286 A necdotes.
��A young fellow, less confident of his own abilities, lamenting one day that he had lost all his Greek ' I believe it happened at the same time, Sir (said Johnson), that I lost all my large estate in Yorkshire.'
But however roughly he might be suddenly provoked to treat a harmless exertion of vanity, he did not wish to inflict the pain he gave, and was sometimes very sorry when he perceived the people to smart more than they deserved x . How harshly you treated that man to-day, said I once, who harangued us so about gardening ' I am sorry (said he) if I vexed the creature, for there certainly is no harm in a fellow's rattling a rattle-box, only don't let him think that he thunders.' The Lincolnshire lady 2 who shewed him a grotto she had been making, came off no better as I remember : Would it not be a pretty cool habitation in summer ? said she, Mr. Johnson ! ' I think it would, Madam (replied he), for a toad.'
All desire of distinction indeed had a sure enemy in Mr. John son. We met a friend driving six very small ponies, and stopt to admire them. ' Why does nobody (said our doctor) begin the fashion of driving six spavined 3 horses, all spavined of the same leg ? it would have a mighty pretty effect, and produce the dis tinction of doing something worse than the common way.'
When Mr. Johnson had a mind to compliment any one, he did it with more dignity to himself, and better effect upon the company, than any man. I can recollect but few instances indeed, though perhaps that may be more my fault than his. When Sir Joshua Reynolds left the room one day, he said, ' There goes a man not to be spoiled by prosperity V And
1 He wrote to Dr. Taylor on ton in Lincolnshire. Life, i. 476. Nov. 18,1756: 'When I am musing In the Taylor Gallery in Oxford alone I feel a pang for every mo- there is a water-colour drawing of ment that any human being has by the house.
my peevishness or obstinacy spent 3 Spavined is not in Johnson's
in uneasiness.' Letters, i. 72. Dictionary. He only gives Spavin.
2 In 1764 he paid a visit to the 4 'Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir, is the Langton family at their seat of Lang- most invulnerable man I know ; the
when
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