' I observed, he must have been a
bold laugher who would have ventured to tell Dr. Johnson of any of his
particularities.*
* I am happy, however, to mention a pleasing instance of his
enduring with great gentleness to hear one of his most
striking particularities pointed out:--Miss Hunter, a niece
of his friend Christopher Smart, when a very young girl,
struck by his extraordinary motions, said to him, Pray, Dr.
Johnson, why do you make such strange gestures?' From bad
habit, he replied. 'Do you, my dear, take care to guard
against bad habits.' This I was told by the young lady's
brother at Margate.--Boswell.
Dr. Goldsmith said once to Dr. Johnson, that he wished for some
additional members to THE LITERARY CLUB, to give it an agreeable
variety; for (said he,) there can now be nothing new among us: we have
travelled over one another's minds. Johnson seemed a little angry, and
said, 'Sir, you have not travelled over MY mind, I promise you.
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