Johnson, when here by himself, used to
live at her house. She reverenced him, and he had a parental tenderness
for her.
We then visited Mr. Peter Garrick, who had that morning received a
letter from his brother David, announcing our coming to Lichfield. He
was engaged to dinner, but asked us to tea, and to sleep at his house.
Johnson, however, would not quit his old acquaintance Wilkins, of the
Three Crowns. The family likeness of the Garricks was very striking; and
Johnson thought that David's vivacity was not so peculiar to himself as
was supposed. 'Sir, (said he,) I don't know but if Peter had cultivated
all the arts of gaiety as much as David has done, he might have been
as brisk and lively. Depend upon it, Sir, vivacity is much an art, and
depends greatly on habit.' I believe there is a good deal of truth in
this, notwithstanding a ludicrous story told me by a lady abroad, of a
heavy German baron, who had lived much with the young English at Geneva,
and was ambitious to be as lively as they; with which view, he, with
assiduous exertion, was jumping over the tables and chairs in his
lodgings; and when the people of the house ran in and asked, with
surprize, what was the matter, he answered, 'Sh' apprens t'etre fif.
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