JOHNSON. 3 7 



make his pleasure known, and although his kindness of 

 disposition might give the mistress a divisum imperium in 

 small matters, the form of government was anything 

 rather than a gynocracy. From the time of Johnson's 

 introduction, to Mr. Thrale's decease in 1781, and even 

 during the next two years, he might be said to be of the 

 family ; he had his apartment both in Southwark, and at 

 their villa of Streatham ; he called Thrale always " my 

 Master," Mrs. Thrale " my Mistress :" loving the com- 

 forts of life, he here had the constant enjoyment of its 

 luxuries : excellent society was always assembled under 

 their roof, his moody temper was soothed, and his melan- 

 choly dispelled by those relaxations, and by having, 

 without the cares of a family, its occupations to distract 

 his mind ; when unfortunately for his enjoyment, and on 

 no other account that I can discover unfortunately, the 

 widow contracted a second marriage with an Italian 

 teacher, Mr. Piozzi, which cut Johnson to the heart, and 

 was resented by himself and all his friends as an act of 

 self-degradation that deservedly put Mrs. Thrale out of 

 the pale of society. It is quite amusing to see the 

 manner in which this step of the lady is taken both 

 by Johnson, who had himself married his mercantile 

 friend's widow, without any means of support but his own 

 industry, nay, who had like Mr. Piozzi, endeavoured, but 

 unsuccessfully, to maintain himself by teaching, and by 

 Miss Burney, the daughter of a music-master, and sister 

 of a Greek teacher. Had Mrs. Thrale been not only 

 seduced, but thrown herself on the stage for subsistence, 

 nay, on the town for a livelihood, these high-bred per- 

 sonages could not have mourned more tenderly over her 

 conduct. Her fate, her fall, her sad lot, the pity of 



