Sir Joshua Reynolds used to relate the following characteristic anecdote
of Johnson:--About the time of their early acquaintance, they met one
evening at the Misses Cotterell’s, when the Duchess of Argyll and
another lady of rank came in. Johnson, thinking that the Misses
Cotterell were too much engrossed by them, and that he and his friend
were neglected as low company, of whom they were somewhat ashamed, grew
angry, and, resolving to shock their suspected pride, by making the
great visitors imagine they were low indeed, Johnson addressed himself
in a loud tone to Reynolds, saying, “How much do you think you and I
could get in a week if we were to work as hard as we could?” just as
though they were ordinary mechanics.