He mentioned one evening, "I met David coming
off the stage, drest in a woman's riding-hood, when he acted in The
Wonder; I came full upon him, and I believe he was not pleased."'
'Once he asked Tom Davies, whom he saw drest in a fine suit of clothes,
"And what art thou to-night?" Tom answered, "The Thane of Ross;" (which
it will be recollected is a very inconsiderable character.) "O brave!"
said Johnson.
'Of Mr. Longley, at Rochester, a gentleman of very considerable
learning, whom Dr. Johnson met there, he said, "My heart warms towards
him. I was surprised to find in him such a nice acquaintance with the
metre in the learned languages; though I was somewhat mortified that I
had it not so much to myself, as I should have thought."'
'Talking of the minuteness with which people will record the sayings
of eminent persons, a story was told, that when Pope was on a visit to
Spence at Oxford, as they looked from the window they saw a Gentleman
Commoner, who was just come in from riding, amusing himself with
whipping at a post.
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