An instance of this was witnessed
by Sir Joshua Reynolds, when they were present at an examination of
a little blackguard boy, by Mr. Saunders Welch, the late Westminster
Justice. Welch, who imagined that he was exalting himself in Dr.
Johnson's eyes by using big words, spoke in a manner that was utterly
unintelligible to the boy; Dr. Johnson perceiving it, addressed
himself to the boy, and changed the pompous phraseology into colloquial
language. Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was much amused by this procedure,
which seemed a kind of reversing of what might have been expected from
the two men, took notice of it to Dr. Johnson, as they walked away by
themselves. Johnson said, that it was continually the case; and that
he was always obliged to TRANSLATE the Justice's swelling diction,
(smiling,) so as that his meaning might be understood by the vulgar,
from whom information was to be obtained.
Sir Joshua once observed to him, that he had talked above the capacity
of some people with whom they had been in company together.
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