are," said Dr. Johnson, fixing his eyes upon me. "You see nothing
extraordinary in these stockings _as_ stockings, I trust, sir?"
"Certainly not; oh, certainly not," I replied, and my revered friend's
countenance assumed its customary benign expression.

Now, is not this Pickwickian all over? Yet it is the exact record of
what occurred at Manor Farm, in "Pickwick," with a change only in the
names, and would pass very fairly as an amiable outburst of the
redoubtable Doctor's.

Or, again, let us put a bit of "Boz" into "Bozzy's" work. The amiable
"Goldy" was partial to extravagant dress, and to showing himself off.

When a masquerade at Ranelagh was talked of, he said to Doctor
Johnson, "I shall go as a Corsican." "What!" said the Doctor, with a
sudden start. "As a Corsican," Dr. Goldsmith repeated mildly. "You
don't mean to say," said the Doctor to him, gazing at him with solemn
sternness, "that it is your intention to put yourself into a green
velvet jacket with a two-inch tail?" "Such _is_ my intention, sir,"
replied Goldsmith warmly; "and why not, sir?" "Because, sir," said
the Doctor, considerably excited, "you are too old." "Too old!"
exclaimed Goldsmith. "And if any further ground of objection be
wanting," said Dr. Johnson, "You are too fat, sir." "Sir," said Dr.
Goldsmith, his face suffused with a crimson glow, "this is an insult."
"Sir," said the sage in the same tone, "it is not half the insult to
you, that your appearance in my presence in a green velvet jacket with
two-inch tail would be to me." "Sir," said Dr. Goldsmith, "you're a
fellow." "Sir," said Dr. Johnson, "you're another!"

Winkle in a very amusing way often suggests Boswell; and Mr. Pickwick
treats him with as great rudeness as did Johnson _his_ Winkle. When that
unhappy gentleman, or follower exhibited himself on the ice, Mr.
Pickwick, we are told, was excited and indignant. "He beckoned to Mr.
Weller and said in a stern voice: Take the skates off." "No, but I had
scarcely began," remonstrated Mr. Winkle. "Take his skates off,"
repeated Mr. Pickwick, firmly. The command was not to be resisted. "Lift
him up," said Mr. Pickwick--Sam assisted him to rise. Mr. Pickwick
retired a few paces apart from the by-standers and beckoning his friend
to approach, fixed a searching look on him and uttered in a low, but
distinct and emphatic tone, these remarkable words: "You're a humb