in Pope's 〃Homer〃 which are printed in the 〃Poets' Lives。〃 〃And now；〃 said he； when I had finished it for him； 〃I fear not Mr。 Nicholson of a pin。〃 The fine 'Rambler；' on the subject of Procrastination； was hastily composed； as I have heard； in Sir Joshua Reynolds's parlour； while the boy waited to carry it to press； and numberless are the instances of his writing under immediate pressure of importunity or distress。 He told me that the character of Sober in the 'Idler' was by himself intended as his own portrait； and that he had his own outset into life in his eye when he wrote the Eastern story of 〃Gelaleddin。〃 Of the allegorical papers in the 'Rambler；' Labour and Rest was his favourite； but Scrotinus； the man who returns late in life to receive honours in his native country； and meets with mortification instead of respect； was by him considered as a masterpiece in the science of life and manners。 The character of Prospero in the fourth volume Garrick took to be his； and I have heard the author say that he never forgave the offence。 Sophron was likewise a picture drawn from reality； and by Gelidus； the philosopher； he meant to represent Mr。 Coulson； a mathematician； who formerly lived at Rochester。 The man immortalised for purring like a cat was； as he told me； one Busby； a proctor in the Commons。 He who barked so ingeniously； and then called the drawer to drive away the dog； was father to Dr。 Salter； of the Charterhouse。 He who sang a song； and by correspondent motions of his arm chalked out a giant on the wall； was one Richardson； an attorney。 The letter signed 〃Sunday〃 was written by Miss Talbot； and he fancied the billets in the first volume of the 'Rambler' were sent him by Miss Mulso； now Mrs。 Chapone。 The papers contributed by Mrs。 Carter had much of his esteem； though he always blamed me for preferring the letter signed 〃Chariessa〃 to the allegory； where religion and superstition are indeed most masterly delineated。
When Dr。 Johnson read his own satire； in which the life of a scholar is painted； with the various obstructions thrown in his way to fortune and to fame； he burst into a passion of tears one day。 The family and Mr。 Scott only were present； who； in a jocose way； clapped him on the back； and said； 〃What's all this； my dear sir？ Why； you and I and HERCULES； you know； were all troubled with MELANCHOLY。〃 As there are many gentlemen of the same name； I should say； perhaps； that it was a Mr。 Scott who married Miss Robinson； and that I think I have heard Mr。 Thrale call him George Lowis； or George Augustus； I have forgot which。 He was a very large man； however； and made out the triumvirate with Johnson and Hercules comically enough。 The Doctor was so delighted at his odd sally that he suddenly embraced him； and the subject was immediately changed。 I never saw Mr。 Scott but that once in my life。
Dr。 Johnson was liberal enough in granting literary assistance to others； I think； and innumerable are the prefaces； sermons； lectures； and dedications which he used to make for people who begged of him。 Mr。 Murphy related in his and my hearing one day； and he did not deny it； that when Murphy joked him the week before for having been so diligent of late between Dodd's sermon and Kelly's prologue； Dr。 Johnson replied； 〃Why； sir； when they come to me with a dead staymaker and a dying parson； what can a man do？〃 He SAID； however； that 〃he hated to give away literary performances； or even to sell them too cheaply。 The next generation shall not accuse me；〃 added he； 〃of beating down the price of literature。 One hates； besides； ever to give that which one has been accustomed to sell。 Would not you； sir；〃 turning to Mr。 Thrale； 〃rather give away money than porter？〃
Mr。 Johnson had never； by his own account； been a close student； and used to advise young people never to be without a book in their pocket； to be read at bye…times when they had nothing else to do。 〃It has been by that means；〃 said he to a boy at our house one day； 〃that all my knowledge has been gained； except what I have picked up by running about the world with my wits ready to observe； and my tongue ready to talk。 A man is seldom in a humour to unlock his bookcase； set his desk in order； and betake himself to serious study； but a retentive memory will do something； and a fellow shall have strange credit given him； if he can but recollect striking passages from different books； keep the authors separate in his head； and bring his stock of knowledge artfully into play。 How else；〃 added he； 〃do the gamesters manage when they play for more money than they are worth？〃 His Dictionary； however； could not； one would think； have been written by running up and down； but he really did not consider it as a great performance； and used to say 〃that he might have done it easily in two years had not his health received several shocks during the time。〃
When Mr。 Thrale； in consequence of this declaration； teased him in the year 1768 to give a new edition of it； because； said he； there are four or five gross faults： 〃Alas！ sir；〃 replied Johnson； 〃there are four or five hundred faults instead of four or five； but you do not consider that it would take me up three whole months' labour； and when the time was expired the work would not be done。〃 When the booksellers set him about it； however； some years after； he went cheerfully to the business； said he was well paid； and that they deserved to have it done carefully。 His reply to the person who complimented him on its coming out first； mentioning the ill success of the French in a similar attempt； is well known； and； I trust； has been often recorded。 〃Why； what would you expect； dear sir；〃 said he； 〃from fellows that eat frogs？〃 I have； however； often thought Dr。 Johnson more free than prudent in professing so loudly his little skill in the Greek language； for though he considered it as a proof of a narrow mind to be too careful of literary reputation； yet no man could be more enraged than he if an enemy； taking advantage of this confession； twitted him with his ignorance； and I remember when the King of Denmark was in England one of his noblemen was brought by Mr。 Colman to see Dr。 Johnson at our country house； and having heard； he said； that he was not famous for Greek literature； attacked him on the weak side； politely adding that he chose that conversation on purpose to favour himself。 Our Doctor； however； displayed so copious； so compendious a knowledge of authors； books； and every branch of learning in that language； that the gentleman appeared astonished。 When he was gone home； says Johnson； 〃Now； for all this triumph I may thank Thrale's Xenophon here； as I think； excepting that ONE； I have not looked in a Greek book these ten years； but see what haste my dear friends were all in；〃 continued he； 〃to tell this poor innocent foreigner that I know nothing of Greek！ Oh； no； he knows nothing of Greek！〃 with a loud burst of laughing。
When Davies printed the 〃Fugitive Pieces〃 without his knowledge or consent； 〃How；〃 said I； 〃would Pope have raved； had he been served so！〃 〃We should never；〃 replied he； 〃have heard the last on't； to be sure； but then Pope was a narrow man。 I will； however；〃 added he； 〃storm and bluster MYSELF a little this time；〃 so went to London in all the wrath he could muster up。 At his return I asked how the affair ended。 〃Why；〃 said he； 〃I was a fierce fellow； and pretended to be very angry； and Thomas was a good…natured fellow； and pretended to be very sorry； so THERE the matter ended。 I believe the dog loves me dearly。 Mr。 Thrale；〃 turning to my husband； 〃what shall you and I do that is good for Tom Davies？ We will do something for him； to be sure。〃
Of Pope as a writer he had the highest opinion； and once when a lady at our house talked of his preface to Shakespeare as superior to Pope's； 〃I fear not； madam；〃 said he； 〃the little fellow has done wonders。〃 His superior reverence of Dryden； notwithstanding； still appeared in his talk as in his writings； and when some one mentioned the ridicule thrown on him in the 'Rehearsal；' as having hurt his general character as an author； 〃On the contrary；〃 says Mr。 Johnson； 〃the greatness of Dryden's reputation is now the only principle of vitality which keeps the Duke of Buckingham's play from putrefaction。〃
It was not very easy； however； for people not quite intimate with Dr。 Johnson to get exactly his opinion of a writer's merit； as he would now and then divert himself by confounding those who thought themselves obliged to say to…morrow what he had said yesterday； and even Garrick； who ought to have been better acquainted with his tricks； professed himself mortified that one time when he was extolling Dryden in a rapture that I suppose disgusted his friend； Mr。 Johnson suddenly challenged him to produce twenty lines in a series that would not disgrace the poet and his admirer。 Garrick produced a passage that he had once heard the Doctor commend； in which he NOW found； if I remember rightly； sixteen faults； and made Garrick look silly at his own table。 When I told Mr。 Johnson the story； 〃Why； what a monkey was David now；〃 says he； 〃to tell of his own disgrace！〃 And in the course of that hour's chat he told me how he used to tease Garrick by commendations of the tomb…scene in Congreve's 'Mourning Bride；' protesting； that Shakespeare had in the same line of excellence nothing as good。 〃All which is strictly TRUE；〃 said he； 〃but that is no reason for supposing Congreve is to stand in competition with Shakespeare： these fellows know not how to blame； nor how to commend。〃 I forced him one day； in a similar humour； to prefer Young's description of 〃Night〃 to the so much admired ones of Dryden and Shakespeare； as more forcible and more general。 Every reader is not either a lover or a tyrant； but every reader is interested when he hears that
〃Creation sleeps； 'tis as the general pulse Of life stood still； and nature made a pause； An awful pauseprophetic of its end。〃
〃This；〃 said he； 〃is true； but remember that； taking the compositions of Young in general； they are but like bright stepping…stones over a miry road。 Young froths and foams； and bubbles sometimes very vigorously； but we must not compare the noise m