The Life of Samuel Johnson

‘Let me know how your health has been all this while. I hope the fine summer has given you strength sufficient to encounter the winter.

‘Make my compliments to all my friends; and, if your fingers will let you, write to me, or let your maid write, if it be troublesome to you. I am, dear Madam, your most affectionate humble servant,

‘November 16, 1775.’ ’sAM. JOHNSON.’

To THE SAME

‘DEAR MADAM, – Some weeks ago I wrote to you, to tell you that I was just come home from a ramble, and hope that I should have heard from you. I am afraid winter has laid hold on your fingers, and hinders you from writing. However, let somebody write, if you cannot, and tell me how you do, and a little of what has happened at Lichfield among our friends. I hope you are all well.

‘When I was in France, I thought myself growing young, but am afraid that cold weather will take part of my new vigour from me. Let us, however, take care of ourselves, and lose no part of our health by negligence.

‘I never knew whether you received the Commentary on the New Testament and the Travels, and the glasses.

‘Do, my dear love, write to me; and do not let us forget each other. This is the season of good wishes, and I wish you all good. I have not lately seen Mr. Porter,^a nor heard of him. Is he with you?

‘Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Adey, and Mrs. Cobb, and all my friends; and when I can do any good, let me know. I am, dear Madam, yours most affectionately,

‘December, 1775.’ ’sAM. JOHNSON.”

It is to be regretted that he did not write an account of his travels in France; for as he is reported to have once said, that ‘he could write the Life of a Broomstick,’ so, notwithstanding so many former travellers have exhausted almost every subject for remark in that great kingdom, his very accurate observation, and peculiar vigour of thought and illustration, would have produced a valuable work. During his visit to it, which lasted but about two months, he wrote notes or minutes of what he saw. He promised to show me them, but I neglected to put him in mind of it; and the greatest part of them has been lost, or perhaps, destroyed in a precipitate burning of his papers a few days before his death, which must ever be lamented. One small paper-book, however, entitled ‘France II,’ has been preserved, and is in my possession. It is a diurnal register of his life and observations, from the 10th of October to the 4th of November, inclusive, being twenty-six days, and shews an extraordinary attention to various minute particulars. Being the only memorial of this tour that remains, my readers, I am confident, will peruse it with pleasure, though his notes are very short, and evidently written only to assist his own recollection.

‘Oct. 10. Tuesday. We saw the Ecole Militaire, in which one hundred and fifty young boys are educated for the army. They have arms of different sizes, according to the age; – flints of wood.⁵⁰⁶ The building is very large, but nothing fine, except the council-room. The French have large squares in the windows; – they make good iron palisades. Their meals are gross.

‘We visited the Observatory, a large building of a great height. The upper stones of the parapet very large, but not cramped with iron. The flat on the top is very extensive; but on the insulated⁵⁰⁷ part there is no parapet. Though it was broad enough, I did not care to go upon it. Maps were printing in one of the rooms.

‘We walked to a small convent of the Fathers of the Oratory. In the reading-desk of the refectory lay the lives of the Saints.

‘Oct. II. Wednesday. We went to see Hotel de Chatlois, a house not very large, but very elegant. One of the rooms was gilt to a degree that I never saw before. The upper part for servants and their masters was pretty.

‘Thence we went to Mr. Monville’s, a house divided into small apartments, furnished with effeminate and minute elegance – Porphyry.

‘Thence we went to St. Roque’s church, which is very large; – the lower part of the pillars incrusted with marble. – Three chapels behind the high altar; – the last a mass of low arches. – Altars, I believe, all round.

‘We passed through Place de Vendome, a fine square, about as big as Hanover-square. – Inhabited by the high families. – Lewis XIV, on horseback in the middle.

‘Monville is the son of a farmer-general. In the house of Chatlois is a room furnished with japan, fitted up in Europe.

‘We dined with Boccage, the Marquis Blanchetti, and his lady. – The sweetmeats taken by the Marchioness Blanchetti, after observing that they were dear. – Mr. Le Roy, Count Manucci, the Abbe, the Prior, and Father Wilson, who staid with me, till I took him home in the coach.

‘Bathiani is gone.

‘The French have no laws for the maintenance of their poor. – Monk not necessarily a priest. – Benedictines rise at four; are at church an hour and half; at church again half an hour before, half an hour after, dinner; and again from half an hour after seven to eight. They may sleep eight hours. – Bodily labour wanted in monasteries.

‘The poor taken to hospitals, and miserably kept. – Monks in the convent fifteen: – accounted poor.

‘Oct. 12. Thursday. We went to the Gobelins. – Tapestry makes a good picture; – imitates flesh exactly. – One piece with a gold ground; – the birds not exactly coloured. – Thence we went to the King’s cabinet; – very neat, not, perhaps, perfect. – Gold ore. – Candles of the candle-tree. – Seeds. – Woods. Thence to Gagnier’s house, where I saw rooms nine, furnished with a profusion of wealth and elegance which I never had seen before. – Vases. – Pictures. – The Dragon china. – The lustre said to be of crystal, and to have cost 3,50il. – The whole furniture said to have cost 125,00il. – Damask hangings covered with pictures. – Porphyry. – This house struck me. – Then we waited on the ladies to Monville’s. – Captain Irwin with us.^a – Spain. County towns all beggars. – At Dijon he could not find the way to Orleans. – Cross roads of France very bad. – Five soldiers.

– Woman. – Soldiers escaped. – The Colonel would not lose five men for the death of one woman. – The magistrate cannot seize a soldier but by the Colonel’s permission. – Good inn at Nismes. – Moors of Barbary fond of Englishmen. – Gibraltar eminently healthy; – It has beef from Barbary;

– There is a large garden. – Soldiers sometimes fall from the rock.

‘Oct. 13. Friday. I staid at home all day, only went to find the Prior,

who was not at home. – I read something in Canus.^a –Nec admiror, nec multum laudo.⁵⁰⁸

‘Oct. 14. Saturday. We went to the house of Mr. Argenson, which was almost wainscotted with looking-glasses, and covered with gold. – The ladies’ closet wainscotted with large squares of glass over painted paper. They always place mirrours to reflect their rooms.

‘Then we went to Julien’s, the Treasurer of the Clergy: – 30,00ïl. a year.

– The house has no very large room, but is set with mirrours, and covered with gold. – Books of wood here, and in another library.

‘At D∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗’s⁵⁰⁹ I looked into the books in the lady’s closet, and, in contempt, shewed them to Mr. T. –Prince Titi; Bibl. des Fees,⁵¹⁰ and other books. – She was offended, and shut up, as we heard afterwards, her apartment.

‘Then we went to Julien Le Roy, the King’s watchmaker, a man of character in his business, who shewed a small clock made to find the longitude. – A decent man.

‘Afterwards we saw the Palais Marchand, and the Courts of Justice, civil and criminal. – Queries on the Sellette. – This building has the old Gothick passages, and a great appearance of antiquity. – Three hundred prisoners sometimes in the gaol.

Much disturbed; hope no ill will be.^b

‘In the afternoon I visited Mr. Freron the journalist. He spoke Latin very scantily, but seemed to understand me. – His house not splendid, but of commodious size. – His family, wife, son, and daughter, not elevated but decent. – I was pleased with my reception. – He is to translate my book, which I am to send him with notes.

‘Oct. 15. Sunday. At Choisi, a royal palace on the banks of the Seine, about 7 m. from Paris. – The terrace noble along the river. – The rooms numerous and grand, but not discriminated from other palaces. – The chapel beautiful, but small. – China globes. – Inlaid table. – Labyrinth. – Sinking table. – Toilet tables.

‘Oct. 16. Monday. The Palais Royal very grand, large, and lofty. – A very great collection of pictures. – Three of Raphael. – Two Holy Family.

– One small piece of M. Angelo. – One room of Rubens – I thought the pictures of Raphael fine.

‘The Thuilleries. – Statues. – Venus. – æn. and Anchises in his arms. – Nilus.⁵¹¹ – Many more. The walks not open to mean persons. – Chairs at night hired for two sous apiece. – Pont tournant.

‘Austin Nuns.⁵¹² – Grate. – Mrs. Fermor, Abbess. – She knew Pope, and thought him disagreeable. – Mrs. — has many books; – has seen life. – Their frontlet disagreeable. – Their hood. – Their life easy. – Rise about five; hour and half in chapel. – Dine at ten. – Another hour and half at chapel; half an hour about three, and half an hour more at seven: – four hours in chapel. – A large garden. – Thirteen pensioners. – Teacher complained.

‘At the Boulevards saw nothing, yet was glad to be there. – Rope-dancing and farce. – Egg dance.

‘N. [Note.] Near Paris, whether on week-days or Sundays, the roads empty.

‘Oct. 17. Tuesday. At the Palais Marchand I bought

A snuff-box 24 L. __________ 6 Table book 15 Scissars 3 p [pair] 18 ___ 63 – 2 126

‘We heard the lawyers plead. – N. As many killed at Paris as there are days in the year. Chambre de question. – Tournelle at the Palais Marchand.

– An old venerable building.

‘The Palais Bourbon, belonging to the Prince of Conde. Only one small wing shown; – lofty; – splendid; – gold and glass. – The battles of the great Conde are painted in one of the rooms. The present Prince a grandsire at thirty-nine.

‘The sight of palaces, and other great buildings, leaves no very distinct images, unless to those who talk of them and impress them. As I entered, my wife was in my mind:^a she would have been pleased. Having now nobody to please, I am little pleased.

‘N. In France there is no middle rank.

‘So many shops open, that Sunday is little distinguished at Paris. – The palaces of Louvre and Thuilleries granted out in lodgings.

‘In the Palais de Bourbon, gilt globes of metal at the fire-place.

‘The French beds commended. – Much of the marble, only paste.

‘The Colosseum a mere wooden building, at least much of it.

‘Oct. 18. Wednesday. We went to Fontainebleau, which we found a large mean town, crouded with people. – The forest thick with woods, very extensive. – Manucci secured us lodging. – The appearance of the country pleasant. – No hills, few streams, only one hedge. – I remember no chapels nor crosses on the road. – Pavement still, and rows of trees.

‘N. Nobody but mean people walk in Paris.

‘Oct. 19. Thursday. At Court, we saw the apartments; – the King’s bed-chamber and council-chamber extremely splendid – Persons of all ranks in the external rooms through which the family passes: – servants and masters. – Brunet with us the second time.

‘The introductor came to us; – civil to me. – Presenting. – I had scruples. – Not necessary. – We went and saw the King and Queen at dinner. – We saw the other ladies at dinner – Madame Elizabeth, with the Princess of Guimene. – At night we went to a comedy. I neither saw nor heard. – Drunken women. – Mrs. Th. preferred one to the other.

‘Oct. 20. Friday. We saw the Queen mount in the forest. – Brown habit; rode aside: one lady rode aside. – The Queen’s horse light grey; martingale.

– She galloped. – We then went to the apartments, and admired them. – Then wandered through the palace. – In the passages, stalls and shops. – Painting in Fresco by a great master, worn out. – We saw the King’s horses and dogs. – The dogs almost all English. – Degenerate.

‘The horses not much commended. – The stables cool; the kennel filthy.

‘At night the ladies went to the opera. I refused, but should have been welcome.

‘The King fed himself with his left hand as we.

‘Saturday, 21. In the night I got ground. – We came home to Paris. – I think we did not see the chapel. – Tree broken by the wind. – The French chairs made all of boards painted.

‘N. Soldiers at the court of justice. – Soldiers not amenable to the magistrates. – Dijon woman.^a

‘Faggots in the palace. – Every thing slovenly, except in chief rooms. – Trees in the roads, some tall, none old, many very young and small.

‘Women’s saddles seem ill made. – Queen’s bridle woven with silver. – Tags to strike the horse.

‘Sunday, Oct. 22. To Versailles, a mean town. Carriages of business passing. – Mean shops against the wall. – Our way lay through Seve, where the China manufacture. – Wooden bridge at Seve, in the way to Versailles. The palace of great extent. – The front long; I saw it not perfectly. – The Menagerie. Cygnets dark; their black feet; on the ground; tame. – Halcyons, or gulls. – Stag and hind, young. – Aviary, very large; the net, wire. – Black stag of China, small. – Rhinoceros, the horn broken and pared away, which, I suppose, will grow; the basis, I think, four inches ‘cross; the skin folds like loose cloth doubled over his body, and cross his hips; a vast animal, though young; as big, perhaps, as four oxen. – The young elephant, with his tusks just appearing. – The brown bear put out his paws; – all very tame. – The lion. – The tigers I did not well view. – The camel, or dromedary with two bunches called the Huguin,^b taller than any horse. – Two camels with one bunch. – Among the birds was a pelican, who being let out, went to a fountain, and swam about to catch fish. His feet well webbed: he dipped his head, and turned his long bill sidewise. He caught two or three fish, but did not eat them.

‘Trianon is a kind of retreat appendant to Versailles. It has an open portico; the pavement, and, I think, the pillars, of marble. – There are many rooms, which I do not distinctly remember – A table of porphyry, about five feet long, and between two and three broad, given to Lewis XIV. by the Venetian State. – In the council-room almost all that was not door or window, was, I think, looking-glass. – Little Trianon is a small palace like a gentleman’s house. – The upper floor paved with brick. – Little Vienne. – The court is ill paved. – The rooms at the top are small, fit to sooth the imagination with privacy. In the front of Versailles are small basons of water on the terrace, and other basons, I think, below them. There are little courts. – The great gallery is wainscotted with mirrors, not very large, but joined by frames. I suppose the large plates were not yet made. – The play-house was very large. – The chapel I do not remember if we saw. – We saw one chapel, but I am not certain whether there or at Trianon. – The foreign office paved with bricks. – The dinner half a Louis each, and, I think, a Louis over. – Money given at Menagerie, three livres; at palace, six livres.

‘Oct. 23. Monday. Last night I wrote to Levet. – We went to see the looking-glasses wrought. They come from Normandy in cast plates, perhaps the third of an inch thick. At Paris they are ground upon a marble table, by rubbing one plate on another with grit between them. The various sands, of which there are said to be five, I could not learn. The handle, by which the upper glass is moved, has the form of a wheel, which may be moved in all directions. The plates are sent up with their surfaces ground, but not polished, and so continue till they are bespoken, lest time should spoil the surface, as we were told. Those that are to be polished, are laid on a table, covered with several thick cloths, hard strained, that the resistance may be equal; they are then rubbed with a hand rubber, held down hard by a contrivance which I did not well understand. The powder which is used last seemed to me to be iron dissolved in aqua fortis:⁵¹³ they called it, as Baretti said, marc de l’eau forte, which he thought was dregs. They mentioned vitriol and saltpetre. The cannon ball swam in the quicksilver. To silver them, a leaf of beaten tin is laid, and rubbed with quicksilver, to which it unites. Then more quicksilver is poured upon it, which, by its mutual [attraction] rises very high. Then a paper is laid at the nearest end of the plate, over which the glass is slided till it lies upon the plate, having driven much of the quicksilver before it. It is then, I think, pressed upon clothes, and then set sloping to drop the superfluous mercury; the slope is daily heightened towards a perpendicular.

‘In the way I saw the Greve, the Mayor’s house, and the Bastile.

‘We then went to Sans-terre, a brewer. He brews with about as much malt as Mr. Thrale, and sells his beer at the same price, though he pays no duty for malt, and little more than half as much for beer. Beer is sold retail at 6p. a bottle. He brews 4,000 barrels a year. There are seventeen brewers in Paris, of whom none is supposed to brew more than he: – reckoning them at 3,000 each, they make 51,000 a year. – They make their malt, for malting is here no trade.

‘The moat of the Bastile is dry.

‘Oct. 24. Tuesday. We visited the King’s library – I saw the Speculum bumancB Salvationis,⁵¹⁴ rudely printed, with ink, sometimes pale, some– times black; part supposed to be with wooden types, and part with pages cut on boards. – The Bible, supposed to be older than that of Mentz, in {14}62: it has no date; it is supposed to have been printed with wooden types. – I am in doubt; the print is large and fair, in two folios. – Another book was shewn me, supposed to have been printed with wooden types; – I think, Durandi Sanctuarium in {14}58. This is inferred from the difference of form sometimes seen in the same letter, which might be struck with different puncheons. – The regular similitude of most letters proves better that they are metal. – I saw nothing but the Speculum which I had not seen, I think, before.

‘Thence to the Sorbonne. – The library very large, not in lattices like the King’s. Marbone and Durandi, q. collection 14 vol. Scriptores de rebus Gallicis, many folios. –Histoire Genealogique of France, 9 vol. –Gallia Christiana, the first edition, 4to. the last, f. 12 vol. – The Prior and Librarian dined [with us]: – I waited on them home. – Their garden pretty, with covered walks, but small; yet may hold many students. – The Doctors of the Sorbonne are all equal: – choose those who succeed to vacancies. – Profit little.

‘Oct. 25. Wednesday. I went with the Prior to St. Cloud, to see Dr. Hooke. – We walked round the palace, and had some talk. – I dined with our whole company at the Monastery. – In the library, Beroald, – Cymon, Titus, from Boccace. – Oratio Proverbialis to the Virgin, from Petrarch; Falkland to Sandys; Dryden’s Preface to the third vol. of Miscellanies.^a

‘Oct. 16. Thursday. We saw the china at Seve, cut, glazed, painted. Bellevue, a pleasing house, not great: fine prospect. – Meudon, an old palace. – Alexander, in Porphyry: hollow between eyes and nose, thin cheeks. – Plato and Aristotle – Noble terrace overlooks the town. – St. Cloud. – Gallery not very high, nor grand, but pleasing. – In the rooms, Michael Angelo, drawn by himself, Sir Thomas More, Des Cartes, Bochart, Naudseus, Mazarine. – Gilded wainscot, so common that it is not minded. – Gough and Keene. – Hooke came to us at the inn. – A message from Drumgold.

‘Oct. 27. Friday. I staid at home. – Gough and Keene, and Mrs. S—’s friend⁵¹⁵ dined with us. – This day we began to have a fire. – The weather is grown very cold, and I fear, has a bad effect upon my breath, which has grown much more free and easy in this country.

‘Sat., Oct. 28. I visited the Grand Chartreux⁵¹⁶ built by St. Louis. – It is built for forty, but contains only twenty-four, and will not maintain more. The friar that spoke to us had a pretty apartment. – Mr. Baretti says four rooms; I remember but three. – His books seemed to be French. – His garden was neat; he gave me grapes. – We saw the Place de Victoire, with the statues of the King, and the captive nations.

‘We saw the palace and gardens of Luxembourg, but the gallery was shut. – We climbed to the top stairs. – I dined with Colbrooke, who had much company: – Foote, Sir George Rodney, Motteux, Udson, Taaf. – Called on the Prior, and found him in bed.

‘Hotel – a guinea a day. – Coach, three guineas a week. – Valet de place, three l. a day. –Avantcoureur, a guinea a week. – Ordinary dinner, six l. a head. – Our ordinary seems to be about five guineas a day. – Our extraordinary expences, as diversions, gratuities, clothes, I cannot reckon. – Our travelling is ten guineas a day.

‘White stockings, 18 l. – Wig. – Hat.

‘Sunday, Oct. 29. We saw the boarding-school. – The Enfans trouves.⁵¹⁷ – A room with about eighty-six children in cradles, as sweet as a parlour. – They lose a third; take in to perhaps more than seven {years old}; put them to trades; pin to them the papers sent with them. – Want nurses. – Saw their chapel.

‘Went to St. Eustatia; saw an innumerable company of girls catechised, in many bodies, perhaps 100 to a catechist. – Boys taught at one time, girls at another. – The sermon; the preacher wears a cap, which he takes off at the name: – his action uniform, not very violent.

‘Oct. 30. Monday. We saw the library of St. Germain. – A very noble collection. –Codex Divinorum Officiorum, 1459: – a letter, square like that of the Offices, perhaps the same. – The Codex, by Fust and Gernsheym.

– Meursius, 12 v. fol. –Amadis, in French, 3 v. fol. – Catholicon sine colophone, but of 1460. – Two other editions,^a one by…. Augustin. de Civitate Dei, without name, date, or place, but of Fust’s square letter as it seems.

‘I dined with Col. Drumgold; – had a pleasing afternoon.

‘Some of the books of St. Germain’s stand in presses from the wall, like those at Oxford.

‘Oct. 31. Tuesday. I lived at the Benedictines; meagre day; soup meagre, herrings, eels, both with sauce; fryed fish; lentils, tasteless in themselves. In the library; where I found Maffeus’s de Historia Indica: Promontorium flectere, to double the Cape. I parted very tenderly from the Prior and Friar Wilkes.

‘Maitre des Arts, 2 y. –Bacc. Theol. 3 y. –Licentiate, 2 y. –Doctor Th. 2 y. in all 9 years. – For the Doctorate three disputations, Major, Minor, Sorbonica. – Several colleges suppressed, and transferred to that which was the Jesuits’ College.

‘Nov. 1. Wednesday. We left Paris. – St. Denis, a large town; the church not very large, but the middle isle is very lofty and aweful. – On the left are chapels built beyond the line of the wall, which destroy the symmetry of the sides. The organ is higher above the pavement than any I have ever seen. – The gates are of brass. – On the middle gate is the history of our Lord. – The painted windows are historical, and said to be eminently beautiful. – We were at another church belonging to a convent, of which the portal is a dome; we could not enter further, and it was almost dark.

‘Nov. 2. Thursday. We came this day to Chantilly, a seat belonging to the Prince of Conde. – This place is eminently beautified by all varieties of waters starting up in fountains, falling in cascades, running in streams, and spread in lakes. – The water seems to be too near the house. – All this water is brought from a source or river three leagues off, by an artificial canal, which for one league is carried under ground. – The house is magnificent. – The cabinet seems well stocked: what I remember was, the jaws of a hippopotamus, and a young hippopotamus preserved, which, however, is so small, that I doubt its reality. – It seems too hairy for an abortion, and too small for a mature birth. – Nothing was in spirits; all was dry. – The dog; the deer; the ant-bear with long snout. – The toucan, long broad beak. – The stables were of very great length. – The kennel had no scents. There was a mockery of a village. – The Menagerie had few animals.^a – Two faussans,^b or Brasilian weasels, spotted, very wild. – There is a forest, and, I think, a park. – I walked till I was very weary, and next morning felt my feet battered, and with pains in the toes.

‘Nov. 3. Friday. We came to Compiegne, a very large town, with a royal palace built round a pentagonal court. – The court is raised upon vaults, and has, I suppose, an entry on one side by a gentle rise. – Talk of painting. The church is not very large, but very elegant and splendid. – I had at first great difficulty to walk, but motion grew continually easier. – At night we came to Noyon, an episcopal city. – The cathedral is very beautiful, the pillars alternately Gothick and Corinthian. – We entered a very noble parochial church. – Noyon is walled, and is said to be three miles round.

‘Nov. 4. Saturday. We rose very early, and came through St. Quintin to Cambray, not long after three. – We went to an English nunnery, to give a letter to Father Welch, the confessor, who came to visit us in the evening.

‘Nov. 5. Sunday. We saw the cathedral. – It is very beautiful, with chapels on each side. – The choir splendid. – The balustrade in one part brass. – The Neff⁵¹⁸ very high and grand. – The altar silver as far as it is seen. – The vestments very splendid. – At the Benedictines church – ‘

Here his Journal^a ends abruptly. Whether he wrote any more after this time, I know not; but probably not much, as he arrived in England about the 12th of November. These short notes of his tour, though they may seem minute taken singly, make together a considerable mass of information, and exhibit such an ardour of enquiry and acuteness of examination, as, I believe, are found in but few travellers, especially at an advanced age. They completely refute the idle notion which has been propagated, that he could not see; and, if he had taken the trouble to revise and digest them, he undoubtedly could have expanded them into a very entertaining narrative.

When I met him in London the following year, the account which he gave me of his French tour, was, ‘sir, I have seen all the visibilities of Paris, and around it; but to have formed an acquaintance with the people there, would have required more time than I could stay. I was just beginning to creep into acquaintance by means of Colonel Drumgold, a very high man, Sir, head of L’Ecole Militaire, a most complete character, for he had first been a professor of rhetorick, and then became a soldier. And, Sir, I was very kindly treated by the English Benedictines, and have a cell appropriated to me in their convent.’

He observed, ‘The great in France live very magnificently, but the rest very miserably. There is no happy middle state as in England. The shops of Paris are mean; the meat in the markets is such as would be sent to a gaol in England: and Mr. Thrale justly observed, that the cookery of the French was forced upon them by necessity; for they could not eat their meat, unless they added some taste to it. The French are an indelicate people; they will spit upon any place. At Madame —’s,⁵¹⁹ a literary lady of rank, the footman took the sugar in his fingers, and threw it into my coffee. I was going to put it aside; but hearing it was made on purpose for me, I e’en tasted Tom’s fingers. The same lady would needs make tea à l’Angloise.⁵²⁰ The spout of the tea-pot did not pour freely; she bad the footman blow into it. France is worse than Scotland in every thing but climate. Nature has done more for the French; but they have done less for themselves than the Scotch have done.’

It happened that Foote was at Paris at the same time with Dr. Johnson, and his description of my friend while there, was abundantly ludicrous. He told me, that the French were quite astonished at his figure and manner, and at his dress, which he obstinately continued exactly as in London; – his brown clothes, black stockings, and plain shirt. He mentioned, that an Irish gentleman⁵²¹ said to Johnson, ‘sir, you have not seen the best French players.’ JOHNSON. ‘Players, Sir! I look on them as no better than creatures set upon tables and joint-stools to make faces and produce laughter, like dancing dogs.’ – ‘But, Sir, you will allow that some players are better than others?’ JOHNSON. ‘Yes, Sir, as some dogs dance better than others.’