[2] In 1792, Miss Burney, after recording that Boswell told some of his Johnsonian stories, continues:—­’Mr. Langton told some stories in imitation of Dr. Johnson; but they became him less than Mr. Boswell, and only reminded me of what Dr. Johnson himself once said to me—­“Every man has some time in his life an ambition to be a wag."’ Mme. D’Arblay’s Diary, v. 307.

[3] Stephanorum Historia, vitas ipsorum ac libros complectens.  London, 1709.

[4] Senilia was published in 1742.  The line to which Johnson refers is, ‘Mel, nervos, fulgur, Carteret, unus, habes,’ p. 101.  In another line, the poet celebrates Colley Cibber’s Muse—­the Musa Cibberi:  ‘Multa Cibberum levat aura.’ p. 50.  See Macaulay’s Essays, ed. 1843, i. 367.

[5] Graecae Linguae Dialecti in Scholae Westmonast. usum, 1738.

[6] Giannone, an Italian historian, born 1676, died 1748.  When he published his History of the Kingdom of Naples, a friend congratulating him on its success, said:—­’Mon ami, vous vous etes mis une couronne sur la tete, mais une couronne d’epines.’  His attacks on the Church led to persecution, in the end he made a retractation, but nevertheless he died in prison. Nouv.  Biog.  Gen. xx. 422.

[7] See ante, ii. 119.

[8] ’There is no kind of impertinence more justly censurable than his who is always labouring to level thoughts to intellects higher than his own; who apologises for every word which his own narrowness of converse inclines him to think unusual; keeps the exuberance of his faculties under visible restraint; is solicitous to anticipate inquiries by needless explanations; and endeavours to shade his own abilities lest weak eyes should be dazzled with their lustre.’ The Rambler, No. 173.

[9] Johnson, in his Dictionary, defines Anfractuousness as Fulness of windings and turnings. Anfractuosity is not given.  Lord Macaulay, in the last sentence in his Biography of Johnson, alludes to this passage.

[10] See ante, iii. 149, note 2.

[11] ’My purpose was to admit no testimony of living authors, that I might not be misled by partiality, and that none of my contemporaries might have reason to complain; nor have I departed from this resolution, but when some performance of uncommon excellence excited my veneration, when my memory supplied me from late books with an example that was wanting, or when my heart, in the tenderness of friendship, solicited admission for a favourite name.’  Johnson’s Works, v. 39.  He cites himself under important, Mrs. Lennox under talent, Garrick under giggler; from Richardson’s Clarissa, he makes frequent quotations.  In the fourth edition, published in 1773 (ante, ii. 203), he often quotes Reynolds; for instance, under vulgarism, which word is not in the previous editions.  Beattie he quotes under weak, and Gray under bosom.  He introduces also many quotations from Law, and Young.  In the earlier editions, in his quotations from Clarissa, he very rarely gives the author’s name; in the fourth edition I have found it rarely omitted.