Chapter XX

242. _Scribe._ Eugène Scribe (1791–1861).

_Cribb._ Tom Cribb (1781–1848), the champion pugilist. See vol. IV. _The Spirit of the Age_, note to p. 223.

244. _A tub to a whale._ The tradition is an old one, but Hazlitt may have had in mind the Preface to Swift’s _Tale of a Tub_. The allusion is undoubtedly to Canning’s recognition of the independence of the Spanish American Colonies in 1823.

_Fænum in cornu._ Horace, _Sat._ I. iv. 33.

245. _Lily-livered._ _Macbeth_, Act V. Sc. 3 and _King Lear_, Act II. Sc. 2.

_But that two-handed engine at the door._ _Lycidas_, 130.

246. _Finds a taint in the Liberal._ See vol. VII. _The Plain Speaker_, p. 379 and note.

_Mr. Waithman._ Robert Waithman (1764–1833), linen-draper, pamphleteer, Lord Mayor of London (1823), and M.P. for London (1818–1820, 1826–1833).

_Dr. E._ Mr. W. C. Hazlitt states that the name should be Edwards. This incident forms a singular parallel with Johnson’s meeting with _his_ fellow-collegian, Edwards. See _Boswell_, ed. G. B. Hill, III. 302 _et seq._

Note. _A Mr. Law._ Probably a son of Thomas Law (1759–1834), of Washington, writer on finance, whose brother was Edward Law, first Baron Ellenborough (1750–1818).

247. _The John Bull._ Theodore Hook’s paper. See vol. IV., _The Spirit of the Age_, p. 217 and note.

_Mr. Shee’s tragedy._ Sir Martin Arthur Shee (1769–1850), one of the founders of the British Institution, portrait painter, and President of the Royal Academy, 1830–50. See _ante_, p. 434. His play, _Alasco_, on the partition of Poland, was accepted by Charles Kemble for Covent Garden, but prohibited by the examiner of plays, George Colman the younger. It was published in 1824.

_To be direct and honest is not safe._ _Othello_, Act III. Sc. 3.

_Can these things be._ _Macbeth_, Act III. Sc. 4.

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247. Note. _Mr. Barrow._ Sir John Barrow (1764–1848) was second secretary of the Admiralty, 1804–1806 and 1807–1845. Croker of course was the other secretary of the Admiralty as well as a contributor to the _Quarterly_.

248. _Very stuff o’ the conscience._ _Othello_, Act I. Sc. 2.

Note. _Chief Justice Holt._ Sir John Holt (1642–1710), Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench (1689–1710), the Verus of _The Tatler._ See No. 14, May 12, 1709.

249. _Man seldom is._

‘Man never Is, but always To be blest.’
Pope, _Essay on Man_, I. 96.

_There’s no such thing._ _Merry Wives of Windsor_, Act III. Sc. 3.

250. _M. Beyle ... De l’Amour._ Marie Henri Beyle’s (1783–1842) work was published in 1822. He is better known under his pseudonym of Stendhal. His best works are _Le Rouge et le Noir_ (1830) and _La Chartreuse de Parme_ (1839).