he 18th of July, 1773. "And who
will be my biographer," said he, "do you think?" "Goldsmith, no doubt,"
replied I, "and he will do it the best among us." "The dog would write
it best, to be sure," replied he; "but his particular malice towards me,
and general disregard for truth, would make the book useless to all, and
injurious to my character." "Oh! as to that," said I, "we should all
fasten upon him, and force him to do you justice; but the worst is, the
Doctor does not _know_ your life; nor can I tell indeed who does, except
Dr. Taylor of Ashbourne." "Why, Taylor," said he, "is better acquainted
with my _heart_ than any man or woman now alive; and the history of my
Oxford exploits lies all between him and Adams; but Dr. James knows my
very early days better than he. After my coming to London to drive the
world about a little, you must all go to Jack Hawkesworth for anecdotes.
I lived in great familiarity with him (though I think there was not much
affection) from the year 1753 till the time Mr. Thrale and you took me
up. I intend, however, to disappoint the rogues, and either make you
write the life, with Taylor's intelligence, or, which is better, do it
myself, after outliving you all. I am now," added he, "keeping a diary,
in hopes of using it for that purpose some time." Here the conversation
stopped, from my accidentally looking in an old magazine of the year
1768, where I saw the following lines with his name to them, and asked if
they were his:--

_Verses said to be written by Dr. Samuel Johnson_, _at the request of
a gentleman to whom a lady had given a sprig of myrtle_.

"What hopes, what terrors, does thy gift create,
Ambiguous emblem of uncertain fate;
The myrtle, ensign of supreme command,
Consigned by Venus to Melissa's hand:
Not less capricious than a reigning fair,
Now grants, and now rejects a lover's prayer.
In myrtle shades oft sings the happy swain,
In myrtle shades despairing ghosts complain:
The myrtle crowns the happy lovers' heads,
The unhappy lover's grave the myrtle spreads:
Oh, then, the meaning of thy gift impart,
And ease the throbbings of an anxious heart!
Soon must this bough, as you shall fix his doom,
Adorn Philander's head, or grace his tomb."

"Why, now, do but see how the world is gaping for a wonder!" cries Mr.
Johnson. "I think it is now just forty years ago that a young fellow had
a sprig of myrtle given him by a gir