Most ViewedGrace After DinnerA Dog's Religion His Duel With Captain D'esterre The Upstart His Birth Wisdom A Certificate Of Marriage The Serenading Lover A Mistaken Frenchman A Courtier's Retort Least ViewedHis BirthScene Between Fitzgibbon And Curran In The Irish Parliament Refusal Of Office His First Client O'leary Versus Curran Dr Sacheverell His Defence Of Archibald Hamilton Rowan Mr Pulteney His Duel With Bully Egan The Feast Of O'rourke Random Irish HumourMeeting Of O'leary And WesleyWisdom Swift At Thomastown His Birth Epistolary Bores His Encounter With Biddy Moriarty Verses By Swift On The Occasion His Defence Of Archibald Hamilton Rowan Swift And His Butler An Insolent Judge |
His Triumph Over Dr JohnsonIrish Humour HomeO'Leary told us of a whimsical triumph which he once enjoyed over the celebrated Dr. Johnson. O'Leary was very anxious to be introduced to that learned man, and Mr. Arthur Murphy took him one morning to the doctor's lodgings. On his entering the room, the doctor viewed him from top to toe, without taking any notice of him; and, at length, darting one of his sourest looks at him, he spoke to him in the Hebrew language, to which O'Leary made no reply. 'Why do you not answer me, sir?' 'Faith, sir,' said O'Leary, 'because I don't understand the language in which you are addressing me.' Upon this, the doctor, with a contemptuous sneer, said to Murphy, 'Why, sir, this is a pretty fellow you have brought hither. Sir, he does not comprehend the primitive language.' O'Leary immediately bowed very low, and complimented the doctor in a long speech in Irish, to which the doctor, not understanding a word, made no reply, but looked at Murphy. O'Leary, seeing the doctor was puzzled at hearing a language of which he was ignorant, said to Murphy, pointing to the doctor, 'This is a pretty fellow to whom you have brought me. Sir, he does not understand the language of the sister kingdom.' The reverend padre then made another low bow, and quitted the room. Next: A Nolle Prosequi Previous: O'leary Versus Curran
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