for me to love, that I am almost in a fever, whenever I am in his
company. His figure (without being deformed) seems made to disgrace or
ridicule the common structure of the human body. His legs and arms are
never in the position which, according to the situation of his body,
they ought to be in, but constantly employed in committing acts of
hostility upon the graces. He throws any where, but down his throat,
whatever he means to drink; and mangles what he means to carve.
Inattentive to all the regards of social life, he mistimes and misplaces
every thing. He disputes with heat indiscriminately, mindless of the
rank, character, and situation of those with whom he disputes.
Absolutely ignorant of the several gradations of familiarity and
respect, he is exactly the same to his superiors, his equals, and his
inferiors; and, therefore, by a necessary consequence, is absurd to two
of the three. Is it possible to love such a man? No. The utmost I can do
for him is, to consider him a respectable Hottentot." Such was the idea
entertained by lord Chesterfield. After the incident of Colley Cibber,
Johnson never repeated his visits. In his high and decisive tone, he has
been often heard to say, "lord Chesterfield is a wit among lords, and a
lord among wits."

In the course of the year 1747, Garrick, in conjunction with Lacy,
became patentee of Drury lane playhouse. For the opening of the theatre,
at the usual time, Johnson wrote, for his friend, the well-known
prologue, which, to say no more of it, may, at least, be placed on a
level with Pope's to the tragedy of Cato. The playhouse being now under
Garrick's direction, Johnson thought the opportunity fair to think of
his tragedy of Irene, which was his whole stock on his first arrival in
town, in the year 1737. That play was, accordingly, put into rehearsal
in January, 1749. As a precursor to prepare the way, and to awaken the
public attention, The Vanity of human Wishes, a poem in imitation of the