how far human folly can go; the account, therefore, ought of abfolute neceffity to be faithful. A certain character (naming the perfon), as to the general caft of it, is well defcribed by Garrick; but a great deal of the phrafcology he ufes in it is quite his own, particularly in the proverbial comparisons, obftinate as a pig,' &c. ; but I don't know whether it might not be true of Lord, that from a too great eagerness for praise and popularity, and a politeness carried to a ridiculous excess, he was likely, after afferting a thing in general, to give it up again in parts. For inftance, if he had faid Reynolds was the first of painters, he was capable enough of giving up, as objections might happen to be feverally made, first, his outline, then the grace in form,-then the colouring, and lafily, to have owned that he was fuch a mannerift, that the difpofition of his pictures were all alike."

A gentleman, by no means deficient in literature, having difcovered lefs acquaintance with one of the claffics than Johnfon expected, when the gentleman left the room, he obferved, "You fee, now, how little any body reads."— Mr. Langton happening to mention his having read a good deal in Clenardus's Greek Grammar, "Why, Sir (faid he), who is there in this town that knows any thing of Clenardus

but

but you and I?" And and I?" And upon Mr. Langton's mentioning that he had taken the pains to learn by heart the Epiftle of St. Bafil, which is given in that Grammar as a praxis, "Sir (faid he), I never made fuch an effort to attain Greek."

Being

He had a strong prejudice against the political character of Secker, one inftance of which appeared at Oxford, when he expreffed great diffatisfaction at his varying the old eftablished toast, Church and King.'-" The Archbishop of Canterbury, faid he (with an affected smooth fmiling grimace), drinks, • Constitution in Church and State.' afked what difference there was between the two toafts, he faid, Why, Sir, you may be fure he meant fomething.' Yet when the life of that prelate, prefixed to his fermons by Dr. Porteus and Dr. Stinton, his chaplains, firft came out, he read it with the utmost avidity, and faid, "It is a life well written, and that well deferves to be recorded."

Of Sir Joshua Reynolds he faid, "I know no man who has paffed through life with more ob fervation than Reynolds."

Once when fomebody produced a newfpaper in which there was a letter of ftupid abuse of Sir Joshua Reynolds, in which Johnfon himself came in for a fhare,-" Pray (faid

he) let us have it read aloud from beginning to end;" which being done, he with a ludicrous earneftness, and not directing his look to any particular perfon, called out, "Are we alive after all this fatire !"

Talking of the difference between the mode of education at Oxford, and that in thofe Colleges where inftruction is chiefly conveyed by lectures, Johnfon obferved, "Lectures were once useful; but now, when all can read, and books are fo numerous, lectures are unneceffary. If your attention fails, and you miss a part of a lecture, it is loft; you cannot go back as you do upon a book." Dr. Scott agreed with him. "But yet, Dr. Scott (faid Mr. B.), you yourself gave lectures at Oxford." The Doctor fmiled. "You laughed then (faid Mr. B.) at those who came to you.'

Talking of celebrated and fuccessful irregular practifers in phyfic, Johnson faid, "Taylor was the most ignorant man I ever knew, but fprightly. Ward the dulleft. Taylor challenged me once to talk Latin with him: (laughing). I quoted fome of Horace, which he took to be a part of my own fpeech. He faid a few words well enough."-BEAUCLERK, "I remember, Sir, you faid that Taylor was an inftance how far impudence could carry ignorance." Mr. Beauclerk told a number of fhort

ftories

ftories in a lively elegant manner, and with that air of the world which has a fort of impreffive effect, as if there were fomething more than is expreffed, or than perhaps we could perfectly understand. As Johnfon accompanied Sir Joshua Reynolds home in his coach, he faid, "There is in Beauclerk a predominance over his company that one does not like. But he is a man who has lived fo much in the world, that he has a short story on every occafion; he is always ready to talk, and is never exhausted."

His affection, however, for Topham Beauclerk was fo great, that when that gentleman was labouring under the fevere illnefs which at laft occafioned his death, Johnson faid, (with a voice faultering with emotion), "Sir, I would walk to the extent of the diameter of the earth to fave Beauclerk."

Mr. Beauclerk's great library was after his death fold in London by auction. Mr. Wilkes faid, he wondered to find in it fuch a numerous collection of fermons, feeming to think it ftrange that a gentleman of Mr. Beauclerk's character in the gay world, should have chosen to have many compofitions of that kind.

'Why, Sir (faid Johnson), you are to confider, that fermons make a confiderable branch of English literature; fo that a library must be very imperfect if it has not a numerous collec

tion of fermons ; and in all collections, Sir, the defire of augmenting it grows ftronger in proportion to the advance in acquifition; as motion is accelerated by the continuance of the impetus. Besides, Sir (looking at Mr. Wilkes with a placid but fignificant fmile), a man may collect fermons with intention of making himfelf better by them. I hope Mr. Beauclerk intended, that fome time or other that fhould be the cafe with him."

Sir John Pringle had expreffed a wish to have Dr. Johnson's opinion what were the best English fermons for ftyle. Mr. B. one day took an opportunity of mentioning feveral to him. Atterbury ?-JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir, one of the beft. BOSWELL." Tillotson?"-J.

Why not now. I thould not advise a preacher at this day to imitate Tillotson's ftyle; though I don't know; I fhould be cautious of objecting to what has been applauded by fo many fuffrages.-South is one of the beft, if you except his peculiarities, and his violence, and fometimes coarfenefs of language. Seed has a very fine ftyle; but he is not very theological.-Fortin's fermons are very elegant.— Sherlock's ftyle too is very elegant, though he has not made it his principal ftudy. And you may add Smallridge. All the latter preachers have a good style. Indeed, nobody now talks

much