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a GOWER." Thus it went to the press, but the printer had more wit than I, and struck it out." Many other instances of Johnson's prejudices will be found scattered through this volume.-Editor.

Emigration was at this time a common topic of discourse. Dr. Johnson regretted it as hurtful to human happiness; "For," said he, "it spreads mankind, which weakens the defence of a nation, and lessens the comfort of living. Men, thinly scattered, make a shift, but a bad shift, without many things. A smith is ten miles off; they'll do without a nail or a staple. A tailor is far from them; they'll botch their own clothes. It is being concentrated which produces high convenience."-Boswell.

At breakfast I asked, "What is the reason that we are angry at a trader's having opulence?" Johnson: "Why, sir, the reason is (though I don't undertake to prove that there is a reason), we see no qualities in trade that should entitle a man to superiority. We are not angry at a soldier's getting riches, because we see that he possesses qualities which we have not. If a man returns from a battle having lost one hand, and with the other full of gold, we feel that he deserves the gold; but we cannot think that a fellow by sitting all day at a desk is entitled to get above us." Boswell: "But, sir, may we not suppose a merchant to be a man of an enlarged mind, such as Addison in the 'Spectator' describes Sir Andrew Freeport to have been ?" Johnson: "Why, sir, we may suppose any fictitious character. We may suppose a philosophical day-laborer, who is happy in reflecting that, by his labor, he contributes to the fertility of the earth, and to the support of his fellowcreatures; but we find no such philosophical day-laborer. A merchant may, perhaps, be a man of an enlarged mind; but there is nothing in trade connected with an enlarged mind."-Boswell.

Johnson called the East Indians barbarians. Boswell: "You will except the Chinese, sir?" Johnson: "No, sir." Boswell: "Have they not arts ?" Johnson: “They have pottery." Boswell: "What do you say to the written characters of their language?" Johnson: "Sir, they have not an alphabet. They have not been able to form what all other nations have formed." Boswell: "There is more learning in their language than in any other, from the immense number of their characters." Johnson: "It is only more difficult from its rudeness; as there is more labor in hewing down a tree with a stone than with an axe."Boswell.

Johnson: "Time may be employed to more advantage, from nineteen to twenty-four, almost in any way than in travelling: when you set travelling against mere negation, against doing nothing, it is better, to be sure; but how much more would a young man improve were he to study during those years. Indeed, if a young man is wild, and must run after women and bad company, it is better this should be done abroad, as, on his return, he can break off such connections, and begin at home a new man, with a character to form and acquaintances to make. How little does travelling supply to the conversation of any man who has travelled; how little to Beauclerk ?" Boswell: "What say you to Lord [Charlemont]?" Johnson: "I never but once heard him talk of what he had seen, and that was of a large serpent in one of the pyramids of Egypt.”—Boswell.

INTOLERANCE.

SIR PHILIP CLERKE defended the Opposition to the American war ably and with temper, and I joined him. He said the majority of the nation was against the Ministry. Johnson: “I, sir, am against the Ministry; but it is for having too little of that of which Opposition thinks they have too much. Were I minister, if any man wagged his finger against me, he should be turned out; for that which it is in the power of Government to give at pleasure to one or to another, should be given to the supporters of Government."-Boswell.

Our next meeting at the Mitre was on Saturday, the 15th of February, when I presented to him my old and most intimate friend, the Rev. Mr. Temple, then of Cambridge. I having mentioned that I had passed some time with Rousseau in his wild retreat, and having quoted some remark made by Mr. Wilkes, with whom I had spent many pleasant hours in Italy, Johnson said, sarcastically, "It seems, sir, you have kept very good company abroad-Rousseau and Wilkes!" Thinking it enough to defend one at a time, I said nothing as to my gay friend, but answered, with a smile, "My dear sir, you don't call Rousseau bad company. Do you really think him a bad man ?" Johnson: "Sir, if you are talking jestingly of this, I don't talk with you. If you mean to be serious, I think him one of the worst of men; a rascal, who ought to be hunted out of society, as he has been. Three or four nations have expelled him, and it is a shame that he is protected in this country."-Boswell.

We talked of the proper use of riches. Johnson: “If I were a man of a great estate, I would drive all the rascals whom I did not like out of the county at an election."Boswell.

I now recollect, with melancholy pleasure, two little anecdotes of Dr. Johnson, indicating a zeal for religion which one cannot but admire, however characteristically rough. When the Abbé Raynal was introduced to him, upon the Abbé's advancing to shake his hand, the Doctor drew back, and put his hands behind him, and afterward replied to the expostulation of a friend, “Sir, I will not shake hands with an infidel!" At another time I remember asking him if he did not think the Dean of Derry a very agreeable man, to which he made no answer; and on my repeating my question, "Child," said he, "I will not speak anything in favor of a Sabbath-breaker, to please you, nor any one else."Hannah More.

The Abbé Raynal probably remembers that, being at the house of a common friend in London, the master of it approached Johnson with that gentleman, so much celebrated, in his hand and this speech in his mouth: "Will you permit me, sir, to present to you the Abbé Raynal?" "No, sir," replied the Doctor, very loud, and suddenly turned away from them both.-Mrs. Piozzi.

COARSENESS.

JOHNSON'S coarseness pervaded, in some measure, his whole nature. I have accordingly arranged the materials for this portion of my work in three divisions-Sensuous, Intellectual, and Moral.-Editor.

SENSUOUS.-We had the music of the bagpipe every day, at Amidale, Dunvegan, and Col. Dr. Johnson appeared fond of it, and used often to stand for some time with his ear close to the great drone.-Boswell.

On Wednesday, April 7th, I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's. I have not marked what company was there.

Johnson harangued upon the qualities of different liquors, and spoke with great contempt of claret, as so weak that "a man would be drowned by it before it made him drunk.” He was persuaded to drink one glass of it, that he might judge, not from recollection, which might be dim, but from immediate sensation. He shook his head, and said, "Poor stuff! No, sir, claret is the liquor for boys; port, for men: but he who aspires to be a hero (smiling) must drink brandy. In the first place, the flavor of brandy is most grateful to the palate; and then brandy will do soonest for a man what drinking can do for him. There are, indeed, few who are able to drink brandy. That is a power rather to be wished for than attained. And yet," proceeded he, "as in all pleasure hope is a considerable part, I know not but fruition comes too quick by brandy. Florence wine I think the worst; it is wine only to the eye; it is wine neither while you are drinking it, nor after you have drunk it: it neither pleases the taste, nor exhilarates the spirits." I mentioned his scale of liquors -claret for boys, port for men, brandy for heroes. "Then," said Mr. Burke, "let me have claret: I love to be a boy-to have the careless gayety of boyish days." Johnson: “I should drink claret too, if it would give me that; but it does not: it neither makes boys men, nor men boys. You'll be drowned by it before it has any effect upon you.”—Boswell.

Johnson's notions about eating were nothing less than delicate a leg of pork boiled till it dropped from the bone, a veal-pie with plums and sugar, or an outside cut of a salt buttock of beef, were his favorite dainties. With regard to drink, his liking was for the strongest, as it was not the flavor, but the effect, he sought for, and professed to desire; and when I first knew him, he used to pour capillaire into his port-wine. For the last twelve years, however, he left off all fermented liquors. To make himself some amends, indeed, he took his chocolate liberally, pouring in large quantities of cream, or even melted butter.-Mrs. Piozzi.

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