Pellet, who was not a credulous man, inquired into the truth of this story, and he said the evidence was irresistible. My wife went to the Hummums; (it is a place where people get themselves cupped). I believe she went with intention to hear about this story of Ford. At first they were unwilling to tell her; but, after they had talked to her, she came away satisfied that it was true. To be sure, the man had a fever; and this vision may have been the beginning of it. But if the message to the women, and their behaviour upon it, were true as related, there was something supernatural. That rests upon his word; and there it remains."

After Mrs. Thrale was gone to bed, Johnson and I sat up late. We resumed Sir Joshua Reynolds's argument on the preceding Sunday, that a man would be virtuous, though he had no other motive than to preserve his character. JOHNSON. "Sir, it is not true; for, as to this world, vice does not hurt a man's character." BOSWELL. "Yes, Sir, debauching a friend's wife will." JOHNSON. "No, Sir. Who thinks the worse of [Beauclerk, p. 260.] for it?" BOSWELL. "Lord [Bolingbroke] was not his friend." JOHNSON. That is only a circumstance, Sir; a slight distinction. He could not get into the house but by Lord [Bolingbroke.] A man is chosen knight of the shire not the less for having debauched ladies." BOSWELL."What, Sir, if he debauched the ladies of gentlemen in the county, will not there be a general resentment against him?' JOHNSON. "No, Sir. He will lose those particular gentlemen; but the rest will not trouble their heads about it" (warmly). BOSWELL. Well, Sir, I cannot think so."

JOHNSON.

Nay, Sir, there is no talking with a man who will dispute what every body knows (angrily). Don't you know this?" BOSWELL. "No, Sir; and I wish to think better of your country than you represent it. I knew in Scotland a gentleman obliged to leave it for debauching a lady; and in one of our counties an earl's brother lost his election because he had debauched the lady of another earl in that county, and destroyed the peace of a noble family"

Still he would not yield. He proceeded: "Will you not allow, Sir, that vice does not hurt a man's character so as to obstruct his prosperity in life, when you know that [Lord Clive, p. 609.] was loaded with wealth and honours? a man who had acquired his fortune by such crimes, that his consciousness of them impelled him to cut his own throat." BosWELL. "You will recollect, Sir, that Dr. Robertson said he cut his throat because he was weary of still life; little things not being suf

Baths are called Hummums in the East, and thence these hotels in Covent Garden where there were hot water and vapour baths, were called by that name. CROKER, 1847. Why should it? The women might have been examined. And who were they who satisfied Mrs. Johnson; and of what

JOHNSON

ficient to move his great mind." (very angry). Nay, Sir, what stuff is this! You had no more this opinion after Robertson said it than before. I know nothing more offensive than repeating what one knows to be foolish things, by way of continuing a dispute, to see what a man will answer, to make him your butt!" (angrier still.) BosWELL. "My dear Sir, I had no such intention as you seem to suspect; I had not indeed. Might not this nobleman have felt every thing weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable,' as Hamlet says? JOHNSON. "Nay, if you are to bring in gabble, I'll talk no more. I will not, upon my honour." My readers will decide upon this dispute.

Foreign

- Country Life. Horne's "Letter to Rasselas and CanModern Books of Vows. Education.

Milton's "Tractate." Locke.

--

Visit to

Warley Camp. Dr. Burney.. Sir Joshua ReyDiscourses." Publication of the "Lives Death of Garrick. Corre

nolds's 66 of the Poets." spondence.

NEXT morning [13th May,] I stated to Mrs. Thrale at breakfast, before he came down, the dispute of last night as to the influence of character upon success in life. She said he was certainly wrong; and told me that a baronet lost an election in Wales because he had debauched the sister of a gentleman in the county, whom he made one of his daughters invite as her companion at his seat in the country, when his lady and his other children were in London. But she would not encounter Johnson upon the subject.

I staid all this day with him at Streatham. He talked a great deal in very good humour.

Looking at Messrs. Dilly's splendid edition of Lord Chesterfield's miscellaneous works, he laughed, and said, "Here are now two speeches ascribed to him, both of which were written by me: and the best of it is, they have found out that one is like Demosthenes, and the other like Cicero." [p. 45. n. 2.]

was she satisfied? And be it observed, Ford died in 1731, and Mrs. Johnson did not come to London for more than seven years later, so that whatever she heard could not be very fresh in the recollection of the parties. It seems altogether a foolish story. CROKER, 1847.

He censured Lord Kames's "Sketches of the History of Man," for misrepresenting Clarendon's account of the appearance of Sir George Villiers's ghost, as if Clarendon were weakly credulous; when the truth is, that Clarendon only says, that the story was upon a better foundation of credit than usually such discourses are founded upon; nay, speaks thus of the person who was reported to have seen the vision, "the poor man, if he had been at all waking;" which Lord Kames has omitted.' He added, "In this book it is maintained that virtue is natural to man, and that if we would but consult our own hearts we should be virtuous. Now, after consulting our own hearts all we can, and with all the helps we have, we find how few of us are virtuous. This is saying a thing which all mankind know not to be true." BOSWELL. "Is not modesty natural ?" JOHNSON. "I cannot say, Sir, as we find no people quite in a state of nature; but, I think, the more they are taught, the more modest they are. The French are a gross, ill-bred, untaught people; a lady there will spit on the floor and rub it with her foot. What I gained by being in France was, learning to be better satisfied with my own country. Time may be employed to more advantage from nineteen to twenty-four, almost in any way than in travelling. When you set travelling against mere negation, against doing nothing, it is better to be sure; but how much more would a young man improve were he to study during those years! Indeed, if a young man is wild, and must run after women and bad company, it is better this should be done abroad, as, on his return, he can break off such connections, and begin at home a new man, with a character to form, and acquaintance to make. How little does travelling supply to the conversation of any man who has travelled! how little to Beauclerk!" BoSWELL. "What say you to Lord [Charlemont]!" JOHNSON. "I never but once heard him talk of what he had seen, and that was of a large serpent in one of the pyramids of Egypt." BOSWELL. "Well, I happened to hear him tell the same thing, which made me mention him." 112

I talked of a country life. JOHNSON. "Were I to live in the country, I would not devote myself to the acquisition of popularity; I would live in a much better way, much more happily; I would have my time at my own command." BOSWELL. "But, Sir, is it not a sad thing to be at a distance from all our literary friends?" JOHNSON. แ Sir, you will by-and-by have

enough of this conversation, which now delights you so much."

66

As he was a zealous friend of subordination, he was at all times watchful to repress the vulgar cant against the manners of the great. "High people, Sir," said he, "are the best: take a hundred ladies of quality, you'll find them better wives, better mothers, more willing to sacrifice their own pleasure to their children, than a hundred other women. Tradeswomen (I mean the wives of tradesmen) in the city, who are worth from ten to fifteen thousand pounds, are the worst creatures upon the earth, grossly ignorant, and thinking viciousness fashionable. Farmers, I think,

are often worthless fellows. Few lords will cheat; and, if they do, they'll be ashamed of it: farmers cheat, and are not ashamed of it: they have all the sensual vices too of the nobility, with cheating into the bargain. There is as much fornication and adultery amongst farmers as amongst noblemen." BOSWELL "The notion of the world, Sir, however, is, that the morals of women of quality are worse than those in lower stations." JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir; the licentiousness of one woman of quality makes more noise than that of a number of women in lower stations: then, Sir, you are to consider the malignity of women in the city against women of quality, which will make them believe any thing of them, such as that they call their coachmen to bed. No, Sir; so far as I have observed, the higher in rank, the richer ladies are, they are the better instructed, and the more virtuous."

This year the Reverend Mr. Horne published his "Letter to Mr. Dunning on the English Particle." Johnson read it; and though not treated in it with sufficient respect, he had candour enough to say to Mr. Seward, "Were I to make a new edition of my Dictionary, I would adopt several of Mr. Horne's etymo logies. I hope they did not put the dog in the pillory for his libel; he has too much literature for that."

114

On Saturday, May 16., I dined with him at Mr. Beauclerk's with Mr. Langton, Mr. Steevens, Dr. Higgins, and some others. I regret very feelingly every instance of my remissness in recording his memorabilia; I am afraid it is the condition of humanity (as Mr. Windham, of Norfolk, once observed to me, after having made an admirable speech in the House of Commons, which was highly ap plauded, but which he afterwards perceived might have been better), "that we are more

as if Dr. Johnson, instead of several of his etymologies, had said all. His recollection having thus magnified it, shows how ambitious he was of the approbation of so great a man. -BOSWELL. The occasion of Horne's letter was bis disputing the construction put by the judges of the Court of King's Bench on some words in his indictment. - CROKER, 1947.

4 This is another instance of Johnson's contradictory opinions-antè, p. 602.- for which I can more easily account than for his continued ignorance of Horne Tooke's sentence. CROKER.

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uneasy from thinking of our wants, than happy in thinking of our acquisitions." This is an unreasonable mode of disturbing our tranquillity, and should be corrected : let me then comfort myself with the large treasure of Johnson's conversation which I have preserved for my own enjoyment and that of the world; and let me exhibit what I have upon each occasion, whether more or less, whether a bulse, or only a few sparks of a diamond.

He said, "Dr. Mead lived more in the broad sunshine of life than almost any man."2

The disaster of General Burgoyne's army was then the common topic of conversation. It was asked why piling their arms was insisted upon as a matter of such consequence, when it seemed to be a circumstance so inconsiderable in itself. JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, a French author says, Il y a beaucoup de puérilités dans la guerre. All distinctions are trifles, because great things can seldom occur, and those distinctions are settled by custom. A savage would as willingly have his meat sent to him in the kitchen, as eat it at the table here: as men become civilised, various modes of denoting honourable preference are invented."

He this day made the observations upon the similarity between "Rasselas" and "Candide;" which I have inserted in its proper place [p. 115.], when considering his admirable philosophical romance. He said, "Candide," he thought, had more power in it than any thing that Voltaire had written.

He said, "The lyrical part of Horace never can be perfectly translated; so much of the excellence is in the numbers and expression. Francis has done it the best. I'll take his, five out of six, against them all."

On Sunday, May 17., I presented to him Mr. Fullarton, of Fullarton, who has since distinguished himself so much in India, to whom he naturally talked of travels, as Mr. Brydone accompanied him in his tour to Sicily and Malta. He said, "The information which we have from modern travellers is much more authentic than what we had from ancient travellers; ancient travellers guessed, modern travellers measure. The Swiss admit that there is but one error in Stanyan.5 If Brydone were more attentive to his Bible, he would be a good traveller." [p. 491.]

He said, "Lord Chatham was a Dictator;

Mr. Windham's MS. Journal, which I have seen, exhibits instances of a morbid, self-tormenting hypochondriacism, of which those who knew him only in society could have no idea.CROKER, 1847.

2 Dr. Richard Mead was born in 1673, and died in 1754. His collecton of books, pictures, and coins (which sold for upwards of 16,000.), were, during his life, most liberally open to public curiosity. He was much visited by the literati and foreigners, and did certainly live in the "sunshine of life."-CROKER.

3 Its surrender at Saratoga, October, 1777. — CROKER.

In 1787, Mr. Fullarton published a " View of the English Interests in India."- WRIGHT.

Temple Stanyan, Esq., at one time minister to the Porte, author of an "Account of Switzerland," 1714, and of a better known "History of Greece." He died 1752. CROKER,

1835.

"The slip of paper on which he made the correction is

he possessed the power of putting the state in motion: now there is no power, all order is relaxed." BOSWELL. "Is there no hope of a change to the better?" JOHNSON. Why, yes, Sir, when we are weary of this relaxation. So the city of London will appoint its mayors again by seniority." BOSWELL. "But is not that taking a mere chance for having a good or a bad mayor?' JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir; but the evil of competition is greater than that of the worst mayor that can come; besides, there is no more reason to suppose that the choice of a rabble will be right, than that chance will be right.”

On Tuesday, May 19., I was to set out for Scotland in the evening. He was engaged to dine with me at Mr. Dilly's. I waited upon him to remind him of his appointment and attend him thither; he gave me some salutary counsel, and recommended vigorous resolution against any deviation from moral duty. BosWELL. "But you would not have me to bind myself by a solemn obligation?" JOHNSON (much agitated). "What! a vow!-O, no, Sir; a vow is a horrible thing! it is a snare for sin. The man who cannot go to heaven without a vow, may go Here, standing erect in the middle of his library, and rolling grand, his pause was truly a curious compound of the solemn and the ludicrous; he halfwhistled in his usual way when pleasant, and he paused as if checked by religious awe. Methought he would have added, to hell, but was restrained. I humoured the dilemma. What, Sir!" said I, "In cœlum jusseris ibit?"" alluding to his imitation of it,

deposited by me in the noble library to which it relates, and to which I have presented other pieces of his handwriting.-' BOSWELL.

The passage in the first, and in some other editions, stands as follows:

"When first the college rolls receive his name, The young enthusiast quits his ease for fame: Resistless burns the fever of renown, Caught from the strong contagion of the gown; O'er Bodley's dome his future labours spread, And Bacon's mansion trembles o'er his head.' Johnson, no doubt, in amending the second awkward couplet, inadvertently inserted spreads instead of burns. The true reading ought to be introduced in any new edition of the poem, which it has not been in any that I have ever seen. Even the Oxford edition (1825) notices the error and the correction, but, strange to say, does not amend the text.-CROKER.

more poetical, as it might carry an allusion to the shirt by which Hercules was inflamed.

We had a quiet, comfortable meeting at Mr. Dilly's; nobody there but ourselves. Mr. Dilly mentioned somebody having wished that Milton's "Tractate on Education" should be printed along with his Poems in the edition of the English Poets then going on. JOHNSON. "It would be breaking in upon the plan; but would be of no great consequence. So far as it would be any thing, it would be wrong. Education in England has been in danger of being hurt by two of its greatest men, Milton and Locke. Milton's plan is impracticable, and I suppose has never been tried. Locke's, I fancy, has been tried often enough, but is very imperfect; it gives too much to one side, and too little to the other; it gives too little to literature. I shall do what I can for Dr. Watts; but my materials are very scanty. His poems are by no means his best works; I cannot praise his poetry itself highly, but I can praise its design."

My illustrious friend and I parted with assurances of affectionate regard.

I wrote to him on the 25th of May, from Thorpe, in Yorkshire, one of the seats of Mr. Bosville, [p.523.] and gave him an account of my having passed a day at Lincoln, unexpectedly, and therefore without having any letters of introduction; but that I had been honoured with civilities from the Reverend Mr. Simpson, an acquaintance of his, and Captain Broadley, of the Lincolnshire militia; but more particularly from the Reverend Dr. Gordon, the chancellor, who first received me with great politeness as a stranger, and, when I informed him who I was, entertained me at his house with the most flattering attention. I also expressed the pleasure with which I had found that our worthy friend, Langton, was highly esteemed in his own county town.

BOSWELL TO JOHNSON.

"MY DEAR SIR,

-

"Edinburgh, June 18. 1778.

Since my return to Scotland, I have been again at Lanark, and have had more conversation with Thomson's sister. It is strange that Murdoch, who was his intimate friend, should have mistaken his mother's maiden name, which he says was Hume, whereas Hume was the name of his grandmother by the mother's side. His mother's name was Beatrix Trotter', a

daughter of Mr. Trotter of Fogo, a small proprietor of land. Thomson had one brother, whom he had with him in England as his amanuensis ; but he was seized with a consumption, and having returned to Scotland, to try what his native air would do for him, died young. He had three sisters: one married to Mr. Bell, minister of the parish of Strathaven; one to Mr. Craig, father of the ingenious architect, who gave the plan of the New Town of Edinburgh; and one to Mr. Thom

1 Dr. Johnson was by no means attentive to minute accuracy in his "Lives of the Poets;" for, notwithstanding my having detected this mistake, he continued it. BoswELL.

son, master of the grammar-school at Lanark. He was of a humane and benevolent disposition; not only sent valuable presents to his sisters, but a yearly allowance in money, and was always wishing to have it in his power to do them more good. Lord Lyttelton's observation, that he loathed much to Mrs. Thomson, were not frequent; and in one of write,' was very true. His letters to his sister,

how backward I am to write letters; and never | them he says, All my friends who know me, know impute the negligence of my hand to the coldness of my heart.' I send you a copy of the last letter which she had from him; she never heard that he had any intention of going into holy orders. From this late interview with his sister, I think much more favourably of him, as I hope you will. I am eager to see more of your Prefaces to the Poets: I solace myself with the few proof-sheets which I have.

"I send another parcel of Lord Hailes's 'Annals,' which you will please to return to me as soon as you conveniently can. He says, he wishes you that there is so little occasion to use the critical would cut a little deeper;' but he may be proud knife. I ever am, my dear Sir, &c.,

"JAMES BOSWELL."

Mr. Langton has been pleased, at my request, to favour me with some particulars of this gentleman was at the time stationed as s Dr. Johnson's visit to Warley Camp, where captain in the Lincolnshire militia. I shall give them in his own words in a letter to me.

"It was in the summer of the year 1778, that he complied with my invitation to come down to the camp at Warley, and he staid with me about a degree of ill health that he seemed to labour under, week; the scene appeared, notwithstanding a great to interest and amuse him, as agreeing with the disposition that I believe you know he constantly manifested towards inquiring into subjects of the military kind. He sate, with a patient degree of attention, to observe the proceedings of a regimental court-martial, that happened to be called in the time of his stay with us; and one night, as late as at eleven o'clock, he accompanied the major of the regiment in going what are styled the rounds, where he might observe the forms of visiting the guards for the seeing that they and their sentries are ready in their duty on their several posts. He took ocession to converse at times on military topics, once in particular, that I see the mention of, in your Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, which lies! open before me, (p. 303.), as to gunpowder; which he spoke of to the same effect, in part, that you relate.

going through their exercise, he went quite close "On one occasion, when the regiment were to the men at one of the extremities of it, and he came away, his remark was, 'The men indeed watched all their practices attentively; and, when do load their muskets and fire with wonderful celerity.' He was likewise particular in requiring in use, and within what distance they might be to know what was the weight of the musket balls expected to take effect when fired off.

"In walking among the tents, and observing the difference between those of the officers and private men, he said, that the superiority of accommodation of the better conditions of life, to that of the inferior

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