The company gradually dropped away.Mr.Dilly himself was called down stairs upon business;I left the room for some time;when Ireturned,I was struck with observing Dr.Samuel Johnson and John Wilkes,Esq.,literally tete-a-tete;for they were reclined upon their chairs,with their heads leaning almost close to each other,and talking earnestly,in a kind of confidential whisper,of the personal quarrel between George the Second and the King of Prussia.
Such a scene of perfectly easy sociality between two such opponents in the war of political controversy,as that which I now beheld,would have been an excellent subject for a picture.It presented to my mind the happy days which are foretold in Scripture,when the lion shall lie down with the kid.
After this day there was another pretty long interval,during which Dr.Johnson and I did not meet.When I mentioned it to him with regret,he was pleased to say,'Then,Sir,let us live double.'
About this time it was much the fashion for several ladies to have evening assemblies,where the fair sex might participate in conversation with literary and ingenious men,animated by a desire to please.These societies were denominated Blue-stocking Clubs,the origin of which title being little known,it may be worth while to relate it.One of the most eminent members of those societies,when they first commenced,was Mr.Stillingfleet,whose dress was remarkably grave,and in particular it was observed,that he wore blue stockings.Such was the excellence of his conversation,that his absence was felt as so great a loss,that it used to be said,'We can do nothing without the blue stockings;'and thus by degrees the title was established.Miss Hannah More has admirably described a Blue-stocking Club,in her Bas Bleu,a poem in which many of the persons who were most conspicuous there are mentioned.
Johnson was prevailed with to come sometimes into these circles,and did not think himself too grave even for the lively Miss Monckton (now Countess of Corke),who used to have the finest BITOF BLUE at the house of her mother,Lady Galway.Her vivacity enchanted the Sage,and they used to talk together with all imaginable ease.A singular instance happened one evening,when she insisted that some of Sterne's writings were very pathetick.
Johnson bluntly denied it.'I am sure (said she,)they have affected ME.''Why,(said Johnson,smiling,and rolling himself about,)that is,because,dearest,you're a dunce.'When she some time afterwards mentioned this to him,he said with equal truth and politeness;'Madam,if I had thought so,I certainly should not have said it.'
Another evening Johnson's kind indulgence towards me had a pretty difficult trial.I had dined at the Duke of Montrose's with a very agreeable party,and his Grace,according to his usual custom,had circulated the bottle very freely.Lord Graham and I went together to Miss Monckton's,where I certainly was in extraordinary spirits,and above all fear or awe.In the midst of a great number of persons of the first rank,amongst whom I recollect with confusion,a noble lady of the most stately decorum,I placed myself next to Johnson,and thinking myself now fully his match,talked to him in a loud and boisterous manner,desirous to let the company know how I could contend with Ajax.I particularly remember pressing him upon the value of the pleasures of the imagination,and as an illustration of my argument,asking him,'What,Sir,supposing Iwere to fancy that the -----(naming the most charming Duchess in his Majesty's dominions)were in love with me,should I not be very happy?'My friend with much address evaded my interrogatories,and kept me as quiet as possible;but it may easily be conceived how he must have felt.However,when a few days afterwards I waited upon him and made an apology,he behaved with the most friendly gentleness.
While I remained in London this year,Johnson and I dined together at several places.I recollect a placid day at Dr.Butter's,who had now removed from Derby to Lower Grosvenor-street,London;but of his conversation on that and other occasions during this period,I neglected to keep any regular record,and shall therefore insert here some miscellaneous articles which I find in my Johnsonian notes.
His disorderly habits,when 'making provision for the day that was passing over him,'appear from the following anecdote,communicated to me by Mr.John Nichols:--'In the year 1763,a young bookseller,who was an apprentice to Mr.Whiston,waited on him with a subion to his Shakspeare:and observing that the Doctor made no entry in any book of the subscriber's name,ventured diffidently to ask,whether he would please to have the gentleman's address,that it might be properly inserted in the printed list of subscribers."I shall print no list of subscribers;"said Johnson,with great abruptness:but almost immediately recollecting himself,added,very complacently,"Sir,I have two very cogent reasons for not printing any list of subscribers;--one,that I have lost all the names,--the other,that I have spent all the money."Johnson could not brook appearing to be worsted in argument,even when he had taken the wrong side,to shew the force and dexterity of his talents.When,therefore,he perceived that his opponent gained ground,he had recourse to some sudden mode of robust sophistry.Once when I was pressing upon him with visible advantage,he stopped me thus:--'My dear Boswell,let's have no more of this;you'll make nothing of it.I'd rather have you whistle a Scotch tune.'
