'Here lies a little ugly nauseous elf,
Who judging only from its wretched self,
Feebly attempted, petulant and vain,
The "Origin of Evil" to explain.
A mighty Genius at this elf displeas'd,
With a strong critick grasp the urchin squeez'd.
For thirty years its coward spleen it kept,
Till in the duat the mighty Genius slept;
Then stunk and fretted in expiring snuff,
And blink'd at JOHNSON with its last poor puff.'
BOSWELL.
The epitaph is very likely Boswell's own. For Jenyns's conversion see post, April 12 and 15, 1778.
[933] Mr. John Payne, afterwards chief accountant of the Bank, one of the four surviving members of the Ivy Lane Club who dined together in 1783. See Hawkins's Johnson, pp. 220, 563; and post, December, 1783.
[934] See post, under March 19, 1776.
[935] 'He said, "I am sorry I have not learnt to play at cards. It is very useful in life; it generates kindness and consolidates society."' Boswell's Hebrides, Nov. 21, 1773.
[936] Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3d edit. p. 48. [Aug. 19.] BOSWELL.
[937] Johnson's Works, p. 435.
[938] He was paid at the rate of a little over twopence a line. For this Introduction see Ib. 206.
[939] See post, Oct. 26, 1769.