annah More writes:

"Mrs. Piozzi's book is much in fashion. It is indeed entertaining,
but there are two or three passages exceedingly unkind to Garrick
which filled me with indignation. If Johnson had been envious enough
to utter them, she might have been prudent enough to suppress them."

In a preceding letter she had said:

"Boswell tells me he is printing anecdotes of Dr. Johnson, not his
_life_, but, as he has the vanity to call it, his _pyramid_, I
besought his tenderness for our virtuous and most revered departed
friend, and begged he would mitigate some of his asperities. He said
roughly, he would not cut off his claws, nor make a tiger a cat to
please anybody." The retort will serve for both Mrs. Piozzi and
himself.

Mrs. Piozzi writes from Venice, May 20th, 1786: "Cadell says he never
yet published a work the sale of which was so rapid, and that
rapidity of so long continuance. I suppose the fifth edition will
meet me at my return."

"Milan, July 6th, 1786.

"If Cadell would send me some copies, I should be very much obliged
to him. _'Tis like living without a looking-glass never to see one's
own book so_."

The copy of the "Anecdotes" in my possession has two inscriptions on
the blank leaves before the title-page. The one is in Mrs. Piozzi's
handwriting: "This little dirty book is kindly accepted by Sir James
Fellowes from his obliged friend, H.L. Piozzi, 14th February, 1816;"
the other: "This copy of the 'Anecdotes' was found at Bath, covered
with dirt, the book having been long out of print[1], and after being
bound was presented to me by my excellent friend, H.L.P. (signed)
J.F."

[Footnote 1: The "Anecdotes" were reprinted by Messrs. Longman in
1856, and form part of their "Traveller's Library."]

It is enriched by marginal notes in her handwriting, which enable us
to fill up a few puzzling blanks, besides supplying some information
respecting men and books, which will be prized by all lovers of
literature.

One of the anecdotes runs thus: "I asked him once concerning the
conversation powers of a gentleman with whom I was myself
unacquainted. 'He talked to me at the Club one day (replies our
Doctor) concerning Catiline's conspiracy; so I withdrew my attention,
and thought about Tom Thumb.'"

In the margin is written "Charles James Fox." Mr. Croker came to the
conclusion that the gentleman was Mr. Vesey. Boswell says that Fox
never talked with any freedom in the presence of Johnson, who
ac