by Miss Reynolds.
��and ladies at dinner. Soon after the ladies withdrew from the table, Dr. Johnson follow'd them, and, sitting down by the Lady of the House x , he said, ' I am very sorry for having spoken so
rudely to the .' ' You very well may, Sir.' ' Yes,' he said,
' it was highly improper to speak in that style to a minister of the Gospel 2 , and I am the more hurt on reflecting with what
mild dignity he received it.' When the came up into the
Drawing-Room, Dr. Johnson immediately rose from his seat, and made him sit on the sophy [sic] by him, and with such a beseeching look for pardon, and with such fond gestures literally smoothing down his arms and his knees tokens of
penitence, which were so graciously received by the as
to make Dr. Johnson very happy, and not a little added to the esteem and respect he had previously entertained for his character 3 .
The next morning the called on Sir Joshua Reynolds
��spect for Johnson. "I love him," said he, " but he does not love me," and he complained of his rough, harsh manners, saying that when he smiled he showed the teeth at the corner of his mouth, like a dog that is going to bite. He said, "Johnson is right ninety-nine times but of a hundred ; I think with him." " But you do not feel with him," said I. " No," said the Dean. " In short, he is not a gentleman." The Dean told me he thought of answering Gibbon, and would be glad to talk with Johnson of it. When I came to Bath Johnson said the Dean was mistaken. He loved him very well, though he disapproved of his being out of place, by living so much among wits, and being member of a midnight club. (That was ours.) He was pleased with his design of answering Gibbon, and said he would be glad to talk with him.' Morrison Autographs, 2nd series, i. 371.
The ' midnight club ' was the Lite rary Club. Barnard joined it in
��December, 1775. I do not think he answered Gibbon.
1 Miss Reynolds, if, as Richard Burke says, the scene took place in Sir Joshua's house. Burke Corres. i. 403.
2 ' I asked Dr. Johnson if he did not think the Dean of Derry a very agreeable man, to which he made no answer ; and on my repeating my question, "Child," said he, "I will not speak anything in favour of a Sabbath-breaker, to please you, nor any one else.' H. More's Me moirs, i. 394.
Bishop Barnard (says Bentham) was ' an unbeliever. I met him at Owen Cambridge's, who had a house of which he was very proud near Pope's, at Twickenham. The Bishop was much among the aristocracy a man of the world and a clever man.' Bentham's Works^ x. 285.
3 Johnson said of him : ' No man ever paid more attention to another than he has done to me.' Life, iv. 115.
with
�� �
