184 Anecdotes by Hannah More.
I had the happiness to carry Dr. Johnson home from Hill Street, though Mrs. Montagu publicly declared she did not think it prudent to trust us together, with such a declared affection on both sides. She said she was afraid of a Scotch elopement. He has invited himself to drink tea with us to-morrow, that we may read Sir Eldred together. I shall not tell you what he said of it, but to me the best part of his flattery was, that he repeats all the best stanzas by heart, with the energy, though not with the grace of a Garrick. Memoirs, i. 63.
London, 1776.
Yesterday was another of the few sun-shiny-days with which human life is so scantily furnished. We spent it at Garrick's, he was in high good humour, and inexpressibly agreeable. Here was likely to have been another jostling and intersecting of our pleasures ; but as they knew Johnson would be with us at seven, Mrs. Garrick was so good as to dine a little after three, and all things fell out in comfortable succession. We were at the reading of a new tragedy, and insolently and unfeelingly pro nounced against it. We got home in time : I hardly ever spent an evening more pleasantly or profitably. Johnson, full of wisdom and piety, was very communicative. To enjoy Dr. John son perfectly, one must have him to oneself, as he seldom cares to speak in mixed parties. Our tea was not over till nine, we then fell upon Sir Eldred : he read both poems through, suggested some little alterations in the first, and did me the honour to write one whole stanza * ; but in the Rock, he has not altered a word. Though only a tea-visit, he staid with us till twelve. I was quite at my ease, and never once asked him to eat 2 (drink he never does any thing, but tea). Memoirs, i. 64.
[From a letter by one of HANNAH MORE'S sisters.]
London, 1776.
If a wedding should take place before our return, don't be surprised, between the mother of Sir Eldred, and the father of
1 ' My scorn has oft the dart re- Must every heart subdue.'
pell'd Hannah More's Works, ed. 1834,
Which guileful beauty threw, v. 241.
But goodness heard, and grace 2 For his dislike of being pressed beheld, to eat see post, p. 278 n.
my
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