’Talking of the minuteness with which people will record the sayings of eminent persons, a story was told, that when Pope was on a visit to Spence[28] at Oxford, as they looked from the window they saw a Gentleman Commoner, who was just come in from riding, amusing himself with whipping at a post.  Pope took occasion to say, “That young gentleman seems to have little to do.”  Mr. Beauclerk observed, “Then, to be sure, Spence turned round and wrote that down;” and went on to say to Dr. Johnson, “Pope, Sir, would have said the same of you, if he had seen you distilling[29].”  JOHNSON.  “Sir, if Pope had told me of my distilling, I would have told him of his grotto[30]."’

’He would allow no settled indulgence of idleness upon principle, and always repelled every attempt to urge excuses for it, A friend one day suggested, that it was not wholesome to study soon after dinner.  JOHNSON.  “Ah, Sir, don’t give way to such a fancy.  At one time of my life I had taken it into my head that it was not wholesome to study between breakfast and dinner[31]."’

’Mr. Beauclerk one day repeated to Dr. Johnson Pope’s lines,

     “Let modest Foster, if he will, excel
      Ten metropolitans in preaching well:”  [32]

Then asked the Doctor, “Why did Pope say this?” JOHNSON.  ’Sir, he hoped it would vex somebody.’

’Dr. Goldsmith, upon occasion of Mrs. Lennox’s bringing out a play[33], said to Dr. Johnson at the CLUB, that a person had advised him to go and hiss it, because she had attacked Shakspeare in her book called Shakspeare Illustrated[34].  JOHNSON.  “And did not you tell him he was a rascal[35]?” GOLDSMITH.  “No, Sir, I did not.  Perhaps he might not mean what he said.”  JOHNSON.  “Nay, Sir, if he lied, it is a different thing.”  Colman slily said, (but it is believed Dr. Johnson did not hear him,) “Then the proper expression should have been,—­Sir, if you don’t lie, you’re a rascal."’

’His affection for Topham Beauclerk was so great, that when Beauclerk was labouring under that severe illness which at last occasioned his death, Johnson said, (with a voice faultering with emotion,) “Sir, I would walk to the extent of the diameter of the earth to save Beauclerk[36]."’

’One night at the CLUB he produced a translation of an Epitaph which Lord Elibank had written in English, for his Lady, and requested of Johnson to turn into Latin for him.  Having read Domina de North et Gray, he said to Dyer, “You see, Sir, what barbarisms we are compelled to make use of, when modern titles are to be specifically mentioned in Latin inscriptions.”  When he had read it once aloud, and there had been a general approbation expressed by the company, he addressed himself to Mr. Dyer in particular, and said, “Sir, I beg to have your judgement, for I know your nicety[37].”  Dyer then very properly desired to read it over again; which having done, he pointed out an incongruity in one of the sentences.  Johnson immediately assented to the observation, and said, “Sir, this is owing to an alteration of a part of the sentence, from the form in which I had first written it; and I believe, Sir, you may have remarked, that the making a partial change, without a due regard to the general structure of the sentence, is a very frequent cause of errour in composition."’