e a Foreigner, a =German=,
I think, was in our Company; and that whilst =Goldsmith= was speaking,
he observ'd the Doctor preparing to utter something. Unconsciously
looking upon =Goldsmith= as a meer Encumbrance when compar'd to the
greater Man, the Foreigner bluntly interrupted him and incurr'd his
lasting Hostility by crying, "Hush, Toctor =Shonson= iss going to
speak!"

In this luminous Company I was tolerated more because of my Years than
for my Wit or Learning; being no Match at all for the rest. My
Friendship for the celebrated Monsieur =Voltaire= was ever a Cause of
Annoyance to the Doctor; who was deeply orthodox, and who us'd to say of
the =French= Philosopher: "Vir est acerrimi Ingenii et paucarum
Literarum."

Mr. =Boswell=, a little teazing Fellow whom I had known for some Time
previously, us'd to make Sport of my aukward Manners and old-fashion'd
Wig and Cloaths. Once coming in a little the worse for Wine (to which he
was addicted) he endeavour'd to lampoon me by means of an Impromptu in
verse, writ on the Surface of the Table; but lacking the Aid he usually
had in his Composition, he made a bad grammatical Blunder. I told him,
he shou'd not try to pasquinade the Source of his Poesy. At another Time
=Bozzy= (as we us'd to call him) complain'd of my Harshness toward new
Writers in the Articles I prepar'd for The Monthly Review. He said, I
push'd every Aspirant off the Slopes of Parnassus. "Sir," I reply'd,
"you are mistaken. They who lose their Hold do so from their own Want of
Strength; but desiring to conceal their Weakness, they attribute the
absence of Success to the first Critick that mentions them." I am glad
to recall that Dr. =Johnson= upheld me in this Matter.

Dr. =Johnson= was second to no Man in the Pains he took to revise the
bad Verses of others; indeed, 'tis said that in the book of poor blind
old Mrs. =Williams=, there are scarce two lines which are not the
Doctor's. At one Time =Johnson= recited to me some lines by a Servant to
the Duke of =Leeds=, which had so amus'd him, that he had got them by
Heart. They are on the Duke's Wedding, and so much resemble in Quality
the Work of other and more recent poetick Dunces, that I cannot forbear
copying them:

"When the Duke of =Leeds= shall marry'd be
To a fine young Lady of high Quality
How happy will that Gentlewoman be
In his Grace of =Leeds'= good Company."

I ask'd the Doctor, if he had ever try'd making Sense of this Piec