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Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20456, 8 November 1934, Page 6

Life of Johnson. M R p. KNOWLES mentioned, as a proselyte to Quakerism, Miss , a young lady well known to Dr Johnson, for whom he had shewn much affection; while she ever had, and still retained, a great respect for him. Mrs Knowles at the same time took an opportunity of letting him know “ that the amiable young creature was sorry at finding that he was offended at her leaving the Church of England and embracing a simpler faith”; and, in the gentlest and most persuasive manner, solicited his kind indulgence for what was sincerely a matter of conscience. Johnson, (frowning very angrily,) “Madam, she is an odious wench. She could not have any proper conviction that it was her duty to change her religion, which is the most important of all subjects, and should be studied with all care, and with all the helps we can get. She knew no more of the Church which she left, and that which she embraced, than she did of the difference between the Copernican and Ptolemaick systems.”