OLITEK GOLDSMITH'S LIFE AND TIMES. [BOOK m.
1763. " Mr. Boswell, sir," said Davies ; adding waggishly, " From
2&UJ5. " Scotland, sir!" " Mr. Johnson," said poor Boswell in a
flutter (for the town was now ringing with Number Forty-five,
Bute had just retired before the anti-Scottish storm, and
Johnson's antipathies were notorious), " I do indeed come
" from Scotland, hut I cannot help it. " That, sir, I find,"
said the remorseless wit, " is what a very great many of your
" countrymen cannot help. Now," he added, turning to
Davies as he sat clown, regardless of the stunned young
gentleman, " what do you think of Garrick ? He has refused
" me an order to the play for Miss Williams, because he
" knows the house will be full, and that an order would be
" worth three shillings." Boswell roused himself at this,
for what he thought would be a flattering thing to say. He
knew that Garrick had, but a few years before, assisted this
very Miss "Williams by a free benefit at his theatre ; but he
did not yet know how little Johnson meant by such a sally,
or that he claimed to himself a kind of exclusive property in
Garrick, for abuse as well as praise. " 0, sir," he exclaimed,
" I cannot think Mr. Garrick would grudge such a trifle to
" you" " Sir ! " rejoined the other, with a look and tone
that shut up his luckless admirer for the rest of the evening,
" I have known David Garrick longer than you have done;
" and I know no right you have to talk to me 011 the
" subject." * A characteristic commencement of a friendship
" This writer -went with him [Johnson] into the shop of Davies, the bookseller, in
" Russell-street, Covent-garden. Davies came running to him almost out of breath
" with joy. ' The Scots gentleman is come, sir; his principal wish is to see you;
" 'he is now in the back parlour.' 'Well, well, I'll see the gentleman,' said
"Johnson. He walked towards the room. Mr. Boswell was the person. This
" writer followed with no small curiosity. ' I find,' said Mr. Boswell, ' that I
'' ' am come to London at a bad time, when great popular prejudice has gone forth
" ' against us North Britons; but when I am talking to you, I am talking to a
" ' large and liberal mind, and you know that I cannot help coming from Scotland.'
" ' Sir,' said Johnson, ' no more can the rest of yoxir countrymen.' " Essay, 58.
* BorneO,, ii. 163—165.