'
We went home to his house to tea. Mrs. Williams made it with sufficient
dexterity, notwithstanding her blindness, though her manner of
satisfying herself that the cups were full enough appeared to me a
little aukward; for I fancied she put her finger down a certain way,
till she felt the tea touch it.* In my first elation at being allowed
the privilege of attending Dr. Johnson at his late visits to this lady,
which was like being e secretioribus consiliis, I willingly drank cup
after cup, as if it had been the Heliconian spring. But as the charm of
novelty went off, I grew more fastidious; and besides, I discovered that
she was of a peevish temper.
* Boswell afterwards learned that she felt the rising tea on
the outside of the cup.--ED.
There was a pretty large circle this evening. Dr. Johnson was in very
good humour, lively, and ready to talk upon all subjects. Mr. Fergusson,
the self-taught philosopher, told him of a new-invented machine which
went without horses: a man who sat in it turned a handle, which worked a
spring that drove it forward.
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