'
He observed, 'A man cannot with propriety speak of himself, except
he relates simple facts; as, "I was at Richmond:" or what depends
on mensuration; as, "I am six feet high." He is sure he has been at
Richmond; he is sure he is six feet high: but he cannot be sure he is
wise, or that he has any other excellence. Then, all censure of a man's
self is oblique praise. It is in order to shew how much he can spare.
It has all the invidiousness of self-praise, and all the reproach of
falsehood.'
On Tuesday, April 28, he was engaged to dine at General Paoli's,
where, as I have already observed, I was still entertained in elegant
hospitality, and with all the ease and comfort of a home. I called on
him, and accompanied him in a hackney-coach. We stopped first at the
bottom of Hedgelane, into which he went to leave a letter, 'with good
news for a poor man in distress,' as he told me. I did not question him
particularly as to this. He himself often resembled Lady Bolingbroke's
Lively description of Pope; that 'he was un politique aux choux et aux
raves.
Pages:
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821