42 JOHNSON. 



or neglect, which Johnson met with, we must not forget 

 the honour which he received from the King, (George 

 III.,) who, hearing that he used to come and read in the 

 fine library at Buckingham House, desired Mr. Barnard, 

 the librarian, to give him notice of his being there, in 

 order that he might gratify a very praiseworthy curiosity, 

 by becoming acquainted with him. This happened in 

 the year 1767, and the particulars of the interview, as 

 collected by Mr. Boswell from various sources, with even 

 more than his wonted diligence, shew the King to have 

 conversed both very courteously and like a sensible, well- 

 informed man upon various subjects, and to be acquainted 

 with all the ordinary topics of conversation, both as 

 related to books and men. Johnson's demeanour was 

 equally correct ; he was profoundly respectful, of course, 

 but he never lowered the tone either of his opinions or 

 of his voice during a pretty long interview. 



From the time when 'the grant of the pension placed 

 him in easy circumstances to the year before his death, 

 when he had a paralytic stroke, no important event 

 occurred in his life, if we except his journey to Scotland 

 in 1772, which gave him an opportunity of seeing all the 

 literary men of that country, and of observing also in the 

 Islands a people emerging from a very low state of 

 civility but which had very little effect in shaking his 

 rooted prejudice against the Scotch and an excursion in 

 1775, for two months, to Paris, in company with Mr. 

 Thrale's family, and Baretti, the author of the ' Italian 

 Dictionary/ one of his most intimate and valued friends. 

 Mr. Boswell has preserved one of the note books in which 

 he kept a diary of his observations on this French tour ; 

 and though he appears to have made many and very 



