“If you would suggest, Mr. Lowndes, that the book about which we have been conversing was written, even in part, by Dr. Johnson, I can give you an assurance that such is not the case. He is in no way inclined to engage in any form of literary labour. He grudges his friends even a note.”
“There are some gentlemen who come hither and honour me by conversing on the subject of letters, and more than one of them has pointed out passages in ‘Evelina’ that show signs of the great Doctor’s pen; but for that matter—”
“I agree with you, sir; every scribbler in Grub Street apes the style of Dr. Johnson, but only to reveal the ape in himself. Now, Mr. Lowndes, if you really are in earnest in saying that you are unaware who is the author of your book, I have done you some service in curtailing by one the list of authors to whom it might possibly be attributed. You may strike out the name of Johnson, sir, on my authority.”
“I shall certainly do so, madam—not that I, for my own part, was ever foolish enough to fancy that he had written more of it than a page or two. I am indebted to you, Mrs. Thrale.”
“Then if you would wish to pay off the debt, you can do so by informing me of your success in discovering the writer. ’Tis quite impossible to conceive of the man’s remaining unrevealed for any length of time, and I confess that I am anxious to know if he is among my acquaintance.”
“You assume the sex, madam.”
“What, have you a doubt of it?”
“There are so many literary ladies nowadays, Mrs. Thrale.”
“But you surely saw the handwriting of the script?”
“That is just the point. My printers have examined it and say that it is a lady’s caligraphy only disguised to look like a man’s. In my own judgment they are right. It is an upright hand, neat and clear—not in the least like that of an author. Still, that counts but little, seeing that the writer of the book would be pretty certain to have a clear copy made of his script by someone else. I have had a suspicion, from the mystery insisted on by this Mr. Grafton, that he is none other than the author of the ‘Castle of Otranto.’”