Northcote's
_Reynolds_, ii. 145.

[678] William Hunter, scarcely less famous as a physician than his
youngest brother, John Hunter, as a surgeon.

[679] Let it be remembered by those who accuse Dr. Johnson of
illiberality that both were _Scotchmen_. BOSWELL.

[680] The following day he dined at Mrs. Garrick's. 'Poor Johnson,'
wrote Hannah More (_Memoirs_, i. 280), 'exerted himself exceedingly, but
he was very ill and looked so dreadfully, that it quite grieved me. He
is more mild and complacent than he used to be. His sickness seems to
have softened his mind, without having at all weakened it. I was struck
with the mild radiance of this setting sun.'

[681] In the winter of 1788-9 Boswell began a canvass of his own county,
He also courted Lord Lonsdale, in the hope of getting one of the seats
in his gift, who first fooled him and then treated him with great
brutality, _Letters of Boswell_, pp. 270, 294, 324.

[682] On April 6, 1780--'a day,' wrote Horace Walpole (_Letters_, vii.
345), 'that ought for ever to be a red-lettered day'--Mr. Dunning made
this motion. It was carried by 233 to 215. _Parl. Hist._ xxi. 340-367.

[683] See _ante_, i. 355, and ii. 94 for Johnson's appeal to meals as a
measure of vexation.

[684] Johnson defines _cant_ as '1. A corrupt dialect used by beggars
and vagabonds. 2. A particular form of speaking peculiar to some certain
class or body of men. 3. A whining pretension to goodness in formal and
affected terms. 4. Barbarous jargon. 5. Auction.' I have noted the
following instances of his use of the word:--'I betook myself to a
coffee-house frequented by wits, among whom I learned in a short time
the _cant_ of criticism.' _The Rambler_, No.123. 'Every class of society
has its _cant_ of lamentation.' _Ib_. No.128. 'Milton's invention
required no assistance from the common _cant_ of poetry.' _Ib_. No.140.
'We shall secure our language from being overrun with _cant_, from being
crowded with low terms, the spawn of folly or affectation.' _Works_, v.
II. 'This fugitive _cant_, which is always in a state of increase or
decay, cannot be regarded as any part of the durable materials of a
language.' _Ib_. p.45. In a note on I _Henry VI_, act iii. sc.1, he
says: 'To _roam_ is supposed to be derived from the _cant_ of vagabonds,
who often pretended a pilgrimage to Rome.' See _ante_, iii. 197, for
'modern _cant_.'

[685] 'Custom,' wrote Sir Joshua, 'or politeness, or courtly manners has
authorise