CONTAINING

APHORISMS.

ON

LITERATURE, LIFE, AND MANNERS;

WITH

ANECDOTES

OF

DISTINGUISHED PERSONS:

SELECTED AND ARRANGED

FROM

MR. BOSWELL's LIFE OF JOHNSON.

He that queftioneth much hall learn inuch, and content
much; but especially if he apply is queftions to the skill of the
perfons whom he afketh: for he had give chem occafion to
please themselves in fpeaking; and himself thall continually
gather knowledge.

London:

BACON'S ESSAYS.

PRINTED FOR C. DILLY IN THE POULTRY,

M,DCC,XCVIII.

D&

THE approbation bestowed on BOSWELL's Life of JOHNSON, fuggefted the propriety of the selection now offered to the Public. The fentiments of that great moralift and judge of human nature on various interefling topics are here arranged and digested in a manner which it is hoped will prove agreeable to a numerous clafs of readers; those, namely, who seek for inftruction from works which they may take up or lay down at pleasure, without interrupting the chain of an argument, or the circumstances of a nar

ration.

Dr. JOHNSON's converfation poffeffed precifely that excellence fo well defcribed by LORD VERULAM in a sentence almost immediately preceding that, which has been chofen for the motto to the Title Page of this work:-" It is good in difcourfe and fpeech of converfation (Jays his Lordship, in the quaint but expreffive language of his age) to vary and intermingle Speech of the present occafion with arguments ; tales with reafons; asking of questions with telling of opinions; and jeft with earnest."

In