JOHNSON. 'How foolish was it in Pope to give all his friendship to
Lords, who thought they honoured him by being with him; and to choose
such Lords as Burlington, and Cobham, and Bolingbroke! Bathurst was
negative, a pleasing man; and I have heard no ill of Marchmont; and then
always saying, "I do not value you for being a Lord;" which was a sure
proof that he did. I never say, I do not value Boswell more for being
born to an estate, because I do not care.' BOSWELL. 'Nor for being
a Scotchman?' JOHNSON. 'Nay, Sir, I do value you more for being a
Scotchman. You are a Scotchman without the faults of a Scotchman.
You would not have been so valuable as you are, had you not been a
Scotchman.'
Amongst the numerous prints pasted on the walls of the dining-room at
Streatham, was Hogarth's 'Modern Midnight Conversation.' I asked him
what he knew of Parson Ford, who makes a conspicuous figure in the
riotous group. JOHNSON. 'Sir, he was my acquaintance and relation,
my mother's nephew.
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