Owing to the same cause his head would often shake with a tremulous motion as if he were afflicted with the palsy.

When Sam was an infant, the famous Queen Anne had tried to cure him of this disease by laying her royal hands upon his head.

But though the touch of a king or queen was supposed to be a certain remedy for scrofula, it produced no good effect upon Sam Johnson.
At the time which we speak of the poor lad was not very well dressed, and wore shoes from which his toes peeped out; for his old father had barely the means of supporting his wife and children.

But, poor as the family were, young Sam Johnson had as much pride as any nobleman's son in England.

The fact was, he felt conscious of uncommon sense and ability, which, in his own opinion, entitled him to great respect from the world.