es (said
he,) I have. I should have been sorry to be left out.' He then repeated
what had been applied to him,

'I must borrow GARAGANTUA'S mouth.'

Miss Reynolds not perceiving at once the meaning of this, he was obliged
to explain it to her, which had something of an aukward and ludicrous
effect. 'Why, Madam, it has a reference to me, as using big words, which
require the mouth of a giant to pronounce them. Garagantua is the name
of a giant in Rabelais.' BOSWELL. 'But, Sir, there is another amongst
them for you:

"He would not flatter Neptune for his trident,
Or Jove for his power to thunder."'

JOHNSON. 'There is nothing marked in that. No, Sir, Garagantua is the
best.' Notwithstanding this ease and good humour, when I, a little while
afterwards, repeated his sarcasm on Kenrick, which was received with
applause, he asked, 'WHO said that?' and on my suddenly answering,
Garagantua, he looked serious, which was a sufficient indication that he
did not wish it to be kept up.

When we went to the drawing-room there was a rich assemblage. Besides
the company who had been at dinner, there were Mr. Garrick, Mr. Harris
of Salisbury, Dr. Percy, Dr. Burney, Honourable Mrs. Cholmondeley, Miss
Hannah More, &c. &c.

After wandering about in a kind of pleasing distraction for some time,
I got into a corner, with Johnson, Garrick, and Harris. GARRICK. (to
Harris,) 'Pray, Sir, have you read Potter's Aeschylus?' HARRIS. 'Yes;
and think it pretty.' GARRICK. (to Johnson,) 'And what think you, Sir,
of it?' JOHNSON. 'I thought what I read of it VERBIAGE: but upon Mr.
Harris's recommendation, I will read a play. (To Mr. Harris,) Don't
prescribe two.' Mr. Harris suggested one, I do not remember which.
JOHNSON. 'We must try its effect as an English poem; that is the way to
judge of the merit of a translation. Translations are, in general, for
people who cannot read the original.' I mentioned the vulgar saying,
that Pope's Homer was not a good representation of the original.
JOHNSON. 'Sir, it is the greatest work of the kind that has ever
been produced.' BOSWELL. 'The truth is, it is impossible perfectly to
translate poetry. In a different language it may be the same tune,
but it has not the same tone. Homer plays it on a bassoon; Pope on a
flagelet.' HARRIS. 'I think Heroick poetry is best in blank verse;
yet it appears that rhyme is essential to English poetry, from our
deficiency in metrical quantities. In my opinion,