'
[981] Boswell was stung by what Mrs. Piozzi wrote when recording this
parody. She said that she had begged Johnson's leave to write it down
directly. 'A trick,' she continues, 'which I have seen played on common
occasions of sitting steadily [? stealthily] down at the other end of
the room to write at the moment what should be said in company, either
by Dr. Johnson or to him, I never practised myself, nor approved of in
another. There is something so ill-bred, and so inclining to treachery
in this conduct, that, were it commonly adopted, all confidence would
soon be exiled from society.' See _post_, under June 30, 1784, where
Boswell refers to this passage.
[982]
'Who'er offends, at some unlucky time
Slides into verse, and hitches in a rhyme.'
Pope, _Imitations of Horace_, 2 Satires, i. 78.
[983] On March 14, 1770, in a debate on the licentiousness of the press,
Townshend joined together Johnson and Shebbeare. Burke, who followed
him, said nothing about Johnson. Fitzherbert, speaking of Johnson as 'my
friend,' defended him as 'a pattern of morality.
Pages:
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890