Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-17
ANECDOTES OF DIR. JOHNSON.

some ri n strong characteristics o. this
illustriuus gentleman. There is an incl
dent told Of his childhood which shows,
even a. that early age. the eager inpet-
uoSity with which in after years he al
ways defended himself, if any one, as
he thought, trespassed too far ON his
personal independence and maniiness.
1t seems that his parents had been ac-
custOmed to send a servant daily to ac-
company him home from school. On
occasion the maid did not arrive at
the usual time, and the child proudly
set forth alone. Being very neaT-5ightei
he had to Use great care in pursuing mis-
way, and on reaching the kennel which
crossed his path, had to get down on his
hands and knees to take a good look at
it before crossing. His teacher saw his
difficulty, and, fearing lest some harm
might befall him, she quigtiy followed
him a short a distance behind. johnson
happened to turn and saw her coming,
and feeling deeply insUlted that she
should consider him unable to take care
Of himself, he ran TO her and beat her
with all the little strength he possessed.
There is another anecdOte told of him
which, though later in life, shows the
same characteristic. One evening q
HNAAAIAANL wiz NA3 L0AH EArAAA VIII
him showed a most unwarrantable curl
Osity about DR.. Johnson's proceedings,
continually plying him with questions,
such as, ''What did-you dOs What did
you say? Why did YOU sO!1etc. John
son flew into a rage and exclaimed i'm
p~etuOusly: 81 will not be bated with
what and why! What is this! What
is that Why is a cows tail lOng2 Why
is a fOX's tail bushy2n 1t is needless to
add that the Questioning gentleman was
quieted.
DR.. Johnson vas a man Of strong pre-
iudices, as the following incident will
show: He was a strong royalist, con-
sidering the kings authority absolute.
1t was in the year l77S, when England
va much astOnished that the American
provinces should dare to revolt from her
authority. johnson was spending a So
cial evening with some friends. and the
conversation suddenly turning upon
love to mankind, he burst forth with the
remark, 81 am willing to love all man
kind except Americans and growing
more excited, he breathed out many
threats, calling them r~ascals, robbers.
pirates, and desired to burn and destroy
them all. Miss Seward, a lady present,
confronted him in a gaze of mild but
steady displeasure, n quietly re-
marked: "Sir, this is but another in
stance that We are always most violent
those whom we have most in
jured." His anger being much intiamed
at the reprOOf, he roared out another
which one might fancy could be
heard across the Atlantic.
As an offset to the aforementioned
traits, m may remember his great love
Of children, kindness tC servants, I'M
charity to the poor, and gentle
ness to animals. There are many in
given of these good qualities,
and a very amusing account is given Of
his fOndness for his various CATS.
DR.. johnson had a profound respect
for those persons who were in office.
Church OF State; and his bow
to the Archbishop OF York has been de-
by Mr.. Seward as such astudied
elaboration of homage, such an extern
zion Of limb, such a 1exiOn of body, as
has seldom or ever been equaled.
He seemed to consider the English as
q superior race, and perhaps in that he
proved his nationality. But the follow
anecdOte viii at least prove his
power Of mind:
johnson proposed and agreed to do
he work necessary for compiling and
arranging bis dictionary, alone and IN
sided, in three years. DR.. Adams re-
nOustrated with him on the size of the
ask he bad undertaken, saying: &" Why,
DR.. johnson, the French Academy,
which consists Of forty members, Occu-
lied forty years in writing their die
How, sir, can you do it in
hree years." "SiT," said johnson.
8 this is the proposition: Forty multi
,lied by forty is sixteen hundred. Vow,
IS three is 70 sixteen hundred, so is one
2nglishman to one Frenchman!" Al
hough the Dictionary was not forthcom-
ng at the end Of three years, it did APP
,ear in l775, a period of eight years only
elapsed since the tine of COM
nencement Of this great and important
ask.
Concerning this literary effort, after
he publication, he showed great humil-
ty and frankness to those wishing to
question as to the pr0pTiety of correct
lr-0nunciatiOns and definitions. On one
occasion a Lady asked him how he
anne to define pattern rs the knee of q
iOrse. Instead IF making an elaborate
l~efense, as she had expected, he an
.wered simply and pleasantly, /" IgnoT-
incs, madam, pure ignorance
His piety was from early life deep and
Inremitting, and even in slight things
ie would look to God for guidance.
There was much in his reply when, be-
ng asked by a gentleman if he would
lot wish to have friends with him when
he died-"Sir,n said he, 81 do not know
tut that l should prefer to be alone"
such was the realization of the sacred
less of death. =
On the dial late of his watch he had
Inscribed the Greek motto, taken from
he New Testament: for the night
Ometh in which no man can work.
After a time, his friends missed it from i
lis watch-face, and inquired what had .
'ecOme of the motto. 81 thought, - said i
Dr.. Johnson, shat it mightseem Osteu-
atious in me TO have it on my watch ,
.ial, which is so constantly exposed to
Jew. I thought it would be filter kent
my elOek-plate in my own closet, ;
where I could study it alOne.u That !
was one of the watehwords of his !
lie; and even in old age, when suffering :
rom many pains, he toiled on unceas- !
lgiy, lest any faculty might be neg .,
or his time not eonscientiously ,
pent. ,
In 1873, DR.. johnson was suddenly !
Weakened from sleep by a severe attack =
t palsy. As usual, when III, his J
loughts turned first TO prayer. He :
led to repeat the Lords Prayer, first in !
then in Latin, finally IN Greek, :
} which only he succeeded. THOUGH :
cry III, he rallied and lived until the .
thirteenth Of December, 1884, when be :
assed away, full Of resignation and deep :
iety. I