ah 
MONTHLY 
MAGAZINE. 


XXVIII] 

For FEBRUARY, 1768. 
PVOLs ¥ 


GS The Four Volumes of the MonTauy Macazine, which are now completed, mary 
he had complete of any Bookjeller, price Thirty Shillings, neatly half-bound, or any jingle 
Number, or Volume, may be had feparate, at.the Pleafure of the Purchofer. 


ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SERS i. 
N the year 1723, I went in the itage- 
I coach trom London to Salifbury. Up- 
on entering it, I perceived three gentle- 
men, one of whom ftrongly attracted my 
notice. He was a corpulent man, with a 
book in his hand, placed very near to his 
eyes. He hada large wig, which did not 
appear to have been combed for an age: 
his cloathes were threadbare. On feating 
mytelf in the coach, he lifted up his eyes, 
and dire¢ted them towards me; but inan 
inftant they refumed their former employ- 
ment. I was immediately ftruck with 
his refemblance to the print of Dr. John-- 
fon, given as a frontifpiece to the “ Lives 
of the Poets; but how to gratify my cu- 
riofity I was at a lofs. I thought, from 
all Thad heard of Dr. Johnfon, that I 
fhould difcover him if, by any means, I 
could engage him in converiation. The 
gentleman by the fide of him remarked, 
“ T wonder, Sir, that you can read ina 
coach which travels fo {wiftly ; it would 
make my head ache.’’ “ Aye, Sir,” re- 
plied he, ‘* books make fome ‘people’s 
head ache.” ‘This appeared tome Fohi- 
foman. 1 knew feveral perfons with whom 
Dr. Johnfon was weil acquainted: this 
was another mode of trying how far my 
conjecture was right. ‘¢ Do you know 
Mifs Hannah More, Sir?” «¢ Well, Sir: 
the beft of all the female verfifiers.”?. This 
phrafeology confirmed my former opinion. 
We now reached Hounflow, and were 
ferved with our breakfaft. Having found 
that none of my travelling companions 
knew this gentleman, I: plainly put the 
queftion, “* May I take the liberty, Sir, 
to enquire whether you be not Dr. John- 
fon?”” ‘<The fame, Sir.” “ I am hap- 
py,” replied I, “* to congratulate the 
legried world, that Dr. Johnion, whom the 
papers lately announced to be dangeroufly 
indiipofed, is re-eftablifhed in his health.” 
6° The civileft young man Tever met with 
Monru. Mac. No, XXVill, 

— 
* 
in my life,’’ was his anfwer. From that 
moment he became very gracious towards 
me. I was then preparing to go abroad ; 
and imagined that I could derive fome ufe- 
ful information from a charaéter fo emi- 
nent for learning. ‘“ What book of tra~ 
vels, Sir, would you advife me to read, 
previoufly to my fetting off upon a tovr 
to France and Italy??? «« Why, Sir, as 
to France, I know no book worth a groat: 
and as to Italy, Baretti paints the fair 
fide, and Sharp the foul; the truth, per- 
haps, lies between the two.” Every ep 
which brought us nearer to Salifbury, 
increafed my pain, at the thought of 
leaving fo interefting a fellow-traveller. 
I obferved that, at dinner, he contented 
himfelf with water, as his beverage. [ 
T afked him, ‘© Whether he had ever tated 
bumtbo 2 a Welt-Indian potation, which 
is neither more nor lefs than very itrons 
punch. No, Sir,’ faid hes “I made 
fome. Uetafted; and declared, that if 
ever he drank any thing elfe than water, 
it fhould be bumbo. When the fad mo- 
ment of {cparation, at Salifbury, arrived, 
“¢ Sir,””’ faid he, “© let me {ee you in 
London, upon your return to your na- 
tive country. Iam forry that we mut 
part. I have always looked upon it as 
the worft condition of man’s defliny, 
that perfons are fo often torn afunder, 
jeft as they become happy in each other's 
fociety.”’ 
Perhaps, Mr. Editor, you-may think 
this little narrative worthy of a place in 
your excellent Repofitory. Althcugh 
many writers have detailed the private 
life of Dr. Johnfon, fo that his charaéter 
is completely underftood, yet every little 
anecdote, hitherto unpublithed, refpegting 
fuch a predigy of literature, cannot, I 
fhould fuppofe, be altogether unintercit- 
ing. IT remain, Sir, your's, 
Wiliftive, H.E: 
Feo,12, 1798. 
M 
9 
