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intimately acquainted with.) in speaking of her to Sir Joshua Reynolds. His lordship said, that 'he did not believe that there was a more perfect human Being created; or that there ever would be created, than Mrs. ——' I give the very words I heard from Sir Joshua's own mouth, and from whom also I heard that he repeated them to Mr. Burke; and observing that Lord Bath could not have said more, and 'I do not think that he said too much,' was Mr. Burke's reply. I have also heard Dr. Johnson speak of this Lady in terms of high admiration. 'Sir, that Lady exerts more mind in conversation than any Person I ever met with: Sir, she displays such powers of ratiocination, even radiations of intellectual excellence as are amazing^[1].'

On the praises of Mrs. Thrale he used to dwell with a peculiar delight, a paternal fondness, expressive of conscious exultation in being so intimately acquainted with her^[2]. One day, in speaking of her to Mr. Harris, Author of Hermes^[3], and expatiating on her various perfections, the solidity of her virtues, the brilliancy of her wit, and the strength of her understanding, &c.—he quoted some lines, a stanza, I believe, but from what author I know not, with which he concluded his most eloquent eulogium, and of these I retain'd but the two last lines:—

"Virtues of such a generous kind,
Good in the last recesses of the mind.'

Dr. Johnson had a most sincere and tender regard for Mrs. Thr-le, and no wonder; she would with much apparent affection

and in compliment to the discerning Public.

This note was written many years before Mrs. Montagu's Decease, but left uncancelled out of Respect to her memory.' Miss REYNOLDS.

1. For Johnson's high praise of her see Life, iv. 275. Of her pretentious Essay on Shakespeare he said:—'It does her honour, but it would do nobody else honour.' He could not get through it. Ib. ii. 88; v. 245. Much of her reputation was no doubt due to the splendid house she kept. Horace Walpole wrote on May 27, 1775 (Letters, vi. 217): 'The husband of Mrs. Montagu of Shakespeareshire is dead, and has left her an estate of seven thousand pounds a year in own power.' See ante, i. 287, 338, 351.
2. He wrote to her on her second marriage: 'I who have loved you, esteemed you, reverenced you, and served you, I who long thought you the first of womankind,' &c. Letters, ii. 406.
3. Ante, ii. 70.

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