“You may not, sir!” shouted Johnson, seeing that Boswell was burning to acquaint Garrick with what had occurred. Johnson quickly perceived that it would be well to keep the visit of the clergyman a secret, and he knew that it would have no chance of remaining one for long if Garrick were to hear of it. He could imagine Garrick burlesquing the whole scene for the entertainment of the Burney girls or the Horneck family. He had heard more than once of the diversion which his old pupil at Lichfield had created by his mimicry of certain scenes in which he, Johnson, played an important part. He had been congratulating himself upon the fortunate absence of the actor during the visit of the clergyman. “You may tell Mr. Garrick nothing, sir,” he repeated, as Garrick looked with a blank expression of interrogation around the company. “Sir,” said Boswell, “my veracity is called in question.” “What is a question of your veracity, sir, in comparison with the issues that have been in the balance during the past half-hour?” cried Johnson. “Nay, sir, one question,” said Burke, seeing that Boswell had collapsed. “Mr. Garrick--have you heard Dr. Goldsmith boast of having a Dean for a relative?” “Why, no, sir,” replied Garrick; “but I heard him say that he had a brother who deserved to be a Dean.” “And so I had,” cried Goldsmith. “Alas! I cannot say that I have now. My poor brother died a country clergyman a few years ago.” “I am a blind man so far as evidence bearing upon things seen is concerned,” said Johnson; “but it seemed to me that some of the man's gestures--nay, some of the tones of his voice as well--resembled those of Dr. Goldsmith. I should like to know if any one at the table noticed the similarity to which I allude.” “I certainly noticed it,” cried Boswell eagerly. “Your evidence is not admissible, sir,” said Johnson. “What does Sir Joshua Reynolds say?” “Why, sir,” said Reynolds with a laugh, and a glance towards Garrick, “I confess that I noticed the resemblance and was struck by it, both as regards the man's gestures and his voice. But I am as convinced that he was no relation of Dr. Goldsmith's as I am of my own existence.” “But if not, sir, how can you account for----” Boswell's inquiry was promptly checked by Johnson. “Be silent, sir,” he thundered. “If you have left your manners in Scotland in an impulse of generosity, you have done a foolish thing, for the gift was meagre out of all proportion to the needs of your country in that respect. Sir, let me tell you that the last word has been spoken touching this incident. I will consider any further reference to it in the light of a personal affront.” After a rather awkward pause, Garrick said: “I begin to suspect that I have been more highly diverted during the past half-hour than any of this company.”