Johnson with which
he was pleased to furnish me. However slight in itself, as it does
honour to that illustrious painter, and most amiable man, I am happy to
introduce it.
'TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.
'DEAR SIR,--It was not before yesterday that I received your splendid
benefaction. To a hand so liberal in distributing, I hope nobody will
envy the power of acquiring. I am, dear Sir, your obliged and most
humble servant,
'June 23, 1781.'
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
The following curious anecdote I insert in Dr. Burney's own words:--
'Dr. Burney related to Dr. Johnson the partiality which his writings had
excited in a friend of Dr. Burney's, the late Mr. Bewley, well known
in Norfolk by the name of the Philosopher of Massingham: who, from the
Ramblers and Plan of his Dictionary, and long before the authour's
fame was established by the Dictionary itself, or any other work, had
conceived such a reverence for him, that he urgently begged Dr. Burney
to give him the cover of the first letter he had received from him, as
a relick of so estimable a writer.
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