Goldsmith had complained to me, that he had come too late into the world, for that Pope and other poets had taken up the places in the temple of Fame; so that as but a few at any period can pos sess poetical reputation, a man of genius can now hardly acquire it. JOHNSON. That is one of the most sensible things I have ever heard of Goldsmith. It is difficult to get literary fame, and it is every day growing more difficult.' ”

Boswell described to him an impudent fellow from Scotland, who affected to be a savage, and railed at all established systems. JOHNSON. "There is nothing surprising in this, sir. He wants to make himself conspicuous. He would tumble in a hog. sty, as long as you looked at him, and called to him to come out: but let him alone, never mind him, and he'll soon give it over." BOSWELL. "The same person maintains that there is no distinction between virtue and vice." JOHNSON. "Why, sir, if the fellow does not think as he speaks, he is lying; and I see not what honour he can propose to himself from having the character of a liar. But if he does really think that there is no distinction between virtue and vice, why, sir, when he leaves our houses, let us count our spoons."

Having come from the Pantheon, Boswell said there was not half-a-guinea's worth of pleasure in seeing that place. JOHNSON. "But, sir, there is half-a-guinea's worth of inferiority to other people in not having seen it." BOSWELL. "I doubt, sir, whether there are many happy people here." JOHNSON. Yes, sir, there are many happy people here. There are many people here who are watching hundreds, and who think hundreds are watching them."

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Happening to meet sir Adam Ferguson, Boswell presented him to Dr. Johnson. Sir Adam expressed some apprehension that the Pantheon would encourage luxury." Sir," said Johnson, “I am a great friend to public amusements; for they keep people from vice."

When one of his friends endeavoured to maintain that a country gentleman might contrive to pass his life very agreeably, "Sir," said he, “you cannot give me an instance of any man who is permitted to lay out his own time, contriving not to have tedious hours." This observation, however, is equally applicable to gentlemen who live in cities, and are of no profession.

Mr. Strahan talked of launching into the great ocean of London, in order to have a chance for rising into eminence; and observing, that many men were kept back from trying their fortunes there, because they were born to a competency, said, "Small certainties are the bane of men of talents;" which Johnson confirmed. Mr. Strahan put Johnson in mind of a remark which he had made to him-"There are few ways in which a man can be more innocently employed than in geting money." "The more one thinks of this," said Strahan," the juster it will appear."

He disliked much all speculative desponding considerations, which tended to discourage men from diligence and exertion. He was in this like Dr. Shaw, the great traveller, who, according to Mr. Daines Barrington, used to say, "I hate a cui bono man." Upon being asked by a friend, what he 'should think of a man who was apt to say non est tanti:-"That he's a stupid fellow, sir ;" answered

Johnson: "what would these tanti men be doing the while?" When Boswell, in a low-spirited fit, was talking to him with indifference of the pursuits which generally engage us in a course of action, and inquiring a reason for taking so much trouble; "Sir," said he, in an animated tone, "it is driving on the system of life."

-When Boswell visited Lichfield in company with Johnson, very little business appeared to be going forward there. He found, however, two strange manufactures for so inland a place, sail-cloth and streamers for ships; and observed them making some saddle-cloths, and dressing sheep-skins: but upon the whole, the busy hand of industry seemed to be quite slackened. "Surely, sir," said Boswell, 66 you are an idle set of people.' Sir," said Johnwe are a city of philosophers; we work with our heads, and make the boobies of Birmingham work for us with their hands."

son,

Upon the question, whether a man who had been guilty of vicious actions would do well to force himself into solitude and sadness? JOHNSON. "No, sir, unless it prevent him from being vicious again. With some people, gloomy penitence is only madness turned upside down. A man may be gloomy, till, in order to be relieved from gloom, he has recourse again to criminal indulgences."

Johnson called on Boswell with Mrs. Williams, in Mr. Strahan's coach, and carried him out to dine with Mr. Elphinstone, at his academy at Kensington. A printer having acquired a sufficient fortune to keep his coach was a good topic for the credit of literature. Mrs. Williams said, "That another printer, Mr. Hamilton, had not waited so long as Mr.

Strahan, but had kept his coach several years sooner. JOHNSON. "He was in the right; life is short: the sooner that a man begins to enjoy his wealth the better."

"Although upon most occasions,” says Boswell, "I never heard a more strenuous advocate for the advantages of wealth than Dr. Johnson, he this day, I know not from what caprice, took the other side. I have not observed,' said he, that men of very large fortunes enjoy any thing extraordinary that makes happiness. What has the duke of Bedford? What has the duke of Devonshire? The only great instance that I have ever known of the enjoyment of wealth was that of Jamaica Dawkins, who going to visit Palmyra, and hearing that the way was infested by robbers, hired a troop of Turkish horse to guard him.""

Talking of various enjoyments, Boswell argued, that a refinement of taste was a disadvantage, as they who have attained to it must be seldomer pleased than those who have no nice discrimination, and are therefore satisfied with every thing that comes in their way. JOHNSON. " Nay, sir, that is a paltry notion: endeavour to be as perfect as you can in every respect."

He gave the following singular history of an ingenious acquaintance. "He had practised physic in various situations with no great emolument. A West-India gentleman, whom he delighted by his conversation, gave him a bond for a handsome annuity during his life, on the condition of his accompanying him to the West-Indies, and living with him there for two years. He accordingly embarked

with the gentleman; but upon the voyage fell in love with a young woman who happened to be one of the passengers, and married the wench. From the imprudence of his disposition he quarrelled with the gentleman, and declared he would have no connexion with him; so he forfeited the annuity. He settled as a physician in one of the Leeward islands. A man was sent to him merely to compound his medicines. This fellow set up as a rival to him in his practice of physic, and got so much the better of him in the opinion of the people of the island, that he carried away all the business; upon which he returned to England, and soon after died."

On the subject of wealth, the proper use of it, and the effect of that art which is called economy, he observed, "It is wonderful to think how men of very large estates not only spend their yearly incomes, but are often actually in want of money. It is clear they have not value for what they spend. Lord Shelburne told me, that a man of high rank, who looks into his own affairs, may have all that he ought to have, all that can be of any use, or appear with any advantage, for five thousand pounds a year: therefore a great proportion must go in waste; and, indeed, this is the case with most people, whatever their fortune is." BOSWELL. "I have no doubt, sir, of this; but how is it? What is waste?" JOHNSON. " Why, sir, breaking bottles, and a thousand other things. Waste cannot be accurately told, though we are sensible how destructive it is. Economy on the one hand, by which a certain income is made to maintain a man genteely, and waste on the other, by which, on the same income, another man