170 Anecdotes.
��ment that he should have an enemy in the world *, while he had been doing nothing but good to his neighbours, I used to make him recollect these circumstances : ' Why child (said he), what harm could that do the fellow 2 ? I always thought very well of M n for a Cambridge man ; he is, I believe, a mighty blame less character.' Such tricks were, however, the more unpardon able in Mr. Johnson, because no one could harangue like him about the difficulty always found in forgiving petty injuries, or in provoking by needless offence. Mr. Jordan, his tutor, had much of his affection, though he despised his want of scholastic learning. ' That creature would (said he) defend his pupils to the last : no young lad under his care should suffer for committing slight improprieties, while he had breath to defend, or power to protect them. If I had had sons to send to college (added he), Jordan should have been their tutor V
Sir William Browne the physician, who lived to a very extra ordinary age, and was in other respects an odd mortal, with more genius than understanding, and more self-sufficiency than wit, was the only person who ventured to oppose Mr. Johnson, when he had a mind to shine by exalting his favourite university, and to express his contempt of the whiggish notions which prevail at Cambridge 4 . He did it once, however, with surprising felicity :
Caractacus and Elfrida, ' often 3 When Johnson visited Oxford in
wondered at Johnson's low estimation 1754, 'he much regretted that his
of his writings.' Life, ii. 335. Mason first tutor [Jorden] was dead, for
was a Cambridge man. whom he seemed to retain the
Johnson in his Dictionary calls greatest regard.' Ib. i. 272.
fun ' a low cant [slang] word.' In 4 Miss Burney records in May,
Sir Charles Grandison, ed. 1754, i. 1772 : ' I have just left the famous
96-7, it is used by an illiterate gentle- Sir William Browne in the parlour,
man. a most extraordinary old man, who
1 From a sick room he wrote to lives in the Square [Queen Square], Mrs. Thrale in the last year but one and is here on a visit. He has been of his life : ' I have in this still a very renowned physician ; whether scene of life great comfort in reflect- for saving or killing I cannot say. ing that I have given very few reason He is near eighty, and enjoys pro- to hate me.' Letter s> ii. 314. digious health and spirits, and is
2 See Life t iv. 280, where he asks, gallant to the ladies to a most ridicu-
- What harm does it do to any man lous degree. He never comes with-
to be contradicted ? ' out repeating some of his verses.'
his
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