WhiletheworldingeneralwasfilledwithadmirationofJohnson’sLivesofthePoets，therewerenarrowcirclesinwhichprejudiceandresentmentwerefostered，andfromwhichattacksofdifferentsortsissuedagainsthim。BysomeviolentWhigshewasarraignedofinjusticetoMilton；bysomeCambridgemenofdepreciatingGray；
andhisexpressingwithadignifiedfreedomwhathereallythoughtofGeorge，LordLyttelton，gaveoffencetosomeofthefriendsofthatnobleman，andparticularlyproducedadeclarationofwaragainsthimfromMrs。Montagu，theingeniousEssayistonShakspeare，betweenwhomandhisLordshipacommerceofreciprocalcomplimentshadlongbeencarriedon。Inthiswarthesmallerpowersinalliancewithhimwereofcourseledtoengage，atleastonthedefensive，andthusIforonewasexcludedfromtheenjoymentof’AFeastofReason，’suchasMr。Cumberlandhasdescribed，withakeen，yetjustanddelicatepen，inhisObserver。
TheseminuteinconveniencesgavenottheleastdisturbancetoJohnson。Henoblysaid，whenItalkedtohimofthefeeble，thoughshrilloutcrywhichhadbeenraised，’Sir，Iconsideredmyselfasentrustedwithacertainportionoftruth。Ihavegivenmyopinionsincerely；letthemshewwheretheythinkmewrong。’
IwrotetohiminFebruary，complainingofhavingbeentroubledbyarecurrenceoftheperplexingquestionofLibertyandNecessity；——
andmentioningthatIhopedsoontomeethimagaininLondon。