Mrs. Thrale introduced me to him, and he took his place. We had a noble dinner, and a most elegant dessert. Dr. Johnson, in the middle of dinner, asked Mrs. Thrale what was in some little pies that were near him.
"Mutton," answered she, "so I don't ask you to eat any, because I know you despise it!"
"No, madam, no," cried he; "I despise nothing that is good of its sort; but I am too proud now to eat of it. Sitting by Miss Burney makes me very proud to-day!"
"Miss Burney," said Mrs. Thrale, laughing, "you must take great care of your heart if Dr. Johnson attacks it; for I assure you he is not often successless."
"What's that you say, madam?" cried he; "are you making mischief between the young lady and me already?"
A little while after he drank Miss Thrale's health and mine, and then added:—
"'Tis a terrible thing that we cannot wish young ladies well without wishing them to become old women!"
"But some people," said Mr. Seward, "are old and young at the same time, for they wear so well that they never look old."
"No, sir, no," cried the doctor, laughing; "that never yet was: you might as well say they are at the same time tall and short."