inhabiting hotels set apart. Paris has sustained a similar
revolution, since her gardens were built over, and their green shades,
delicious, in the centre of that hot city, are seen no more. In the very
Faubourg St. Germain, the grand old hotels are rapidly disappearing, and
with them something of the exclusiveness of the higher orders. Lord
Chesterfield, however, triumphantly pointing to the fruits of his taste
and distribution of his wealth, witnessed, in his library at
Chesterfield House, the events which time produced. He heard of the
death of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, and of her bequest to him of
twenty thousand pounds, and her best and largest brilliant diamond ring,
'out of the great regard she had for his merit, and the infinite
obligations she had received from him.' He witnessed the change of
society and of politics which occurred when George II. expired, and the
Earl of Bute, calling himself a descendant of the house of Stuart, 'and
humble enough to be proud of it,' having quitted the isle of Bute, which
Lord Chesterfield calls 'but a little south of Nova Zembla,' took
possession, not only of the affections, but even of the senses of the
young king, George III., who, assisted by the widowed Princess of Wales
(supposed to be attached to Lord Bute), was 'lugged out of the
seraglio,' and 'placed upon the throne.'

Chesterfield lived to have the honour of having the plan of 'Johnson's
Dictionary' inscribed to him, and the dishonour of neglecting the great
author. Johnson, indeed, denied the truth of the story which gained
general belief, in which it was asserted that he had taken a disgust at
being kept waiting in the earl's antechamber, the reason being assigned
that his lordship 'had company with him;' when at last the door opened,
and forth came Colley Cibber. Then Johnson--so report said--indignant,
not only for having been kept waiting but also for _whom_, went away, it
was affirmed, in disgust; but this was solemnly denied by the doctor,
who assured Boswell that his wrath proceeded from continual neglect on
the part of Chesterfield.

Whilst the Dictionary was in progress, Chesterfield seemed to forget the
existence of him, whom, together with the other literary men, he
affected to patronize.

He once sent him ten pounds, after which he forgot Johnson's address,
and said 'the great author had changed his lodgings.' People who really
wish to benefit others can always discover where they lodge. The days