' Then recollecting that Mr. Davies, by acting as an
INFORMER, had been the occasion of his talking somewhat too harshly to
his friend Dr. Percy, for which, probably, when the first ebullition
was over, he felt some compunction, he took an opportunity to give him
a hit; so added, with a preparatory laugh, 'Why, Sir, Tom Davies might
have written The Conduct of the Allies.' Poor Tom being thus suddenly
dragged into ludicrous notice in presence of the Scottish Doctors,
to whom he was ambitious of appearing to advantage, was grievously
mortified. Nor did his punishment rest here; for upon subsequent
occasions, whenever he, 'statesman all over,' assumed a strutting
importance, I used to hail him--'the Authour of The Conduct of the
Allies.'
When I called upon Dr. Johnson next morning, I found him highly
satisfied with his colloquial prowess the preceding evening. 'Well,
(said he,) we had good talk.' BOSWELL. 'Yes, Sir; you tossed and gored
several persons.'
The late Alexander, Earl of Eglintoune, who loved wit more than wine,
and men of genius more than sycophants, had a great admiration of
Johnson; but from the remarkable elegance of his own manners, was,
perhaps, too delicately sensible of the roughness which sometimes
appeared in Johnson's behaviour.
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