nturing thus. Dr. Johnson
said nothing at the time; but inflammable particles were collecting for
a cloud to burst. In a little while Dr. Percy said something more in
disparagement of Pennant. JOHNSON. (pointedly,) 'This is the
resentment of a narrow mind, because he did not find every thing in
Northumberland.' PERCY. (feeling the stroke,) 'Sir, you may be as rude
as you please.' JOHNSON. 'Hold, Sir! Don't talk of rudeness; remember,
Sir, you told me (puffing hard with passion struggling for a vent,) I
was shortsighted. We have done with civility. We are to be as rude as
we please.' PERCY. 'Upon my honour, Sir, I did not mean to be uncivil.'
JOHNSON. 'I cannot say so, Sir; for I DID mean to be uncivil, thinking
YOU had been uncivil.' Dr. Percy rose, ran up to him, and taking him
by the hand, assured him affectionately that his meaning had been
misunderstood; upon which a reconciliation instantly took place.
JOHNSON. 'My dear Sir, I am willing you shall HANG Pennant.' PERCY.
(resuming the former subject,) 'Pennant complains that the helmet is not
hung out to invite to the hall of hospitality. Now I never heard that it
was a custom to hang out a HELMET.' JOHNSON. 'Hang him up, hang him up.'
BOSWELL. (humouring the joke,) 'Hang out his skull instead of a helmet,
and you may drink ale out of it in your hall of Odin, as he is your
enemy; that will be truly ancient. THERE will be Northern Antiquities.'
JOHNSON. 'He's a WHIG, Sir; a SAD DOG. (smiling at his own violent
expressions, merely for political difference of opinion.) But he's the
best traveller I ever read; he observes more things than any one else
does.'

On Monday, April 13, I dined with Johnson at Mr. Langton's, where were
Dr. Porteus, then Bishop of Chester, now of London, and Dr. Stinton. He
was at first in a very silent mood. Before dinner he said nothing but
'Pretty baby,' to one of the children. Langton said very well to me
afterwards, that he could repeat Johnson's conversation before dinner,
as Johnson had said that he could repeat a complete chapter of The
Natural History of Iceland, from the Danish of Horrebow, the whole of
which was exactly thus:--

'CHAP. LXXII. Concerning snakes.

'There are no snakes to be met with throughout the whole island.'

Mr. Topham Beauclerk came in the evening, and he and Dr. Johnson and I
staid to supper. It was mentioned that Dr. Dodd had once wished to be a
member of THE LITERARY CLUB. JOHNSON. 'I should be sorry if