_June.--Wednesday_--We had a terrible noisy day. Mr. and Mrs. Cator came
to dinner, and brought with them Miss Collison, a niece. Mrs. Nesbitt
was also here, and Mr. Pepys.[138]
The long war which has been proclaimed among the wits concerning Lord
Lyttelton's “Life,” by Dr. Johnson, and which a whole tribe of “blues,”
with Mrs. Montagu at their head, have vowed to execrate and revenge, now
broke out with all the fury of the first actual hostilities, stimulated
by long concerted schemes and much spiteful information. Mr. Pepys, Dr.
Johnson well knew, was one of Mrs. Montagu's steadiest abettors; and,
therefore, as he had some time determined to defend himself with the
first of them he met, this day he fell the sacrifice to his wrath.
In a long tete-a-tete which I accidentally had with Mr. Pepys before the
company was assembled, he told me his apprehensions of an attack, and
entreated me earnestly to endeavour to prevent it; modestly avowing
he was no antagonist for Dr. Johnson; and yet declaring his personal
friendship for Lord Lyttelton made him so much hurt by the “Life,” that
he feared he could not discuss the matter without a quarrel, which,
especially in the house of Mrs. Thrale, he wished to avoid.
It was, however, utterly impossible for me to serve him. I could have
stopped Mrs. Thrale with ease, and Mr. Seward with a hint, had either of
them begun the subject; but, unfortunately, in the middle of dinner, it
was begun by Dr. Johnson himself, to oppose whom, especially as he spoke
with great anger, would have been madness and folly.
Never before have I seen Dr. Johnson speak with so much passion.
“Mr. Pepys,” he cried, in a voice the most enraged, “I understand you
are offended by my 'Life of Lord Lyttelton.' What is it you have to say
against it? Come forth, man here am I, ready to answer any charge you
can bring!”
“No, sir,” cried Mr. Pepys, “not at present; I must beg leave to decline
the subject. I told Miss Burney before dinner that I hoped it would not
be started.”
I was quite frightened to hear my own name mentioned in a debate which
began so seriously; but Dr. Johnson made not--to this any answer, he
repeated his attack and his challenge, and a violent disputation
ensued, in which this great but mortal man did, to own the truth, appear
unreasonably furious and grossly severe. I never saw him so before,
and I heartily hope I never shall again. He has been long provoked,
and justly enough, at the sneaking complaints and murmurs of the
Lytteltonians; and, therefore, his long-excited wrath, which hitherto
had met no object, now burst forth with a vehemence and bitterness
almost incredible.
Mr. Pepys meantime never appeared to so much advantage; he preserved his
temper, uttered all that belonged merely to himself with modesty, and
all that more immediately related to Lord Lyttelton with spirit. Indeed,
Dr. Johnson, in the very midst of the dispute, had the candour and
liberality to make him a personal compliment, by saying
“Sir, all that you say, while you are vindicating one who cannot thank
you, makes me only think better of you than I ever did before. Yet still
I think you do me wrong,” etc., etc.