passion desired that the compositor might be sent
to him. The compositor was Mr. Manning, a decent sensible man, who
had composed about one half of his Dictionary, when in Mr. Strahan's
printing-house; and a great part of his Lives of the Poets, when in
that of Mr. Nichols; and who (in his seventy-seventh year), when in Mr.
Baldwin's printing-house, composed a part of the first edition of this
work concerning him. By producing the manuscript, he at once satisfied
Dr. Johnson that he was not to blame. Upon which Johnson candidly
and earnestly said to him, 'Mr. Compositor, I ask your pardon. Mr.
Compositor, I ask your pardon, again and again.'

His generous humanity to the miserable was almost beyond example. The
following instance is well attested:--Coming home late one night, he
found a poor woman lying in the street, so much exhausted that she could
not walk; he took her upon his back, and carried her to his house, where
he discovered that she was one of those wretched females who had fallen
into the lowest state of vice, poverty, and disease. Instead of harshly
upbraiding her, he had her taken care of with all tenderness for a long
time, at considerable expence, till she was restored to health, and
endeavoured to put her into a virtuous way of living.

He once in his life was known to have uttered what is called a BULL:
Sir Joshua Reynolds, when they were riding together in Devonshire,
complained that he had a very bad horse, for that even when going down
hill he moved slowly step by step. 'Ay (said Johnson,) and when he goes
up hill, he STANDS STILL.'

He had a great aversion to gesticulating in company. He called once to a
gentleman who offended him in that point, 'Don't ATTITUDENISE.' And
when another gentleman thought he was giving additional force to what
he uttered, by expressive movements of his hands, Johnson fairly seized
them, and held them down.

Mr. Steevens, who passed many a social hour with him during their long
acquaintance, which commenced when they both lived in the Temple, has
preserved a good number of particulars concerning him, most of which
are to be found in the department of Apothegms, &c. in the Collection
of Johnson's Works. But he has been pleased to favour me with the
following, which are original:--

'Dr. Johnson once assumed a character in which perhaps even Mr. Boswell
never saw him. His curiosity having been excited by the praises bestowed
on the celebrated Torre's fireworks at Ma