Speaking of Arthur Murphy, whom he very much loved, "I don't know," said he, "that Arthur can be classed with the very first dramatic writers; yet at present, I doubt much whether we have any thing superior to Arthur,"

It being mentioned, that Garrick assisted Dr. Brown, the author of The Estimate, in some dramatic composition; " No, sir ;" said Johnson, "he would no more suffer Garrick to write a line in his play, than he would suffer him to mount his pulpit."

Dr. Goldsmith's new play, She Stoops to Conquer, being mentioned-JOHNSON." I know of no comedy, for many years, that has so much exhilarated an audience that has answered so much the great end of comedy-making an audience merry."

Goldsmith having said, that Garrick's compliment to the queen, which he introduced into the play of The Chances, which he had altered and revised this year, was mean and gross flattery-JOHNSON. "Why, sir, I would not write, I would not give solemnly under my hand, a character beyond what I thought really true; but a speech on the stage, let it flatter ever so extravagantly, is formular. It has always been formular to flatter kings and queens; so much so, that even in our church-service, we have our most religious king' used indiscriminately, whoever is king. Nay, they even flatter themselves :-we have been graciously pleased to grant.'-No modern flattery, however, is so gross as that of the Augustan age, where the emperor was deified. 'Præsens Divus habebitur Augustus.' And as to meanness, (rising into warmth,) how is it mean in a player, a showman,-a fellow who exhibits himself for a shilling-to flatter his queen? The attempt, indeed, was dangerous; for if it had missed, what

became of Garrick, and what became of the queen ? As sir Wiliam Temple says of a great general, it is necessary not only that his designs be formed in a masterly manner, but that they should be attended with success. Sir, it is right, at a time when the royal family is not generally liked, to let it be seen that the people like at least one of them."

Talking on prologue-writing, he observed, “Dryden has written prologues superior to any that David Garrick has written; but David Garrick has written more good prologues than Dryden has done. It is wonderful, that he has been able to write such variety of them."

Boswell observing that Garrick, who was about to quit the stage, would soon have an easier life. JOHNSON. "I doubt that, sir." BOSWELL." Why, sir, he will be Atlas with the burthen off his back." JOHNSON. "But I know not, sir, if he will be so steady without his load. However, he should never play any more, but be entirely the gentleman, and not partly the player: he should no longer subject himself to be hissed by a mob, or to be insolently treated by performers, whom he used to rule with a high hand, and who would gladly retaliate." BOSWELL. "I think he should play once a year for the benefit of decayed actors, as it has been said he means to do." JOHNSON. "Alas, sir! he will soon be a decayed actor himself."

Boswell mentioned his having introduced to Mr, Garrick count Neni, a Flemish nobleman of great rank and fortune, to whom Garrick talked of Abel Drugger as a small part; and related, with pleasant vanity, that a Frenchman, who had seen him in one of his low characters, exclaimed, " Comment! je ne le crois pas. Ce n'est pas Monsieur Garrick,

ce grand homme!" Garrick added, with an appearance of grave recollection, " If I were to begin life again, I think I should not play those low characters." Upon which Boswell observed, "Sir, you would be in the wrong; for your great excellence is your variety of playing-your representing so well characters so very different." JOHNSON. "Garrick, sir, was not in earnest in what he said; for, to be sure, his peculiar excellence is his variety; and perhaps there is not any one character, which has not been as well acted by somebody else, as he could do it." BOSWELL. "Why then, sir, did he talk so?" JOHNSON. "Why, sir to make you answer as you did." BOSWELL. "I don't know, sir; he seemed to dip deep into his mind for the reflection." JOHNSON. "He had not far to dip, sir; he had said the same thing, probably, twenty times before."

66 Garrick," he observed, "does not play the part of Archer, in The Beaux Stratagem, well. The gentleman should break out through the footman, which is not the case as he does it."

Mrs. Pritchard being mentioned, he said, "Her playing was quite mechanical. It is wonderful how little mind she had. Sir, she had never read the tragedy of Macbeth all through. She no more thought of the play out of which her part was taken, than a shoemaker thinks of the skin, out of which he makes shoes."

He thus gave his opinion upon the merits of some of the principal performers, whom he remembered to have seen upon the stage. "Mrs. Porter, in the vehemence of rage, and Mrs. Clive, in the sprightliness of humour, I have never seen equalled.

What Clive did best, she did better than Garrick ; but she could not do half so many things well; she was a better romp than any I ever saw in naturePritchard, in common life, was a vulgar idiot; she would talk of her gownnd; but, when she appeared upon the stage, seemed to be inspired by gentility and understanding. I once talked with Colley Cibber, and thought him ignorant of the principles of his art. Garrick, madam, was no declaimer: there was not one of his own scene-shifters who could not have spoken To be, or not to be, better than he did; yet he was the only actor I ever saw, whom I could call a master both in tragedy and comedy; though I liked him best in comedy. A true conception of character, and natural expression of it, were his distinguished excellences." Having expatiated, with his usual force and eloquence, on Mr. Garrick's extraordinary eminence as an actor, he concluded with this compliment to his social talents: "And after all, madam, I thought him less to be envied on the stage than at the head of a table."

"Are

Johnson, indeed, had thought more upon the subject of acting than might be generally supposed. Talking of it one day to Mr. Kemble, he said, you, sir, one of those enthusiasts, who believe yourself transformed into the very character you represent?" Upon Mr. Kemble's answering, that he had never felt so strong a persuasion himself: " To be sure not, sir," said Johnson; "the thing is impossible. And if Garrick really believed himself to be that monster, Richard the Third, he deserved to be hanged every time he performed it."

SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. "I do not perceive

why the profession of a player should be despised; for the great and ultimate end of all the employments of mankind is to produce amusement. Garrick produces more amusement than any body." BOSWELL." You say, Dr. Johnson, that Garrick exhibits himself for a shilling: in this respect he is only on a footing with a lawyer, who exhibits himself for his fee, and even will maintain any nonsense or absurdity, if the case require it. Garrick refuses a play or a part which he does not like: a lawyer never refuses." JOHNSON. "Why, sir, what does this prove? only that a lawyer is worse. Boswell is now like Jack in The Tale of a Tub, who, when he is puzzled by an argument, hangs himself. He thinks I shall cut him down, but I'll let him hang." (laughing vociferously.) SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. "Mr. Boswell thinks, that the profession of a lawyer being unquestionably honourable, if he can show the profession of a player to be more honourable, he proves his argument."

No. VI.

HISTORY.

TALKING of history, Johnson said, "We may know historical facts to be true, as we may know facts in common life to be true. Motives are generally known. We cannot trust to the characters we find in history, unless when they are drawn by those who knew the persons; as those, for instance, by Sallust and by lord Clarendon.”

"Lord Hailes's Annals of Scotland," he re