o Lord Gower.
[58] See the Prologue spoken by Mr. Garrick in 1747, on the opening of
Drury-Lane theatre.
[59] "Inter _ignotae_ strepitus _loquelae_."--Ode to Mrs. Thrale.
[60] The dignified and affecting letter written by him to the King in
the name of Doctor Dodd, after his condemnation, is justly, and, I
believe, universally admired. His benevolence, indeed, was uniform and
unbounded.----I have been assured, that he has often been so much
affected by the sight of several unfortunate women, whom he has seen
almost perishing in the streets, that he has taken them to his own
house; had them attended with care and tenderness; and, on their
recovery, clothed, and placed them in a way of life to earn their
bread by honest industry.
[61] The papers in the ADVENTURER, signed with the letter T, are
commonly attributed to one of Dr. Johnson's earliest and most intimate
friends, Dr. Bathurst; but there is good reason to believe that they
were written by Dr. Johnson, and given by him to his friend. At that
time Dr. Johnson was himself engaged in writing the _Rambler_, and
could ill afford to make a present of his labours. The various other
pieces that he gave away, have bestowed fame, and probably fortune, on
several persons. To the great disgrace of some of his clerical
friends, forty sermons, which he himself tells us he wrote, have not
yet been _deterre_.
[62] "A good continued speech (says Bacon in his ESSAYS) without a
good speech of interlocution, shews slowness; and a good reply or
second speech, without a good settled speech, sheweth shallowness and
weakness. As we see in beasts, that those that are weakest in the
course, are yet _nimblest in the turn_; as it is betwixt the greyhound
and the hare."--If this observation be just, Dr. Johnson is an
exception to the rule; for he was certainly as _strong_ "in the
course, as nimble in the turn"; as ready in "reply," as in "a settled
speech."
[63] The celebrated Flora Macdonald. See Boswell's _Tour_.
[64] See Note 4.
[65] Dr. Burney's _History of Musick_ is equally distinguished by
elegance and perspicuity of style, and for scientifick knowledge.
[66] Sir William Jones produced that learned and ingenious work,
_Poeseos Asiaticae Commentarii_, at a very early age.
[67] "The Hindu God, to whom the following poem is addressed, appears
evidently the same with the Grecian EROS, and the Roman CUPIDO.----His
favourite place of resort is a large tract of country r
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