me, who had a cousin in
Barbadoes, that, in a letter to her, expressed a wish she should come
out to that Island, and expatiated on the comforts and happiness of her
situation. The poor girl went out: her cousin was much surprised, and
asked her how she could think of coming. "Because, (said she,) you
invited me." "Not I," answered the cousin. The letter was then produced.
"I see it is true, (said she,) that I did invite you: but I did not
think you would come." They lodged her in an out-house, where she passed
her time miserably; and as soon as she had an opportunity she returned
to England. Always tell this, when you hear of people going abroad to
relations, upon a notion of being well received. In the case which you
mention, it is probable the clergyman spends all he gets, and the
physician does not know how much he is to get.'

We this day dined at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, with General Paoli, Lord
Eliot, (formerly Mr. Eliot, of Port Eliot,) Dr. Beattie, and some other
company. Talking of Lord Chesterfield;--JOHNSON. 'His manner was
exquisitely elegant[1025], and he had more knowledge than I expected.'
BOSWELL. 'Did you find, Sir, his conversation to be of a superiour
style?' JOHNSON. 'Sir, in the conversation which I had with him I had
the best right to superiority, for it was upon philology and
literature.' Lord Eliot, who had travelled at the same time with Mr.
Stanhope[1026], Lord Chesterfield's natural son, justly observed, that
it was strange that a man who shewed he had so much affection for his
son as Lord Chesterfield did, by writing so many long and anxious
letters to him, almost all of them when he was Secretary of State[1027],
which certainly was a proof of great goodness of disposition, should
endeavour to make his son a rascal. His Lordship told us, that Foote had
intended to bring on the stage a father who had thus tutored his son,
and to shew the son an honest man to every one else, but practising his
father's maxims upon him, and cheating him[1028]. JOHNSON. 'I am much
pleased with this design; but I think there was no occasion to make the
son honest at all. No; he should be a consummate rogue: the contrast
between honesty and knavery would be the stronger. It should be
contrived so that the father should be the only sufferer by the son's
villainy, and thus there would be poetical justice.'

He put Lord Eliot in mind of Dr. Walter Harte[1029]. 'I know (said he,)
Harte was your Lordship's tutor, and h