successful efforts of literary labour could attain. At all periods of
his life Johnson used to talk contemptuously of players; but in this
work he speaks of them with peculiar acrimony; for which, perhaps, there
was formerly too much reason from the licentious and dissolute manners
of those engaged in that profession. It is but justice to add, that in
our own time such a change has taken place, that there is no longer room
for such an unfavourable distinction.

His schoolfellow and friend, Dr. Taylor, told me a pleasant anecdote of
Johnson's triumphing over his pupil David Garrick. When that great actor
had played some little time at Goodman's fields, Johnson and Taylor went
to see him perform, and afterwards passed the evening at a tavern with
him and old Giffard. Johnson, who was ever depreciating stage-players,
after censuring some mistakes in emphasis which Garrick had committed in
the course of that night's acting, said, 'The players, Sir, have got
a kind of rant, with which they run on, without any regard either to
accent or emphasis.' Both Garrick and Giffard were offended at this
sarcasm, and endeavoured to refute it; upon which Johnson rejoined,
'Well now, I'll give you something to speak, with which you are little
acquainted, and then we shall see how just my observation is. That shall
be the criterion. Let me hear you repeat the ninth Commandment, "Thou
shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."' Both tried at it,
said Dr. Taylor, and both mistook the emphasis, which should be upon not
and false witness. Johnson put them right, and enjoyed his victory with
great glee.

Johnson's partiality for Savage made him entertain no doubt of his
story, however extraordinary and improbable. It never occurred to him
to question his being the son of the Countess of Macclesfield, of whose
unrelenting barbarity he so loudly complained, and the particulars of