penetrating into distant regions ?" JOHNSON. "That, Sir, is not to the present purpose: we were talking of sense. A fighting cock has a nobleness of resolution." Next day, Sunday, 2d April, 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 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 1 Gray's Odes are still on every table and in every mouth, and there are not, I believe, a dozen libraries in England which could produce these "best things," written by two professed wits in ridicule of them.-C. 2 I have heard him relate how he used to sit in some coffee-house, and turn Mason's "Caraotacus " into ridicule for the diversion of himself and of chance comers-in. "The Elfrida," says he, "was too exquisitely pretty; I could make no fun out of that. When upon some Occasions he would express his astonishment that he should have an enemy in the world, while he had been doing nothing but good to his neighbours, I used to make him recollect these circumstances:-" Why, child," said he, "what harm could that do the fellow? I always thought very well of Mason for a Cambridge man; he is, I believe, a mighty blame less character."-PIOZZI. ETAT. 66. BATH-EASTON VASE. 107 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 of 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? Five or six shots of small His "Taxation no Tyranny" being mentioned, he said, "I think I have not been attacked enough for it. Attack is the re-action; I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds." BOSWELL. "I don't know, Sir, what you would be at. 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. "Aye, 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 competi 1 The following extract, from one of Horace Walpole's letters, will explain the proceedings of this farce:-"You must know, that near Bath is erected a new Parnassus, composed of hree laurels, a myrtle tree, a weeping willow, and a view of the Avon, which has been now Caristened Helicon. They hold a Parnassus-fair every Thursday, give out rhymes and themes, and all the flux of quality at Bath contend for the prizes. A Roman vase, dresseu with pink ribands and myrtles, receives the poetry, which is drawn out every festival; six ceit now; tion for honorary prizes, being mentioned, he held them very cheap : Bouts-rimés," said he, "is a mere conceit, and an old con I wonder how people were persuaded to write in that manner for this lady." I named a gentleman of his acquaintance who wrote for the Vase. JOHNSON. "He was a blockhead for his pains." BOSWELL. "The Duchess of Northumberland wrote." 1 JOHNSON. Sir, the Duchess of Northumberland may do what she pleases nobody will say anything to a lady of her high rank. But I should be apt to throw ******'s verses in his face." I talked of the cheerfulness of Fleet Street, owing to the constant quick succession of people which we perceive passing through it. JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, Fleet Street has a very animated appearance; but I think the full tide of human existence is at Charing Cross." 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. He 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, ană 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 know 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." judges of these Olympic games retire and select the brightest composition, which the respective successful acknowledge, kneel to Mrs. Calliope [Miller], kiss her fair hand, and are crowned by it with myrtle, with--I don't know what. You may think this a fiction, or exaggeration. Be dumb, unbelievers! The collection is printed, published,-yes, on my fath there are bouts-rimés on a buttered muffin, by her Grace the Duchess of Northur iberland,” &c.-Works, vol. v. p. 185.-C. 1 Lady Elizabeth Seymour married, in 1740, Sir Hugh Smithson, created, in 1766, Duke of Northumberland; from whom she was divorced in 1776-C. CHAPTER V. Public Speaking--Statutes against Bribery-Cibber's Comedies-Gentility and MoralityCharles II.-George I.-Trading Judges-Christopher Smart-Twiss's Travels--Addison's Italy-"Lilliburlero"-Gibbon--Patriotism-Mrs. Pritchard-Happiness-General Ogle thorpe-Middle-rate Poets-Patronage--Lord Bute-Good Friday-London--Commerce-Value of Knowledge-Literary Fame-Infidelity-"Nil admirari"-Advantages of Reading. ON Wednesday, 5th April, I dined with him at Messieurs Dillys, 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 charac ter 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 rea sons for a man's not speaking in public than want of resolution: he may have nothing to say (laughing). Whereas, Sir, you know ecu rage 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 pri vilege of voting should be independent of old family interest, of the permanent property of the country." On Thursday, 6th April, 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 gen teel." 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'e ther day, though a vicious man, was one of the ་ |