[23] See ante, ii. 453.

[24] See ante, iv.  III.

[25] Baretti, in a MS. note on Piozzi Letters, i. 309, says:—­’The most unaccountable part of Johnson’s character was his total ignorance of the character of his most familiar acquaintance.’

[26] Lord Pembroke said once to me at Wilton, with a happy pleasantry, and some truth, that ’Dr. Johnson’s sayings would not appear so extraordinary, were it not for his bow-wow way:’  but I admit the truth of this only on some occasions.  The Messiah, played upon the Canterbury organ, is more sublime than when played upon an inferior instrument, but very slight musick will seem grand, when conveyed to the ear through that majestick medium. While therefore Dr. Johnson’s sayings are read, let his manner be taken along with them.  Let it, however, be observed, that the sayings themselves are generally great; that, though he might be an ordinary composer at times, he was for the most part a Handel.  BOSWELL.  See ante, ii. 326, 371, and under Aug. 29, 1783.

[27] See ante, i. 42.

[28] See ante, i. 41.

[29] Such they appeared to me; but since the first edition, Sir Joshua Reynolds has observed to me, ’that Dr. Johnson’s extraordinary gestures were only habits, in which he indulged himself at certain times.  When in company, where he was not free, or when engaged earnestly in conversation, he never gave way to such habits, which proves that they were not involuntary.’  I still however think, that these gestures were involuntary; for surely had not that been the case, he would have restrained them in the publick streets.  BOSWELL.  See ante, i. 144.

[30] By an Act of the 7th of George I. for encouraging the consumption of raw silk and mohair, buttons and button-holes made of cloth, serge, and other stuffs were prohibited.  In 1738 a petition was presented to Parliament stating that ’in evasion of this Act buttons and button-holes were made of horse-hair to the impoverishing of many thousands and prejudice of the woollen manufactures.’  An Act was brought in to prohibit the use of horse-hair, and was only thrown out on the third reading. Parl.  Hist. x. 787.

[31] Boswell wrote to Erskine on Dec. 8, 1761:  ’I, James Boswell Esq., who “am happily possessed of a facility of manners”—­to use the very words of Mr. Professor [Adam] Smith, which upon honour were addressed to me.’ Boswell and Erskine Corres. ed. 1879, p. 26.

[32] Post, Oct. 16.

[33] Hamlet, act iii, sc. 4.

[34] See ante, iv., March 21, 1783.  Johnson is often reproached with his dislike of the Scotch, though much of it was assumed; but no one blames Hume’s dislike of the English, though it was deep and real.  On Feb. 21, 1770, he wrote:—­’Our Government is too perfect in point of liberty for so rude a beast as an Englishman; who is a man, a bad animal too, corrupted by above a century of licentiousness.’  J. H. Burton’s Hume, ii. 434.  Dr. Burton writes of the English as ’a people Hume so heartily disliked.’ Ib. p. 433.