296 Recollections of Dr. Johnson
midnight hour ! Besides its being in Greek heightened the im probability of Dr. Johnson's being so afraid of incurring the censure Mr. Boswell mentions ; and I am happy to be able to contradict it ; for soon after Dr. Johpson had shewn me the latin one, he told me that he had it taken out because he found that enim was not in the original 1 , which is only The Night cometh, a motive perfectly consonant with his character. I do not remember to have heard him say that the substitute was in the original Greek ; hence my surprise on reading Mr. Boswell's assertion that it was. The identical watch to which he alluded was some years since in the possession of Mr. Steevens, but since his Decease I have never heard what was become of it 2 .
[The following Recollections by Miss Reynolds, which are not in the manuscript copies that I saw, are given by Mr. Croker. Croker's Boswell, 8vo. pp. 832-5.]
It will doubtless appear highly paradoxical to the generality of the world to say, that few men, in his ordinary disposition or common frame of mind, could be more inoffensive than Dr. Johnson ; yet surely those who knew his uniform benevolence, and its actuating principles steady virtue, and true holiness will readily agree with me, that peace and good -will towards man were the natural emanations of his heart 3 .
1 'Venit nox quando nemo potest whether there are in existence two operari.' St. John ix. 4. watches said to be Johnson's.
2 It was the dial-plate and not 3 'Johnson's roughness was only the watch which was in the posses- external, and did not proceed from sion of Mr. Steevens. Life, ii. 57. the heart.' Life, ii. 362. ' He has For the watch see ante, ii. 81, and nothing of the bear but his skin,' ii. 117 ., where it is stated by said Goldsmith. Ib. ii. 66. 'How Croker that the watch, which on very false is the notion which has Johnson's death came into the pos- gone round the world of the rough, session of his black servant, was and passionate, and harsh manners sold by him to Canon Pailye. It is of this great and good man. . . . That also asserted by R. Polwhele that he was occasionally remarkable for
B , a Christ Church man, bought violence of temper may be granted ;
it of the same servant. Unless there but let us ascertain the degree, and
is some mistake in one of these not let it be supposed that he was in
accounts, the Canon or the Christ a perpetual rage, and never without
Church man, it seems, was tricked. a club in his hand, to knock down
It would be interesting to know every one who approached him. On
He
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