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urn-it was of the true Tuscan order. "Sir," said he, "I hate urns; they are nothing, they mean nothing, convey no ideas but ideas of horror-would they were beaten to pieces to pave our streets!" We then came to a cold bath. I expatiated upon its salubrity. "Sir," said he, "how do you do?" "Very well, I thank you, doctor." "Then, sir, let well alone, and be content: I hate immersion."-Wickins, 835.

JOHNSON used to say of Dr. Hunter, master of the free grammar school, Lichfield, that he never taught a boy in his life-he whipped and they learned.-Parker, 836.

MRS. GASTREL was on a visit at Mr. Hervey's, in London, at the time that Johnson was writing the "Rambler:" the printer's boy would often come after him to their house, and wait while he wrote off a paper for the press in a room full of company. A great portion of the "Lives of the Poets" was written at Stow Hill: he had a table by one of the windows, which was frequently surrounded by five or six ladies engaged in work or conversation. Mrs. Gastrel had a very valuable edition of Bailey's Dictionary, to which he often referred. She told him that Miss Seward said that he had made poetry of no value by his criticism. "Why, my dear lady," replied he, "if silver is dirty, it is not the less valuable for a good scouring." A large party had one day been invited to meet the doctor at Stow Hill: the dinner waited far beyond the usual hour, and the company were about to sit down, when Johnson appeared at the great gate. He stood for some time in deep contemplation, and at length began to climb it, and having succeeded in clearing it, advanced with hasty strides towards the house. On his arrival Mrs. Gastrel asked him "if he had forgotten that there was a small gate for foot-passengers by the side of the carriage entrance." "No, my dear lady, by no means," replied the doctor; "but I had a mind to try whether I could climb a gate now as I used to do when I was a lad."

Ir was near the close of his life that two young ladies, who were warm admirers of his works, but had never seen himself, went to Bolt-court, and asking if he was at home, were shown upstairs where he was writing. He laid down his pen on their entrance, and, as they stood before him, one of the females repeated a speech of some length previously prepared for the occasion. It was an enthusiastic effusion, which, when the speaker had finished, she panted for her idol's reply. What was her mortification when all he said was, " Fiddle-de-dee, my dear."-Mrs. Rose, 837.

A MERE literary man is a dull man; a man who is solely a

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man of business is a selfish man; but when literature and commerce are united, they make a respectable man.-Johnson.

MR. BARCLAY has seen Boswell lay down his knife and fork and take out his tablets, in order to register a good anecdote. Johnson, like many other men, was always in much better humour after dinner than before.-Croker.

THE source of everything, either in or out of nature, that can serve the purpose of poetry, is to be found in Homer: every species of distress, every modification of heroic character, battles, storms, ghosts, incantations, &c.-Johnson.

DR. JOHNSON said he had never read through the Odyssey completely in the original. Anecdote of his first declamation at college, that having neglected to write it till the morning of his being to repeat it, and having only one copy, he got part of it by heart while he was walking into the hall, and the rest be repeated as well as he could extempore. Description of himself as very idle and neglectful of his studies. His opinion that I could not name above five of my college acquaintance who read Latin with ease sufficient to make it pleasurable. The difficulties of the language overpower the desire of reading the author. That he read Latin with as much ease when he went to college as at present (1784).-Windham.

JOHNSON said several excellent things that evening (November 30th, 1784). He spoke of the affectation that men had to accuse themselves of petty faults or weaknesses, in order to exalt themselves into notice for any extraordinary talents which they might possess.-Hoole, 844.

Pozz. "Never be affronted at a comparison. I have been compared to many things, but I never was affronted. No, sir, if they should call me a dog, and you a canister tied to my tail, I would not be affronted." Cheered by this kind mention of me, though in such a situation, I asked him what he thought of a friend of ours, who was always making comparisons. -Pozz. "Sir, that fellow has a simile for everything but himself. I knew him when he kept a shop: he then made money, sir, and now he makes comparisons." Next day I left town, and was absent for six weeks, three days, and seven hours, as I find by a memorandum in my journal. In this time I had only one letter from him, which is as follows:-"To James Bozz, Esq. Dear Sir,-My bowels have been very bad. Pray buy me some Turkey rhubarb, and bring with you a copy of your Tour.' Write to me soon, and write to me often.-I am, dear sir, yours affectionately, SAM. Pozz." It would have been unpardonable to have omitted a letter like this, in which we

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see so much of his great and illuminated mind. We talked of a friend of ours who was a very violent politician. I said I did not like his company. Pozz. No, sir, he is not healthy; he is sore, sir; his mind is ulcerated; he has a political whitlow: sir, you cannot touch him without giving him pain." I mentioned a tradesman who had lately set up his coach.-Pozz. is right, sir; a man who would go on swimmingly cannot get too soon off his legs. That man keeps his coach. Now, sir, a coach is better than a chaise, sir-it is better than a chariot." -Bozz. "Why, sir?"-Pozz. "Sir, it will hold more." I begged he would repeat this, that I might remember it, and he complied with great good humour. "Dr. Pozz," said I, "you ought to keep a coach. -Pozz. "Yes, sir, I ought."-Bozz. "But you do not, and that has often surprised me."-Pozz. "Surprised you! There, sir, is another prejudice of absurdity. Sir, you ought to be surprised at nothing. A man that has lived half your days ought to be above all surprise. Sir, it is a rule with me never to be surprised. It is mere ignorance. You cannot guess why I do not keep a coach, and you are surprised. Now, sir, if you did know you would not be surprised." I said, tenderly, "I hope, my dear sir, you will let me know before I leave town."-Pozz. Yes, sir, you shall know now. You shall not go to Mr. Wilkins, and to Mr. Jenkins, and to Mr. Stubbs, and say, Why does not Pozz keep a coach? I will tell you myself: sir, I can't afford it!" We talked this day on a variety of topics, but I find very few memorandums in my journal. On small beer, he said it was flatulent liquor. He disapproved of those who deny the utility of absolute power, and seemed to be offended with a friend of ours who would always have his eggs poached. Sign-posts, he observed, had degenerated within his memory; and he particularly found fault with the moral of the" Beggar's Opera." I endeavoured to defend a work which had afforded me so much pleasure, but could not master that strength of mind with which he argued; and it was with great satisfaction that he communicated to me afterwards a method of curing corns by applying a piece of oiled silk. In the early history of the world he preferred Sir Isaac Newton's chronology: but as they gave employment to useful artisans, he did not dislike the large buckles then coming into use. I mentioned hanging: I thought it a very awkward situation.-Pozz. "No, sir, hanging is not an awkward situation; it is proper, sir, that a man whose actions tend towards flagitious obliquity should appear perpendicular at last."-Lesson in Biography; or, How to write the Life of one's Friend. An Ex

tract from the Life of Dr. Pozz, in ten volumes folio, written by James Bozz, Esq., who flourished with him near fifty years. By ALEXANDER CHALMERS, Esq.-845.

He was introduced in the following year to his biographer, Boswell; and we have from this date (1763) as full and minute account of him as has ever been written of any individual. From this time we are made as familiar as it is in the power of writing to make us with the character, the habits, and the appearance of Johnson, and the persons and things with which he was connected. "Everything about him," says the "Edinburgh Review," vol. liii., p. 20 (Macaulay), "his coat, his wig. his figure, his face, his scrofula, his St. Vitus's dance, his rolling walk, his blinking eye, the outward signs which too clearly marked the approbation of his dinner, his insatiable appetite for fish sauce and veal pie with plums, his inextinguishable thirst for tea, his trick of touching the posts as he walked, his mysterious practice of treasuring up scraps of orange-peel, his morning slumbers, his midnight disputations, his contortions, his mutterings, his gruntings, his puffings, his vigorous, acute, and ready eloquence; his sarcastic wit, his vehemence, his insolence, his fits of tempestuous rage; his queer inmates-old Mr. Levett and blind Mrs. Williams, the cat Hodge, and the negro Frank-all are as familiar to us as the objects by which we have been surrounded from childhood. The characteristic peculiarity of Johnson's intellect was the union of great powers with low prejudices. If we judged of him by the best parts of his mind we should place him almost as high as he was placed by the idolatry of Boswell; if by the worst parts of his mind, we should place him even below Boswell himself."—Penny Cyclopædia.

SAMUEL WILBERFORCE, M.A.,

ARCHDEACON OF SURREY.

AGATHOS AND OTHER SUNDAY STORIES. On the one hand, if the conversations and employments of Sunday are not early marked as different from those of other days, how is it possible that our children can grow up with a deeply-rooted reverence for its holiness? On the other hand, if the day is one which they remember only for its dulness, how can children grow up in the love of this blessed season? Everlasting droppings" (Herbert's "Country Pastor," 127), their young hearts least of all will "bear." But if the week

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day's tale is changed for the Sunday story, and if the child is really interested in it, he learns, even unawares, to separate in his own mind the first day of the week from its common days, and that by a pleasurable separation "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." This should be from the first the temper carefully wrought into our children's minds, if we would have them approach God with acceptance. To teach them to think boldly of mysteries, in the vain hope of explaining to their childish minds what in the fulness of their highest understanding they can never truly comprehend, may make them shrewd and forward questioners, but cannot make them meek and teachable disciples. It only remains further to say for what age these stories are intended. The author's children reach from five to nine years old, and are of ordinary powers of comprehension. Of these, the eldest has been fully interested by the simplest narratives, and the youngest has understood the most difficult. All the applications of the allegorical tales they of course will not understand at first; but in the author's judgment this is the very excellence of allegorical instruction. The minds of

children may be fatally dwarfed by never having presented to them anything but that which they can understand without effort; whilst it is exceedingly difficult to devise anything which shall at the same time attract their attention and stretch their faculties. It is exactly this want which allegory supplies: the story catches the attention of the youngest; glimpses of the under-meaning continually flash into their minds; and whilst it is difficult to say exactly how much they have fully understood, it is clear that it has been enough to give them interest and arouse their faculties. May God hereby bless some of the tender lambs of His fold.-Preface.

JAMES HAMILTON, D.D., F.Z.S.-LIFE IN EARNEST. ENGAGE in some direct effort to do good. Seek to leave the world the better for your sojourn in it. Whatever you attempt, endeavour to do it so thoroughly and follow it up so resolutely, that the result shall be ascertained and evident. And in your attempts at usefulness, be not only conscientious but enthusiastic. Love the work. Redeem the time. Remember that the Lord is at hand.-Introductory Address.

JUST as those who have too little faith to give have usually too little fervour to work; so the hardest workers are usually the largest givers.

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