Dress and very deficient in Brilliancy of Conversation, was my particular Favourite; since I was equally unable to shine in the Discourse. He was vastly jealous of Dr. =Johnson=, tho' none the less liking and respecting him. I remember that once a Foreigner, a =German=, I think, was in our Company; and that whilst =Goldsmith= was speaking, he observ'd the Doctor preparing to utter something. Unconsciously looking upon =Goldsmith= as a meer Encumbrance when compar'd to the greater Man, the Foreigner bluntly interrupted him and incurr'd his lasting Hostility by crying, "Hush, Toctor =Shonson= iss going to speak!" In this luminous Company I was tolerated more because of my Years than for my Wit or Learning; being no Match at all for the rest. My Friendship for the celebrated Monsieur =Voltaire= was ever a Cause of Annoyance to the Doctor; who was deeply orthodox, and who us'd to say of the =French= Philosopher: "Vir est acerrimi Ingenii et paucarum Literarum." Mr. =Boswell=, a little teazing Fellow whom I had known for some Time previously, us'd to make Sport of my aukward Manners and old-fashion'd Wig and Cloaths. Once coming in a little the worse for Wine (to which he was addicted) he endeavour'd to lampoon me by means of an Impromptu in verse, writ on the Surface of the Table; but lacking the Aid he usually had in his Composition, he made a bad grammatical Blunder. I told him, he shou'd not try to pasquinade the Source of his Poesy. At another Time =Bozzy= (as we us'd to call him) complain'd of my Harshness toward new Writers in the Articles I prepar'd for The Monthly Review. He said, I push'd every Aspirant off the Slopes of Parnassus. "Sir," I reply'd, "you are mistaken. They who lose their Hold do so from their own Want of Strength; but desiring to conceal their Weakness, they attribute the absence of Success to the first Critick that mentions them." I am glad to recall that Dr. =Johnson= upheld me in this Matter. Dr. =Johnson= was second to no Man in the Pains he took to revise the bad Verses of others; indeed, 'tis said that in the book of poor blind old Mrs. =Williams=, there are scarce two lines which are not the Doctor's. At one Time =Johnson= recited to me some lines by a Servant to the Duke of =Leeds=, which had so amus'd him, that he had got them by Heart. They are on the Duke's Wedding, and so much resemble in Quality the Work of other and more recent poetick Dunces, that I cannot forbear copying them: "When the Duke of =Leeds= shall marry'd be To a fine young Lady of high Quality How happy will that Gentlewoman be In his Grace of =Leeds'= good Company." I ask'd the Doctor, if he had ever try'd making Sense of this Piece; and upon his saying he had not, I amus'd myself with the following Amendment of it: When Gallant LEEDS auspiciously shall wed The virtuous Fair, of antient Lineage bred, How must the Maid rejoice with conscious Pride To win so great an Husband to her Side!