Thrale's life. Johnson accompanied the family, in all their summer
excursions, to Brighthelmstone, to Wales, and to Paris. It is but
justice to Mr. Thrale to say, that a more ingenuous frame of mind no man
possessed. His education at Oxford gave him the habits of a gentleman;
his amiable temper recommended his conversation; and the goodness of his
heart made him a sincere friend. That he was the patron of Johnson, is
an honour to his memory.
In petty disputes with contemporary writers, or the wits of the age,
Johnson was seldom entangled. A single incident of that kind may not be
unworthy of notice, since it happened with a man of great celebrity in
his time. A number of friends dined with Garrick on a Christmas day.
Foote was then in Ireland. It was said, at table, that the modern
Aristophanes (so Foote was called) had been horsewhipped by a Dublin
apothecary, for mimicking him on the stage. "I wonder," said Garrick,
"that any man should show so much resentment to Foote; he has a patent
for such liberties; nobody ever thought it worth his while to quarrel
with him in London." "I am glad," said Johnson, "to find that the man is
rising in the world." The expression was afterwards repeated to Foote,
who, in return, gave out, that he would produce the Caliban of
literature on the stage. Being informed of this design, Johnson sent
word to Foote: "that the theatre being intended for the reformation of
vice, he would step from the boxes on the stage, and correct him before
the audience.
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