[1126] Son of the late Peter Paradise, Esq. his Britannick Majesty’s Consul at Salonica, in Macedonia, by his lady, a native of that country.  He studied at Oxford, and has been honoured by that University with the degree of LL.D.  He is distinguished not only by his learning and talents, but by an amiable disposition, gentleness of manners, and a very general acquaintance with well-informed and accomplished persons of almost all nations.  BOSWELL.

[1127] Bookseller to his Majesty.  BOSWELL.

[1128] Mr. Cruikshank attended him as a surgeon the year before. Ante, p. 239.

[1129]Allan Ramsay, Esq. painter to his Majesty, who died Aug. 10, 1784, in the 71st year of his age, much regretted by his friends.  BOSWELL.  See ante, p. 260.

[1130] Northcote (Life of Reynolds, ii. 187) says that Johnson ’most probably refers to Sir Joshua’s becoming painter to the King.  ‘I know,’ he continues, ’that Sir Joshua expected the appointment would be offered to him on the death of Ramsay, and expressed his disapprobation with regard to soliciting for it; but he was informed that it was a necessary point of etiquette, with which at last he complied.’  His ’furious purposes’ should seem to have been his intention to resign the Presidency of the Academy, on finding that the place was not at once given him, and in the knowledge that in the Academy there was a party against him.  Taylor’s Reynolds, ii. 448.

[1131] See ante, p. 348.

[1132] The Chancellor had not, it should seem, asked the King.  See ante, p. 350, note.

[1133] The Duke of Devonshire has kindly given me the following explanation of this term:—­’It was formerly the custom at some (I believe several) of the large country-houses to have dinners at which any of the neighbouring gentry and clergy might present themselves as guests without invitation.  The custom had been discontinued at Chatsworth before my recollection, and so far as I am aware is now only kept-up at Wentworth, Lord Fitzwilliam’s house in Yorkshire, where a few public dinners are still given annually.  I believe, however, that all persons intending to be present on such occasions are now expected to give notice some days previously.  Public dinners were also given formerly by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and if I am not mistaken also by the Archbishop of York.  I have myself been present at a public dinner at Lambeth Palace within the last fifty years or thereabouts, and I have been at one or more such dinners at Wentworth.’  Since receiving this explanation I have read the following in the second part of the Greville Memoirs, i. 99:—­’June 1, 1838.  I dined yesterday at Lambeth, at the Archbishop’s public dinner, the handsomest entertainment I ever saw.  There were nearly a hundred people present, all full-dressed or in uniform.  Nothing can be more dignified and splendid than the whole arrangement.’