineRudd，whomIhadvisited，inducedbythefameofhertalents，address，andirresistiblepoweroffascination。Toaladywhodisapprovedofmyvisitingher，hesaidonaformeroccasion，’Nay，Madam，Boswellisintheright；Ishouldhavevisitedhermyself，wereitnotthattheyhavenowatrickofputtingeverythingintothenews-papers。’Thiseveningheexclaimed，’IenvyhimhisacquaintancewithMrs。Rudd。’

OntheeveningofthenextdayItookleaveofhim，beingtosetoutforScotland。Ithankedhimwithgreatwarmthforallhiskindness。’Sir，(saidhe，)youareverywelcome。Nobodyrepaysitwithmore。

ThefollowinglettersconcerninganEpitaphwhichhewroteforthemonumentofDr。Goldsmith，inWestminster-Abbey，affordatonceaproofofhisunaffectedmodesty，hiscarelessnessastohisownwritings，andofthegreatrespectwhichheentertainedforthetasteandjudgementoftheexcellentandeminentpersontowhomtheyareaddressed：

TOSIRJOSHUAREYNOLDS。

DEARSIR，——Ihavebeenkeptawayfromyou，Iknownotwellhow，andofthesevexatioushindrancesIknownotwhentherewillbeanend。

IthereforesendyouthepoordearDoctor’sepitaph。Readitfirstyourself；andifyouthenthinkitright，shewittotheClub。I

am，youknow，willingtobecorrected。Ifyouthinkanythingmuchamiss，keepittoyourself，tillwecometogether。Ihavesenttwocopies，butpreferthecard。ThedatesmustbesettledbyDr。

Percy。Iam，Sir，yourmosthumbleservant，’May16，1776。’

’SAM。JOHNSON。’

Itwas，Ithink，afterIhadleftLondonthisyear，thatthisEpitaphgaveoccasiontoaRemonstrancetotheMO

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