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1769.

opinion, unbiaffed by any prejudice, or any proud jealousy of a woman intruding herself into the chair of criticism; for Sir Joshua Reynolds has told Etat. 60. me, that when the Effay first came out, and it was not known who had written it, Johnfon wondered how Sir Joshua could like it. At this time Sir Joshua himself had received no information concerning the authour, except being affured by one of our most eminent literati, that it was clear its authour did not know the Greek tragedies in the original. One day at Sir Joshua's table, when it was related that Mrs. Montague, in an excefs of compliment to the authour of a modern tragedy, had exclaimed, "I tremble for Shakspeare ;” Johnfon faid, "When Shakspeare has got for his rival, and Mrs.

Montague for his defender, he is in a poor state indeed."

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Johnson proceeded: "The Scotchman has taken the right method in his • Elements of Criticifm.' I do not mean that he has taught us any thing; but he has told us old things in a new way." MURPHY. "He feems to have read a great deal of French criticism, and wants to make it his own; as if he had been for years anatomifing the heart of man, and peeping into every cranny of it." GOLDSMITH." It is easier to write that book, than to read it." JOHNSON. "We have an example of true criticism in Burke's Effay on the Sublime and Beautiful;' and, if I recollect, there is also Du Bos; and Bouhours, who fhews all beauty to depend on truth. There is no great merit in telling how many plays have ghosts in them, and how this ghoft is better than that. You must fhew how terrour is impreffed on the human heart.-In the defcription of night in Macbeth, the beetle and the bat detract from the general idea of darkness,-infpiffated gloom."

Politicks being mentioned, he faid, "This. petitioning is a new mode of diftreffing government, and a mighty eafy one. I will undertake to get petitions either against quarter guineas or half guineas, with the help of a littlehot wine. There must be no yielding to encourage this. The object is not important enough. We are not to blow up half a dozen palaces, because one cottage is burning."

The converfation then took another turn. JOHNSON. "It is amazing what ignorance of certain points one fometimes finds in men of eminence. A wit about town, who wrote Latin bawdy verfes, asked me, how it happened that England and Scotland, which were once two kingdoms, were now one :—and Sir

and confidering how many young people were misled by his witty, though falfe obfervations, Mrs. Montague's Effay was of fervice to Shakspeare with a certain clafs of readers, and is, therefore, entitled to praife. Johnson, I am affured, allowed the merit which I have stated, faying, (with reference to Voltaire,) "it is conclufive ad hominem."

Fletcher

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Fletcher Norton did not seem to know that there were fuch publications as the Etat. 60. Reviews."

"The ballad of Hardyknute has no great merit, if it be really ancient. People talk of nature. But mere obvious nature may be exhibited with very little power of mind."

On Thursday, October 19, I paffed the evening with him at his houfe. He advised me to complete a Dictionary of words peculiar to Scotland, of which I fhewed him a fpecimen. "Sir, (faid he,) Ray has made a collection of north-country words. By collecting those of your country, you will do a useful thing towards the hiftory of the language." He bade me alfo go on with collections which I was making upon the antiquities of Scotland. "Make a large book; a folio." BOSWELL. "But of what ufe will it be, Sir?" JOHNSON. "Never mind the ufe; do it."

I complained that he had not mentioned Garrick in his Preface to Shakspeare; and asked him if he did not admire him. JOHNSON. "Yes, as a poor player, who frets and ftruts his hour upon the ftage;-as a fhadow." BOSWELL. "But has he not brought Shakspeare into notice?" JOHNSON. "Sir, to allow that, would be to lampoon the age. Many of Shakspeare's plays are the worfe for being acted: Macbeth, for inftance." BOSWELL. "What, Sir, is nothing gained by decoration and action? Indeed, I do wish that you had mentioned Garrick." JOHNSON. "My dear Sir, had I mentioned him, I must have mentioned many more: Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Cibber,-nay, and Mr. Cibber too; he too altered Shakspeare." BOSWELL. "You have read his apology, Sir?" JOHNSON. "Yes, it is very entertaining. But as for Cibber himself, taking from his conversation all that he ought not to have faid, he was a poor creature. I remember when he brought me one of his Odes to have my opinion of it, I could not bear fuch nonsense, and would not let him read it to the end; fo little refpect had I for that great man (laughing). Yet I remember Richardson wondering that I could treat him with familiarity."

I mentioned to him that I had feen the execution of feveral convicts at Tyburn, two days before, and that none of them seemed to be under any concern. JOHNSON. JOHNSON. "Moft of them, Sir, have never thought at all." BOSWELL. "But is not the fear of death natural to man?" JOHNSON. "So much fo, Sir, that the whole of life is but keeping away the thoughts of it." He then, in a low and earnest tone, talked of his meditating upon the aweful hour of his own diffolution, and in what manner he fhould conduct himself upon that occafion: "I know not (faid he,) whether I fhould wish to have a friend by me, or have it all between GoD and myself."

Talking

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Talking of our feeling for the diftreffes of others ;-JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, there is much noise made about it, but it is greatly exaggerated. No, Etat. 60. Sir, we have a certain degree of feeling to prompt us to do good: more than that, Providence does not intend. It would be mifery to no purpose." BOSWELL. "But fuppofe now, Sir, that one of your intimate friends were apprehended for an offence for which he might be hanged." JOHNSON. “I fhould do what I could to bail him, and give him any other affiftance; but if he were once fairly hanged, I should not fuffer." BOSWELL. "Would you eat your dinner that day, Sir?" JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir; and eat it as if he were eating it with me. Why, there's Baretti, who is to be tried for his life to-morrow, friends have risen up for him on every fide; yet if he should be hanged, none of them will eat a flice of plumb-pudding the lefs. Sir, that fympathetick feeling goes a very little way in depreffing the mind."

I told him that I had dined lately at Foote's, who fhewed me a letter to him from Tom Davies, telling him that he had not been able to sleep from the concern which he felt on account of this fad affair of Baretti, begging of him to try if he could suggest any thing that might be of service to him; and at the same time recommending to him an induftrious young man who kept a pickle-shop. JOHNSON. "Aye, Sir, here you have a fpecimen of human fympathy; a friend hanged, and a cucumber pickled. We know not whether Baretti or the pickle-man has kept Davies from fleep, nor does he know himself. And as to his not fleeping, Sir; Tom Davies is a very great man; Tom has been upon the stage, and knows how to do those things: I have not been upon the ftage, and cannot do thofe things." BOSWELL. "I have often blamed myfelf, Sir, for not feeling for others as fenfibly as many fay they do." JOHNSON. "Sir, don't be duped by them any more. You will find these very feeling people are not very ready to do you good. They pay you by feeling."

BOSWELL." Foote has a great deal of humour?" JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir." BOSWELL. "He has a fingular talent of exhibiting character." JOHNSON. "Sir, it is not a talent, it is a vice; it is what others abftain from. It is not comedy, which exhibits the character of a species, as that of a mifer gathered from many mifers; it is farce, which exhibits individuals." BoSWELL. "Did not he think of exhibiting you, Sir?" JOHNSON. "Sir, fear restrained him ; he knew I would have broken his bones. I would have faved him the trouble of cutting off a leg; I would not have left him a leg to cut off." Boswell. Pray, Sir, is not Foote an infidel?" JOHNSON. "I do not know, Sir, that the fellow is an infidel; but if he be an infidel, he is an infidel as a dog

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is an infidel; that is to fay, he has never thought upon the fubject 3. BOSWELL. "I fuppofe, Sir, he has thought fuperficially, and feized the first notions which occurred to his mind." JOHNSON. "Why then, Sir, ftill he is like a dog, that snatches the piece next him. Did you never observe that dogs have not the power of comparing? A dog will take a small bit of meat as readily as a large, when both are before him."

"Buchanan (he obferved,) has fewer centos than any modern Latin poet. He not only had great knowledge of the Latin language, but was a great poetical genius. Both the Scaligers praife him."

He again talked of the paffage in Congreve with high commendation, and faid, "Shakspeare never has fix lines together without a fault. Perhaps you may find seven: but this does not refute my general affertion. If I come to an orchard, and fay there's no fruit here, and then comes a poring man, who finds two apples and three pears, and tells me, 'Sir, you are mistaken, I have found both apples and pears,' I fhould laugh at him: what would that be to the purpose ?"

BOSWELL. "What do you think of Dr. Young's Night Thoughts,' Sir?" JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, there are very fine things in them." BosWELL. "Is there not less religion in the nation now, Sir, than there was formerly?" Johnson. "I don't know, Sir, that there is." BOSWELL. "For inftance, there used to be a chaplain in every great family, which we do not find now." JOHNSON. "Neither do you find many of the state servants which great families used formerly to have. There is a change of modes in the whole department of life."

Next day, October 20, he appeared, for the only time I fuppofe in his life, as a witnefs in a Court of Justice, being called to give evidence to the character of Mr. Baretti, who having ftabbed a man in the street, was arraigned

s When Mr. Foote was at Edinburgh, he thought fit to entertain a numerous Scotch company with a great deal of coarse jocularity, at the expence of Dr. Johnson, imagining it would be acceptable. I felt this as not civil to me, but fat very patiently till he had exhausted his merriment on that subject; and then obferved, that furely Johnson must be allowed to have fome sterling wit, and that I had heard him fay a very good thing of Mr. Foote himself." Ah, my old friend Sam, (cried Foote,) no man says better things: do let us have it." Upon which I told the above ftory, which produced a very loud laugh from the company. But I never faw Foote fo difconcerted. He looked grave and angry, and entered into a serious refutation of the juftice of the remark. "What, Sir, (faid he,) talk thus of a man of liberal education ;—a man who for years was at the University of Oxford;-a man who has added fixteen new characters to the English drama of his country!"

at

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at the Old Bailey for murder. Never did fuch a conftellation of genius enlighten the aweful Seffions Houfe; Mr. Burke, Mr. Garrick, Mr. Beau- Etat. 69. clerk, and Dr. Johnson: and undoubtedly their favourable teftimony had due weight with the Court and Jury. Johnson gave his evidence in a flow, deliberate, and distinct manner, which was uncommonly impreffive. It is well known that Mr. Baretti was acquitted.

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On the 26th of October, we dined together at the Mitre tavern. I found fault with Foote for indulging his talent of ridicule at the expence of his vifitors, which I colloquially termed making fools of his company. JOHNSON. Why, Sir, when you go to see Foote, you do not go to fee a faint: you go to fee a man who will be entertained at your house, and then bring you on a publick stage; who will entertain you at his house, for the very purpose of bringing you on a publick stage. Sir, he does not make fools of his company; they whom he exposes are fools already: he only brings them

into action."

Talking of trade, he obferved, "It is a mistaken notion that a vast deal of money is brought into a nation by trade. It is not fo. Commodities come from commodities; but trade produces no capital acceffion of wealth. However, though there fhould be little profit in money, there is a confiderable profit in pleasure, as it gives to one nation the productions of another; as we have wines and fruits, and many other foreign articles, brought to us." BOSWELL. "Yes, Sir, and there is a profit in pleasure, by its furnishing occupation to fuch numbers of mankind." JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, you cannot call that pleasure to which all are averse, and which none begin but with the hope of leaving off; a thing which men diflike before they have tried it, and when they have tried it." BOSWELL. " But, Sir, the mind must be employed, and we grow weary when idle." JOHNSON. "That is, Sir, because, others being bufy, we want company; but if we were all idle, there would be no growing weary; we should all entertain one another. There is, indeed, this in trade:—it gives men an opportunity of improving their fituation. If there were no trade,, many who are poor would always remain poor. But no man loves labour for itself." BOSWELL. "Yes, Sir, I know a perfon who does. He is a very laborious Judge, and he loves the labour." JOHNSON. "Sir, that is because he loves refpect and diftinction. Could he have them without labour, he would like it lefs." "He tells me he likes it for itfelf.""Why, Sir, he fancies fo, because he is not accustomed to abstract.”

We went home to his house to tea. Mrs. Williams made it with fufficient dexterity, notwithstanding her blindness, though her manner of fatisfying

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