of them ran away as could."-Boswell. "But, Sir, there was your countryman, Elwal, who you told me once challenged King George with his black-guards, and his red-guards 7. "My countryman, Elwal, Sir, fhould have been put in the stocks in the flocks; a proper pulpit for him; and he'd have had a numerous audience. A man who preaches in the stocks will always have hearers enough."-B. 66 But Elwal thought himself in the right."-7. " We are not providing for mad people; there are places for them in the neighbourhood." (meaning Moorfields.)—M. "But, Sir, is it not very hard that I fhould not be allowed to teach my children what I really believe to be the truth?" -7. "Why, Sir, you might contrive to teach. your children extra fcandalum; but, Sir, the magiftrate, if he knows it, has a right to reftrain you. Suppose you teach your children to be thieves?"-M." This is making a joke of the fubject."—f. " Nay, Sir, take it thus: that you teach them the community of goods, for which there are as many plaufible arguments as for moft erroneous doctrines. teach them, that all things at first were in common, and that no man had a right to any thing but as he laid his hands upon it; and that this ftill is, or ought to be, the rule amongst mankind. Here, Sir, you fap a great principle in focicty

P 4

You

fociety-property. And don't you think the magiftrate would have a right to prevent you? Or fuppofe you should teach your children the notion of the Adamites, and they should run naked in the streets, would not the magistrate have a right to flog them into their doublets ?" -M. "I think the magiftrate has no right to interfere till there is fome overt act."-B. "So, Sir, though he fees an enemy to the State charging a blunderbufs, he is not to interfere till it is fired off."-M. "He must be sure of its direction against the state."-7. " The magiftrate is to judge of that. He has no right to reftrain your thinking, because the evil centers in yourself. If a man were fitting at this table, and chopping off his fingers, the magistrate, as guardian of the community, has no authority to restrain him, however he might do it from kindness as a parent. Though, indeed, upon more confideration, I think he may; as it is probable, that he who is chopping off his own fingers, may foon proceed to chop off those of other people. If I think it right to steal Mr. Dilly's plate, I am a bad man; but he can fay nothing to me. If I make an open declaration that I think fo, he will keep me out of his houfe. If I put forth my hand, I fhall be fent to Newgate. This is the gradation of thinking, preaching, and acting i

acting if a man thinks erroneously, he may keep his thoughts to himself, and nobody will trouble him; if he preaches erroneous doctrine, fociety may expel him; if he acts in confequence of it, the law takes place, and he is hanged."-M." But, Sir, ought not Chrif tians to have liberty of confcience ?"-7. " I have already told you fo, Sir. You are coming back to where you were."-B. " Dr. Mayo is always taking a return post-chaife, and going the ftage over again. He has it at half price."-7. "Dr. Mayo, like other champions for unlimited toleration, has got a set of words *. Sir, it is no matter, politically, whether the magiftrate be right or wrong. Suppofe a club were to be formed to drink confufion to King George the Third, and a happy restoration to Charles the Third; this would be very bad with refpect to the State; but every member of that club muft either conform to its rules, or be turned out of it. Old Baxter, I remember, maintains, that the magiftrate should ' tolerate all things that are tolerable.' This is no

Dr. Mayo's calm temper and fteady perfeverance, Mr. Bofwell tells us, rendered him an admirable fubject for the exercife of Dr. Johnfon's powerful abilities. He never flinched; but, after reiterated blows, remained feemingly unmoved as at the firft. The fcintillations of Johnson's genius flashed every time he was ftruck, without his receiving any injury. Hence he obtained the epithet of 'THE LITERARY ANVIL.

good

good definition of toleration upon any principle; but it fhews that he thought fome things were not tolerable."-TOPLADY. "Sir, you

have untwisted this difficult fubject with great dexterity."

LIFE.

JOHNSON recommended to Mr. Bofwell to keep a journal of his life, full and unreserved. He faid, it would be a very good exercife, and would yield him great fatisfaction when the particulars were faded from his remembrance. He counfelled him to keep it private, and faid he might furely have a friend who would burn it in cafe of his death. Mr. Bofwell obferved, that he was afraid he put into his journal too many little incidents.-JOHNSON. "There is nothing, Sir, too little for fo little a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little mifery and as much happiness as poffible.”—Yet he faid it was not neceffary to mention fuch trifles as that meat was too much or too little done, or that the weather was fair or rainy. He faid, that he had twelve or fourteen times at

tempted

tempted to keep a journal of his life, but never could perfevere. "The great thing to be recorded (faid he) is the flate of your own mind; and you fhould write down every thing that you remember, for you cannot judge at first what is good or bad; and write immediately while the impreffion is frefh, for it will not be the fame a week afterwards. A man may write upon a card a day all that is neceffàry to be written, after he has had experience of life. At first there is a great deal to be written, becaufe there is a great deal of novelty; but when once a man has fettled his opinions, there is feldom much to be fet down."

"There is nothing wonderful (faid he) in the journal which we fee Swift kept in London, for it contains flight topicks, and it might foon be written."

"Life (he obferved on another occafion) is but fhort; no time can be afforded but for the indulgence of real forrow, or contefts upon queftions feriously momentous. Let us not throw away any of our days upon ufelefs refentment, or contend who fhall hold out longeft in ftubborn malignity. It is beft not. to be angry; and beft, in the next place, to be quickly reconciled."

:

Again "Life admits not of delays; when pleasure can be had, it is fit to catch it. Every