with avidity.

We stopped at Welwyn, where I wished much to see, in company with Dr.
Johnson, the residence of the authour of Night Thoughts, which was then
possessed by his son, Mr. Young. Here some address was requisite, for
I was not acquainted with Mr. Young, and had I proposed to Dr. Johnson
that we should send to him, he would have checked my wish, and perhaps
been offended. I therefore concerted with Mr. Dilly, that I should steal
away from Dr. Johnson and him, and try what reception I could procure
from Mr. Young; if unfavourable, nothing was to be said; but if
agreeable, I should return and notify it to them. I hastened to Mr.
Young's, found he was at home, sent in word that a gentleman desired to
wait upon him, and was shewn into a parlour, where he and a young lady,
his daughter, were sitting. He appeared to be a plain, civil, country
gentleman; and when I begged pardon for presuming to trouble him, but
that I wished much to see his place, if he would give me leave; he
behaved very courteously, and answered, 'By all means, Sir; we are just
going to drink tea; will you sit down?' I thanked him, but said, that
Dr. Johnson had come with me from London, and I must return to the inn
and drink tea with him; that my name was Boswell, I had travelled with
him in the Hebrides. 'Sir, (said he,) I should think it a great honour
to see Dr. Johnson here. Will you allow me to send for him?' Availing
myself of this opening, I said that 'I would go myself and bring him,
when he had drunk tea; he knew nothing of my calling here.' Having been
thus successful, I hastened back to the inn, and informed Dr. Johnson
that 'Mr. Young, son of Dr. Young, the authour of Night Thoughts, whom
I had just left, desired to have the honour of seeing him at the house
where his father lived.' Dr. Johnson luckily made no inquiry how this
invitation had arisen, but agreed to go, and when we entered Mr.
Young's parlour, he addressed him with a very polite bow, 'Sir, I had
a curiosity to come and see this place. I had the honour to know that
great man, your father.' We went into the garden, where we found a
gravel walk, on each side of which was a row of trees, planted by Dr.
Young, which formed a handsome Gothick arch; Dr. Johnson called it a
fine grove. I beheld it with reverence.

We sat some time in the summer-house, on the outside wall of which was
inscribed, 'Ambulantes in horto audiebant vocem Dei;' and in reference
to a brook by which it i