' He persisted much too long, and appeared to Johnson as
putting himself forward as his antagonist with too much presumption;
upon which he called to him in a loud tone, 'What is it you are
contending for, if you _be_ contending?' And afterwards imagining that
the gentleman retorted upon him with a kind of smart drollery, he said,
'Mr. ----, it does not become you to talk so to me. Besides, ridicule is
not your talent; you have _there_ neither intuition nor sagacity.' The
gentleman protested that he had intended no improper freedom, but had
the greatest respect for Dr. Johnson. After a short pause, during which
we were somewhat uneasy,--JOHNSON. 'Give me your hand, Sir. You were
too tedious, and I was too short.' MR. ----. 'Sir, I am honoured by your
attention in any way.' JOHNSON. 'Come, Sir, let's have no more of it. We
offended one another by our contention; let us not offend the company by
our compliments.'
He now said, 'He wished much to go to Italy, and that he dreaded passing
the winter in England.' I said nothing; but enjoyed a secret
satisfaction in thinking that I had taken the most effectual measures to
make such a scheme practicable.
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