ers of the lands, which, since the plenty of money afforded by commerce, is no longer the case.

"Hospitality to strangers and foreigners in our country is now almost at an end, since, from the increase of them that come to us, there have been a sufficient number of people that have found an interest in providing inns and proper accommodations, which is in general a more expedient method for the entertainment of travellers. Where the travellers and strangers are few, more of that hospitality subsists, as it has not been worth while to provide places of accommodation. In Ireland there is still hospitality to strangers in some degree; in Hungary and Poland probably more."

Johnson's openness with people at a first interview was remarkable. He said once to Mr. Langton, "I think I am like Squire Richard in The Journey to London.' I'm never strange in a strange place." He was truly social. He strongly censured what is much too common in England among persons of condition-maintaining an absolute silence, when unknown to each other; as for instance, when occasionally brought together in a room before the master or mistress of the house has appeared. "Two men of any other nation who are shewn into a room together, at a house where they are both visitors, will immediately find some conversation. But two Eng

lishmen will probably go each to a different window, and remain in obstinate silence. Sir, we as yet do not enough understand the common rights of humanity."

An eminent foreigner, when he was shewn the British Museum, was very troublesome with many absurd enquiries. "Now there, Sir (said Johnson), is the difference between an Englishman and a Frenchman. A Frenchman must be always talking, whether he knows any thing of the matter or not; an Englishman is content to say nothing, when he has nothing to say."

Johnson repeated an observation of Bathurst's, appearing to acknowledge it to be well founded, namely, "that it was somewhat remarkable how seldom, on occasion of coming into the company any new person, one felt any wish or inclination to see him again."

of

Talking of that studied behaviour which many have recommended and practised, he disapproved of it, and said, "I never considered whether I should be a grave man, or a merry man, but just let inclination, for the time, have its course."

No man was a more attentive and nice observer of behaviour in those in whose company he happened to be than Johnson; or, however strange it may seem to many, had a higher estimation of its refinements. Lord Eliot said, that one day when Johnson and he were at dinner at a gentle

man's house in London, upon Lord Chesterfield's Letters being mentioned, Johnson surprised the company by this sentence: "Every man of any education would rather be called a rascal, than accused of deficiency in the graces." Mr. Gibbon, who was present, turned to a lady who knew Johnson well, and lived much with him, and in his quaint manner, tapping his box, addressed her thus: "Don't you think, Madam (looking towards Johnson), that among all your acquaintance, you could find one exception?" The lady smiled, and seemed to acquiesce.

The difference (he observed) between a well bred and an ill bred man is this: "One immediately attracts your liking, the other your aversion. You love the one till you find reason to hate him; you hate the other till you find reason to love him."

He said, "General Paoli had the loftiest port of any man he had ever seen." He denied that military men were always the best bred men. "Perfect good breeding, he observed, consists in having no particular mark of any profession, but a general elegance of manners; whereas in a military man, you can commonly distinguish the brand of a soldier, l'homme d'epée."

A foppish physician once reminded Johnson of his having been in company with him on a former occasion." I do not remember it, Sir." The

physician still insisted, adding that he that day wore so fine a coat that it must have attracted his notice. "Sir (said Johnson), had you been dipt in Pactolus, I should not have noticed you." Goldsmith one day, to divert some tedious minutes, strutted about, bragging of his dress, and perhaps was seriously vain of it, for his mind was wonderfully prone to such impressions. "Come, come (said Garrick, who was of the party), talk no more of that. You are perhaps the worst— eh, eh!"-Goldsmith was eagerly attempting to interrupt him, when Garrick went on, laughing ironically, "Nay, you will always look like a gentleman; but I am talking of being well or ill drest."-"Well, let me tell you (said Goldsmith) when my taylor brought home my bloom-coloured coat, he said, Sir, I have a favour to beg of you. When any body asks you who made your clothes, be pleased to mention John Filby, at the Harrow, in Water-lane."-JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, that was because he knew the strange colour would attract crowds to gaze at it, and thus they might hear of him, and see how well he could make a coat even of so absurd a colour."

Johnson had called twice on the Bishop of Killaloe before his Lordship set out for Ireland, having missed him the first time. He said, "It would have hung heavy on my heart if I had not seen him. No man ever paid more attention to

another than he has done to me; and I have neglected him, not wilfully, but from being otherwise occupied. Always set a high value on spontaneous kindness. He, whose inclination prompts him to cultivate your friendship of his own accord, will love you more than one whom you have been at pains to attach to you."

Johnson said, that he was once much pleased to find that a carpenter, who lived near him, was very ready to shew him some things in his business, which he wished to see: "it was paying (he said) respect to literature."

Of the passion of love he remarked, "that its violence and ill effects were much exaggerated; for who knows any real sufferings on that head, more than from the exorbitancy of any other passion ?"

Dr. Taylor's nose happening to bleed at a time when Johnson was with him, and Taylor saying, that it was because he had omitted to have himself blooded four days after a quarter of a year's interval, Johnson, who was a great dabbler in physic, disapproved much of periodical bleeding; "for (said he) you accustom yourself to an evacuation which Nature cannot perform of herself, and therefore she cannot help you, should you, from forgetfulness or any other cause, omit it; so you may be suddenly suffocated. You may accustom yourself to other periodical evacu