This reminds me of the ludicrous account he gave Mr. Langton, of the despicable state of a young gentleman of good family. “Sir, when I heard of him last, he was running about town shooting cats.” And then in a sort of kindly reverie, he bethought himself of his own favorite cat, and said, “But Hodge shan’t be shot: no, no, Hodge shall not be shot.”

J AMES B OSWELL , the Life of Samuel Johnson 40tjXqf6SKur60g5mTdYITVLv31qy2vkN9LbpddIPpoQmKf3IYloUWAHfFg2foU4