The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-07-24
DR.. JOHNSON'S WIT
RcCollectIons OF the Great Diction-
AIRY Maker and His sincere De-
yotion To the "WidoW Porter"

Inc great lr. Johnson, the man
who revised and compiled the die
tionary as we know IL, married a
woman who had children as old as
himself She was called the Widow
Porter" and Is described as having
been a tittering. short, fat coarse
woman, with "a face full OF paint"
But johnson adored her. She was
witty, and, perhaps In her Wit lay
her charm for him.
Johnson, however, alluded TO her
as the pretty creature" although
his biographers always remind the
reader at this point that Johnsou's
eyesight was very poor indeed. lie
cared more Of her opinion OF his
writing than for any other criticism.
When Johnson proposed to the
Widow Porter he told her candidly
that he had no money. and that his
uncle had been hanged. She replied
that she cared nothing about what
any OF his family had done, and that,
although she had no relatives who
had been hanged, she had so who
deserved TO be.
Unfortunately, "the pretty crea-
ture" died not long after they were
married. Johnson's grief almost af-
fected his mind. His illness, poverty.
adversely. and finally the loss OF his
wife soured Johnson's temper. and
In all OF his wit there is a bitter,
biting tone.
A Scotchman. proud OF Buchan-
ans fame as a scholar, and as a tu-
tor to Mary. queen OF Scots, once
asked Johnson:
What would you have said Of Blu
chanan had he been an English
man."
why" said johnson. said OF
him, sirt Why, | would have said OF
him. had he been an Englishman
what | will say now of him as a
Schotchman. that he was the only
man OF genius his country ever pro-
! duced."
During Johnson's lifetime there
was a brilliant group OF men in Lon
| don who met regularly Among
them, Goldsmith represented poetry
and literature OF n light vein. Rey-
/ nolds the arts, Burke political elo-
| quence, Gibbon was the historian,
| and Garrick was the actor. In this
brilliant group johnson dominated.
/ and the club finally became known
| as "The johnson Club" His conver-
satlon was more sparkling with
/ these friends than at any other time,
| He expressed the reason for this by
saying:
They have the ability and the
! knowledge 70 send back every ball
| l throw"
At one OF the meetings Of the
| club, Johnson made the statet nent
that he disliked punning. He said:
II hate "A pun. A man who would
| perpetrate a pun would have little
hesitation In picking a pocket
Perhaps you have no ability "a
play upon small words" remarked
Boswell-who afterward wrote The
| Life OF Johnson"
"Sir!" roared johnson. III ! were
punished for every pun / shed there
would not be left a puny shed OF
punnish head"
When the patience Of Miller. the
bookseller, had become exhausted al
Johnson's delay in sending the fin
al pages of the dictionary, he wa!
one day delighted to receive them al
last. He ventured his feelings in the
following:
Andrew Miller sends his compli
ments TO Mr., Samuel Johnson. with
the money for the last copy OF th'
dictionary, and thank God he hal
done with Il"
DR.. johnson replied;
Samuel johnson returns his com
pliments 10 Andrew Miller, and &
very glad TO find Gas he does b,
note) That Andrew Miller has III,
grace 10 thank God for anything
Mark Stuyvesant in the New Orlean
|Times-PicayunC.