greatest divergence from the speeches as actually delivered . Sir
John Hawkins reports Dr. Johnson as saying that he never en tered the House of Commons and Arthur Murphy says that he was there but once, - the difference is immaterial. The secret of
the authorship of the debates was divulged by Dr. Johnson at a
dinner given by Samuel Foote where he stated that he had himself written them
in a garret in Exeter Street. 13 The result of the
disclosure was that “ the company was struck with astonish ment” and bestowed lavish encomiums on him ; one, in particular,
praised his impartiality ; observing, that he dealt out reason and
eloquence with an equal hand to both parties. “ That is not quite true,” said Johnson ; “ I saved appearances tolerably well; but I took care that the Whig dogs should not have the best of it.” One of his biographersmuch extols these reports of Dr. Johnson since he
“ had the art to give different colours to the several speeches , so that some appear to be declamatory and energetic , resembling 13 The dinner is fully described by A . Murphy, Essay on the Life and Genius of Dr. Johnson , pp. 43 -45. The author says in part: “ That Johnson was the author of the debates during that period was not generally known ;
but the secret transpired several years afterwards, and was avowed by himself on the following occasion : Mr. Wedderburne (now Lord Lough borough ) , Dr. Johnson , Dr. Francis, (the translator of Horace) , the present
writer, and others, dined with the late Mr. Foote. An important debate
towards the end of Sir Robert Walpole 's administration being mentioned , Dr. Francis observed that 'Mr. Pitt 's speech , on that occasion , was the best he had ever read .' He added , “ That he had employed eight years of
his life in the study of Demosthenes , and finished a translation of that celebrated orator, with all the decorations of style and language, within the
reach of his capacity ; but he had met with nothing equal to the speech above mentioned .
Many of the company remembered the debate ; and some
passages were cited , with the approbation and applause of all present. During the ardour of conversation Johnson remained silent. As soon as the warmth of praise subsided , he opened with these words: “ That speech I wrote in a garret in Exeter -street.' The company was struck with aston ishment. After staring at each other in silent amaze, Dr. Francis asked , ‘ How that speech could be written by him ? ' ' Sir,' said Johnson , ' I wrote
it in Exeter -street. I never had been in the gallery of the House of Com mons but once. Cave had interest with the door-keepers. He, and the per sons employed under him , gained admittance ; they brought away the sub
ject of discussion , the names of the speakers, the side they took , and the order in which they rose , together with notes of the arguments advanced
in the course of the debate . The whole was afterwards communicated to me, and I composed the speeches in the form which they now have in the
Parliamentary Debates .' To this discovery Dr. Francis made answer : “ Then , Sir, you have exceeded Demosthenes himself ; for to say that you have exceeded Francis's Demosthenes , would be saying
