When Johnson saw some young ladies in Lincolnshire who were remarkably well behaved, owing to their mother's strict discipline and severe correction, he exclaimed, in one of Shakspeare's lines, a little varied1, "Rod, I will honour thee for this thy duty."

Piozzi, p. 21.

p. 16.

he maintained with so much dignity in his march through life, was not assumed from vanity and ostentation, but was the natural and constant effect of those extraordinary powers of mind, of which he could not but be conscious by comparison; the intellectual difference, which in other cases of [Yet when talking of a young fel-comparison of characters, is often a matter low, who used to come often to Mr. of undecided contest, being as clear in his Thrale's house, who was about case as the superiority of stature in some fifteen years old or less, and had a manner men above others. Johnson did not strut at once sullen and sheepish-"That lad or stand on tip-toe; he only did not stoop. (said Johnson) looks like the son of a From his earliest years, his superiority was schoolmaster; which (added he) is one of perceived and acknowledged. He was the very worst conditions of childhood; from the beginning Ava adgar, a king of such a boy has no father, or worse than men. His schoolfellow, Mr. Hector, has none; he never can reflect on his parent obligingly furnished me 2 with many parbut the reflection brings to his mind some ticulars of his boyish days; and assured me idea of pain inflicted, or of sorrow suffered." that he never knew him corrected 3 at He was, indeed, himself exceed-school, but for talking and diverting other Piozzi, ingly disposed to the general boys from their business. He seemed to indulgence of children, and was learn by intuition; for though indolence even scrupulously and ceremoniously atten- and procrastination were inherent in his tive not to offend them: he had strongly constitution, whenever he made an exertion persuaded himself of the difficulty people he did more than any one else. In short, always find to erase early impressions, either he is a memorable instance of what has of kindness or resentment, and said, "he been often observed, that the boy is the should never have so loved his mother man in miniature; and that the distinguishwhen a man, had she not given him coffee ing characteristicks of each individual are she could ill afford, to gratify his appetite the same, through the whole course of life. when a boy." "If you had had children, His favourites used to receive very liberal sir," said Mrs. Piozzi, "would you have assistance from him; and such was the taught them any thing?" "I hope (replied submission and deference with which he he) that I should have willingly lived on was treated, such the desire to obtain his bread and water to obtain instruction for regard, that three of the boys, of whom them; but I would not have set their future Mr. Hector was sometimes one, used to friendship to hazard for the sake of thrust- come in the morning as his humble attending into their heads knowledge of things ants, and carry him to school. One in for which they might not perhaps have the middle stooped, while he sat upon his either taste or necessity. You teach your back, and one on each side supported him; daughters the diameters of the planets, and and thus he was borne triumphant. Such wonder when you have done that they do a proof of the early predominance of intelnot delight in your company. No science lectual vigour is very remarkable, and does can be communicated by mortal creatures honour to human nature 4. Talking to me without attention from the scholar; no at- once himself of his being much distinguished tention can be obtained from children at school, he told me, "they never though without the infliction of pain, and pain is to raise me by comparing me to any one never remembered without resentment." they never said, Johnson is as good a schoThat something should be learned was, lar as such a one, but such a one is as good however, so certainly his opinion, that Mrs. Piozzi heard him say, that education had been often compared to agriculture, yet that it resembled it chiefly in this: "that if nothing is sown, no crop can be obtained."]

That superiority over his fellows, which

2 [This is not quite candid on the part of Mr. Boswell. All these particulars are found in a paper furnished (it would seem) by Mr. Hector to Sir J. Hawkins, and published in extenso by him.-ED.]

3 [This is not consistent with Johnson's own statement, ante, p. 16.-ED.]

4 ["This ovation Mr. Boswell believed to have

1 More than a little. The line is in KING been an honour paid to the early predominance HENRY VI. Part ii. act iv. sc. last:

of his intellectual powers alone; but they who remember what boys are, and who consider that Johnson's corporeal prowess was by no means despicable, will be apt to suspect that the homage was enforced, at least as much by awe of the one as by admiration of the other."-Anderson's Life of Johnson.—ED.]