JOHNSON. 8 1 



ally a noble figure : tall, stout, grand, and authoritative ; 

 but he stoops horribly; his back is quite round; his 

 mouth is continually opening and shutting, as if he were 

 chewing something ; he has a singular method of twirling 

 his fingers and twisting his hands ; his vast body is in 

 constant agitation, see-sawing backwards and forwards; 

 his feet are never a moment quiet ; and his whole great 

 person looked often as if it were going to roll itself, quite 

 voluntarily, from his chair to the floor. 



"Since such is his appearance to a person so preju- 

 diced in his favour as I am, how I must more than ever 

 reverence his abilities, when I tell you that, upon asking 

 my father why he had not prepared us for such uncouth, 

 untoward strangeness, he laughed heartily, and said he 

 had entirely forgotten that the same impression had 

 been, at first, made upon himself, but had been lost even 

 on the second interview 



" How I long to see him again, to lose it, too ! for, 

 knowing the value of what would come out when he 

 spoke, he ceased to observe the defects that were out 

 while he was silent. 



" But you always charge me to write without reserve 

 or reservation, and so I obey as usual. Else I should be 

 ashamed to acknowledge having remarked such exterior 

 blemishes in so exalted a character. His dress, consider- 

 ing the times, and that he had meant to put on all his 

 best becomes, for he was engaged to dine with a very fine 

 party at Mrs. Montagu's, was as much out of the common 

 road as his figure. He had a large, full, bushy wig, a 

 snuff-colour coat, with gold buttons, (or, peradventure, 

 brass,) but no ruffles to his doughty fists ; .and not, I 

 suppose, to be taken for a Blue, though going to the 



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