He had wandered in the streets with Savage for nights together, unable between them to raise money enough to pay for a bed.

When his indomitable courage and industry at length secured for him a footing in society, he still bore upon him the scars of his early sorrows and struggles.

He was by nature strong and robust, and his experience made him unaccommodating and self-asserting.

When he was once asked why he was not invited to dine out as Garrick was, he answered, "Because great lords and ladies did not like to have their mouths stopped;" and Johnson was a notorious mouth-stopper, though what he said was always worth listening to.
Johnson's companions spoke of him as "Ursa Major;" but, as Goldsmith generously said of him, "No man alive has a more tender heart; he has nothing of the bear about him but his skin." The kindliness of Johnson's nature was shown on one occasion by the manner in which he assisted a supposed lady in crossing Fleet Street.

He gave her his arm, and led her across, not observing that she was in liquor at the time.