'"
Lord Macaulay and his advocate in the "Edinburgh Review," who speak
of Mrs. Piozzi's "white lies," have not convicted her of one; and Mr.
Croker bears strong testimony to her accuracy.
Mrs. Piozzi prefaces some instances of Johnson's rudeness and
harshness by the remark, that "he did not hate the persons he treated
with roughness, or despise them whom he drove from him by apparent
scorn. He really loved and respected many whom he would not suffer to
love him." Boswell echoes the remark, multiplies the instances, and
then accuses her of misrepresenting their friend. After mentioning a
discourteous reply to Robertson the historian, which was subsequently
confirmed by Boswell, she proceeds to show that Johnson was no
gentler to herself or those for whom he had the greatest regard.
"When I one day lamented the loss of a first cousin, killed in
America, 'Prithee, my dear (said he), have done with canting: how
would the world be worse for it, I may ask, if all your relations
were at once spitted like larks and roasted for Presto's
supper?'--Presto was the dog that lay under the table." To this
Boswell opposes the version given by Baretti:
"Mrs. Thrale, while supping very heartily upon larks, laid down her
knife and fork, and abruptly exclaimed, 'O, my dear Johnson! do you
know what has happened? The last letters from abroad have brought us
an account that our poor cousin's head was taken off by a
cannon-ball.' Johnson, who was shocked both at the fact and her light
unfeeling manner of mentioning it, replied, 'Madam, it would give
_you_ very little concern if all your relations were spitted like
those larks, and dressed for Presto's supper.
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