' Garrick
adds:--'I was resolved to keep no terms with him, and will always treat
him as such a pest of society merits from all men.' 'Steevens, Dr. Parr
used to say, had only three friends--himself, Dr. Farmer, and John Reed,
so hateful was his character. He was one of the wisest, most learned,
but most spiteful of men.' Johnstone's _Parr_, viii. 128. Boswell had
felt Steevens's ill-nature. While he was carrying the _Life of Johnson_
through the press, at a time when he was suffering from 'the most woeful
return of melancholy,' he wrote to Malone,--'Jan 29, 1791. Steevens
_kindly_ tells me that I have over-printed, and that the curiosity about
Johnson is _now_ only in our own circle.... Feb. 25. You must know that
I am _certainly_ informed that a certain person who delights in mischief
has been _depreciating_ my book, so that I fear the sale of it may be
very dubious.' Croker's _Boswell_, p. 828. _A certain person_ was, no
doubt, Steevens. See _ante_, ii. 375, and _post_, under March 30, 1783,
and May 15, 1784.
[820]
'I own th' indulgence--Such I give and take.'
FRANCIS. Horace, _Ars Poet_. 1. II.
[821]
'We grant, altho' he had much wit,
H' was very shy of using it,
As being loth to wear it out.
Pages:
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863