Mr. Boswell has mentioned in his Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, that Johnson once met with an Italian in London who did not know who was the author of the Lord's Prayer|Lord’s Prayer. The Italian, whom Mr. Boswell out of tenderness forbore to name, was Baretti. As I walked home with him from Mr. Courtenay’s, he mentioned that the story as told gave an unfair representation of him. The fact he said was this. In a conversation with Dr. Johnson concerning the Lord’s Prayer, Baretti observed (profanely enough) that the petition, lead us not into temptation, ought rather to be addressed to the tempter of mankind than a benevolent Creator who delighted in the happiness of his creatures. “Pray, sir,” said Johnson” (who could not bear that any part of our holy religion should be spoken lightly of), ‘‘do you know who was the author of the Lord’s Prayer?” Baretti (who did not wish to get into any serious dispute, and who appears to be an Infidel), by way of putting an end to the conversation, only replied,—“Oh, sir, you know by our religion (Roman Catholic), we are not permitted to read the Scriptures. You can’t therefore expect an answer.”
The two drawings of Pope are marked at the back with Richardson’s R, but have no date. Milton is in profile, “13th February, 1737 R.” The other Milton, “4th December, 1734 R.” The Shakspeare from the old picture, “R., 21st April, 1733.” The copy from the print thus: “From an old print, before an early edition of his poems, R.—Shakspeare, 20th October, 1732.” “Richardson, senior, 24th August,
