The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [864]
Verb ehe senza colpa fa vergogna.’757
a Lord Bolingbroke, who, however detestable as a metaphysician, must be allowed to have had admirable talents as a political writer, thus describes the House of Commons, in his ‘Letter to Sir William Wyndham:’ – ‘You know the nature of that assembly; they grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shews them game, and by whose halloo they are used to be encouraged.’
a Pope thus introduces this story:
‘Faith in such case if you should prosecute,
I think Sir Godfrey should decide the suit,
Who sent the thief who stole the cash away,
And punish’d him that put it in his way.’ Imitations of Horace, book II. epist. ii.
a The reverse of the story of Combabus, on which Mr. David Hume told Lord Macartney, that a friend of his had written a tragedy. It is, however, possible that I may have been inaccurate in my perception of what Dr. Johnson related, and that he may have been talking of the same ludicrous tragical subject that Mr. Hume had mentioned. [The story of Combabus, which was originally told by Lucian, may be found in Bayle’s Dictionary.]
b The late Duke of Montrose was generally said to have been uneasy on that account; but I can contradict the report from his Grace’s own authority. As he used to admit me to very easy conversation with him, I took the liberty to introduce the subject. His Grace told me, that when riding one night near London, he was attacked by two highwaymen on horseback, and that he instantly shot one of them, upon which the other galloped off; that his servant, who was very well mounted, proposed to pursue him and take him, but that his Grace said, ‘No, we have had blood enough: I hope the man may live to repent.’ His Grace, upon my presuming to put the question, assured me, that his mind was not at all clouded by what he had thus done in self-defence.
a When I told this to Miss Seward, she smiled, and repeated, with admirable readiness, from Acis and Galatea,
‘Bring me a hundred reeds of ample growth,
To make a pipe for my capacious mouth.’765
a Lord Macartney observes upon this passage, ‘I have heard him tell many things, which, though embellished by their mode of narrative, had their foundation in truth; but I never remember any thing approaching to this. If he had written it, I should have supposed some wag had put the figure of one before the three.’ – I am, however, absolutely certain that Dr. Campbell told me it, and I gave particular attention to it, being myself a lover of wine, and therefore curious to hear whatever is remarkable concerning drinking. There can be no doubt that some men can drink, without suffering any injury, such a quantity as to others appears incredible. It is but fair to add, that Dr. Campbell told me, he took a very long time to this great potation; and I have heard Dr. Johnson say, ‘Sir, if a man drinks very slowly, and lets one glass evaporate before he takes another, I know not how long he may drink.’ Dr. Campbell mentioned a Colonel of Militia who sat with him all the time, and drank equally.
a What my friend meant by these words concerning the amiable philosopher of Salisbury, I am at a loss to understand. A friend suggests, that Johnson thought his manner as a writer affected, while at the same time the matter did not compensate for that fault. In short, that he meant to make a remark quite different from that which a celebrated gentleman769 made on a very eminent physician:770 ‘He is a coxcomb, but a satisfactory coxcomb.’
a See p. 260.
a It was called The Siege of Aleppo. Mr. Hawkins, the authour of it, was formerly Professor of Poetry at Oxford. It is printed in his Miscellanies, 3 vols. octavo.
a When Johnson told this little anecdote to Sir Joshua Reynolds, he mentioned a circumstance which he omitted to-day: – ‘Why, (said Garrick,) it is as red as blood.’
a Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3rd edit., p. 221 {17 Sept.}.
a See this accurately stated, and the descent of his family from the Earls of Northumberland clearly deduced in the Reverend