When a masquerade at Ranelagh was talked of, he said to Doctor
Johnson, "I shall go as a Corsican." "What!" said the Doctor, with a
sudden start. "As a Corsican," Dr. Goldsmith repeated mildly. "You
don't mean to say," said the Doctor to him, gazing at him with solemn
sternness, "that it is your intention to put yourself into a green
velvet jacket with a two-inch tail?" "Such _is_ my intention, sir,"
replied Goldsmith warmly; "and why not, sir?" "Because, sir," said
the Doctor, considerably excited, "you are too old." "Too old!"
exclaimed Goldsmith. "And if any further ground of objection be
wanting," said Dr. Johnson, "You are too fat, sir." "Sir," said Dr.
Goldsmith, his face suffused with a crimson glow, "this is an insult."
"Sir," said the sage in the same tone, "it is not half the insult to
you, that your appearance in my presence in a green velvet jacket with
two-inch tail would be to me." "Sir," said Dr. Goldsmith, "you're a
fellow." "Sir," said Dr. Johnson, "you're another!"
Winkle in a very amusing way often suggests Boswell; and Mr. Pickwick
treats him with as great rudeness as did Johnson _his_ Winkle. When that
unhappy gentleman, or follower exhibited himself on the ice, Mr.
Pickwick, we are told, was excited and indignant. "He beckoned to Mr.
Weller and said in a stern voice: Take the skates off." "No, but I had
scarcely began," remonstrated Mr. Winkle. "Take his skates off,"
repeated Mr. Pickwick, firmly. The command was not to be resisted. "Lift
him up," said Mr. Pickwick--Sam assisted him to rise. Mr. Pickwick
retired a few paces apart from the by-standers and beckoning his friend
to approach, fixed a searching look on him and uttered in a low, but
distinct and emphatic tone, these remarkable words: "You're a humbug,
sir." "A what?" said Mr. Winkle, starting. "A humbug, sir, I will speak
plainer if you wish it--an impostor, sir." With these words Mr. Pickwick
turned slowly on his heel and rejoined his friends. Was not this exactly
the Sage's treatment of his "Bozzy" on many occasions?
There is yet another odd coincidence. Everyone knows how Bob Sawyer's
party was disturbed by Mrs. Raddle's angry expostulations, and the guests
had to disperse. Well, Mr. Boswell, who had much of the Sawyer tone--gave
a party at his rooms in Downing Street, and his landlord behaved so
outrageously, that he gave him notice, and the next day quitted his
rooms. "I feel I shall have to give my landlady notice," said Mr. Sawyer
with a ghastly smile. Mr. Boswell had actually to take some of the
invited guests to the Mitre and entertain them there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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