on esteemed them, and lived in as easy an intimacy
with them as with any family which he used to visit. Mr. Davies
recollected several of Johnson's remarkable sayings, and was one of
the best of the many imitators of his voice and manner, while relating
them. He increased my impatience more and more to see the
extraordinary man whose works I highly valued, and whose conversation
was reported to be so peculiarly excellent.

At last, on Monday the 16th of May, when I was sitting in Mr. Davies'
back parlor, after having drunk tea with him and Mrs. Davies, Johnson
unexpectedly came into the shop; and Mr. Davies having perceived him
through the glass door in the room in which we were sitting, advancing
toward us, he announced his awful approach to me, somewhat in the
manner of an actor in the part of Horatio, when he addresses Hamlet on
the appearance of his father's ghost--"Look, my lord, it comes." I
found that I had a very perfect idea of Johnson's figure from the
portrait of him painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds soon after he had
published his Dictionary, in the attitude of sitting in his easy chair
in deep meditation; which was the first picture his friend did for
him, which Sir Joshua very kindly presented to me, and from which an
engraving has been made for this work. Mr. Davies mentioned my name,
and respectfully introduced me to him. I was much agitated, and
recollecting his prejudice against the Scotch, of which I had heard
much, I said to Davies, "Don't tell where I came from." "From
Scotland," cried Davies, roguishly. "Mr. Johnson" (said I), "I do
indeed come from Scotland, but I can not help it." I am willing to
flatter myself that I meant this as light pleasantry to soothe and
conciliate him, and not as an humiliating abasement at the expense of
my country. But however that might be, this speech was somewhat
unlucky; for with that quickness of wit for which he was so
remarkable, he seized the expression "come from Scotland," which I
used in the sense of being of that country; and as if I had said that
I had come away from it, or left it, retorted, "That, sir, I find is
what a very great many of your countrymen can not help." This stroke
stunned me a good deal; and when he had sat down, I felt myself not a
little embarrassed, and apprehensive of what might come next. He then
addrest himself to Davies: "What do you think of Garrick? He has
refused me an order for the play of Miss Williams, because he knows
the hous