A CONVERSATION, &c.
[]IN February, 1767, there happened one of the moſt remarkable incidents of Johnſon's life, which gratified his monarchical enthuſiaſm, and which he loved to relate with all its circumſtances, when requeſted by his friends. This was his being honoured by a private converſation with his Majeſty, in the library at the Queen's houſe. He had frequently viſited thoſe ſplendid rooms and noble collection of books*, which he uſed to ſay was more numerous and curious than he ſuppoſed any perſon could have made in the time which the King had employed. Mr. Barnard, the librarian, took care that he ſhould have every accommodation that could contribute to his eaſe and convenience, while indulging his literary taſte in that place; ſo that he had here a very agreeable reſource at leiſure hours.
His Majeſty having been informed of his occaſional viſits, was pleaſed to ſignify a deſire that he ſhould be told when Dr. Johnſon came next to the library. Accordingly, the next time that Johnſon did come, as ſoon as he was fairly engaged with a book, on which, while he ſat by the fire, he ſeemed quite intent, Mr. Barnard ſtole round to the apartment where the King was, and, in obedience to his Majeſty's commands, mentioned that Dr. Johnſon was then in the library. His Majeſty ſaid he was at leiſure, and would go to him; upon which Mr. Barnard took one of the candles that ſtood on the King's table, and lighted his Majeſty through a ſuite of rooms, till they came to a private [4] door into the library, of which his Majeſty had the key. Being entered, Mr. Barnard ſtepped forward haſtily to Dr. Johnſon, who was ſtill in a profound ſtudy, and whiſpered him, "Sir, here is the King." Johnſon ſtarted up, and ſtood ſtill. His Majeſty approached him, and at once was courteouſly eaſy*.
His Majeſty began by obſerving, that he underſtood he came ſometimes to the library; and then mentioning his having heard that the Doctor had been lately at Oxford, aſked him if he was not fond of going thither. To which Johnſon anſwered, that he was indeed fond of going to Oxford ſometimes, but was likewiſe glad to come back again. The King then aſked him what they were doing at Oxford. Johnſon anſwered, he could not much commend their diligence, but that in ſome reſpects they were mended, for they had put their preſs under better regulations, and were at that time printing Polybius. He was then aſked whether there were better libraries at Oxford or Cambridge. He anſwered, he believed the Bodleian was larger than any they had at Cam⯑bridge; at the ſame time adding, "I hope, whether we have more books or not than they have at Cambridge, we ſhall make as good uſe of them as they do." Being aſked whether All-Souls or Chriſt-Church library was the largeſt, he anſwered, "All-Souls library is the largeſt we have, except the Bodleian." "Aye, (ſaid the King,) that is the publick library."
His Majeſty enquired if he was then writing any thing. He anſwered, he was not, for he had pretty well told the world what he knew, and muſt now read to acquire more knowledge. The King, as it ſhould ſeem with a [5] view to urge him to rely on his own ſtores as an original writer, and to continue his labours, then ſaid, "I do not think you borrow much from any body." Johnſon ſaid, he thought he had already done his part as a writer. "I ſhould have thought ſo too, (ſaid the King,) if you had not written ſo well."— Johnſon obſerved to me, upon this, that "No man could have paid a hand⯑ſomer compliment; and it was fit for a King to pay. It was deciſive." When aſked by another friend, at Sir Joſhua Reynolds's, whether he made any reply to this high compliment, he anſwered, "No, Sir. When the King had ſaid it, it was to be ſo. It was not for me to bandy civilities with my ſovereign." Perhaps no man who had ſpent his whole life in courts could have ſhewn a more nice and dignified ſenſe of true politeneſs, than Johnſon did in this inſtance.
His Majeſty having obſerved to him that he ſuppoſed he muſt have read a great deal; Johnſon anſwered, that he thought more than he read; that he had read a great deal in the early part of his life, but having fallen into ill health, he had not been able to read much, compared with others: for inſtance, he ſaid he had not read much compared with Dr. Warburton. Upon which the King ſaid, that he heard Dr. Warburton was a man of ſuch general knowledge, that you could ſcarce talk with him on any ſubject on which he was not qualified to ſpeak; and that his learning reſembled Garrick's acting, in its univerſality. His Majeſty then talked of the controverſy between Warburton and Lowth, which he ſeemed to have read, and aſked Johnſon what he thought of it. Johnſon anſwered, "Warburton has moſt general, moſt ſcholaſtick learning; Lowth is the more correct ſcholar. I do not know which of them calls names beſt." The King was pleaſed to ſay he was of the ſame opinion; adding, "You do not think then, Dr. Johnſon, that there was much argument in the caſe." Johnſon ſaid, he did not think there was. "Why truly, (ſaid the King,) when once it comes to calling names, argu⯑ment is pretty well at an end."
His Majeſty then aſked him what he thought of Lord Lyttelton's hiſtory, which was then juſt publiſhed. Johnſon ſaid, he thought his ſtyle pretty good, but that he had blamed Henry the Second rather too much. "Why, (ſaid the King,) they ſeldom do theſe things by halves." "No, Sir, (anſwered Johnſon,) not to Kings." But fearing to be miſunderſtood, he proceeded to explain himſelf; and immediately ſubjoined, "That for thoſe who ſpoke worſe of Kings than they deſerved, he could find no excuſe, but that he could more eaſily conceive how ſome might ſpeak better of them than they deſerved, [6] without any ill intention; for, as Kings had much in their power to give, thoſe who were favoured by them would frequently, from gratitude, exagge⯑rate their praiſes; and as this proceeded from a good motive, it was certainly excuſeable, as far as errour could be excuſeable."
The King then aſked him what he thought of Dr. Hill. Johnſon anſwered, that he was an ingenious man, but had no veracity; and immediately mentioned, as an inſtance of it, an aſſertion of that writer, that he had ſeen objects magnified to a much greater degree by uſing three or four micro⯑ſcopes at a time, than by uſing one. "Now, (added Johnſon,) every one acquainted with microſcopes knows, that the more of them he looks through, the leſs the object will appear." "Why, (replied the King,) this is not only telling an untruth, but telling it clumſily; for, if that be the caſe, every one who can look through a microſcope will be able to detect him."
"I now, (ſaid Johnſon to his friends, when relating what had paſſed,) began to conſider that I was depreciating this man in the eſtimation of his ſovereign, and thought it was time for me to ſay ſomething that might be more favourable." He added, therefore, that Dr. Hill was, notwithſtanding, a very curious obſerver; and if he would have been contented to tell the world no more than he knew, he might have been a very conſiderable man, and needed not to have recourſe to ſuch mean expedients to raiſe his reputation.
The King then talked of literary journals, mentioned particularly the Journal des Savans, and aſked Johnſon if it was well done. Johnſon ſaid, it was formerly very well done, and gave ſome account of the perſons who began it, and carried it on for ſome years; enlarging at the ſame time, on the nature and uſe of ſuch works. The King aſked him if it was well done now. Johnſon anſwered, he had no reaſon to think that it was. The King then aſked him if there were any other literary journals publiſhed in this kingdom, except the Monthly and Critical Reviews; and on being anſwered there were no other, his Majeſty aſked which of them was the beſt: Johnſon anſwered, that the Monthly Review was done with moſt care, the Critical upon the beſt principles; adding, that the authours of the Monthly Review were enemies to the Church. This the King ſaid he was ſorry to hear.
The converſation next turned on the Philoſophical Tranſactions, when Johnſon obſerved, that they had now a better method of arranging their [7] materials than formerly. "Aye, (ſaid the King,) they are obliged to Dr. Johnſon for that;" for his Majeſty had heard and remembered the circum⯑ſtance, which Johnſon himſelf had forgot.
His Majeſty expreſſed a deſire to have the literary biography of this country ably executed, and propoſed to Dr. Johnſon to undertake it. Johnſon ſignified his readineſs to comply with his Majeſty's wiſhes.
During the whole of this interview, Johnſon talked to his Majeſty with profound reſpect, but ſtill in his firm manly manner, with a ſonorous voice, and never in that ſubdued tone which is commonly uſed at the levee and in the drawing-room. After the King withdrew, Johnſon ſhewed himſelf highly pleaſed with his Majeſty's converſation and gracious behaviour. He ſaid to Mr. Barnard, "Sir, they may talk of the King as they will; but he is the fineſt gentleman I have ever ſeen." And he afterwards obſerved to Mr. Langton, "Sir, his manners are thoſe of as fine a gentleman as we may ſuppoſe Lewis the Fourteenth or Charles the Second."
At Sir Joſhua Reynolds's, where a circle of Johnſon's friends was collected round him to hear his account of this memorable converſation, Dr. Joſeph Warton, in his frank and lively manner, was very active in preſſing him to mention the particulars. "Come now, Sir, this is an intereſting matter; do favour us with it." Johnſon, with great good humour, complied.
He told them, "I found his Majeſty wiſhed I ſhould talk, and I made it my buſineſs to talk. I find it does a man good to be talked to by his ſovereign. In the firſt place, a man cannot be in a paſſion—" Here ſome queſtion interrupted him, which is to be regretted, as he certainly would have pointed out and illuſtrated many circumſtances of advantage, from being in a ſituation, where the powers of the mind are at once excited to vigorous exertion, and tempered by reverential awe.
During all the time in which Dr. Johnſon was employed in relating to the circle at Sir Joſhua Reynolds's the particulars of what paſſed between the King and him, Dr. Goldſmith remained unmoved upon a ſopha at ſome diſtance, affecting not to join in the leaſt in the eager curioſity of the com⯑pany. He aſſigned as a reaſon for his gloom and ſeeming inattention, that he apprehended Johnſon had relinquiſhed his purpoſe of furniſhing him with a [8] Prologue to his play, with the hopes of which he had been flattered; but it was ſtrongly ſuſpected that he was fretting with chagrin and envy at the ſingular honour Dr. Johnſon had lately enjoyed. At length, the frankneſs and ſimplicity of his natural character prevailed. He ſprung from the ſopha, advanced to Johnſon, and in a kind of flutter, from imagining himſelf in the ſituation which he had juſt been hearing deſcribed, exclaimed, "Well, you acquitted yourſelf in this converſation better than I ſhould have done; for I ſhould have bowed and ſtammered through the whole of it."