man may be beat at times by one who has not the tenth part of his wit. Now Goldsmith's putting himself against another, is like a man laying a hundred to one, who cannot spare the hundred. It is not worth a man's while. A man should not lay a hundred to one, unless he can easily spare it, though he has a hundred chances for him: he can get but a guinea, and he may lose a hundred. Goldsmith is in this state. When he contends, if he gets the better, it is a very little addition to a man of his literary reputation : if he does not get the better, he is miferably vexed. The misfortune of Goldsmith in conversation is this: he goes on without knowing how he is to get off. His genius is great, but his knowledge is small. As they say of a generous man, it is a pity he is not rich; we may say of Goldsmith, it is a pity he is not knowing. He would not keep his knowledge to himself."

Goldsmith said once to Dr. Johnson, that he wished for fome additional members to the LITERARY CLUB, to give it an agreeable variety; " for (faid he), there can now be nothing new among us: we have travelled over one another's minds. Johnson seemed a little angry, and faid, "Sir, you have not travelled over my mind, I promise you." Sir Joshua Reynolds, however, thought Goldsmith right; observing, that that "when people have lived a great deal together, they know what each of them will fay on every fubject. A new understanding, therefore, is defirable; because though it may only furnish the same sense upon a question which would have been furnished by those with whom we are accustomed to live, yet this sense will have a different colouring; and colouring is of much effect in every thing else as well as in painting." by chance at the fame time with Burke under a shed, to shun a shower, he would say this is an extraordinary man. If Burke should go into a stable to fee his horse drest, the oftler would fay we have had an extraordinary man here." BoSWELL. Foote was a man who never failed in conversation. If he had gone into a stable." - JOHNSON. "Sir, if he had gone into a stable, the oftler would have faid, here has been a comical fellow; but he would not have respected him.-B. And, Sir, the oftler would have anfwered him, would have given him as good as he brought, as the common faying is."-7. "Yes, Sir; and Foote would have answered the oftler."

Mr. Berrenger visited Johnson one day, and they talked of an evening society for conversation at a house in town, of which (says Mr. B.) we were all members, but of which Johnfon faid, " It will never do, Sir. There is nothing served about there, neither tea, nor coffee, nor lemonade, nor any thing whatever; and depend upon it, Sir, a man does not like to go to a place from whence he comes out exactly as he went in. Mr. B. endeavoured, for argument's sake, to maintain, that men of learning and talents might have very good intellectual society, without the aid of any little gratifications of the senses. Berrenger joined with Johnson, and faid, that without these any meeting would be dull and infipid. He would therefore have all the flight refreshments; nay, it would not be amiss to have fome cold meat and a bottle of wine upon a fide-board. "Sir (faid Johnfon,

with an air of triumph), Mr. Berrenger knows the world. Every body loves to have good things furnished to them without any trouble. I told Mrs. Thrale once, that as she did not choose to have card-tables, she should have a profufion of the best sweetmeats, and the would be sure to have company enough come to her*"

One evening, in fine spirits, at the EffexHead-Club, he said, "I dined yesterday at Mrs. Garrick's, with Mrs. Carter, Miss Hannah More, and Miss Fanny Burney. Three such women are not to be found; I know not where I could find a fourth, except Mrs. Lennox, who is fuperior to them all." -BosWELL. "WhatI had you them all to yourself, Sir ?"-JOHNSON. " I had them all, as much as they were had; but it might have been better had there been more company there." B. "Might not Mrs. Montagu have been fourth?"-7. "Sir, Mrs. Montagu does not make a trade of her wit; but Mrs. Montagu is a very extraordinary woman, she has a conftant stream of conversation, and it is always impregnated; it has always meaning."-B. "Mr. Burke has a constant stream of converfa

tion."-7.

a

"Yes, Sir: if a man were to go

* " I agreed with my illustrious friend upon this subject, (fays his Biographer) for it has pleased God to make man a composite animal; and where there is nothing to refresh the body, themind will languish."

66

Mr. Bofwell gave him an account of the excellent mimickry of a friend of his in Scotland; obferving, at the fame time, that some people thought it a very mean thing.-JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, it is making a very mean ufe of a man's powers. But to be a good mimick requires great powers; great acuteness of observation, great retention of what is observed, and great pliancy of organs, to reprefent what is observed. I remember a lady of quality in this town, who was a wonderful mimick, and used to make me laugh immoderately. I have heard the is now gone mad."-BOSWELL. " It is amazing how

1

a mimic can not only give you the gostures and
voice of a person whom he represents, but
even what a person would say on any particu-
lar fubject."-7. "Why, Sir, you are to con-
sider that the manner and fome particular
phrases of a person do much to impress you
with an idea of him, and you are not fure that
he would say what the mimick says in his
character." - В.
I don't think Foote a
good mimick, Sir."-. "No, Sir; his imi-
tations are not like.
He gives you fome-
thing different from himself, but not the cha-
racter which he means to affume. He goes
out of himself, without going into other peo-
ple. He cannot take off any perfon unless
he is ftrongly marked, fuch as George Faulk-
ner. He is like a painter who can draw the
portrait of a man who has a wen upon his face,
and who, therefore, is eafily known. If a man
hops upon one leg, Foote can hop upon one
leg. But he has not that nice difcrimination
which your friend feems to poflefs. Foote is,
however, very entertaining, with a kind of con-
versation between wit and buffoonery."

At another time he said, "Garrick's gaiety of conversation has delicacy and elegance; Foote makes you laugh more: but Foote has the air of a buffoon paid for entertaining the company. He, indeed, well deferves his hire."