1775.

according to the vulgar phrase, making the best of a bad bargain. JOHNSON. "Madam, we muft diftinguish. Were I a man of rank, I would not let a tat. 66. daughter ftarve who had made a mean marriage; but having voluntarily degraded herself from the station which she was originally entitled to hold, I would fupport her only in that which she herself has chofen; and would not put her on a level with my other daughters. You are to confider, Madam, that it is our duty to maintain the fubordination of civilised fociety; and when there is a gross and shameful deviation from rank, it should be punished fo as to deter others from the fame perverfion."

After frequently confidering this fubject, I am more and more confirmed in what I then meant to express, and which was sanctioned by the authority, and illuftrated by the wifdom, of Johnfon; and I think it of the utmost confequence to the happiness of Society, to which fubordination is abfolutely necessary. It is weak, and contemptible, and unworthy, in a parent to relax in fuch a cafe. It is facrificing general advantage to private feelings. And let it be confidered, that the claim of a daughter who has acted thus, to be restored to her former fituation, is either fantaftical or unjuft. If there be no value in the diftinction of rank, what does the fuffer by being kept in the fituation to which fhe has defcended? If there be a value in that distinction, it ought to be steadily maintained. If indulgence be fhewn to fuch conduct, and the offenders know that in a longer or fhorter time they fhall be received as well as if they had not contaminated their blood by a base alliance, the great check upon that inordinate caprice which generally occafions low marriages, will be removed, and the fair and comfortable order of improved life will be miferably disturbed.

Lord Chesterfield's letters being mentioned, Johnson faid, "It was not to be wondered at that they had fo great a fale, confidering that they were the letters of a statesman, a wit, one who had been fo much in the mouths of mankind, one long accustomed virum volitare per ora.”

On Friday, March 31, I fupped with him and fome friends at à tavern. One of the company attempted, with too much forwardness, to rally him on his late appearance at the theatre; but had reason to repent of his temerity. Why, Sir, did you go to Mrs. Abington's benefit? Did you fee?" JOHNSON. "No, Sir." "Did you hear "" JOHNSON. "No, Sir." Why then, Sir, did you go?" JOHNSON. "Becaufe, Sir, fhe is a favourite of the publick: and when the publick cares the thousandth part for you that it does for her, I will go to your benefit too."

Next morning I won a small bett from Lady Diana Beauclerk, by asking him as to one of his particularities, which her Ladyfhip laid I durft not do. It seems he had been frequently observed at the club to put into his pocket the Seville oranges, after he had fqueezed the juice of them into the drink which he made for himself. Beauclerk and Garrick talked of it to me, and feemed to think that he had a strange unwillingness to be difcovered. We could not divine what he did with them; and this was the bold question to be put. I faw on his table the spoils of the preceding night, some fresh peels nicely scraped and cut into pieces. "O, Sir, (faid I,) I now partly see what you do with the fqueezed oranges which you put into your pocket at the club." JOHNSON. "I have a great love for them." BOSWELL. "And pray, Sir, what do you do with them? You scrape them, it seems, very neatly, and what next?" JOHNSON. "I let them dry, Sir." BOSWELL. "And what next?" JOHNSON. "Nay, Sir, you fhall know their fate no further." BOSWELL. "Then the world must be left in the dark. It must be said, (affuming a mock folemnity,) he fcraped them, and let them dry, but what he did with them next, he never could be prevailed upon to tell." JOHNSON, “Nay, Sir, you should say it more emphatically:-he could not be prevailed upon, even by his dearest friends, to tell."

He had this morning received his Diploma as Doctor of Laws from the University of Oxford. He did not vaunt of his new dignity, but I understood he was highly pleased with it. I fhall here infert the progrefs and completion of that high academical honour, in the fame manner as I have traced his obtaining that of Mafter of Arts.

To the Reverend Dr. FOTHERGILL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, to be communicated to the Heads of Houses, and propofed in Convocation.

"Mr. Vice-Chancellor and Gentlemen,

"THE honour of the degree of M. A. by diploma, formerly conferred upon Mr. SAMUEL JOHNSON, in confequence of his having eminently distinguished himself by the publication of a series of effays, excellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the cause of religion and morality has been maintained and recommended by the strongest powers of argument and elegance of language, reflected an equal degree of lustre upon the University itself.

« The

"The many learned labours which have fince that time employed the attention and difplayed the abilities of that great man, fo much to the advancement of literature and the benefit of the community, render him worthy of more distinguished honours in the republick of letters: and I perfuade myself, that I fhall act agreeably to the fentiments of the whole University, in defiring that it may be propofed in Convocation to confer on him the degree of Doctor in Civil Law by diploma, to which I readily give my confent; and am, "Mr. Vice-Chancellor and Gentlemen,

"Downing-ftreet, March 23, 1775-"

"Your affectionate friend and fervant,

"NORTH"."

1775.

Etat. 66.

DIPLOMA.

" CANCELLARIUS, Magiftri, et Scholares Univerfitatis Oxonienfis, omnibus ad quos præfentes Literæ pervenerint, Salutem in Domino Sempiternam.

"SCIATIS, virum illuftrem, SAMUELEM JOHNSON, in omni humaniorum literarum genere eruditum, omniumque fcientiarum comprehenfione feliciffimum, fcriptis fuis, ad popularium mores formandos fummâ verborum elegantiá ac fententiarum gravitate compofitis, ita olim inclaruiffe, ut dignus videretur cui ab Academia fuá eximia quædam laudis præmia deferentur, quique venerabilem Magiftrorum Ordinem fumma cum dignitate cooptaretur:

"Cùm verò eundem clariffimum virum tot pofteà tantique labores, in patria præfertim lingua ornandâ et stabilienda feliciter impenfi, ita infigniverint, ut in. Literarum Republica PRINCEPS jam et PRIMARIUS jure habeatur ; Nos CANCELLARIUS, Magiftri et Scholares Univerfitatis Oxonienfis, quò talis viri merita pari bonoris remuneratione exæquentur, et perpetuum fuæ fimul laudis, noftræque erga literas propenfiffimæ voluntatis extet monumentum, in folenni Convocatione Doctorum et Magiftrorum regentium et non regentium, præditum SAMUELEM JOHNSON Doctorem in Jure Civili renunciavimus et conftituimus, eumque virtute præfentis Diplomatis fingulis juribus, privilegiis et honoribus, ad iftum gradum quàquà pertinentibus, frui et gaudere juffimus. In cujus rei teftimonium commune Univerfitatis Oxonienfis figillum præfentibus appeni fecimus.

"Datum in Domo noftræ Convocationis die tricefimo menfis Martii, Anno Domini Millefimo, feptingentefimo, feptuagefimo quinto"."

• Extracted from the Convocation Register, Oxford.

? The original is in my poffeffion.

« Viro

1775. Ætat. 66.

«Viro reverendo THOмA FOTHERGILL, S. T. P. Univerfitatis Oxonienfis Vice-Cancellario.

"S. P. D.

"SAM. JOHNSON.

"MULTIS non eft opus, ut teftimonium quo, te præfide, Oxonienfes nomen meum pofteris commendârunt, quali animo acceperim compertum faciam. Nemo fibi placens non lætatur; nemo fibi non placet, qui vobis, literarum arbitris, placere potuit. Hoc tamen habet incommodi tantum beneficium, quod mihi nunquam poftbàc fine veftra fama detrimento vel labi liceat vel ceffare; femperque fit timendum, ne quod mihi tam eximie laudi eft, vobis aliquando fiat opprobrio. Vale."

He revised fome fheets of Lord Hailes's "Annals of Scotland," and wrote a few notes on the margin with red ink, which he bade me tell his Lordship did not fink into the paper, and might be wiped off with a wet sponge, fo that he did not spoil his manuscript. I told him there were very few of his friends fo accurate as that I could venture to put down in writing what they told me as his fayings. JOHNSON. "Why fhould you write down my sayings?" BOSWELL. "I write them when they are good." JOHNSON. "Nay, you may as well write down the fayings of any one elfe that are good." But where, I might with great propriety have added, can I find fuch?

I vifited him by appointment in the evening, and we drank tea with Mrs. Williams. He told me that he had been in the company of a gentleman whofe extraordinary travels had been much the subject of conversation. But I found that he had not listened to him with that full confidence, without which there is little fatisfaction in the fociety of travellers. I was curious to hear what opinion fo able a judge as Johnson had formed of his abilities, and I afked if he was not a man of fenfe. JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, he is not a diftinct relater; and I should say, he is neither abounding nor deficient in sense. I did not perceive any fuperiority of understanding." BOSWELL. "But will you not allow him a nobleness of resolution, in penetrating into distant regions?"

"The original is in the hands of Dr. Fothergill, then Vice-Chancellor, who made this tranfcript.

"T. WARTON."

JOHNSON.

JOHNSON. "That, Sir, is not to the prefent purpose: we are talking of his fense. A fighting cock has a nobleness of refolution."

Next day, Sunday, April 2, 1 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 feeing how well he could vex them."

The "Odes to Obscurity and Oblivion," in ridicule of "cool Mafon and warm Gray," being mentioned, Johnfon faid, " They are Colman's best things." Upon its being obferved that it was believed thefe 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 obferved 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 fitting together at a tavern, one of them was overheard faying 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. Mafon's "Elfrida" is a fine poem: at least you will allow there are some good paffages in it." JOHNSON. "There are now and then fome 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, expreffed my high opinion; and for that of Mr. Mason I have ever entertained a warm admiration. His "Elfrida" is exquifite, both in poetical description and moral fentiment; and his "Caractacus" is a noble drama. Nor can I omit paying my tribute of praise to some of his fmaller poems which I have read with pleasure, and which no criticism shall perfuade me not to like. If I wondered at Johnson's not tafting the works of Mafon and Gray, ftill more have I wondered at their not tafting his works; that they should be infenfible to his energy of diction, to his fplendour of images, and comprehenfion of thought. Taftes may differ as to the violin, the flute, the hautboy, in fhort, all the leffer instruments: but who can be infenfible to the powerful impressions of the majestick organ?

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

1775.

Etat. 66.