forward."-Johnson. True, sir; but if a man is to stand forward he should wish to do it, not in an awkward posture, not in rags, not so as that he shall only be exposed to ridicule."Boswell. "For my part, I like very well to hear honest Goldsmith talk away carelessly."-Johnson. "Why yes, sir; but he should not like to hear himself."-Boswell, 241.

I REPEATED a sentence of Lord Mansfield's speech in the House of Lords,-" My lords, severity is not the way to govern either boys or men." Nay," said Johnson, "it is the way to govern them; I know not whether it be the way to

mend them."

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You must not neglect doing a thing immediately good from fear of remote evil-from fear of its being abused.-Johnson,

242.

MUCH may be made of a Scotchman, if he be caught young.

-244.

I was told a day or two ago (1772) of a design which must excite some curiosity. Two ships are in preparation, which are under the command of Captain Constantine Phipps, to explore the northern ocean; not to seek the north-east or the north-west passage, but to sail directly north, as near the pole as they can go. They hope to find an open ocean, but I suspect it is one mass of perpetual congelation. I do not much wish well to discoveries, for I am always afraid they will end in conquest and robbery.-248.

It is laudable in a man to wish to live by his labours; but he should write so as he may live by them, not so as he may be knocked on the head.-252.

I HAVE dedicated to the royal family all round; that is to say, to the last generation (1773) of the royal family.-254.

RABELAIS and all other wits are nothing compared with him. You may be diverted by them; but Johnson gives you a forcible hug, and shakes laughter out of you, whether you will or no.- Garrick, 256.

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MADAM," said Addison to a lady who complained of his having talked little in company, "I have but ninepence in ready money, but I can draw for a thousand pounds."Mr. Langton, 263.

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ONE evening, in a circle of wits, Goldsmith found fault with me for talking of Johnson as entitled to the honour of unquestionable superiority. "Sir," said he, " you are for making a monarchy of what should be a republic." He was still more mortified, when, talking in a company with fluent vivacity, and, as he flattered himself, to the admiration of all who were

present, a German who sat next him, and perceived Johnson rolling himself as if about to speak, suddenly stopped him, saying, "Stay, stay-Toctor Shonson is going to say something." -Boswell, 264.

I HAVE great merit in being jealous for subordination and the honours of birth; for I can hardly tell who was my grandfather.-Johnson, 265.

MR. HENRY ERSKINE (brother of Lord Buchan and Lord Erskine), after being presented to Dr. Johnson by Mr. Boswell, and having made his bow, slipped a shilling into Boswell's hand, whispering that it was for the sight of his bear.Walter Scott, 275.

DR. JOHNSON'S veneration for the hierarchy is well known. There is no wonder, then, that he was affected with a strong indignation while he beheld the ruins of religious magnificence (at St. Andrew's). I happened to ask where John Knox was buried. Dr. Johnson burst out, "I hope in the highway." ["It is," says Mr. Chambers, "a little odd, though Boswell has overlooked it, that Knox was buried in a place which soon after became, and ever since has been, a highway, namely, the old churchyard of St. Giles, in Edinburgh."-Croker.] "I have been looking at his reformations." It was a very fine day. Dr. Johnson seemed quite wrapt up in the contemplation of the scenes which were now presented to him. He kept his hat off while he was upon any part of the ground where the cathedral had stood. He said well, that Knox had set on a mob without knowing where it would end; and that differing from a man in doctrine was no reason why you should pull his house about his ears.-Boswell, 283.

WALTER SCOTT used to tell an instance of Lord Monboddo's agricultural enthusiasm, that, returning home one night, after an absence (I think) on circuit, he went out with a candle to look at a field of turnips, then a novelty in Scotland.Croker, 288.

THE question of public or private education is not properly a general one; but whether one or the other is best for my son.-Johnson, 291.

BEING in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned.-308.

THE only way to make a pig go forward is to pull him back by the tail.-388.

EITHER yesterday morning, or this (Oct. 26, 1773), I communicated to Dr. Johnson the news that Dr. Beattie had got a pension of £200 a year. He sat up in his bed, clapped his

hands, and cried "O brave we!"-a peculiar exclamation of his when he rejoices.-Boswell, 390.

FAME is a shuttlecock. If it be struck only at one end of the room it will soon fall to the ground. To keep it up, it must be struck at both ends.-Johnson, 403.

I KNOW Mrs. Boswell wished me well to go. [In this he showed a very acute penetration. My wife paid him the most assiduous and respectful attention while he was our guest; so that I wonder how he discovered her wishing for his departure. The truth is, that his irregular hours and uncouth habits, such as turning the candles with their heads downwards when they did not burn bright enough, and letting the wax drop upon the carpet, could not but be disagreeable to a lady. Besides, she had not that high admiration of him which was felt by most of those who knew him; and, what was very natural to a female mind, she thought he had too much influence over her husband. She once, in a little warmth, made, with more point than justice, this remark upon that subject:-"I have seen many a bear led by a man; but I never before saw a man led by a bear."-Boswell.]-409.

TO WHAT degree fancy is to be admitted into religious offices it would require much deliberation to determine. I am far from intending totally to exclude it: fancy is a faculty bestowed by our Creator, and it is reasonable that all His gifts should be used to His glory, that all our faculties should cooperate according to the will of Him that gave them, according to the order which His wisdom has established. As ceremonies, prudential or convenient, are less obligatory than positive ordinances, as bodily worship is only the token to others or ourselves of mental adoration, so fancy is always to act in subordination to reason. We may take fancy for a companion, but must follow reason as our guide. We may allow fancy to suggest certain ideas in certain places; but reason must always be heard, when she tells us that those ideas and those places have no natural or necessary relation. When we enter

a church we habitually recall to mind the duty of adoration, but we must not omit adoration for want of a temple; because we know, and ought to remember, that the Universal Lord is everywhere present; and that, therefore, to come to Iona or to Jerusalem, though it may be useful, cannot be necessary.

-412.

GOLDSMITH died of a fever (April 4, 1774), exasperated, as I believe, by the fear of distress. He had raised money and squandered it by every artifice of acquisition and folly of

expense. But let not his frailties be remembered; he was a very great man.-414.

HOLYWELL is a market-town, neither very small nor mean. The spring called Winifred's Well is very clear, and so copious that it yields one hundred tons of water in a minute. It is all at once a very great stream, which within, perhaps, thirty yards of its irruption, turns a mill, and in a course of two miles eighteen mills more.-Johnson, 419.

THE Sound of the Welsh language in a continued discourse is not unpleasant.-420.

LASCARIS' Grammar was the first book ever printed in Greek. A copy was bought for the king's library at Dr. Askew's sale for £21 10s. The first book ever printed in English was the "Historyes of Trove," 1471. A copy was sold by auction in 1812, and brought £1,060 10s.-Duppa, 425.

WHEN I find a Scotchman to whom an Englishman is as a Scotchman, that Scotchman shall be as an Englishman to me. -Johnson, 432.

MURPHY relates that Johnson one day asked him, "Have you observed the difference between your own country impudence and Scotch impudence?" The answer being in the negative" Then I will tell you," said Johnson; "the impudence of an Irishman is the impudence of a fly that buzzes about you, and you put it away, but it returns again, and still flutters and teases. The impudence of a Scotchman is the impudence of a leech that fixes and sucks your blood."Croker, 433.

JOHNSON's sayings would not appear so extraordinary were it not for his bow-wow way.-Lord Pembroke.-439.

HAVE you got Boswell's most absurd enormous book? The best thing in it is a bon mot of Lord Pembroke (see ante). The more one learns of Johnson, the more preposterous assemblage he appears of strong sense, of the lowest bigotry and prejudices, of pride, brutality, fretfulness, and vanity; and Boswell is the ape of most of his faults, without a grain of his sense. It is the story of a mountebank and his zany.— Horace Walpole.

ON Friday, 31st March, I supped with him and some friends at a tavern. One of the company (Boswell) attempted, with too much forwardness, to rally him on his late appearance at the theatre; but had reason to repent of his temerity. "Why, sir, did you go to Mrs. Abington's benefit? Did you see?"-Johnson. "No, sir."-" Did you hear?" Johnson. "No, sir."-" Why then, sir, did you go?"-John

son. "Because, sir, she is a favourite of the public; and when the public cares a thousandth part for you that it does for her, I will go to your benefit too."-Boswell, 440.

I ASKED if Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller, was not a man of sense?-Johnson. "Why, sir, he is not a distinct relater; and I should say he is neither abounding nor deficient in sense. I did not perceive any superiority of understanding."-Boswell. "But will you not allow him a nobleness of resolution in penetrating into distant regions?"-Johnson. "That, sir, is not to the present purpose; we are talking of sense. A fighting cock has a nobleness of resolution."-442.

JOHNSON'S "Taxation no Tyranny" being mentioned, he said, “I think I have not been attacked enough for it. Attack is the re-action; I never think I have hit hard unless it rebounds."

Fleet-street has a very animated appearance; but I think the full tide of human existence is at Charing Cross.Johnson, 443.

AN eminent tallowchandler in London, who had acquired a considerable fortune, gave up the trade in favour of his foreman, and went to live at a country house near town. He soon grew weary, and paid frequent visits to his old shop, where he desired they might let him know their melting days, and he would come and assist them, which he accordingly did. Here, sir, was a man to whom the most disgusting circumstances in the business to which he had been used was a relief from idleness.

GEORGE the First knew nothing, and desired to know nothing; did nothing, and desired to do nothing; and the only good thing that is told of him is, that he wished to restore the crown to its hereditary successor.—444.

PATRIOTISM is the last refuge of a scoundrel.-446.

ALL knowledge is of itself of some value. There is nothing so minute or inconsiderable that I would not rather know it than not. In the same manner, all power, of whatever sort, is of itself desirable.-449.

THE belief of immortality is impressed upon all men; and all men act under an impression of it, however they may talk, and though, perhaps, they may be scarcely sensible of it-450. THAT is the happiest conversation where there is no competition, no vanity, but a calm, quiet interchange of sentiments. JOHNSON then took occasion to enlarge on the advantages of reading, and combated the idle, superficial notion, that knowledge enough may be acquired in conversation. "The founda