132 Annals.
��nurse's house ; and, inquiring somewhat obscurely, was told ' this is the house in which you were nursed.' I saw my nurse's son, to whose milk I succeeded, reading a large Bible, which my nurse had bought, as I was then told, some time before her death
Dr. Swinfen used to say, that he never knew any child reared with so much difficulty.
1710-11.
In the second year I knew [? know] not what happened to me. I believe it was then that my mother carried me to Trysul T , to consult Dr. Atwood, an oculist of Worcester. My father and Mrs. Harriots 2 , I think, never had much kindness for each other. She was my mother's relation ; and he had none so high to whom he could send any of his family. He saw her seldom himself, and willingly disgusted her, by sending his horses 3 from home on Sunday ; which she considered, and with reason, as a breach of duty. My father had much vanity, which his ad versity hindered from being fully exerted 4 . I remember, that, mentioning her legacy in the humility of distress, he called her our good Cousin Harriots. My mother had no value for his rela tions ; those indeed whom we knew of were much lower than hers 5 . This contempt began, I know not on which side, very early : but, as my father was little at home, it had not much effect.
My father and mother had not much happiness from each other. They seldom conversed ; for my father could not bear to talk of his affairs ; and my mother, being unacquainted with books, cared not to talk of any thing else. Had my mother been more literate, they had been better companions. She might have sometimes introduced her unwelcome topick with
1 Trysull, near Wolverhampton. 4 'My father,' he said, 'was a
2 Ante, p. 56. foolish old man ; that is to say, fool-
3 His business, as his son told ish in talking of his children.' Ib. i. Mrs. Thrale, ' led him to be much on 40. For his ' distress ' see ib. i. 78- horse-back.' Post, p. 148. The title- 80.
page of a book published by him 5 They did not rise very high, for
shows that in 1687 he had shops at in 1773 Johnson wrote: 'Mr. Cor-
Lichfield, Uttoxeter, and Ashby-de- nelius Harrison was the only one of
la-Zouch. Life, i. 36, . 3. Besides, my relations who ever rose in fortune
he attended book-sales in all the above penury, or in character above
country round. neglect.' Letters, i. 225.
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