[831] This is from the Jests of Hierocles. CROKER.

[832] ‘The grave a gay companion shun.’  FRANCIS.  Horace, 1 Epis. xviii. 89.

[833] Boswell in 1776 found that ’oats were much used as food in Dr. Johnson’s own town.’ Ante, ii. 463.

[834] Ante, i. 294.

[835] See ante, ii. 258.

[836] ’The richness of the round steep green knolls, clothed with copse, and glancing with cascades, and a pleasant peep at a small fresh-water loch embosomed among them—­the view of the bay, surrounded and guarded by the island of Colvay—­the gliding of two or three vessels in the more distant Sound—­and the row of the gigantic Ardnamurchan mountains closing the scene to the north, almost justify the eulogium of Sacheverell, [post, p. 336] who, in 1688, declared the bay of Tobermory might equal any prospect in Italy.’  Lockhart’s Scott, iv. 338.

[837] ’The saying of the old philosopher who observes, that he who wants least is most like the gods who want nothing, was a favourite sentence with Dr. Johnson, who, on his own part, required less attendance, sick or well, than ever I saw any human creature.  Conversation was all he required to make him happy.’  Piozzi’s Anec. p. 275.

[838] Remarks on Several Parts of Italy (ante, ii. 346).  Johnson (Works, vii. 424) says of these Travels:—­’Of many parts it is not a very severe censure to say that they might have been written at home.’  He adds that ’the book, though awhile neglected, became in time so much the favourite of the publick, that before it was reprinted it rose to five times its price.’

[839] See ante, iii. 254, and iv. 237.

[840] Johnson (Works, viii. 320) says of Pope that ’he had before him not only what his own meditation suggested, but what he had found in other writers that might be accomodated to his present purpose.’  Boswell’s use of the word is perhaps derived, as Mr. Croker suggests, from accommoder, in the sense of dressing up or cooking meats.  This word occurs in an amusing story that Boswell tells in one of his Hypochondriacks (London Mag. 1779, p. 55):—­’A friend of mine told me that he engaged a French cook for Sir B. Keen, when ambassador in Spain, and when he asked the fellow if he had ever dressed any magnificent dinners the answer was:—­“Monsieur, j’ai accommode un diner qui faisait trembler toute la France."’ Scott, in Guy Mannering (ed. 1860, iii. 138), describes ’Miss Bertram’s solicitude to soothe and accommodate her parent.’  See ante, iv. 39, note 1, for ’accommodated the ladies.’  To sum up, we may say with Justice Shallow:—­’Accommodated! it comes of accommodo; very good; a good phrase.’ 2 Henry IV, act iii. sc. 2.

[841] ’Louis Moreri, ne en Provence, en 1643.  On ne s’attendait pas que l’auteur du Pays d’amour, et le traducteur de Rodriguez, entreprit dans sa jeunesse le premier dictionnaire de faits qu’on eut encore vu.  Ce grand travail lui couta la vie...  Mort en 1680.’  Voltaire’s Works, ed. 1819, xvii. 133.