“16th.—­Dined with Mr. Thrale along with Dr. Johnson, and Baretti.  Baretti is a plain sensible man, who seems to know the world well.  He talked to me of the invitation given him by the College of Dublin, but said it (100_l._ a year and rooms) was not worth his acceptance; and if it had been, he said, in point of profit, still he would not have accepted it, for that now he could not live out of London.  He had returned a few years ago to his own country, but he could not enjoy it; and he was obliged to return to London, to those connexions he had been making for near thirty years past.  He told me he had several families with whom, both in town and country, he could go at any time and spend a month:  he is at this time on these terms at Mr. Thrale’s, and he knows how to keep his ground.  Talking as we were at tea of the magnitude of the beer vessels, he said there was one thing in Mr. Thrale’s house still more extraordinary;—­meaning his wife.  She gulped the pill very prettily,—­so much for Baretti!

“Johnson, you are the very man Lord Chesterfield describes:  a Hottentot indeed, and though your abilities are respectable, you never can be respected yourself!  He has the aspect of an idiot, without the faintest ray of sense gleaming from any one feature—­with the most awkward garb, and unpowdered grey wig, on one side only of his head—­he is for ever dancing the devil’s jig, and sometimes he makes the most driveling effort to whistle some thought in his absent paroxysms.”

“25th.—­Dined at Mr. Thrale’s where there were ten or more gentlemen, and but one lady besides Mrs. Thrale.  The dinner was excellent:  first course, soups at head and foot, removed by fish and a saddle of mutton; second course, a fowl they call galena at head, and a capon larger than some of our Irish turkeys, at foot; third course, four different sorts of ices, pine-apple, grape, raspberry, and a fourth; in each remove there were I think fourteen dishes.  The two first courses were served in massy plate.  I sat beside Baretti, which was to me the richest part of the entertainment.  He and Mr. and Mrs. Thrale joined in expressing to me Dr. Johnson’s concern that he could not give me the meeting that day, but desired that I should go and see him.”

“April 1st.—­Dined at Mr. Thrale’s, whom in proof of the magnitude of London, I cannot help remarking, no coachman, and this is the third I have called, could find without inquiry.  But of this by the way.  There was Murphy, Boswell, and Baretti:  the two last, as I learned just before I entered, are mortal foes, so much so that Murphy and Mrs. Thrale agreed that Boswell expressed a desire that Baretti should be hanged upon that unfortunate affair of his killing, &c.  Upon this hint, I went, and without any sagacity, it was easily discernible, for upon Baretti’s entering Boswell did not rise, and upon Baretti’s descry of Boswell he grinned a perturbed glance.  Politeness however smooths the most hostile brows, and theirs were smoothed.  Johnson was the subject, both before and after dinner, for it was the boast of all but myself, that under that roof were the Doctor’s fast friends.  His bon-mots were retailed in such plenty, that they, like a surfeit, could not lie upon my memory.”