cheated and deluded by his servant ; it is quite foblish and unnatural.' Johnson instantly replied, ' Sir, it is not unnatural. It is a scene that is acted in my family every day in my life.' This did not allude to the maid servant, however, so much as to two distressed ladies, whom he generously supported in his house,. . .who were always quarrelling z . These ladies presided at Dr. Johnson's table by turns when there was company ; which, of course, would produce disputes. I ventured one day to say,
- Surely, Dr. Johnson, Roxana for this time should take place of
Statira.' 'Yes, Sir,' replied the Doctor; -but, in my family, it has never been decided which is Roxana, and which is Statira/
It happened that I was in Bolt Court on the day when Mr. Henderson 2 , the justly celebrated actor, was first introduced to Dr. Johnson ; and the conversation turning on dramatic subjects, Henderson asked the Doctor's opinion of Dido and its author. ' Sir,' said Johnson, * I never did the man an injury ; yet he would read his tragedy to me V I had from Dr. Johnson's own mouth : ' By addicting himself to low vices, among which were gluttony and extravagance, Boyse rendered himself so contemptible and wretched, that he frequently was without the least subsistence for days together. After squandering away in a dirty manner any money which he acquired, he has been known to pawn all his apparel.'
1 Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Des- these recitations ' a person who wrig- moulines. He wrote to Mrs. Thrale gled up to him said, " Pray, who did on Nov. 14, 1778 :' Williams hates teach you to read, Mr. Henderson ?" everybody. Levett hates Desmou- " My mother, Sir," was his reply.' lines, and does not love Williams. Southey's Cowper, ii. 83. Desmoulines hates them both. Poll 3 Johnson wrote to Dr. Taylor on [Miss Carmichael] loves none of May 3, 1777: 'Mr. Lucas has just them.' Life, iii. 368 ; Letters, ii. 77. been with me. He has compelled me
2 Ante, ii. 318 ; Life, iv. 244. to read his tragedy, which is but Southey, when he was engaged on a poor performance.' Letters, ii. 9.
Cowper's Life, wrote : * Henderson In a note I suggest that he may be
gave such a lift to Cowper by reciting the author mentioned above ; but in
John Gilpin, that a page or two to this I was mistaken, for it was Joseph
his honour might with great pro- Reed.
priety be introduced.' Southey's 4 Life, iv. 407, n. 4, 442 ; ante, i.
Life and Corres., vi. 275. After one of 228.
Dr.
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