A man who disliked Johnson repeated his sarcasm to Mr. Sheridan, who could never forgive this hasty, contemptuous expression, and ever after positively declined Johnson’s repeated offers of reconciliation.

It was Mr. Thomas Davies, the actor, turned bookseller, who introduced me to Johnson.  On Monday, May 16, 1763.  I was sitting in Mr. Davies’s back parlour at 8 Russell Street, Covent Garden, after having drunk tea with him and Mrs. Davies, when Johnson unexpectedly came into the shop.  Mr. Davies mentioned my name, and respectfully introduced me to him.  I was much agitated at my long-wished-for introduction to the sage, and recollecting his prejudice against the Scotch, of which I had heard much, I said to Davies, “Don’t tell where I come from——­” “From Scotland!” cried Davies roguishly.  “Mr. Johnson,” said I, “I do, indeed, come from Scotland, but I cannot help it”—­meaning this as light pleasantry to reconciliate him.  But with that quickness of wit for which he was so remarkable he seized the expression “come from Scotland,” and as if I had said that I had come away from it, or left it, remarked, “That, sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help.”  This stroke, and another check which I subsequently received, stunned me a good deal; but eight days later I boldly repaired to his chambers on the first floor of No. 1, Inner Temple Lane, and he received me very courteously.  His morning dress was sufficiently uncouth; his brown suit of clothes looked very rusty.  He had on a little, old, shrivelled, unpowdered wig, which was too small for his head; his shirt-neck and knees of his breeches were loose; his black worsted stockings ill-drawn up; and he had a pair of unbuckled shoes by way of slippers.  But all these slovenly particularities were forgotten the moment that he began to talk.

In February of the following year was founded that club which existed long without a name, but at Mr. Garrick’s funeral became distinguished by the title of “The Literary Club.”  Sir Joshua Reynolds had the merit of being the first proposer of it, to which Johnson acceded, and the original members were Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Edmund Burke, Dr. Nugent (Mr. Burke’s father-in-law), Mr. Beauclerk, Mr. Langton, Dr. Goldsmith, Mr. Chamier, and Sir John Hawkins.  They met at the Turk’s Head in Gerard Street, Soho, one evening in every week at seven, and generally continued their conversation till a very late hour.  After about ten years, instead of supping weekly, it was resolved to dine together once a fortnight during the meeting of parliament, and, their original tavern having been converted into a private house, they moved first to Prince’s in Sackville Street, then to Le Telier’s in Dover Street, and now meet at Parsloe’s, St. James’s Street.  Between the time of its formation and the time at which the second edition of this work is passing through the press (June 1792), its numbers have been raised to thirty-five, and the following persons have belonged to it:  Mr. Dunning (afterwards Lord Ashburton), Mr. Garrick, Dr. Shepley (Bishop of St. Asaph), Mr. Thomas Warton, Mr. Joseph Warton, Dr. Adam Smith, Lord Charlemont, Sir Robert Chambers, Dr. Percy (Bishop of Dromore), Dr. Barnard (Bishop of Killaloe), Mr. Charles James Fox, Mr. Gibbon, Mr. R.B.  Sheridan, Mr. Colman, Mr. Windham, of Norfolk, Dr. Burney, and the writer of this account.