one day, very minute inquiries about the tale of
his knocking down the famous Tom Osborne with his own "Dictionary" in the
man's own house. "And how was that affair? In earnest? Do tell me, Mr.
Johnson?" "There is nothing to tell, dearest lady, but that he was
insolent, and I beat him, and that he was a blockhead, and told of it,
which I should never have done. So the blows have been multiplying and
the wonder thickening for all these years, as Thomas was never a
favourite with the public. I have beat many a fellow, but the rest had
the wit to hold their tongues."

I have heard Mr. Murphy relate a very singular story, while he was
present, greatly to the credit of his uncommon skill and knowledge of
life and manners. When first the "Ramblers" came out in separate
numbers, as they were the objects of attention to multitudes of people,
they happened, as it seems, particularly to attract the notice of a
society who met every Saturday evening during the summer at Romford in
Essex, and were known by the name of the Bowling-Green Club. These men
seeing one day the character of Leviculus, the fortune-hunter, or
Tetrica, the old maid: another day some account of a person who spent his
life in hoping for a legacy, or of him who is always prying into other
folks' affairs, began sure enough to think they were betrayed, and that
some of the coterie sate down to divert himself by giving to the public
the portrait of all the rest. Filled with wrath against the traitor of
Romford, one of them resolved to write to the printer, and inquire the
author's name. Samuel Johnson, was the reply. No more was necessary;
Samuel Johnson was the name of the curate, and soon did each begin to
load him with reproaches for turning his friends into ridicule in a
manner so cruel and unprovoked. In vain did the guiltless curate protest
his innocence; one was sure that Aligu meant Mr. Twigg, and that Cupidus
was but another name for neighbour Baggs, till the poor parson, unable to
contend any longer, rode to London, and brought them full satisfaction
concerning the writer, who, from his own knowledge of general manners,
quickened by a vigorous and warm imagination, had happily delineated,
though unknown to himself, the members of the Bowling-Green Club.

Mr. Murphy likewise used to tell before Dr. Johnson, of the first time
_they_ met, and the occasion of their meeting, which he related thus.
That being in those days engaged in a periodical p