New-York tribune., 1903-05-17
DIR. JOHNSON 1T PLY.
Hoe the Great photographer Bur
Iesqued Himself.

HSgUtU 1EHtottI'
\ pIeasant anecdote of the great doctor is
quoted by Notes and Queries from privately
printed book entitled "Stuartiana; or, Bubbles
Blown by and to Some of the Family of stuart
Its author was the late William Stuart. the eld-
est son of the Archbishop of Armagh, whose
presentation to Johnson in April 1IS2, is re-
corded by Boswell and the narrator of the
anecdote was the Hon Mrs. Stuart. the Arch-
bishops wife. She born Sophia Margaret
Juliana Penn, the daughter of Thomas Penn Oh
Stoke Pogis, second son of William Penn the
Quaker. She. too. she tells us, made Johnson
acquaintance and at a much earlier age thdl
her future husband. She speaks of the incident
says the copyist. not having been previously
put paper; but something ike H. We thlih'
has been described before.
..During my infancy" wrote Mrs. Stuart. the
hours in society were early that children
were when very young. initiated into the so
cety of their parents and seniors My mother'
who would not have me behind others OF my
age, took to all her tea drlnklngs ana shlSli
parties; to great ones she never then went
thus often passed dull evenings, and all could
learn was patience; but the recollection of the
various characters with which so much society
made me acquainted has enlivened my old age.
and given to the memoirs and books when nave
since been published pleasing force and verify
bv coniuring up the persons and manners OF the
actors so visibly as amply to repay my yaWhS
I used often to go with her to Mrs. Montague
and Mrs Vesey's. the principal houses where the
'bas blues (sic) met; and among other noted
persons 1 there frequently met Dr. Johnson
The usual arrangement of the room was a circle
of arrnchairs, in the centre or when sat the
doctor with his arm upon his thick cane, exactly
as Sir Joshua Reynolds has portrayed him.
generally sat by the side Of Miss Burney, the
Iia 9t
circle, but where we were able to hear the con-
-versation.
Some one-I think SOame Jenyns-wishlng to
give Dr. Johnson a gOad, as you would Wild
beast in order TO make him throw OH MS
moodv fit began to abuse his sesquipedalian
yerbiage as useless incumbrances which neither
added force to nor elucidated the subject After
some discussion on the question, the doctor gre"
amused and animated. and burlesquing himself
as he often did when in a good humor-said:
Now, sirs 1 conclude you think that story
(some fashionable anecdote told in cant terms.
and with a few elegant asseverations) properly
related. For my part 1 should say, AS L was
one day making my pedestrian peregrinations.
casually obviated huge rustic; him l interro-
gated concerning the obliquity of the sun, and
how long it was since the duodecimal repercus-
sion had been repeated on the superfcies of the
tintinnabulum; he hestitating response. ele-
him blow on his pericranium, to the total ex-
tfnction of all his intellectual faculties"
He then threw himself back in his chair and
roared his tremendous laugh. Every one Joined
in it; but some alluded to the difficulty of
the language and the impossibiity of repeating
it. No, not SOL answered he, that child
Cpointing to me) could say it-cant you" l
know not why but it caught my attention, and
Immediately repeated it verbatim; nor has it
ever been put paper until now. His ecstacy
and his noise knew no bounds; he called me to
him. put me on his knee, patted my back till it
was scarlet then called out: VIII nobody give
the child haIf-a-crown? Good child! Upon
which Lord Lytton. the lengthy historian of
Henry II-dressed in a complete suit of almost
white velvet, and with a long sword by his side
rose gradually to a height 1 remember think
ing enormous, and in the most graceful manner
presented me with a half-crown: which 1 said
| should keep for his sake. and which 1 have at
this moment by me-"
ba bray hat hrax 20,