tion." Johnson, at the time when the paper was presented to him, though at first pleased with the attention of his friend, whom he thanked in an earnest manner, soon exclaimed, in a loud and angry tone, "What is your drift, sir ?" Sir Joshua Reynolds pleasantly observed, that it was a scene for a comedy to see a penitent get into a violent passion, and belabor his confessor.-Boswell.

It grew dusky, and we had a very tedious ride for what was called five miles, but I am sure would measure ten. We had no conversation. I was riding forward to the inn at Glenelg, on the shore opposite to Skye, that I might take proper measures before Dr. Johnson, who was now advancing in dreary silence, Hay leading his horse, should arrive. Vass also walked by the side of his horse, and Joseph followed behind. As therefore he was thus attended, and seemed to be in deep meditation, I thought there could be no harm in leaving him for a little while. He called me back with a tremendous shout, and was really in a passion with me for leaving him. I told him my intentions, but he was not satisfied, and said, "Do you know, I should as soon have thought of picking a pocket as doing so." Boswell: "I am diverted with you, sir." Johnson: "Sir, I could never be diverted with incivility; doing such a thing makes one lose confidence in him who has done it, as one cannot tell what he may do next." His extraordinary warmth confounded me so much that I justified myself but lamely to him; yet my intentions were not improper. I wished to get on to see how we were to be lodged, and how we were to get a boat-all which I thought I could best settle myself without his having any trouble. I resumed the subject of my leaving him on the road, and endeavored to defend it better. He was still violent upon that head, and said, "Sir, had you gone on, I was thinking that I should have returned with you to Edinburgh, and then have parted from you, and never spoken to you more.”—Boswell.

He was easily led into topics: it was not easy to turn him from them; but who would wish it? If a man wanted to show himself off by getting up and riding upon him, he was sure to run restive and kick him off; you might as safely have backed Bucephalus, before Alexander had lunged him. Neither did he always like to be over-fondled: when a certain gentleman out-acted his part in this way, he is said to have demanded of him, "What provokes your risibility, sir? Have I said anything that you understand? Then I ask pardon of the rest of the company."R. Cumberland.

PUGNACITY AND CONTRADICTORINESS.

JOHNSON attacked the Americans with intemperate vehemence of abuse. I said something in their favor, and added that I was always sorry when he talked on that subject. This, it seems, exasperated him, though he said nothing at the time. The cloud was charged with sulphureous vapor which was afterward to burst in thunder. We talked of a gentleman who was running out his fortune in London, and I said, "We must get him out of it. All his friends must quarrel with him, and that will soon drive him away.” Johnson: "Nay, sir, we'll send you to him. If your company does not drive a man out of his house, nothing will." This was a horrible shock, for which there was no visible cause. I afterward asked him why he had said so harsh a thing. Johnson: "Because, sir, you made me angry about the Americans." Boswell: "But why did you not take your revenge directly?" Johnson (smiling): "Because, sir, I had nothing ready. A man cannot strike till he has weapons." This was a candid and pleasant confession.-Boswell.

In talking of Hackman, Johnson argued, as Judge Blackstone had done, that his being furnished with two pistols

was a proof that he meant to shoot two persons. Mr. Beauclerk said, “No; for that every wise man who intended to shoot himself took two pistols, that he might be sure of doing it at once. Lord -'s cook shot himself with one pistol, and lived ten days in great agony. Mr., who loved buttered muffins, but durst not eat them because they disagreed with his stomach, resolved to shoot himself; and then he eat three buttered muffins for breakfast, before shooting himself, knowing that he should not be troubled with indigestion. He had two charged pistols; one was found lying charged upon the table by him, after he had shot himself with the other." "Well," said Johnson, with an air of triumph, "you see, here one pistol was sufficient." Beauclerk replied smartly, "Because it happened to kill him." And either then or very little afterward, being piqued at Johnson's triumphant remark, added, "This is what you don't know, and I do." There was then a cessation of the dispute, and some minutes intervened, during which dinner and the glass went on cheerfully, when Johnson suddenly and abruptly exclaimed, "Mr. Beauclerk, how came you to talk so petulantly to me as 'This is what you don't know, but what I know? One thing I know, which you don't seem to know—that you are very uncivil." Beauclerk: “Because you began by being uncivil (which you always are)." The words in parentheses were, I believe, not heard by Dr. Johnson. Here again there was a cessation of arms. Johnson told me that the reason why he waited at first some time without taking any notice of what Mr. Beauclerk said, was because he was thinking whether he should resent it. But when he considered that there were present a young lord and an eminent traveller-two men of the world with whom he had never dined before-he was apprehensive that they might think they had a right to take such liberties with him as Beauclerk did, and therefore resolved he would not let it pass, adding, that he "would not appear a coward." A little while after this, the conversation turned on the violence

of Hackman's temper. Johnson then said, "It was his business to command his temper, as my friend Mr. Beauclerk should have done some time ago." Beauclerk: “I should learn of you, sir." Johnson: "Sir, you have given me oppor tunities enough of learning, when I have been in your company. No man loves to be treated with contempt." Beauclerk (with a polite inclination toward Johnson): “Sir, you have known me twenty years; and however I may have treated others, you may be sure I could never treat you with contempt." Johnson: "Sir, you have said more than was necessary."-Boswell.

Books of travels having been mentioned, Johnson praised Pennant very highly, as he did at Dunvegan, in the Isle of Skye. Dr. Percy, knowing himself to be the heir male of the ancient Percies, and having the warmest and most dutiful attachment to the noble house of Northumberland, could not sit quietly and hear a man praised who had spoken disrespectfully of Alnwick Castle and the Duke's pleasuregrounds, especially as he thought meanly of his travels. He therefore opposed Johnson eagerly. Johnson: “Pennant, in what he has said of Alnwick, has done what he intended; he has made you very angry." Percy: "He has said the garden is trim, which is representing it like a citizen's parterre, when the truth is, there is a very large extent of fine turf and gravel-walks." Johnson: "According to your own account, sir, Pennant is right. It is trim. Here is grass cut close, and gravel rolled smooth. Is not that trim? The extent is nothing against that; a mile may be as trim as a square yard. Your 'extent' puts me in mind of the citizen's enlarged dinner-two pieces of roast-beef and two puddings. There is no variety, no mind exerted in laying out the ground, no trees." Percy: "He pretends to give the natural history of Northumberland, and yet takes no notice of the immense number of trees planted there of late." Johnson: "That, sir, has nothing to do with the natural his

tory; that is civil history. A man who gives the natural history of the oak is not to tell how many oaks have been planted in this place or that. A man who gives the natural history of the cow is not to tell how many cows are milked at Islington. The animal is the same, whether milked in the Park or at Islington." Percy: "Pennant does not describe well; a carrier who goes along the side of Loch Lomond would describe it better." Johnson: "I think he describes very well." Percy: "I travelled after him." Johnson: "And I travelled after him." Percy: "But, my good friend, you are short-sighted, and do not see so well as I do." I wondered at Dr. Percy's venturing thus. Dr. Johnson said nothing at the time; but inflammable particles were collecting for a cloud to burst. In a little while Dr. Percy said something more in disparagement of Pennant. Johnson (pointedly): "This is the resentment of a narrow mind, because he did not find everything in Northumberland." Percy (feeling the stroke): "Sir, you may be as rude as you please." Johnson: "Hold, sir! Don't talk of rudeness; remember, sir, you told me (puffing hard with passion struggling for a vent) I was short-sighted. We have done with civility. We are to be as rude as we please." Percy: "Upon my honor, sir, I did not mean to be uncivil." Johnson: "I cannot say so, sir; for I did mean to be uncivil, thinking you had been uncivil." Dr. Percy rose, ran up to him, and, taking him by the hand, assured him affectionately that his meaning had been misunderstood; upon which a reconciliation instantly took place. Johnson: “My dear sir, I am willing you shall hang Pennant." Percy (resuming the former subject): "Pennant complains that the helmet is not hung out to invite to the hall of hospitality. Now I never heard that it was a custom to hang out a helmet." Johnson: "Hang him up; hang him up."-Boswell.

It may be observed that his frequent use of the expression. "No, sir," was not always to intimate contradiction; for he