"Doesn't the _Gossip_ want a report of the debate ?" "It does," said Boswell; "but the _Gossip_ endeavors always to get the most interesting items of the day, and Doctor Johnson has informed me that he expects to be unusually witty this evening, so I have come here." "Excuse me for saying it, Boswell," said the Doctor, getting red in the face over this unexpected confession, "but, really, you talk too much." "That's good," said Cicero.

"Stick that down, Boz, and print it.

It's the best thing Johnson has said this week." Boswell smiled weakly, and said: "But, Doctor, you did say that, you know.

I can prove it, too, for you told me some of the things you were going to say.

Don't you remember, you were going to lead Shakespeare up to making the remark that he thought the English language was the greatest language in creation, whereupon you were going to ask him why he didn't learn it ?" "Get out of here, you idiot!" roared the Doctor.