ANECDOTES AND REMARKS

BY BISHOP PERCY

[THE following anecdotes and remarks are taken from the third edition of Dr. Robert Anderson's Life of Johnson, published in 1815. They had been recorded by Percy, in 1805, in an interleaved copy of the second edition. A few of his entries are not worth reprinting; others I have already incorporated as notes, and so do not include here.]

AT Stourbridge Johnson's genius was so distinguished that, although little better than a school-boy, he was admitted into the best company of the place, and had no common attention paid to his conversation; of which remarkable instances were long remembered there'. He had met even with George, afterwards Lord Lyttleton; with whom, having some colloquial disputes, he is supposed to have conceived that prejudice which so improperly influenced him in the Life of that worthy nobleman2. But this could scarcely have happened when he was a boy of fifteen, and, therefore, it is probable he occasionally

visited Stourbridge, during his residence at Birmingham, before he removed to London'. (Pages 20, 66.)

Johnson's countenance was not so harsh and rugged as has been misrepresented, and no otherwise disfigured by the King's Evil than its having a scar under one of his jaws, where some humour had been opened, but afterwards healed. And this being only a simple scar, attended with no discoloration, excited no disgust2. (Page 15.)

His countenance, when in a good humour, was not disagreeable. His face clear, his complexion good, and his features not ill-formed, many ladies have thought they might not be unattractive when he was young 3. Much misrepresentation has prevailed on this subject among such as did not personally know him. (Page 49.)

That he had some whimsical peculiarities of the nature described [by Boswell, Life, i. 484], is certainly true; but there is no reason to believe they proceeded from any superstitious motives, wherein religion was concerned; they are rather to be ascribed to his 'mental distempers.' (Page 487.)

If Johnson appeared a little unwieldy, it was owing to the defect of his sight, and not from corpulency. (Page 468.) Johnson was so extremely short-sighted, that he had no

Dr.

see so well as I do." I wondered at Dr. Percy's venturing thus. Johnson said nothing at the time; but inflammable particles were collecting for a cloud to burst. In a little while Dr. Percy said something more in disparagement of Pennant. JOHNSON (pointedly). "This is the resentment of a narrow mind, because he did not find every thing in Northumberland." PERCY (feeling the stroke). "Sir, you may be as rude as you please." JOHNSON. Hold, Sir! Don't talk of rudeness; remember, Sir, you told me (puffing conception

conception of rural beauties; and, therefore, it is not to be wondered, that he should prefer the conversation of the metropolis to the silent groves and views of Greenwich1; which, however delightful, he could not see. In his Tour through the Highlands of Scotland, he has somewhere observed, that one mountain was like another 2; so utterly unconscious was he of the wonderful variety of sublime and beautiful scenes those mountains exhibited. The writer of this remark was once present when the case of a gentleman was mentioned, who, having with great taste and skill formed the lawns and plantations about his house into most beautiful landscapes, to complete one part of the scenery, was obliged to apply for leave to a neighbour with whom he was not upon cordial terms3; when Johnson made the following remark, which at once shews what ideas he had of landscape improvement, and how happily he applied the most common incidents to moral instruction. See how inordinate desires enslave man! No desire can be more innocent than to have a pretty garden, yet, indulged to excess, it has made this poor man submit to beg a favour of his enemy.' (Page 520.)

This [the statement that 'when Johnson did eat it was voraciously'] is extremely exaggerated. He ate heartily, having a good appetite, but not with the voraciousness described by

Mr. Boswell; all whose extravagant accounts must be read with caution and abatement. (Page 471.)

There was no great cordiality between Garrick and Johnson; and as the latter kept him much in awe when present, Garrick, when his back was turned, repaid the restraint with ridicule of him and his dulcinea, which should be read with great abatement; for, though Garrick, at the moment, to indulge a spirit of drollery, and to entertain the company, gave distorted caricatures of Mrs. Johnson and her spouse, it would certainly have shocked him, had he known that these sportive distortions were to be handed down to posterity as faithful pictures. By his caricature mimickry he could turn the most respectable characters and unaffected manners into ridicule. (Pages 50, 91.)

The extraordinary prejudice and dislike of Swift, manifested on all occasions by Johnson, whose political opinions coincided exactly with his 3, has been difficult to account for; and is therefore attributed to his failing in getting a degree, which Swift might not chuse to solicit, for a reason given below. The real cause is believed to be as follows: The Rev. Dr. Madden, who distinguished himself so laudably by giving premiums to the young students of Dublin College, for which he had raised a fund by applying for contributions to the nobility and gentry of Ireland, had solicited the same from Swift, when he was

I 6 'Everything about his character and manners was forcible and violent; there never was any moderation; many a day did he fast, many a year did he refrain from wine; but when he did eat, it was voraciously; when he did drink wine, it was copiously.' Life, iv. 72.

2 He came one day with Becket the bookseller to Dr. Burney's house. 'Becket walked on a little before Garrick, and he [Garrick] was impudent enough to take him off to his face, I was going to say, but to do him justice he did it like a gentle

man behind his back.' Early Diary of Frances Burney, ii. 283.

3

Swift, in 1716, described himself as having been 'always a Whig in politicks.' Works, ed. 1803, xvi. 156.

Dr. Madan, in 1730, 'submitted to the University of Dublin a scheme for the encouragment of learning by the establishment of premiums, for which he proposed to raise a fund amounting at the lowest to £250 per annum.' In 1732 they were first granted. Some fourteen years later Edmund Burke was awarded a premium. Dict. Nat. Biog. xxxv. 296. P 2 sinking

sinking into that morbid idiocy which only terminated with his life, and was saving every shilling to found his hospital for lunatics; but his application was refused with so little delicacy, as left in Dr. Madden a rooted dislike to Swift's character, which he communicated to Johnson, whose friendship he gained on the following occasion: Dr. Madden wished to address some person of high rank, in prose or verse; and, desirous of having his composition examined and corrected by some writer of superior talents, had been recommended to Johnson, who was at that time in extreme indigence; and having finished his task, would probably have thought himself well rewarded with a guinea or two, when, to his great surprise, Dr. Madden generously slipped ten guineas into his hand2. This made such an impression on Johnson, as led him to adopt every opinion of Dr. Madden, and to resent, as warmly as himself, Swift's rough refusal of the contribution; after which the latter could not decently request any favour from the University of Dublin. (Page 81.)

['I am to mention (writes Boswell, Life, iv. 395) that Johnson's conduct, after he came to London and associated with Savage, was not so strictly virtuous in one respect as when he was a younger man. ... He owned to many of his friends that he

'He gave the little wealth he had To build a house for fools and mad; And showed by one satiric touch No nation wanted it so much.' 1b. xi. 255.

2 'When Dr. Madden came to London, he submitted that work [Boulter's Monument] to my castigation; and I remember I blotted a great many lines, and might have blotted many more, without making the poem worse. However, the

Doctor was very thankful, and very generous, for he gave me ten guineas, which was to me at that time a great sum?' Life, i. 318. The work was 'A Panegyrical Poem' in memory of Archbishop Boulter. See post, p. 267.

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