I have learnt, through Mr. Morrison's kindness, that 'on the document
itself there is the following memorandum, signed, so far as can be made
out, H. W. R.:--

"The enclosed song was written and composed by James Boswell, the
biographer of Johnson, in commemoration of a tour he made with Mrs.
Rudd whilst she was under his protection, for living with whom he
displeased his father so much that he threatened to disinherit him.

"Mrs. Rudd had lived with one of the Perreaus, who were tried and
executed for forgery. She was tried at the same time and acquitted.

"My father having heard that Boswell used to sing this song at the Home
Circuit, requested it of him, and he wrote it and gave it him. H.W. R."'

"Feb. 1828."

Christopher Smart.

(Vol. ii, p. 454, n. 3.)

Mr. Robert Browning, in his Parleyings with Christopher Smart, under
the similitude of 'some huge house,' thus describes the general run of
that unfortunate poet's verse:--

'All showed the Golden Mean without a hint
Of brave extravagance that breaks the rule.
The master of the mansion was no fool
Assuredly, no genius just as sure!
Safe mediocrity had scorned the lure
Of now too much and now too little cost,
And satisfied me sight was never lost
Of moderate design's accomplishment
In calm completeness.'

Mr. Browning goes on to liken one solitary poem to a Chapel in the house,
in which is found--

'from floor to roof one evidence
Of how far earth may rival heaven.'

_Parleyings with certain People of Importance in their Day_ (pp. 80-82),
London, 1887.

_Johnsons discussion on baptism--with Mr. Lloyd, the Birmingham Quaker_.

(Vol. ii, p. 458.)

In _Farm and its Inhabitants_ (_ante_, p. xlii), a further account is
given of the controversy between Johnson and Mr. Lloyd the Quaker, on
the subject of Barclay's _Apology_.

'Tradition states that, losing his temper, Dr. Johnson threw the volume
on the floor, and put his foot on it, in denunciation of its statements.
The identical volume is now in the possession of G. B. Lloyd, of Edgbaston
Grove.

'At the dinner table he continued the debate in such angry tones, and
struck the table so violently that the children were frightened, and
desired to escape.

'The next morning Dr. Johnson went to the bank [Mr. Lloyd was a banker]
and by way of apology called out in his stentorian voice, "I say, Lloyd,
I'm the best theologian, but you are the best Christian.'" p. 41. It