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Mr. Garrick, and other eminent speakers, might deviation from rank, it should be punished so be transmitted to posterity in score.1

as to deter others from the same perversion.'

After frequently considering this subject, I am more and more confirmed in what I then meant to express, and which was sanctioned by the authority and illustrated by the wisdom of Johnson; and I think it of the utmost conse

Next day I dined with Johnson at Mr. Thrale's. He attacked Gray, calling him 'a dull fellow.' BOSWELL: I understand he was reserved, and might appear dull in company; but surely he was not dull in poetry.' JOHNSON: 'Sir, he was dull in company, dull in his closet, dull every-quence to the happiness of society, to which where. He was dull in a new way, and that made many people think him GREAT. He was a mechanical poet.' He then repeated some ludicrous lines, which have escaped my memory, and said, 'Is not that GREAT, like his Odes?' Mrs. Thrale maintained that his Odes were melodious; upon which he exclaimed,

'Weave the warp, and weave the woof;'

I added, in a solemn tone,

subordination is absolutely necessary. It is weak and contemptible, and unworthy in at parent to relax in such a case. It is sacrificing general advantage to private feelings. And let it be considered, that the claim of a daughter who has acted thus to be restored to her former situation, is either fantastical or unjust. If there be no value in the distinction of rank, what does she suffer by being kept in the situation to which she has descended? If there be a value in that distinction, it ought to be steadily maintained. If indulgence be shown to such conduct, and the

"The winding-sheet of Edward's race." There is a good line.' 'Ay,' said he, and the next line is a good one (pronouncing it contemp-offenders know that in a longer or shorter time tuously),

"Give ample verge and room enough." No, sir, there are but two good stanzas in Gray's poetry, which are in his Elegy in a Country Churchyard. He then repeated the stanza,

'For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey,' etc., mistaking one word; for instead of precincts he said confines. He added, 'The other stanza I forget.'

A young lady who had married a man much her inferior in rank being mentioned, a question arose how a woman's relations should behave to her in such a situation; and while I recapitulate the debate, and recollect what has since happened, I cannot but be struck in a manner that delicacy forbids me to express. While I contended that she ought to be treated with an inflexible steadiness of displeasure, Mrs. Thrale was all for mildness and forgiveness, and, according to the vulgar phrase, 'making the best of a bad bargain.' JOHNSON: 'Madam, we must distinguish. Were I a man of rank, I would not let a daughter starve who had made a mean marriage; but having voluntarily degraded herself from the station which she was originally entitled to hold, I would support her only in that which she herself had chosen, and would not put her on a level with my other daughters. You are to consider, madam, that it is our duty to maintain the subordination of civilised society; and when there is a gross and shameful

1 I use the phrase in score, as Dr. Johnson has explained it in his Dictionary: A song in SCORE, the words with the musical notes of a song annexed.' But I understand that, in scientific propriety, it means all the parts of a musical composition noted down in the characters by which it is exhibited to the eye of the skilful-BosWELL.

It was declamation that Steele pretended to reduce to notation by new characters. This he called the melody of speech, not the harmony, which the term in score implies.-BURNEY.

they shall be received as well as if they had not contaminated their blood by a base alliance, the great check upon that inordinate caprice which generally occasions low marriages will be removed, and the fair and comfortable order of improved life will be miserably disturbed.

Lord Chesterfield's Letters being mentioned, Johnson said, 'It was not to be wondered at that they had so great a sale, considering that they were the letters of a statesman, a wit, one who had been so much in the mouths of mankind, one long accustomed virâm volitare per ora.' On Friday, March 31, I supped with him and some friends at a tavern. One of the company attempted, with too much forwardness, to rally him on his late appearance at the theatre; but had reason to repent of his temerity. "Why, sir, did you go to Mrs. Abington's benefit? Did you see?' JOHNSON: 'No, sir.' 'Did you hear?' JOHNSON: No, sir.' 'Why then, sir, did you go?' JOHNSON: Because, sir, she is a favourite of the public; and when the public cares the thousandth part for you that it does for her, I will go to your benefit too.'

Next morning I won a small bet from Lady Diana Beauclerk, by asking him as to one of his particularities, which her ladyship laid I durst not do. It seems he had been frequently observed at the Club to put into his pocket the Seville oranges, after he had squeezed the juice of them into the drink which he had made for himself. Beauclerk and Garrick talked of it to me, and seemed to think that he had a strange unwillingness to be discovered. We could not divine what he did with them; and this was the bold question to be put. I saw on his table the spoils of the preceding night, some fresh peels nicely scraped and cut into pieces. 'Oh, sir,' said I, 'I now partly see what you do with the squeezed oranges you put into your pocket at the Club.' JOHNSON: 'I have a great love for them.' BosWELL: And pray, sir, what do you do with

them? You scrape them, it seems, very neatly, and what next?' JOHNSON: Let them dry, sir.' BOSWELL: And what next?' JOHNSON: 'Nay, sir, you shall know their fate no further.' BOSWELL: 'Then the world must be left in the dark. It must be said,' assuming a mock solemnity, 'he scraped them and let them dry; but what he did with them next he never could be prevailed upon to tell.' JOHNSON: Nay, sir, you should say it more emphatically:-he could not be prevailed upon, even by his dearest friends, to tell.'

He had this morning received his diploma as Doctor of Laws from the University of Oxford. He did not vaunt of his new dignity, but I understood he was highly pleased with it. I shall here insert the progress and completion of that high academical honour, in the same manner as I have traced his obtaining that of Master of Arts.

'TO THE REVEREND DR. FOTHERGILL,

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, to be communicated to the Heads of Houses and proposed in Convocation.

sione felicissimum, scriptis suis, ad popularium mores formandos summâ verborum elegantia ac sententiarum gravitate compositis, ita olim inclaruisse, ut dignus videretur cui ab Academia sua eximia quædam laudis præmia deferentur, quique venerabilem Magistrorum Ordinem summa cum dignitate coöptaretur.

'Cùm verò eundem clarissimum virum tot posteà tantique laboris, in patria præscrtim lingua ornandâ et stabiliendâ feliciter impensi, ita insigniverint, ut in Literarum Republicâ PRINCEPS jam et PRIMARIUS jure habeatur ; Nos, CANCELLARIUS, Magistri, et Scholares Universitatis Oxoniensis, quô talis viri merita pari honoris remuneratione exæquentur, et perpetuum suæ simul laudis, nostræque ergà literas propensissimæ voluntatis extet monumentum, in solenni Convocatione Doctorum et Magistrorum Regentium, et non Regentium, prædictum SAMUELEM JOHNSON, Doctorem in Jure Civili renunciavimus et constituimus, eumque virtute

præsentis Diplomatis singulis juribus, privilegiis et honoribus, ad istem gradum quàquà pertinentibus, frui et gaudere jussimus. In cujus rei testimonium commune Universitatis Oxoniensis sigillum præsentibus apponi fecimus.

'Datum in Domo nostræ Convocationis die tricesimo Mensis Martii, Anno Domini Millesimo septingentesimo, septuagesimo quinto.”1

Universitatis Oxoniensis
S.P.D.

Vice-Cancellario.

'DOWNING STREET, March 3, 1775. MR. VICE-CHANCELLOR AND GENTLEMEN,The honour of the degree of M.A. by diploma, formerly conferred upon MR. SAMUEL JOHNSON, in consequence of his having eminently distin-Viro Reverendo THOME FOTHERGILL. S.T.P. guished himself by the publication of a series of Essays, excellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the cause of religion and morality has been maintained and recommended by the strongest powers of argument and elegance of language, reflected an equal degree of lustre upon the University itself.

'The many learned labours which have since that time employed the attention and displayed the abilities of that great man, so much to the advancement of literature and the benefit of the community, render him worthy of more distinguished honours in the republic of letters; and I persuade myself that I shall act agreeably to the sentiments of the whole University in desiring that it may be proposed in Convocation to confer on him the degree of Doctor in Civil Law, by diploma, to which I readily give my consent; and am, Mr. Vice-Chancellor and Gentlemen, your affectionate friend and servant,

DIPLOMA.

"NORTH."1

6 CANCELLARIUS, Magistri, et Scholares Universitatis Oxoniensis omnibus ad quos presentes Literæ pervenerint, salutem in Domino Sempiternam.

'SCIATIS, virum illustrem SAMUELEM JOHNSON, in omni humaniorum literarum genere eruditum, omniumque scientiarum comprehen

1 Extracted from the Convocation Register, Oxford. -BSOWELL.

'SAM. JOHNSON.

'MULTIS non est opus, ut testimonium quo, te præside, Oxoniensis nomen meum posteris commendârunt, quali animo acceperim compertum faciam. Nemo sibi placens non lætatur ; nemo sibi non placet, qui vobis, literarum arbitris, placere potuit. Hoc tamen habet incommodi tantum beneficium, quod mihi nunquam posthac sine vestræ famæ detrimento vel labi

1 The original is in my possession. He showed me the diploma, and allowed me to read it, but would not consent to my taking a copy of it, fearing perhaps that I should blaze it abroad in his lifetime. His objection to this appears from his 99th letter to Mrs. Thrale, whom in that letter he thus scolds for the grossness of her flattery of him :- The other Oxford news is, that they have sent me a degree of Doctor of Laws, with such praises in the diploma as perhaps ought to make me ashamed; they are very like your praises. I wonder whether I shall ever show it to you.'

It is remarkable that he never, so far as I know, assumed his title of Doctor, but called himself Mr. Johnson, as appears from many of his cards or notes to myself, and I have seen many from him to other persons, in which he uniformly takes that designation. -I once observed on his table a letter directed to him with the addition of Esquire, and objected to it as being a designation inferior to that of Doctor; but he checked me, and seemed pleased with it, because, as I conjectured, he liked to be sometimes taken out of the class of literary men, and to be merely genteel-un gentilhomme comme un autre.—BoSWELL.

liceat vel cessare; semperque sit timendum ne quod mihi tam eximiæ laudi est, vobis aliquando fiat opprobrio. Vale.1

7. Id. Apr. 1775.'

He revised some sheets of Lord Hailes's Annals of Scotland, and wrote a few notes on the margin with red ink, which he bade me tell his lordship did not sink into the paper, and might be wiped off with a wet sponge, so that it did not spoil his manuscript. I observed to him that there were very few of his friends so accurate as that I could venture to put down in writing what they told me as his sayings. JOHNSON: 'Why should you write down my sayings?' BosWELL: 'I write them when they are good.' JOHNSON: Nay, you may as well write down the sayings of any one else that are | good.' But where, I might with great propriety have added, can I find such?

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I visited him by appointment in the evening, and we drank tea with Mrs. Williams. He told me that he had been in the company of a gentleman whose extraordinary travels had been much the subject of conversation. But I found he had not listened to him with that full confidence, without which there is little satisfaction in the society of travellers. I was curious to hear what opinion so able a judge as Johnson had formed of his abilities, and I asked if he was not a man of sense. JOHNSON: Why, sir, he is not a distinct relater; and I should say, he is neither abounding nor deficient in sense. I did not perceive any superiority of understanding.' BoSWELL: 'But will you not allow him a nobleness of resolution in penetrating into distant regions?' JOHNSON: That, sir, is not to the present purpose. We are talking of sense. A fighting cock has a nobleness of resolution.'

Next day, Sunday, April 2, I dined with him at Mr. Hoole's.. We talked of Pope. JOHNSON: 'He wrote his Dunciad for fame. That was his primary motive. Had it not been for that, the dunces might have railed against him till they were weary without his troubling himself about them. He delighted to vex them, no doubt; but he had more delight in seeing how well he could vex them.'

The Odes to Obscurity and Oblivion, in ridicule of cool Mason and warm Gray,' being mentioned, Johnson said, 'They are Colman's best things.' Upon its being observed that it was believed these Odes were made by Colman and Lloyd jointly-JOHNSON: Nay, sir, how can two people make an Ode? Perhaps one made one of them, and one the other.' I observed that two people had made a play, and quoted the anecdote of Beaumont and Fletcher, who

1 The original is in the hands of Dr. Fothergill, then Vice-Chancellor, who made this transcript.-T. WAR

TON.

2 Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller.

were brought under suspicion of treason, because, while concerting the plan of a tragedy when sitting together at a tavern, one of them was overheard saying to the other, 'I'll kill the King.' JOHNSON: The first of these Odes is the best; but they are both good. They exposed a very bad kind of writing.' BoswELL: 'Surely, sir, Mr. Mason's Elfrida is a fine poem at least you will allow there are some good passages in it.' JOHNSON: There are now and then some good imitations of Milton's bad manner.'

I often wondered at his low estimation of the writings of Gray and Mason. Of Gray's poetry I have in a former part of this work expressed my high opinion; and for that of Mr. Mason I have ever entertained a warm admiration. His Elfrida is exquisite, both in poetical description and moral sentiment; and his Caractacus is a noble drama. Nor can I omit paying my tribute of praise to some of his smaller poems, which I have read with pleasure, and which no criticism shall persuade me not to like. If I wondered at Johnson's not tasting the works of Mason and Gray, still more have I wondered at their not tasting his works; that they should be insensible to his energy of diction, to his splendour of images, and comprehension of thought. Tastes may differ as to the violin, the flute, the hautboy, in short, all the lesser instruments; but who can be insensible to the powerful impressions of the majestic organ?

His Taxation no Tyranny being mentioned, he said, 'I think I have not been attacked enough for it. Attack is the reaction; I never think I have hit hard unless it rebounds.' BosWELL: 'I don't know, sir, what you would be at. Five or six shots of small arms in every newspaper, and repeated cannonading in pamphlets, might, I think, satisfy you. But, sir, you'll never make out this match, of which we have talked, with a certain political lady, since you are so severe against her principles.' JOHNSON: Nay, sir, I have the better chance for that. She is like the Amazons of old; she must be courted by the sword. But I have not been severe upon her.' BOSWELL: Yes, sir, you have made her ridiculous.' JOHNSON: "That was already done, sir. To endeavour to make her ridiculous, is like blacking the chimney.'

I put him in mind that the landlord at Ellon in Scotland said that he heard he was the greatest man in England, -next to Lord Mansfield. Ay, sir,' said he, the exception defined the idea. A Scotchman could go no farther:

The force of Nature could no farther go.' Lady Miller's collection of verses by fashionable people, which were put into her vase at Bath-Easton villa, near Bath, in competition for honorary prizes, being mentioned, he held them very cheap: 'Boutsrimès,' said he,' is a mere conceit, and an old conceit now; I wonder how people were persuaded to write in that

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He made the common remark on the unhappiness which men who have led a busy life experience when they retire in expectation of enjoying themselves at ease, and that they generally languish for want of their habitual occupation, and wish to return to it. mentioned as strong an instance of this as can well be imagined: An eminent tallow-chandler in London, who had acquired a considerable fortune, gave up the trade in favour of his foreman, and went to live at a country-house near town. He soon grew weary, and paid frequent visits to his old shop, where he desired they might let him knew their melting-days, and he would come and assist them; which he accordingly did. Here, sir, was a man, to whom the most disgusting circumstances in the business to which he had been used was a relief from idleness.'

CHAPTER XXXI.

1775.

ON Wednesday, April 5, I dined with Johnson at Messieurs Dilly's, with Mr. John Scott of Amwell, the Quaker, Mr. Langton, Mr. Miller (now Sir John), and Dr. Thomas Campbell, an Irish clergyman, whom I took the liberty of inviting to Mr. Dilly's table, having seen him at Mr. Thrale's, and been told that he had come to England chiefly with a view to see Dr. Johnson, for whom he entertained the highest veneration. He has since published A Philosophical Survey of the South of Ireland, a very entertaining book, which has however one fault -that it assumes the fictitious character of an Englishman.

We talked of public speaking. JOHNSON: 'We must not estimate a man's powers by his being able or not able to deliver his sentiments in public. Isaac Hawkins Browne, one of the first wits of this country, got into Parliament, and never opened his mouth. For my own part, I think it is more disgraceful never to try to speak, than to try it, and fail; as it is more disgraceful not to fight, than to fight and be beaten.' This argument appeared to me fallacious; for if

a man has not spoken, it may be said that he would have done very well if he had tried; whereas, if he has tried and failed, there is nothing to be said for him. 'Why then,' I asked, 'is it thought disgraceful for a man not to fight, and not disgraceful not to speak in public?' JOHNSON: 'Because there may be other reasons for a man's not speaking in public than want of resolution: he may have nothing to say (laughing). Whereas, sir, you know courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues ; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other.'

He observed, that 'the statutes against bribery were intended to prevent upstarts with money from getting into Parliament;' adding, that 'if he were a gentleman of landed property, he would turn out all his tenants who did not vote for the candidate whom he supported.' LANGTON: Would not that, sir, be checking the freedom of election?' JOHNSON: 'Sir, the law does not mean that the privilege of voting should be independent of old family interest, of the permanent property of the country.'

On Thursday, April 6, I dined with him at Mr. Thomas Davies's with Mr. Hicky, the painter, and my old acquaintance Mr. Moody, the player.

Dr. Johnson, as usual, spoke contemptuously of Colley Cibber. 'It is wonderful that a man, who for forty years had lived with the great and the witty, should have acquired so ill the talents of conversation; and he had but half to furnish; for one half of what he said was oaths.' He, however, allowed considerable merit to some of his comedies, and said there was no reason to believe that The Careless Husband was not written by himself. Davies said he was the first dramatic writer who introduced genteel ladies upon the stage. Johnson refuted his observation by instancing several such characters in comedies before his time. DAVIES (trying to defend himself from a charge of ignorance): 'I mean genteel moral characters.' 'I think,' said Hicky, 'gentility and morality are inseparable.' BOSWELL: 'By no means, sir. The genteelest characters are often the most immoral. Does not Lord Chesterfield give precepts for uniting wickedness and the graces? A man, indeed, is not genteel when he gets drunk; but most vices may be committed very genteelly a man may debauch his friend's wife genteelly he may cheat at cards genteelly.' HICKY: 'I do not think that is genteel.' BosWELL: 'Sir, it may not be like a gentleman, but it may be genteel.' JOHNSON: 'You are meaning two different things. One means exterior grace; the other honour. It is certain that a man may be very immoral with exterior grace. Lovelace in Clarissa is a very genteel and a very wicked character. Tom Hervey, who died t'other day, though a vicious man, was one of the genteelest men that ever lived.'

Tom Davies instanced Charles the Second. | get riches as well as those who deserve them JOHNSON (taking fire at any attack upon that prince, for whom he had an extraordinary partiality): 'Charles the Second was licentious in his practice; but he always had a reverence for what was good. Charles the Second knew his people, and rewarded merit. The Church was at no time better filled than in his reign. He was the best king we have had from his time till the reign of his present Majesty, except James the Second, who was a very good king, but unhappily believed that it was necessary for the salvation of his subjects that they should be Roman Catholics. He had the merit of endeavouring to do what he thought was for the salvation of the souls of his subjects, till he lost a great empire. We, who thought that we should not be saved if we were Roman Catholics, had the merit of maintaining our religion, at the expense of submitting ourselves to the government of King William (for it could not be done otherwise),-to the government of one of the most worthless scoundrels that ever existed. No; Charles the Second was not such (naming another king). He did not destroy his father's will. He took money, indeed, from France: but he did not betray those over whom he ruled: he did not let the French fleet pass ours. George the First knew nothing, and desired to know nothing: did nothing, and desired to do nothing; and the only good thing that is told of him is that he wished to restore the crown to its hereditary successor.' He roared with prodigious violence against George the Second. When he ceased, Moody interjected, in an Irish tone, and with a comic look, 'Ah! poor George the Second.'

a man as

I mentioned that Dr. Thomas Campbell had come from Ireland to London principally to see Dr. Johnson. He seemed angry at this observation. DAVIES: 'Why, you know, sir, there came a man from Spain to see Livy,' and Corelli came to England to see Purcell," and when he heard he was dead, went directly back again to Italy.' JOHNSON: 'I should not have wished to be dead to disappoint Campbell, had he been so foolish as you represent him; but I should have wished to have been a hundred miles off.' This was apparently perverse; and I do believe it was not his real way of thinking: he could not but like a man who came so far to see him. He laughed with some complacency when I told him Campbell's odd expression to me concerning him: 'That having seen such a man, was a thing to talk of a century hence,'-as if he could live so long.

We got into an argument whether the judges who went to India might with propriety engage in trade. Johnson warmly maintained that they might, 'For why,' he urged, 'should not judges

1 Plin. Epist. Lib. ii. Ep. 3.-BOSWELL.

2 Mr. Davies was here mistaken. Corelli never was in England.-BURNEY.

less?' I said they should have sufficient salaries, and have nothing to take off their attention from the affairs of the public. JOHNSON: 'No judge, sir, can give his whole attention to his office; and it is very proper that he should employ what time he has to himself to his own advantage, in the most profitable manner.' Then, sir,' said Davies, who enlivened the dispute by making it somewhat dramatic, 'he may become an insurer; and when he is going to the bench he may be stopped,-"Your lordship cannot go yet; here is a bunch of invoices; several ships are about to sail." JOHNSON: Sir, you may as well say a judge should not have a house; for they may come and tell him, "Your lordship's house is on fire;" and so, instead of minding the business of his court, he is to be occupied in getting the engine with the greatest speed. There is no end of this. Every judge who has land, trades to a certain extent in corn or in cattle, and in the land itself. Undoubtedly his steward acts for him, and so do clerks for a great merchant. A judge may be a farmer; but he is not to geld his own pigs. A judge may play a little at cards for his amusement; but he is not to play at marbles, or chuck farthings in the piazza. No, sir, there is no profession to which a man gives a very great proportion of his time. It is wonderful, when a calculation is made, how little the mind is actually employed in the discharge of any profession. No man would be a judge, upon the condition of being totally a judge. The best employed lawyer has his mind at work but for a small proportion of his time: a great deal of his occupation is merely mechanical.-I once wrote for a magazine: I made a calculation that if I should write but a page a day at the same rate, I should, in ten years, write nine volumes in folio, of an ordinary size and print.' BosWELL: 'Such as Carte's History?' JOHNSON: 'Yes, sir, when a man writes from his own mind, he writes very rapidly. The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.'

I argued warmly against the judges trading, and mentioned Hale as an instance of a perfect judge, who devoted himself entirely to his office. JOHNSON: Hale, sir, attended to other things besides law: he left a great estate.' BosWELL: That was because what he got accumulated without any exertion and anxiety on his part.'

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While the dispute went on, Moody once tried to say something on our side. Tom Davies clapped him on the back to encourage him. Beauclerk, to whom I mentioned this circum

1 Johnson certainly did, who had a mind stored with knowledge, and teeming with imagery: but the observation is not applicable to writers in general.—Bos

WELL.

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