Anecdotes. 339 coldly, There, there, now we have had enough for one lecture, Dr. Johnson; we will not be upon education any more till after dinner, if you please-or some such speech *: but when there was nobody to restrain his dislikes, it was extremely difficult to find any body with whom he could converse, without living always on the verge of a quarrel, or of something too like a quarrel to be pleasing 2. I came into the room, for example, one evening, where he and a gentleman, whose abilities we all respect exceedingly, were sitting; a lady who walked in two minutes before me had blown 'em both into a flame, by whisper- ing something to Mr. S―d, which he endeavoured to explain away, so as not to affront the Doctor, whose suspicions were all alive. And have a care, Sir (said he), just as I came in; the Old Lion will not bear to be tickled.' The other was pale with rage, the Lady wept at the confusion she had caused ³, and I could only say with Lady Macbeth, Soh! you've displac'd the mirth, broke the good meeting With most admir'd disorder *. Such accidents however occurred too often, and I was forced to take advantage of my lost lawsuit 5, and plead inability of
- 'I know no man (said Johnson)
who is more master of his wife and family than Thrale. If he but holds up a finger he is obeyed.' Life, i. 494. He was, it seems, master also of his guest, even when his guest was Johnson. 2 See ante, p. 310, where she writes :-'I saw Mr. Johnson in none but a tranquil uniform state, passing the evening of his life among friends who loved, honoured, and admired him.' 3 Mr. S―d was no doubt William Seward (Life, iii. 123), and the lady who wept was most probably Sophy Streatfield. "I'm sure," said Mrs. Thrale, "when she cried for Seward I never saw her look half so lovely." Z 2 ""For Seward?" cried Sir Philip [Clerk]; "did she cry for Seward?" ""Seward," said Mrs. Thrale, "had affronted Johnson, and then John- son affronted Seward, and then the S. S. cried." 'SIR PHILIP. "But what did Seward do? was he not melted?" 'MRS. THRALE. "Not he; he was thinking only of his own affront and taking fire at that." Mme. D'Ar- blay's Diary, i. 227. "
- 'You have displaced' &c. Mac-
beth, Act iii. sc. 5. 'Soh!' is Mrs. Thrale's addition. 5 Mrs. Piozzi seems to have thought that her lost lawsuit was known to all the world. What it was is shown by the following entries. 'My uncle's widow, Lady Salusbury, had purse
