Dr. Johnson agreed to be of
the party this year, with Mr. Charles Dilly and me, and to go and see
Lord Bute's seat at Luton Hoe. He talked little to us in the carriage,
being chiefly occupied in reading Dr. Watson's second volume of Chemical
Essays, which he liked very well, and his own Prince of Abyssinia, on
which he seemed to be intensely fixed; having told us, that he had not
looked at it since it was first published. I happened to take it out of
my pocket this day, and he seized upon it with avidity.
We stopped at Welwyn, where I wished much to see, in company with Dr.
Johnson, the residence of the authour of Night Thoughts, which was then
possessed by his son, Mr. Young. Here some address was requisite, for
I was not acquainted with Mr. Young, and had I proposed to Dr. Johnson
that we should send to him, he would have checked my wish, and perhaps
been offended. I therefore concerted with Mr. Dilly, that I should steal
away from Dr. Johnson and him, and try what reception I could procure
from Mr.
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