Mr. Wilkes observed the
behaviour of Mademoiselle, who sighed indeed very piteously, and assumed
every pathetick air of grief; but eat no less than three French pigeons,
which are as large as English partridges, besides other things. Mr.
Wilkes whispered the gentleman, 'We often say in England, _Excessive
sorrow is exceeding dry_, but I never heard _Excessive sorrow is
exceeding hungry_. Perhaps _one_ hundred will do.' The gentleman took
the hint. BOSWELL.
[1079] See _post_, p. 367, for the passage omitted.
[1080] Sir Joshua Reynolds, on account of the excellence both of the
sentiment and expression of this letter, took a copy of it which he
shewed to some of his friends; one of whom, who admired it, being
allowed to peruse it leisurely at home, a copy was made, and found its
way into the newspapers and magazines. It was transcribed with some
inaccuracies. I print it from the original draft in Johnson's own
hand-writing. BOSWELL. Hawkins writes (_Life_, p. 574):--'Johnson, upon
being told that it was in print, exclaimed in my hearing, "I am
betrayed," but soon after forgot, as he was ever ready to do all real or
supposed injuries, the error that made the publication possible.
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