. The life of Samuel Johnson, , comprehending an account of his studies and numerous works, in chronological order; a series of his epistolary correspondence and conversations with many eminent persons. rectly behind me ; and as he could neither see nor hear atsuch a distance from the stage, he was wrapped up in grave abstraction,and seemed quite a cloud amidst all the sunshine of glitter and wondered at his jjatieuce in sitting out a play of five acts, and a farceof two. He said very little ; but after the prologue to Bon Ton hadbeen spoken, which he could hear pretty well from
. The life of Samuel Johnson, , comprehending an account of his studies and numerous works, in chronological order; a series of his epistolary correspondence and conversations with many eminent persons. rectly behind me ; and as he could neither see nor hear atsuch a distance from the stage, he was wrapped up in grave abstraction,and seemed quite a cloud amidst all the sunshine of glitter and wondered at his jjatieuce in sitting out a play of five acts, and a farceof two. He said very little ; but after the prologue to Bon Ton hadbeen spoken, which he could hear pretty well from the more slowand distinct utterance, he talked on prologue writing, and observed, Dryden has written prologues superior to any that David Garrick haswritten ; but David Garrick has written more good prologues thanDryden has done. It is wonderful that he has been able to wi-ite .suchvariety of them. Age BOSWELLS LIFE OF JOHNSON. 203 At Mr. Beaucleiks, where I supped, was Mi-. Ganiclc, whom Imade happy with Johnsons praise of his prologues ; and I suppose, inffiatitude to him, he took up one of his favourite topics—the nationalityof the Scotch—which he maintained in a pleasant manner, with the. JOTIXSON AT lir,3. AEIXGTON S BENEFIT aid of a little poetical fiction. Come, come, dont deny it: they arereally national. Why, now, the Adams are as liberal-minded men asany in the world : but, I dont know how it is, all their woxkmen areScotch. You are, to be sure, wonderfully free from that nationality ;but so it happens, that you employ the only Scotch shoe-black inLondon. He imitated the manner of his old master with ludicrousexaggeration; repeating, with pauses and half-whistlings interjected, Os homini sublime dedit,—coelumqite tueriJussit,—et erectos ad sidera—tollcre mdtus: looking downwards all the time, and, while pronouncing the fourlast words, absolutely touching the ground with a kind of contortedgesticulation. Garrick, however, when he pleased, could imitate J
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