Summary

The explanation in the text: “The scene of our illustration is Uttoxeter market, and the reason of Dr. Johnson’s singular conduct before a gathering of people, young and old, is thus explained by himself. He was talking, towards the end of his life, with a young clergyman, the Rev. Henry White. He said that he had been, on the whole, an obedient son. But he added: ‘Once, indeed, I was disobedient; I refused to attend my father to Uttoxeter market. Pride was the source of that refusal, and the remembrance of it was painful. A few years ago I desired to atone for this fault. I went to Uttoxeter in very bad weather, and stood for some time bareheaded in the rain, on the spot where my father’s stall used to stand. In contrition I stood, and I hope that the penance was expiatory.’ ”

Licensing

This work was published before January 1, 1929 and it is anonymous or pseudonymous due to unknown authorship. It is in the public domain in the United States as well as countries and areas where the copyright terms of anonymous or pseudonymous works are 95 years or fewer since publication.