preached from a printed book, a book it certainly was, and it seemed at my distance, which was the perpendicular to the side of the pulpit, to have a broad margin-like print, and he did not seem master of it, yet he affected much emphasis and action. Dined with Mr. Combe, and spent the evening with Dr. Campbell *.
APRIL loth. Rain, but not enough to soften the asperity of the weather. Dined with General Oglethorpe 2 , who was in lieu of Aid-de-Camp, (for he had no such officer about him) to Prince Eugene, and celebrated by Mr. Pope 3 . Dr. Johnson pressed him to write his life ; adding, that no life in Europe was so well worth recording 4 . The old man excused himself, saying the life of a private man was not worthy public notice. He however desired Boswell to bring him some good Almanack, that he might recollect dates, and seemed to excuse himself also on the article of incapacity, but Boswell desired him only to furnish the skeleton, and that Dr. Johnson would supply bones and sinews.
- He would be a good Doctor,' says the General, ' who would do
that.' 'Well/ says I, 'he is a good Doctor,' at which he, the Doctor, laughed very heartily. Talking of America, it was observed that his works would not be admired there. ' No,' says Boswell, ' we shall soon hear of his being hung in effigy.' ' I should be glad of that,' says the Doctor, ' that would be a new source of fame ; ' alluding to some conversation on the fulness of his fame which had gone before. And says Boswell, ' I wonder he has not been hung in effigy from the Hebrides to England.' ' I shall suffer them to do it corporeally,' says the Doctor, ' if they can find me a tree to do it upon V
1 Dr. John Campbell. * JOHNSON. Oglethorpe's as he had been taken " I used to go pretty often to Camp- to Billy's. Ib. ii. 350.
bell's on a Sunday evening, till I 3 Ib. i. 127 ; ii. 181. began to consider that the shoals of 4 'Dr. Johnson urged General Ogle- Scotchmen who flocked about him thorpe to give the world his Life, might probably say, when anything He said, " I know no man whose of mine was well done, { Ay, ay, he Life would be more interesting. If has learnt this of Cawmell.' " ' Life, I were furnished with materials I i. 418. should be very glad to write it.'"
2 It was by Boswell that Dr. Ib. ii. 351. Thomas Campbell was taken to 5 Ib. ii. 311,
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