sure that they have complied with the conditions, they are afraid."

In one of his little manuscript diaries about this time I find a short notice, which marks his amiable disposition more certainly than a thousand studied declarations. "Afternoon spent cheerfully and elegantly, I hope without offence to God or man; though in no holy duty, yet in the general exercise and cultivation of benevolence."

On Monday, May 17., I dined with him at Mr. Dilly's, where were Colonel Vallancy, the Reverend Dr. Gibbons, and Mr. Capel Lofft, who, though a most zealous Whig, has a mind so full of learning and knowledge, and so much exercised in various departments, and withal so much liberality, that the stupendous powers of the literary Goliah, though they did not frighten this little David of popular spirit, could not but excite his admiration. There was also Mr. Braithwaite of the Post-office, that amiable and friendly man, who, with modest and unassuming manners, has associated with many of the wits of the age. Johnson was very quiescent to-day. Perhaps, too, I was indolent. I find nothing more of him in my notes, but that when I mentioned that I had seen in the king's library sixty-three editions of my favourite Thomas à Kempis, amongst which it was in eight languages, Latin, German, French, Italian, Spanish, English, Arabic, and Armenian, -he said he thought it unnecessary to collect many editions of a book, which were all the same, except as to the paper and print; he would have the original, and all the translations, and all the editions which had any variations in the text. He approved of the famous collection of editions of Horace by Douglas 2, mentioned by Pope, who is said to have had a closet filled with them; and he added, " every man should try to collect one book in that manner, and present it to a public library."

On Tuesday, May 18., I saw him for a short time in the morning. I told him that the mob had called out, as the king passed 3, "No Fox, no Fox!" which I did not like. He said, (6 They were right, Sir." I said, I thought not; for it seemed to be making Mr. Fox the king's competitor, There being no audience, so that there could be no triumph in a victory, he fairly agreed with me. I said it

1 He was probably not at his ease under the disputatious whiggism of Capel Lofft, with which his state of health indisposed him to combat. CROKER, 1847.

2 The mention by Pope is in the following lines of the Dunciad, and the subjoined note :

"Bid me with Pollio sup, as well as dine,

There all the learned shall at the labour stand,
And Douglas lend his soft obstetric hand.

"Douglas, a physician of great learning and no less taste; above all, curious in what related to Horace; of whom he collected every edition, translation, and comment, to the number of several hundred volumes." - Dunciad, b. iv. 1. 392. Dr. James Douglas was born in Scotland in 1675, and died in London in 1742. He published some medical works. CROKER.

ON Wednesday, May 19., I sat a part of the evening with him, by ourselves. I observed, that the death of our friends might be a consolation against the fear of our own dissolution, because we might have more friends in the other world than in this. He perhaps felt this as a reflection upon his apprehension = to death, and said, with heat, “How can I man know where his departed friends are, a whether they will be his friends in the othe world? How many friendships have yo known formed upon principles of virtue! Most friendships are formed by caprice ar by chance-mere confederacies in vice or league in folly."

We talked of our worthy friend Mr Langton. He said, "I know not who will gu to heaven if Langton does not. Sir, I could almost say Sit anima mea cum Langtono." I mentioned a very eminent friend as a virtuou man. JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir; but has not the evangelical virtue of Langton , I am afraid, would not scruple ta pick up a wench."

He however charged Mr. Langton with what he thought want of judgment upon interesting occasion. "When I was illTM he, "I desired he would tell me sincerely what he thought my life was faulty. Sir, brought me a sheet of paper, on which he had written down several texts of Scripture

3 To open parliament. The Westminster election_hal concluded only the day before in favour of Mr. Fox, whowe return, however, was delayed by the requisition scrutiny. CROKER.

4 As Boswell has seldom, if ever, applied the "eminent friend," except to Mr. Burke or Sir Joshan Kom nolds, it may not be unnecessary to remind the reader that at this time Mr. Burke was fifty-four, and Sir Joshua sist-21 years of age, and that the good taste and moral propriety both forbid our believing that there could have bem at ground for so offensive a supposition against either: but mo ticularly as against Mr. Burke-a married man, of exi piety, and, as Boswell admits, and all the world knową, *** markable for the most "orderly and amiable domcate ku Ante, p. 626. We shall see by and by (post, Dec. 5. 1790 still more culpable instance of Boswell's indelicacy 10d cretion in dealing with such matters. CoER, TULE

commending Christian charity. And when I questioned him what occasion I had given for such an animadversion, all that he could say amounted to this, that I sometimes contradicted people in conversation. Now what harm does it do to any man to be contradicted?" | BOSWELL. "I suppose he meant the manner of doing it; roughly and harshly." JOHNSON. "And who is the worse for that ?" BOSWELL. "It hurts people of weaker nerves." JOHNSON. "I know no such weak-nerved people." Mr. Burke, to whom I related this conference, said, "It is well if, when a man comes to die, he has nothing heavier upon his conscience than having been a little rough in conversation."

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 belabour his confessor.'

I have preserved no more of his conversation at the times when I saw him during the rest of this month, till Sunday, the 30th of May, when I met him in the evening at Mr. Hoole's, where there was a large company both of ladies and gentlemen. Sir James Johnston happened to say that he paid no regard to the arguments of counsel at the bar of the House of Commons, because they were paid for speaking. JOHNSON. JOHNSON. "Nay, Sir, argument is argument. You cannot help paying regard to their arguments if they are good. If it were testimony, you might disregard it, if you knew that it were purchased. There is a beautiful image in Bacon 2 upon this subject. Testimony is like an arrow shot from a long-bow; the force of it depends on the strength of the hand that draws it. Argument is like an arrow from a cross-bow,

After all, I cannot but be of opinion, that as Mr. Langton was seriously requested by Dr. Johnson to mention what appeared to him erroneous in the character of his friend, he was bound as an honest man to intimate what he really thought, which he certainly did in the most delicate manner; so that Johnson himself, when in a quiet frame of mind, was pleased with it. The texts suggested are now before me, and I shall quote a few of them. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall luberit the earth."- Matt. v. 5. "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering forbearing one another in love."-Ephes. 1, 2 And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." - Col. iii. 14. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, is not easily provoked."-1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5.- BoSWELL.

2 Dr. Johnson's memory deceived him. The passage referred to is not Bacon's, but Boyle's, and may be found, with a slight variation, in Johnson's Dictionary, under the word Crossbow, So happily selected are the greater part of the examples in that incomparable work, that if the most striking passages found in it were collected by one of our moderi lokmakers, under the title of " The Beauties of Johnson's Dictionary," they would form a very pleasing and popular volume. MALONE.

Dr. Moore, in his Life of Smollett, professes to relate this circumstance (at which he was present) with more "prelon" than Boswell; but it is satisfactory to find that his

which has equal force though shot by a child." 3

5

He had dined that day at Mr. Hoole's, and Miss Helen Maria Williams being expected in the evening, Mr. Hoole put into his hands her beautiful "Ode on the Peace." Johnson read it over, and when this elegant and acComplished young lady was presented to him, he took her by the hand in the most courteous manner, and repeated the finest stanza of her poem. This was the most delicate and pleasing compliment he could pay. Her respectable friend, Dr. Kippis, from whom I had this anecdote, was standing by, and was not a little gratified.

Miss Williams told me, that the only other time she was fortunate enough to be in Dr. Johnson's company, he asked her to sit down by him, which she did; and upon her inquiring how he was, he answered, "I am very ill indeed, Madam. I am very ill even when you are near me; what should I be were you at a distance?'

["JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS,

"May 28. 1784. "MADAM,-You do me wrong by imputing my omission to any captious punctiliousness. I have not yet seen Sir Joshua, and, when I do see him, I know not how to serve you. When I spoke upon your affairs to him, at Christmas, I received no encouragement to speak again.

"But we shall never do business by letters. We must see one another.

"I have returned your papers, [pp. 697.706.] and am glad that you laid aside the thought of printing them. I am, Madam, your most humble servant, -Reyn. MSS. "SAM. JOHNSON."]

JOHNSON TO DR. HAMILTON."

"Bolt Court, June 4. 1783. "REVEREND SIR,- Be pleased to excuse this application from a stranger in favour of one who has very little ability to speak for herself. The

statement proves the accuracy of Boswell's narration, as well as the superiority of his style of reporting.

CROKER.

3c3

unhappy woman who waits on you with this, has been known to me many years. She is the daughter of a clergyman of Leicestershire, who by an unhappy marriage is reduced to solicit a refuge in the workhouse of your parish, to which she has a claim by her husband's settlement.

Her case admits of little deliberation; she is turned out of her lodging into the street. What my condition allows me to do for her I have already done, and having no friend, she can have recourse only to the parish. I am, reverend Sir, &c.,

SAM. JOHNSON,"

June 2. 1784.

"SIR, You do every thing that is liberal and kind. Mrs. Pellè is a bad manager for herself, but I will employ a more skilful agent, one Mrs. Gardiner, who will wait on you and employ Pellé's money to the best advantage. Mrs. Gardiner will wait on you.

"I return you, Sir, sincere thanks for your attention to me. I am ill, but hope to come back better, and to be made better still by your conversation. I am, Sir, &c., SAM. JOHNSON."] -MSS.

He had now a great desire to go to Oxford, as his first jaunt after his illness. We talked of it for some days, and I had promised to accompany him. He was impatient and fretful to-night, because I did not at once agree to go with him on Thursday. When I considered how ill he had been, and what allowance should be made for the influence of sickness upon his temper, I resolved to indulge him, though with some inconvenience to myself, as I wished to attend the musical meeting in honour of Handel, in Westminster Abbey, on the following Saturday.

In the midst of his own diseases and pains, he was ever compassionate to the distresses of others, and actively earnest in procuring them aid, as appears from a note to Sir Joshua Reynolds, of June, in these words:

goodness of Johnson's heart, and the spirit with which he entered into the cause and interests of an individual in distress, when he was almost on the bed of sickness and death himself."-WRIGHT.

Dr. Johnson left town on the following morning, with Boswell, for Oxford. WRIGHT.

2 The following note from Miss Reynolds shows that he was not a solicitor for the poor of his own acquaintance only. It seems to have been given to some poor woman as an introduction to Dr. Johnson: -

"Dover Street, July 9.

"MY GOOD SIR, I could not forbear to communicate to the poor woman the hope you had given me of using your

JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS.

"I am ashamed to ask for some relief for a poor man, to whom I hope I have given what I can be The man importunes me, and expected to spare. the blow goes round. I am going to try another air on Thursday."*

On Thursday, June 3., the Oxford post coach took us up in the morning at Bolt Court. The other two passengers were Mrs. Beresford and her daughter, two very agreeable ladies from America; they were going to Worcestershire, where they then resided. Frank had been sent by his master the day before to take places for us; and I found from the way-bill that Dr. Johnson had made our names be put down. Mrs. Beresford, who had read it, whispered me, "Is this the great Dr. Johnson?" I told her it was; so she was then prepared to listen. As she soon happened to mention, in a voice so low that Johnson did not hear it, that her husband had been a meme ! ber of the American Congress, I cautioned ber to beware of introducing that subject, as she must know how very violent Johnson was against the people of that country. He talked a great deal; but I am sorry I have preserved little of the conversation. Miss Beresford was so much charmed, that she said to me aside, "How he does talk! Every sentence is an essay." She amused herself in the coach with knotting. He would scarcely allow this species of employment any merit. "Next to mere idleness," said he, "I think knotting is to be reckoned in the scale of insignificance; though I once attempted to learn knotting: Demp ster's sister (looking to me) endeavoured to teach me it, but I made no progress."

I was surprised at his talking without reserve in the public post coach of the state o his affairs: "I have," said he, "about the world, I think, above a thousand pounds, which I intend shall afford Frank an annuity c seventy pounds a year." Indeed, his opennes with people at a first interview was remarkable He said once to Mr. Langton, “I think I ar like Squire Richard in The Journey to London,' I'm never strange in a strange place.” He was truly social. He strongly censured what is much too common in England aving persons of condition, maintaining an absolate silence when unknown to each other; as, for instance, when occasionally brought together in a room before the master or mistress of the

interest with your friends to raise her a little sum, to expl her to see her native country again; nor could I refuse to write a line to procure her the pleasure of the comârzan of that hope.

"I am, and always have been, very troublesome te you but you are, and always have been, very good to your ¬əkə humble servant, FRANCES REYNOLDS

3 The remark is made by Miss Jenny, and not by har brother. From its smartness it would have been ill suitım. to one who was originally described in the dramatis perada as "a mere whelp." -MARKLAND.

house has appeared. "Sir, that is being so uncivilised as not to understand the common rights of humanity."

At the inn where we stopped he was exceedingly dissatisfied with some roast mutton which we had for dinner. The ladies, I saw, wondered to see the great philosopher, whose wisdom and wit they had been admiring all the way, get into ill-humour from such a cause. He scolded the waiter, saying, "It is as bad as bad can be it is ill-fed, ill-killed, ill-kept, and

ill-drest."

He bore the journey very well, and seemed to feel himself elevated as he approached Oxford, that magnificent and venerable seat of learning, orthodoxy, and Toryism. Frank came in the heavy coach, in readiness to attend him; and we were received with the most polite hospitality at the house of his old friend Dr. Adams, Master of Pembroke College, who had given us a kind invitation. Before we were set down, I communicated to Johnson my having engaged to return to London directly for the reason I have mentioned, but that I would hasten back to him again. He was pleased that I had made this journey merely to keep him company. He was easy and placid with Dr. Adams, Mrs. and Miss Adams, and Mrs. Kennicott, widow of the learned Hebræan, who was here on a visit. He soon despatched the inquiries that were made about his illness and recovery by a short and distinct narrative, and then assuming a gay air, repeated from Swift, —

"Nor think on our approaching ills, And talk of spectacles and pills." Dr. Newton, the Bishop of Bristol, having been mentioned, Johnson, recollecting the manner in which he had been censured by that prelate, thus retaliated: "Tom knew he should be dead before what he has said of

66

me would appear. He durst not have printed it while he was alive." Dr. ADAMS. "I believe his 'Dissertations on the Prophecies' is his great work." JOHNSON. Why, Sir, it is Tom's great work; but how far it is great, or how much of it is Tom's, are other questions. I fancy a considerable part of it was borrowed." Dr. ADAMS. "He was a very successful man." JOHNSON. "I don't think so, Sir. He did not get very high. He was late in getting what he did get; and he did not get it by the best means. I believe he was a gross flatterer."

I fulfilled my intention by going to London, and returned to Oxford on Wednesday the 9th of June, when I was happy to find myself again in the same agreeable circle at Pembroke College, with the comfortable prospect of making some stay. Johnson welcomed my return with more than ordinary glee.

"2

He talked with great regard of the Honourable Archibald Campbell, whose character he had given at the Duke of Argyll's table when we were at Inverary, and at this time wrote out for me, in his own hand, a fuller account of that learned and venerable writer, which I have published in its proper place. [p. 389.] Johnson made a remark this evening which struck me a good deal. "I never," said he, "knew a nonjuror who could reason.' Surely he did not mean to deny that faculty to many of their writers to Hickes, Brett, and other eminent divines of that persuasion; and did not recollect that the seven bishops, so justly celebrated for their magnanimous resistance of arbitrary power, were yet nonjurors to the new government. The nonjuring clergy of Scotland, indeed, who, excepting a few, have lately, by a sudden stroke, cut off all ties of allegiance to the house of Stuart, and resolved to pray for our present lawful sovereign by name, may be thought to have confirmed this

Dr. Newton, in his account of his own Life, after animadverting upon Mr. Gibbon's History, says,

"Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets' afforded more amusement; but candour was much hurt and offended at the malevolence that predominates in every part. Some passages, it must be allowed, are judicious and well written, but Take not sufficient compensation for so much spleen and il-humour. Never was any biographer more sparing of his praise, or more abundant in his censures. He seemingly delights more in exposing blemishes, than in recommending beauties; slightly passes over excellences, enlarges upon imperfections, and, not content with his own severe reflections, revives old scandal, and produces large quotations from the forgotten works of former critics. His reputation was so Fish in the republic of letters, that it wanted not to be raised upon the ruins of others. But these essays, instead of ratsing a higher idea than was before entertained of his understanding, have certainly given the world a worse opinion of his temper. The bishop was therefore the more surprised and concerned for his townsman, for he respected him not only for his genius and learning, but valued him much for the more amiable part of his character- his humanity and charity, his morality and religion."

The last sentence we may consider as the general and permanent opinion of Bishop Newton; the remarks which precede it must, by all who have read Johnson's admirable work, be imputed to the disgust and peevishness of old age. I wish they had not appeared, and that Dr. Johnson had not been provoked by them to express himself not in respectful terms of a prelate whose labours were certainly of consideraule advantage both to literature and religion. - BOSWELL.

The Rev. Mr. Agutter has favoured me with a note of a dialogue between Mr. John Henderson (post, p. 763.) and Dr. Johnson on this topic, as related by Mr. Henderson, and it is evidently so authentic that I shall here insert it :- HENDERSON.

SON.

He

"What do you think, Sir, of William Law?" JOHN"William Law, Sir, wrote the best piece of parenetic divinity; but William Law was no reasoner." HENDERSON. Jeremy Collier, Sir?" JOHNSON. "Jeremy Collier fought without a rival, and therefore could not claim the victory." Mr. Henderson mentioned Ken and Kettlewell; but some objections were made: at last he said. "But, Sir, what do you think of Lesley?" JouNSON. "Charles Lesley I had forgotten. Lesley was a reasoner, and a reasoner who was not to be reasoned against." BOSWELL. Charles was the son of Dr. John Leslie, Bishop of Clogher in Ireland was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. Though zealous against popery and King James's popish measures, he could not reconcile his conscience to the oaths to William and Mary, and so became a nonjuror, of which party he was one of the chief literary and theological supports and ornaments. After many years of exile, he returned to his native country, and died in 1722, at his own house at Glaslough, in the county of Monaghan, where his descendants have continued to reside. The present possessor, Mr. Charles Powell Leslie, his great grandson, has represented that county in several parliaments. CHOKER, 1831.

3 Mr. Boswell is mistaken: two of the seven bishops, viz. Lloyd, of St. Asaph's, and Trelawney, of Bristol, transferred after the Revolution to Exeter and Winchester, were not nonjurors. - CROKER.

remark; as it may be said, that the divine indefeasible hereditary right which they professed to believe, if ever true, must be equally true still. Many of my readers will be surprised when I mention that Johnson assured me he had never in his life been in a nonjuring meeting-house.

Next morning at breakfast, he pointed out a passage in Savage's "Wanderer," saying, "These are fine verses." "If," said he, "I had written with hostility of Warburton in my Shakspeare, I should have quoted this couplet:

Here Learning, blinded first, and then beguiled, Looks dark as Ignorance, as Frenzy wild.' You see they'd have fitted him to a T," (smiling.) Dr. ADAMS. "But you did not write against Warburton." JOHNSON. "No, Sir, I treated him with great respect, both in my preface and in my notes."1

Mrs. Kennicott spoke of her brother, the Reverend Mr. Chamberlayne, who had given up great prospects in the Church of England on his conversion to the Roman Catholic faith. | Johnson, who warmly admired every man who acted from a conscientious regard to principle, erroneous or not, exclaimed fervently, "God

bless him."

Mrs. Kennicott, in confirmation of Dr. Johnson's opinion that the present was not worse than former ages, mentioned that her brother assured her there was now less infidelity on the continent than there had been 3; Voltaire and Rousseau were less read. I asserted, from good authority, that Hume's infidelity was certainly less read. JOHNSON. "All infidel writers drop into oblivion when personal connexions and the floridness of novelty are gone; though now and then a foolish fellow, who thinks he can be witty upon them, may bring them again into notice. There will sometimes start up a college joker, who does not consider that what is a joke in a college will not do in the world. To

1 See antè, p. 54.-C.

2 Mr. Hallam informs me that there is here an inaccuracy. Mr. George Chamberlayne was a clerk in the Treasury, and never was in the Church of England. He became a Romish priest, and died in London within the last twenty years. The catastrophe of his elder brother, Edward Chamberlayne (see ante, p. 686. n. 4) makes me suspect something of mental aberration in this case, as there certainly has been in numerous similar conversions. CROKER, 1835-47.

3 The Revolution would seem to negative this opinion, but I incline to believe that it was true. Infidelity may have been on the decrease, when the political hurricane arose and swept all into the chaos of anarchy and atheism. -CROKER,

1831-47.

4 I have inserted the stanza as Johnson repeated it from memory; but I have since found the poem itself, in " The Foundling Hospital for Wit," printed at London, 1749. It is as follows:

"EPIGRAM, occasioned by a religious dispute at Bath. "On reason, faith, and mystery high, Two wits harangue the table; By believes he knows not why, N swears 'tis all a fable.

such defenders of religion I would apply a stanza of a poem which I remember to have seen in some old collection :

Henceforth be quiet and agree,

Each kiss his empty brother:
Religion scorns a foe like thee,

But dreads a friend like t'other.'

The point is well, though the expression is not correct: one, and not thee, should be opposed to t'other.*

On the Roman Catholic religion he said, "If you join the papists externally, they will in their tenets. not interrogate you strictly as to your belief No reasoning papist believes every article of their faith. There is one side on which a good man might be persuaded to embrace it. A good man of a timorous disposition, in great doubt of his acceptance with God, and pretty credulous, may be glad to be of a church where there are so many helps to get to heaven. I would be a papist if I could. I have fear enough; but an obstinate rationality prevents me. I shall never be a papist, unless on the near approach of death, of which I have a very great terror. I wonder that women are not all papists." BOSWELL. “They are not more afraid of death than men are. JOHNSON. "Because they are less wicked." Dr. ADAMS. " They are more pious." JOHNSON. "No, hang 'em, they are not more pious. A wicked fellow is the most pions when he takes to it. He'll beat you all at piety."

He argued in defence of some of the peculiar tenets of the church of Rome. As to the giving the bread only to the laity, he said,

They may think, that in what is merely ritual, deviations from the primitive mode may be admitted on the ground of convenience; and I think they are as well warranted to make this alteration, as we are to substitute sprinkling in the room of the ancient baptism. As to the invocation of saints, he said, "Though I do not think it

Peace, coxcombs, peace! and both agree!
N, kiss thy empty brother;
Religion laughs at foes like thee,

And dreads a friend like t'other."— BOSWELLThe disputants alluded to in this epigram are supposed to have been Beau Nash and Bentley, the son of the doctor and the friend of Walpole, who, however, was a man of considerable, though desultory, abilities.-CROKER.

5 This facility however, it may in their last mome delude the timorous and credulous, is, as Jeremy Taylor serves, proportionably injurious if previously calculated upon. When addressing a convert to the Romish church he says, "If I had a mind to live an evil life, and yet hope fe heaven at last, I would be of your religion above say in the world."-Works, vol. xi. p. 190.- CROKER.

6 Bishop Elrington very justly observed that the scra ment is not merely ritual. Had it been an institution of the church of Rome, they might have modified it; but it was a solemn and specific ordinance of our Saviour himself, which no church could justifiably alter.- CROKE.

7 I do not recollect any scriptural authority that primitive baptism should necessarily be by immersion. From the Acts, ii. 41., it may be inferred that 3000 persons were bad in Jerusalem in one day, and the jailor of Philipp his family were baptized hastily at night, and, as it would seem, within the purlieus of the prison (Acts, avi, M.J.