improved after the age of forty-five. "That is not true, sir," said Johnson. "You, who perhaps are forty-eight, may still improve, if you will try; I wish you would set about it; and I am afraid,” he added, "there is great room for it;" and this was said in rather a large party of ladies and gentlemen at dinner. Soon after the ladies withdrew from the table, Dr. Johnson followed them, and, sitting down by the lady of the house, he said, "I am very sorry for having spoken so rudely to the dean." "You very well may, sir." "Yes," he said, "it was highly improper to speak in that style to a minister of the Gospel, and I am the more hurt on reflecting with what mild dignity he received it.” When the dean came up into the drawing-room, Dr. Johnson immediately rose from his seat, and made him sit on the sofa by him, and with such a beseeching look for pardon, and with such fond gestures-literally smoothing down his arms and his knees-tokens of penitence which were so graciously received by the dean as to make Dr. Johnson very happy.-Miss Reynolds.

In the year 1774 I was making a tour in a gig. Just as we came to the point of the hill going down into Matlock, we saw Mr. Thrale's carriage, in which were Dr. Johnson, and Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. The horses were breathing after ascending the hill. I, with all the conceit of a young man, tripped very pertly from the gig to the carriage, and shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. Dr. Johnson took not the smallest notice; on which Mr. Thrale said, “Dr. Johnson, here is Mr. Cholmondeley." Dr. Johnson neither spoke nor moved. He repeated, "Dr. Johnson, here is Mr. Cholmondeley." Dr. Johnson was equally silent. Mr. Thrale repeated it a third time, when Dr. Johnson answered, "Well, sir, and what if there is Mr. Cholmondeley ?" I, of course, tripped back again. I imagine Mrs. Thrale must, in some dispute, have reproached him with this. Four years afterward I went to dine at Mr. Thrale's, at Brighton. The house was

small, the passage running close by the room into the street. I arrived before Dr. Johnson was dressed. When he entered the room, he said, "George, I want to speak to you.". He led me from the passage into the street; then said, "George, I owe you reparation for an injury which I do not recollect. I am told that some years ago I met you on the point of Matlock Hill, and spoke to you with unjustifiable insolence. Whether I was thinking of something else, or whether I had been quarrelling with Thrale, I know not; but I ought not so to have insulted an innocent, unoffending young man, and I beg your pardon."—G. J. Cholmondeley.

No man was more ready to make an apology, when he had censured unjustly, than Johnson. When a proof-sheet of one of his works was brought to him, he found fault with the mode in which a part of it was arranged, refused to read it, and in a passion desired that the compositor might be sent to him. The compositor was Mr. Manning, a decent, sensible man, who had composed about one-half of his Dictionary when in Mr. Strahan's printing-house, and a great part of his "Lives of the Poets" when in that of Mr. Nichols, and who (in his seventy-seventh year), when in Mr. Baldwin's printing-house, composed a part of the first edition of this work concerning him. By producing the manuscript, he at once satisfied Dr. Johnson that he was not to blame; upon which Johnson candidly and earnestly said to him, "Mr. Compositor, I ask your pardon; Mr. Compositor, I ask your pardon, again and again."-Boswell.

PIETY.

WHILE Dr. Johnson and I stood in calm conference by ourselves in Dr. Taylor's garden, at a pretty late hour in a serene autumn night, looking up to the heavens, I directed the discourse to the subject of a future state. My friend was in a placid and most benignant frame of mind. "Sir," said he, "I do not imagine that all things will be made clear to us immediately after death, but that the ways of Providence will be explained to us very gradually." I ventured to ask him whether, although the words of some texts of Scripture seemed strong in support of the dreadful doctrine of an eternity of punishment, we might not hope that the denunciation was figurative, and would not literally be executed. Johnson: "Sir, you are to consider the intention of punishment in a future state. We have no reason to be sure that we shall then be no longer liable to offend against God. We do not know that even the angels are quite in a state of security; nay, we know that some of them have fallen. It may therefore, perhaps, be necessary, in order to preserve both men and angels in rectitude, that they should have. continually before them the punishment of those who have deviated from it; but we may hope that by some other means a fall from rectitude may be prevented. Some of the texts of Scripture upon this subject are, as you observe, indeed strong; but they may admit of a mitigated interpretation." He talked to me upon this awful and delicate question in a gentle tone, and as if afraid to be decisive.-Boswell.

We spoke of death. Dr. Johnson on this subject observed that the boastings of some men as to dying easily were idle talk, proceeding from partial views. I mentioned Hawthornden's "Cypress - grove," where it is said that the world is a mere show, and that it is unreasonable for a man to wish to continue in the show-room after he has seen it.

Let him go cheerfully out, and give place to other spectators. Johnson: "Yes, sir, if he is sure he is to be well after he goes out of it. But if he is to grow blind after he goes out of the show-room, and never to see anything again, or if he does not know whither he is to go next, a man will not go cheerfully out of a show-room. No wise man will be contented to die if he thinks he is to go into a state of punishment. Nay, no wise man will be contented to die if he thinks he is to fall into annihilation; for, however unhappy any man's existence may be, he yet would rather have it than not exist at all. No; there is no rational principle by which a man can die contented but a trust in the mercy of God, through the merits of Jesus Christ." This short sermon, delivered with an earnest tone in a boat upon the sea, which was perfectly calm, on a day appropriated to religious worship, while every one listened with an air of satisfaction, had a most pleasing effect upon my mind.-Boswell.

Johnson's "Prayers and Meditations," which were published after his death, give many indications of the depth and fervor of his religious life. In the two selections here given, it may be observed that the style is very different from that of Johnson's other compositions:

"Against inquisitive and perplexing thoughts. O Lord, my Maker and Protector, who has graciously sent me into this world to work out my salvation, enable me to drive from me all such unquiet and perplexing thoughts as may mislead or hinder me in the practice of those duties which Thou hast required. When I behold the works of Thy hands, and consider the course of Thy providence, give me grace always to remember that Thy thoughts are not my thoughts, nor Thy ways my ways. And while it shall please Thee to continue me in this world, where much is to be done, and little to be known, teach me by Thy Holy Spirit to withdraw my mind from unprofitable and dangerous inquiries, from difficulties vainly curious, and doubts impossible to be solved. Let me rejoice in the light which Thou hast imparted; let me serve Thee with active zeal and humble confidence, and wait with patient expectation for the time in which the soul which Thou receivest shall be satisfied with knowledge. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen."

"Almighty and most merciful Father, who seest all our miseries, and knowest all our necessities, look down upon me, and pity me.

Defend me

from the violent incursion of evil thoughts, and enable me to form and keep such resolutions as may conduce to the discharge of the duties which Thy Providence shall appoint me; and so help me, by Thy Holy Spirit, that my heart may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found, and that I may serve Thee with a pure affection and a cheerful mind. Have mercy upon me; O God, have mercy upon me; years and infirmities oppress me, terror and anxiety beset me. Have mercy upon me, my Creator and my Judge. In all perplexities relieve and free me; and so help me by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may now so commemorate the death of Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ as that, when this short and painful life shall have an end, I may, for His sake, be received to everlasting happiness. Amen."

This volume of "Prayers and Meditations" is worthy of careful study; and without such study, it is impossible to obtain a fair estimate of Johnson's religious convictions.— Editor.

After we had offered up our private devotions, and had chatted a little from our beds, Dr. Johnson said, "God bless us both, for Jesus Christ's sake! Good-night!" I pronounced "Amen." He fell asleep immediately.-Boswell.

We talked of Kennicott's edition of the Hebrew Bible, and hoped it would be quite faithful. Johnson: "Sir, I know not any crime so great, that a man could contrive to commit, as poisoning the sources of eternal truth.”—Boswell.

His religion had a tincture of enthusiasm, arising, as is conjectured, from the fervor of his imagination, and the perusal of St. Augustine and other of the fathers, and the writings of Kempis and the ascetics, which prompted him to the employment of composing meditations and devotional exercises. It farther produced in him an habitual reverence for the name of God, which he was never known to utter but on proper occasions and with due respect, and operated on those who were admitted to his