466 Addenda.
��i.
- This is the first impression of the Plate after Mr. Heath the Engraver
thought it was finished. He went with me to Sir Joshua Reynolds's, who suggested that the countenance was too young and not thoughtful enough. Mr. Heath therefore altered it so much to its advantage that Sir Joshua was quite satisfied, and Heath then saw such a difference that he said he would not for a thousand pounds have had it remain as it was.'
II.
1 Second Impression of Dr. Johnson's Portrait after the Plate had been improved by Sir Joshua Reynolds's suggestions. Mr. Heath afterwards gave it a few additional touches.'
Among other treasures Mr. Adam has a copy of the fifth edition of Goldsmith's Traveller, with the following inscription on the title-page in Boswell's handwriting :
' In Spring 1773 Dr. Johnson at my desire marked with a pencil the lines in this admirable poem which he furnished, viz. 1. 18 on p. 23, and from the 3 line on the last page to the end except the last couplet but one. These (he said) are all of which I can be sure.' See Life, ii. 6 ; ante, ii. 223.
(Vol. i. 419, n. 2.)
The contempt which Johnson showed for George Ill's mental power was expressed also by him at Edinburgh, if we could trust the following passage in The Jacobite Lairds of Gask, by J. L. Kington Oliphant, 1870, p. 377 1 : * Bishop Forbes, nonjuror rogue, is writing, "You know the famous Dr. Johnson has been among us ; several anecdotes could I give you of him, but one is most singular. Dining one day at the table of one of the Lords of Session, the company stumbled upon characters, particularly, it would appear, of kings. 'Well, well,' said the bluff Doctor, * George the First was a robber, George the Second a fool, and George the Third is an idiot.' How the company stared I leave you to judge ; it was far from being polite, especially considering the table at which he was entertained, and that he himself is a pensioner at 500 [300] a year."'
The only Lord of Session at whose house Johnson dined was Lord Hailes. Of this dinner Boswell records : ' We spent a most agreeable day ; but again I must lament that I was so indolent as to let almost all that passed evaporate into oblivion.' Many years later Hailes sent him 1 what he could recollect,' which was next to nothing. c Was it upon that occasion (he wrote), that Johnson expressed no curiosity to see the room at Dumfermline, where Charles I was born ? "I know that he was born (said he) ; no matter where." Did he envy us the birth-place of the King ? ' Life, v. 398.
1 This passage was shown me by Mr. W. Keith Leask, who came across it when writing The Life of Bo swell.
�� �
