Show GREAT MAN HAD VAGARIES johnson peculiar ideas as to mat of speech i while johnson was in france he was generally very resolute in speak ing latin it was a maxim with hlin that a man should not let himself down by speaking a language which he speaks imperfectly indeed we must have often observed how in farlor how much like a child a man appears who speaks a broken tongue when sir joshua reynolds at one ol 01 the dinners of the royal academy presented him to a frenchman ol 01 great distinction be would not deign to speak french but talked latin though his excellency did not under stand it owing perhaps to johnson f english pronunciation yet upon an other occasion he was observed tc speak french to a frenchman of high rank who spoke english and being asked the reason with some slon of surprise he answered be cause I 1 think my french Is as good as his english london chronicle |