TheHonourableThomasHerveyandhisladyhavingunhappilydisagreed，andbeingabouttoseparate，Johnsoninterferedastheirfriend，andwrotehimaletterofexpostulation，whichIhavenotbeenabletofind；butthesubstanceofitisascertainedbyalettertoJohnsoninanswertoit，whichMr。Herveyprinted。TheoccasionofthiscorrespondencebetweenDr。JohnsonandMr。Harvey，wasthusrelatedtomebyMr。Beauclerk。’TomHarveyhadagreatlikingforJohnson，andinhiswillhadlefthimalegacyoffiftypounds。Onedayhesaidtome，“Johnsonmaywantthismoneynow，morethanafterwards。Ihaveamindtogiveithimdirectly。Willyoubesogoodastocarryafiftypoundnotefrommetohim？“
ThisIpositivelyrefusedtodo，ashemight，perhaps，haveknockedmedownforinsultinghim，andhaveafterwardsputthenoteinhispocket。ButIsaid，ifHarveywouldwritehimaletter，andencloseafiftypoundnote，Ishouldtakecaretodeliverit。Heaccordinglydidwritehimaletter，mentioningthathewasonlypayingalegacyalittlesooner。Tohisletterheadded，“P。S。I
amgoingtopartwithmywife。“Johnsonthenwrotetohim，sayingnothingofthenote，butremonstratingwithhimagainstpartingwithhiswife。’
InFebruary，1767，therehappenedoneofthemostremarkableincidentsofJohnson’slife，whichgratifiedhismonarchicalenthusiasm，andwhichhelovedtorelatewithallitscircumstances，whenrequestedbyhisfriends。ThiswashisbeinghonouredbyaprivateconversationwithhisMajesty，inthelibraryattheQueen’shouse。Hehadfrequentlyvisitedthosesplendidroomsandnoblecollectionofbooks，whichheusedtosaywasmorenumerousandcuriousthanhesupposedanypersoncouldhavemadeinthetimewhichtheKinghademployed。Mr。Barnard，thelibrarian，tookcarethatheshouldhaveeveryaccommodationthatcouldcontributetohiseaseandconvenience，whileindulginghisliterarytasteinthatplace；sothathehadhereaveryagreeableresourceatleisurehours。
HisMajestyhavingbeeninformedofhisoccasionalvisits，waspleasedtosignifyadesirethatheshouldbetoldwhenDr。Johnsoncamenexttothelibrary。Accordingly，thenexttimethatJohnsondidcome，assoonashewasfairlyengagedwithabook，onwhich，whilehesatbythefire，heseemedquiteintent，Mr。BarnardstoleroundtotheapartmentwheretheKingwas，and，inobediencetohisMajesty’scommands，mentionedthatDr。Johnsonwastheninthelibrary。HisMajestysaidhewasatleisure，andwouldgotohim；
uponwhichMr。BarnardtookoneofthecandlesthatstoodontheKing’stable，andlightedhisMajestythroughasuiteofrooms，tilltheycametoaprivatedoorintothelibrary，ofwhichhisMajestyhadthekey。Beingentered，Mr。BarnardsteppedforwardhastilytoDr。Johnson，whowasstillinaprofoundstudy，andwhisperedhim，’Sir，hereistheKing。’Johnsonstartedup，andstoodstill。HisMajestyapproachedhim，andatoncewascourteouslyeasy。
HisMajestybeganbyobserving，thatheunderstoodhecamesometimestothelibrary；andthenmentioninghishavingheardthattheDoctorhadbeenlatelyatOxford，askedhimifhewasnotfondofgoingthither。TowhichJohnsonanswered，thathewasindeedfondofgoingtoOxfordsometimes，butwaslikewisegladtocomebackagain。TheKingthenaskedhimwhattheyweredoingatOxford。Johnsonanswered，hecouldnotmuchcommendtheirdiligence，butthatinsomerespectstheyweremended，fortheyhadputtheirpressunderbetterregulations，andwereatthattimeprintingPolybius。HewasthenaskedwhethertherewerebetterlibrariesatOxfordorCambridge。Heanswered，hebelievedtheBodleianwaslargerthananytheyhadatCambridge；atthesametimeadding，’Ihope，whetherwehavemorebooksornotthantheyhaveatCambridge，weshallmakeasgooduseofthemastheydo。’
BeingaskedwhetherAll-SoulsorChrist-Churchlibrarywasthelargest，heanswered，’All-Soulslibraryisthelargestwehave，excepttheBodleian。’’Aye，saidtheKing，thatisthepublicklibrary。’
HisMajestyenquiredifhewasthenwritinganything。Heanswered，hewasnot，forhehadprettywelltoldtheworldwhatheknew，andmustnowreadtoacquiremoreknowledge。TheKing，asitshouldseemwithaviewtourgehimtorelyonhisownstoresasanoriginalwriter，andtocontinuehislabours，thensaid’Idonotthinkyouborrowmuchfromanybody。’Johnsonsaid，hethoughthehadalreadydonehispartasawriter。’Ishouldhavethoughtsotoo，saidtheKing，ifyouhadnotwrittensowell。’——Johnsonobservedtome，uponthis，that’Nomancouldhavepaidahandsomercompliment；anditwasfitforaKingtopay。Itwasdecisive。’
Whenaskedbyanotherfriend，atSirJoshuaReynolds’s，whetherhemadeanyreplytothishighcompliment，heanswered，’No，Sir。
WhentheKinghadsaidit，itwastobeso。ItwasnotformetobandycivilitieswithmySovereign。’Perhapsnomanwhohadspenthiswholelifeincourtscouldhaveshewnamoreniceanddignifiedsenseoftruepoliteness，thanJohnsondidinthisinstance。
HisMajestyhavingobservedtohimthathesupposedhemusthavereadagreatdeal；Johnsonanswered，thathethoughtmorethanheread；thathehadreadagreatdealintheearlypartofhislife，buthavingfallenintoillhealth，hehadnotbeenabletoreadmuch，comparedwithothers：forinstance，hesaidhehadnotreadmuch，comparedwithDr。Warburton。UponwhichtheKingsaid，thatheheardDr。Warburtonwasamanofsuchgeneralknowledge，thatyoucouldscarcetalkwithhimonanysubjectonwhichhewasnotqualifiedtospeak；andthathislearningresembledGarrick’sacting，initsuniversality。HisMajestythentalkedofthecontroversybetweenWarburtonandLowth，whichheseemedtohaveread，andaskedJohnsonwhathethoughtofit。Johnsonanswered，’Warburtonhasmostgeneral，mostscholasticklearning；Lowthisthemorecorrectscholar。Idonotknowwhichofthemcallsnamesbest。’TheKingwaspleasedtosayhewasofthesameopinion；
adding，’Youdonotthink，then，Dr。Johnson，thattherewasmuchargumentinthecase。’Johnsonsaid，hedidnotthinktherewas。
’Whytruly，saidtheKing，whenonceitcomestocallingnames，argumentisprettywellatanend。’
HisMajestythenaskedhimwhathethoughtofLordLyttelton’sHistory，whichwasthenjustpublished。Johnsonsaid，hethoughthisstyleprettygood，butthathehadblamedHenrytheSecondrathertoomuch。’Why，saidtheKing，theyseldomdothesethingsbyhalves。’’No，Sir，answeredJohnson，nottoKings。’
Butfearingtobemisunderstood，heproceededtoexplainhimself；
andimmediatelysubjoined，’ThatforthosewhospokeworseofKingsthantheydeserved，hecouldfindnoexcuse；butthathecouldmoreeasilyconceivehowsomemightspeakbetterofthemthantheydeserved，withoutanyillintention；for，asKingshadmuchintheirpowertogive，thosewhowerefavouredbythemwouldfrequently，fromgratitude，exaggeratetheirpraises；andasthisproceededfromagoodmotive，itwascertainlyexcusable，asfaraserrourcouldbeexcusable。’
TheKingthenaskedhimwhathethoughtofDr。Hill。Johnsonanswered，thathewasaningeniousman，buthadnoveracity；andimmediatelymentioned，asaninstanceofit，anassertionofthatwriter，thathehadseenobjectsmagnifiedtoamuchgreaterdegreebyusingthreeorfourmicroscopesatatime，thanbyusingone。
’Now，addedJohnson，everyoneacquaintedwithmicroscopesknows，thatthemoreofthemhelooksthrough，thelesstheobjectwillappear。’’Why，repliedtheKing，thisisnotonlytellinganuntruth，buttellingitclumsily；for，ifthatbethecase，everyonewhocanlookthroughamicroscopewillbeabletodetecthim。’
’Inow，saidJohnsontohisfriends，whenrelatingwhathadpassedbegantoconsiderthatIwasdepreciatingthismanintheestimationofhisSovereign，andthoughtitwastimeformetosaysomethingthatmightbemorefavourable。’Headded，therefore，thatDr。Hillwas，notwithstanding，averycuriousobserver；andifhewouldhavebeencontentedtotelltheworldnomorethanheknew，hemighthavebeenaveryconsiderableman，andneedednottohaverecoursetosuchmeanexpedientstoraisehisreputation。
TheKingthentalkedofliteraryjournals，mentionedparticularlytheJournaldesSavans，andaskedJohnsonifitwaswelldone。
Johnsonsaid，itwasformerlyverywelldone，andgavesomeaccountofthepersonswhobeganit，andcarrieditonforsomeyears；
enlarging，atthesametime，onthenatureanduseofsuchworks。
TheKingaskedhimifitwaswelldonenow。Johnsonanswered，hehadnoreasontothinkthatitwas。TheKingthenaskedhimiftherewereanyotherliteraryjournalspublishedinthiskingdom，excepttheMonthlyandCriticalReviews；andonbeingansweredtherewerenoother，hisMajestyaskedwhichofthemwasthebest：
Johnsonanswered，thattheMonthlyReviewwasdonewithmostcare，theCriticaluponthebestprinciples；addingthattheauthoursoftheMonthlyReviewwereenemiestotheChurch。ThistheKingsaidhewassorrytohear。
TheconversationnextturnedonthePhilosophicalTransactions，whenJohnsonobserved，thattheyhadnowabettermethodofarrangingtheirmaterialsthanformerly。’Aye，saidtheKing，
theyareobligedtoDr。Johnsonforthat；’forhisMajestyhadheardandrememberedthecircumstance，whichJohnsonhimselfhadforgot。
HisMajestyexpressedadesiretohavetheliterarybiographyofthiscountryablyexecuted，andproposedtoDr。Johnsontoundertakeit。JohnsonsignifiedhisreadinesstocomplywithhisMajesty’swishes。
Duringthewholeofthisinterview，JohnsontalkedtohisMajestywithprofoundrespect，butstillinhisfirmmanlymanner，withasonorousvoice，andneverinthatsubduedtonewhichiscommonlyusedattheleveeandinthedrawing-room。AftertheKingwithdrew，JohnsonshewedhimselfhighlypleasedwithhisMajesty’sconversation，andgraciousbehaviour。HesaidtoMr。Barnard，’Sir，theymaytalkoftheKingastheywill；butheisthefinestgentlemanIhaveeverseen。’AndheafterwardsobservedtoMr。
Langton，’Sir，hismannersarethoseofasfineagentlemanaswemaysupposeLewistheFourteenthorCharlestheSecond。’
AtSirJoshuaReynolds’s，whereacircleofJohnson’sfriendswascollectedroundhimtohearhisaccountofthismemorableconversation，Dr。JosephWarton，inhisfrankandlivelymanner，wasveryactiveinpressinghimtomentiontheparticulars。’Comenow，Sir，thisisaninterestingmatter；dofavouruswithit。’
Johnson，withgreatgoodhumour，complied。
Hetoldthem，’IfoundhisMajestywishedIshouldtalk，andImadeitmybusinesstotalk。IfinditdoesamangoodtobetalkedtobyhisSovereign。Inthefirstplace，amancannotbeinapassion。’Heresomequestioninterruptedhim，whichistoberegretted，ashecertainlywouldhavepointedoutandillustratedmanycircumstancesofadvantage，frombeinginasituation，wherethepowersofthemindareatonceexcitedtovigorousexertion，andtemperedbyreverentialawe。