ANECDOTES AND REMARKS BY LADY KNIGHT*
��. WILLIAMS was a person extremely interesting. She had uncommon firmness of mind, a boundless curiosity 2 , re tentive memory, and strong judgment. She had various powers of pleasing. Her personal afflictions and slender fortune she seemed to forget, when she had tjhe power of doing an act of kindness : she was social, cheerful, and active, in a state of body that was truly deplorable. Her regard to Dr. Johnson was formed with such strength of judgment and firm esteem, that her voice never hesitated when she repeated his maxims, or recited his good deeds ; though upon many other occasions her want of sight led her to make so much use of her ear, as to affect her speech. Mrs. Williams was blind before she was acquainted with Dr. Johnson 3 . She had many resources, though none very great. With the Miss Wilkinsons she generally passed a part of the year, and received from them presents, and
1 Published by Croker (vols. i. iv. 239. * Had she had good humour 275 ; iii. 9 ; x. 48) ' from a paper and prompt elocution, her universal transmitted by Lady Knight to Rome curiosity and comprehensive know- to Mr. Hoole,' and printed in the ledge would have made her the de- Eurofiean Magazine, October, 1799. light of all that knew her.' Letters,
Lady Knight was the widow of ii. 334. ' Her curiosity was universal,
Admiral Sir Charles Knight and her knowledge was very extensive,
mother of Cornelia Knight, who had ajfid she sustained forty years of
the audacity to write a continuation misery with steady fortitude.' Ib.
of Rasselas, under the name of p. 336.
Dinarbas. The two stories were 3 According to Boswell, she made
sometimes printed in one volume. his acquaintance when she came to
2 Johnson wrote on her death : London ' in hopes of being cured of ' Her acquisitions were many and a cataract in both her eyes, which her curiosity universal ; so that she afterwards ended in total blindness.' partook of every conversation.' Life, Life, i. 232.
from
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