Show GREAT MAN HAD VAGARIES johnson a peculiar ideas as to mat of speech while johnson was in france he was generally very resolute in speak ing latin it was a maxim with him that a man should not let himself down by speaking a language which he speaks imperfectly indeed we must have often observed how in ferfer how much like a child a man appears who speaks a broken tong tongue ue when sir joshua reynolds at one 0 of the dinners of the royal academy presented him to a frenchman 0 of great distinction he would not deign to speak french but talked latin though his excellency did not under stand it owing perhaps to johnson johnsone e english pronunciation yet upon an other occasion he was observed tc to french to a frenchman of high rank who spoke english and being asked the reason with some espres slon of surprise he answered be cause I 1 think my french Is as good aa as his english london chronicle |