iming, declaim; and when you are calculating, calculate.' At
another time, when she said, perhaps affectedly, 'I don't like to fly.'
JOHNSON. 'With YOUR wings, Madam, you MUST fly: but have a care, there
are CLIPPERS abroad.'

On Monday, April 29, he and I made an excursion to Bristol, where I was
entertained with seeing him enquire upon the spot, into the authenticity
of 'Rowley's Poetry,' as I had seen him enquire upon the spot into the
authenticity of 'Ossian's Poetry.' George Catcot, the pewterer, who was
as zealous for Rowley, as Dr. Hugh Blair was for Ossian, (I trust my
Reverend friend will excuse the comparison,) attended us at our inn, and
with a triumphant air of lively simplicity called out, 'I'll make Dr.
Johnson a convert.' Dr. Johnson, at his desire, read aloud some of
Chatterton's fabricated verses, while Catcot stood at the back of his
chair, moving himself like a pendulum, and beating time with his feet,
and now and then looking into Dr. Johnson's face, wondering that he was
not yet convinced. We called on Mr. Barret, the surgeon, and saw some
of the ORIGINALS as they were called, which were executed very
artificially; but from a careful inspection of them, and a consideration
of the circumstances with which they were attended, we were quite
satisfied of the imposture, which, indeed, has been clearly demonstrated
from internal evidence, by several able criticks.

Honest Catcot seemed to pay no attention whatever to any objections, but
insisted, as an end of all controversy, that we should go with him to
the tower of the church of St. Mary, Redcliff, and VIEW WITH OUR OWN
EYES the ancient chest in which the manuscripts were found. To this, Dr.
Johnson good-naturedly agreed; and though troubled with a shortness of
breathing, laboured up a long flight of steps, till we came to the place
where the wonderous chest stood. 'THERE, (said Cateot, with a bouncing
confident credulity,) THERE is the very chest itself.' After this
OCULAR DEMONSTRATION, there was no more to be said. He brought to my
recollection a Scotch Highlander, a man of learning too, and who had
seen the world, attesting, and at the same time giving his reasons for
the authenticity of Fingal:--'I have heard all that poem when I was
young.'--'Have you, Sir? Pray what have you heard?'--'I have heard
Ossian, Oscar, and EVERY ONE OF THEM.'

Johnson said of Chatterton, 'This is the most extraordinary young man
that has encountered my knowledge. It