He was told, "that he, at least, did not come within
the definition." He desired to meet next day, and dine at the Mitre
tavern. At that meeting he gave up all his scruples. On the following
day, lord Loughborough conducted him to the earl of Bute. The
conversation that passed, was, in the evening, related to this writer,
by Dr. Johnson. He expressed his sense of his majesty's bounty, and
thought himself the more highly honoured, as the favour was not bestowed
on him for having dipped his pen in faction. "No, sir," said lord Bute,
"it is not offered to you for having dipped your pen in faction, nor
with a design that you ever should." Sir John Hawkins will have it,
that, after this interview, Johnson was often pressed to wait on lord
Bute, but with a sullen spirit refused to comply. However that be,
Johnson was never heard to utter a disrespectful word of that nobleman.
The writer of this essay remembers a circumstance, which may throw some
light on this subject. The late Dr. Rose, of Chiswick, whom Johnson
loved and respected, contended for the pre-eminence of the Scotch
writers; and Ferguson's book on Civil Society, then on the eve of
publication, he said, would give the laurel to North Britain. "Alas!
what can he do upon that subject?" said Johnson: "Aristotle, Polybius,
Grotius, Puffendorf, and Burlemaqui, have reaped in that field before
him.
Pages:
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90