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��a house in Johnson's-court, Fleet-street x . Dr. Levet, his friend and physician in ordinary, paid his daily visits with assiduity ; made tea all the morning, talked what he had to say, and did not expect an answer. Mrs. Williams had her apartment in the house, and entertained her benefactor with more enlarged con versation. Chemistry was part of Johnson's amusement. For this love of experimental philosophy, Sir John Hawkins thinks an apology necessary. He tells us, with great gravity, that curiosity was the only object in view ; not an intention to grow suddenly rich by the philosopher's stone, or the transmutation of metals 2 . To enlarge his circle, Johnson once more had recourse to a literary club. This was at the Turk's Head, in Gerrard- street, Soho, on every Tuesday evening through the year 3 . The members were, besides himself, the right honourable Edmund Burke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Nugent, Dr. Goldsmith, the late Mr. Topham Beauclerk, Mr. Langton, Mr. Chamier, Sir John Hawkins, and some others 4 . Johnson's affection for Sir Joshua was founded on a long acquaintance, and a thorough
��1 Life, ii. 5. For his house in Bolt Court into which he moved in the winter of 1775-6 he paid .40 a year rent. Wheatley's London, i. 216.
2 Hawkins, p. 413. Hawkins adds that 'Johnson had for a laboratory the garret over his chambers in the Inner Temple; he furnished that with an alembic, with retorts, re ceivers, and other vessels adapted to the cheapest processes. . . . From the dregs of strong beer he was able to extract a strong but very nauseous spirit, which all might smell, but few chose to taste.' See ante, pp. 307, 408.
3 It was on Monday evening that the Club met. In Dec. 1772 the night was changed to Friday. Life, i. 478, n. 3; Hawkins, p. 415.
'The object of all clubs is either drinking or gaming, but commonly both.' Chesterfield's Letters, ed. 1845, ii. 425.
If this is true Johnson and Rey
��nolds instituted a new kind of club.
4 The original members were the nine mentioned. Ante, p. 230. For those who joined afterwards, see Life, i. 478, n. 2, 479.
In the Malone MSS. in the British Museum, in No. 36, which contains two lists of the members, are the following entries.
- 9. Sir John Hawkins.
Sent to Coventry Withdrew s [MS. im perfect].'
' Sr John Hawkins sent to Coventry and expelled.'
According to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Hawkins ' one evening attacked Mr. Burke in so rude a manner that all the company testified their displea sure ; and at their next meeting his reception was such that he never came again.' Life, i. 479. For Hawkins's 'dark allusion' to Burke see ib., n. i.
knowledge
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