This rupture with Sheridan deprived Johnson of one of his most agreeable resources for amusement in his lonely evenings;for Sheridan's well-informed,animated,and bustling mind never suffered conversation to stagnate;and Mrs.Sheridan was a most agreeable companion to an intellectual man.She was sensible,ingenious,unassuming,yet communicative.I recollect,with satisfaction,many pleasing hours which I passed with her under the hospitable roof of her husband,who was to me a very kind friend.
Her novel,entitled Memoirs of Miss Sydney Biddulph,contains an excellent moral while it inculcates a future state of retribution;and what it teaches is impressed upon the mind by a series of as deep distress as can affect humanity,in the amiable and pious heroine who goes to her grave unrelieved,but resigned,and full of hope of 'heaven's mercy.'Johnson paid her this high compliment upon it:'I know not,Madam,that you have a right,upon moral principles,to make your readers suffer so much.'
Mr.Thomas Davies the actor,who then kept a bookseller's shop in Russel-street,Covent-garden,told me that Johnson was very much his friend,and came frequently to his house,where he more than once invited me to meet him;but by some unlucky accident or other he was prevented from coming to us.
Mr.Thomas Davies was a man of good understanding and talents,with the advantage of a liberal education.Though somewhat pompous,he was an entertaining companion;and his literary performances have no inconsiderable share of merit.He was a friendly and very hospitable man.Both he and his wife,(who has been celebrated for her beauty,)though upon the stage for many years,maintained an uniform decency of character;and Johnson esteemed them,and lived in as easy an intimacy with them,as with any family which he used to visit.Mr.Davies recollected several of Johnson's remarkable sayings,and was one of the best of the many imitators of his voice and manner,while relating them.He increased my impatience more and more to see the extraordinary man whose works I highly valued,and whose conversation was reported to be so peculiarly excellent.
At last,on Monday the 16th of May,when I was sitting in Mr.
Davies's back-parlour,after having drunk tea with him and Mrs.
Davies,Johnson unexpectedly came into the shop;and Mr.Davies having perceived him through the glass-door in the room in which we were sitting,advancing towards us,--he announced his aweful approach to me,somewhat in the manner of an actor in the part of Horatio,when he addresses Hamlet on the appearance of his father's ghost,'Look,my Lord,it comes.'I found that I had a very perfect idea of Johnson's figure,from the portrait of him painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds soon after he had published his Dictionary,in the attitude of sitting in his easy chair in deep meditation,which was the first picture his friend did for him,which Sir Joshua very kindly presented to me,and from which an engraving has been made for this work.Mr.Davies mentioned my name,and respectfully introduced me to him.I was much agitated;and recollecting his prejudice against the Scotch,of which I had heard much,I said to Davies,'Don't tell where I come from.'--'From Scotland,'cried Davies roguishly.'Mr.Johnson,(said I)I do indeed come from Scotland,but I cannot help it.'I am willing to flatter myself that I meant this as light pleasantry to sooth and conciliate him,and not as an humiliating abasement at the expence of my country.But however that might be,this speech was somewhat unlucky;for with that quickness of wit for which he was so remarkable,he seized the expression 'come from Scotland,'which Iused in the sense of being of that country;and,as if I had said that I had come away from it,or left it,retorted,'That,Sir,Ifind,is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help.'
This stroke stunned me a good deal;and when we had sat down,Ifelt myself not a little embarrassed,and apprehensive of what might come next.He then addressed himself to Davies:'What do you think of Garrick?He has refused me an order for the play for Miss Williams,because he knows the house will be full,and that an order would be worth three shillings.'Eager to take any opening to get into conversation with him,I ventured to say,'O,Sir,Icannot think Mr.Garrick would grudge such a trifle to you.''Sir,(said he,with a stern look,)I have known David Garrick longer than you have done:and I know no right you have to talk to me on the subject.'Perhaps I deserved this check;for it was rather presumptuous in me,an entire stranger,to express any doubt of the justice of his animadversion upon his old acquaintance and pupil.I now felt myself much mortified,and began to think that the hope which I had long indulged of obtaining his acquaintance was blasted.And,in truth,had not my ardour been uncommonly strong,and my resolution uncommonly persevering,so rough a reception might have deterred me for ever from making any further attempts.
Fortunately,however,I remained upon the field not wholly discomfited.
That this was a momentary sally against Garrick there can be no doubt;for at Johnson's desire he had,some years before,given a benefit-night at his theatre to this very person,by which she had got two hundred pounds.Johnson,indeed,upon all other occasions,when I was in his company praised the very liberal charity of Garrick.I once mentioned to him,'It is observed,Sir,that you attack Garrick yourself,but will suffer nobody else to do it.'
Johnson,(smiling)'Why,Sir,that is true.'--BOSWELL.