Mr. Boswell x ; all whose extravagant accounts must be read with caution and abatement. (Page 471.)
There was no great cordiality between Garrick and Johnson; and as the latter kept him much in awe when present, Garrick, when his back was turned, repaid the restraint with ridicule of him and his dulcinea, which should be read with great abatement ; for, though Garrick, at the moment, to indulge a spirit of drollery, and to entertain the company, gave distorted caricatures of Mrs. Johnson and her spouse, it would certainly have shocked him, had he known that these sportive distor tions were to be handed down to posterity as faithful pictures. By his caricature mimickry he could turn the most respect able characters and unaffected manners into ridicule 2 . (Pages 50, 9i.)
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The extraordinary prejudice and dislike of Swift, manifested on all occasions by Johnson, whose political opinions coincided exactly with his 3 , has been difficult to account for ; and is there fore attributed to his failing in getting a degree, which Swift might not chuse to solicit, for a reason given below. The real cause is believed to be as follows : The Rev. Dr. Madden, who distinguished himself so laudably by giving premiums to the young students of Dublin College, for which he had raised a fund by applying for contributions to the nobility and gentry of Ireland 4 , had solicited the same from Swift, when he was
1 'Everything about his character man behind his back.' Early Diary and manners was forcible and violent ; of Frances Burney, ii. 283.
there never was any moderation; 3 Swift, in 1716, described himself
many a day did he fast, many a year as having been ' always a Whig in
did he refrain from wine; but when politicks.' Works, ed. 1803, xvi. 156.
he did eat, it was voraciously; when 4 Dr. Madan, in 1730, 'submitted
he did drink wine, it was copiously.' to the University of Dublin a scheme
Life, iv. 72. for the encouragment of learning by
2 He came one day with Becket the establishment of premiums, for the bookseller to Dr. Burney's house. which he proposed to raise a fund ' Becket walked on a little before amounting at the lowest to ^250 per Garrick, and he [Garrick] was im- annum.' In 1732 they were first pudent enough to take him off to his granted. Some fourteen years later
face, I was going to say, but to do Edmund Burke was awarded a pre- him justice he did it like a gentle- mium. Diet. Nat. Biog. xxxv. 296.
P 2 sinking
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