does he choose to be told. Sir, when people watch me narrowly, and I do not watch myself, they will find me out to be of a particular county. In the same manner Dunning may be found out to be a Devonshire man. So most Scotchmen may be found out. But, sir, little aberrations are of no disadvantage. I never catched Mallet in a Scotch accent; and yet Mallet, I suppose, was past five-and-twenty before he came to London1."

tention of the house by its uncommonness, and is equal to tropes and figures in a good English speaker." I would give as an instance of what I mean to recommend to my countrymen, the pronunciation of the late Sir Gilbert Elliot; and may I presume to add that of the present Earl of Marchmont, who told me, with great good-humour, that the master of a shop in London where he was not known, said to him, "I suppose, sir, you are an American." "Why so, sir?" said his lordship. Because, sir," replied the shopkeeper," you speak neither English nor Scotch, but something different from both, which I conclude is the language of America."

Upon another occasion I talked to him on this subject, having myself taken some pains to improve my pronunciation, by the aid of the late Mr. Love2, of Drury-lane theatre, when he was a player at Edinburgh, and also of old Mr. Sheridan. Johnson BOSWELL. "It may be of use, sir, to said to me, "Sir, your pronunciation is not have a dictionary to ascertain the pronuncioffensive." With this concession I was ation." JOHNSON. "Why, sir, my Dicpretty well satisfied; and let me give my tionary shows you the accent of words, if countrymen of North-Britain an advice not you can but remember them." BOSWELL. to aim at absolute perfection in this respect; "But, sir, we want marks to ascertain the not to speak high English, as we are apt to pronunciation of the vowels. Sheridan, I call what is far removed from the Scotch, believe, has finished such a work." JOHNbut which is by no means good English, SON. Why, sir, consider how much easier and makes" the fools who use it" truly ridi- it is to learn a language by the ear, than by culous. Good English is plain, easy, and any marks. Sheridan's Dictionary may do smooth in the mouth of an unaffected Eng- very well; but you cannot always carry it lish gentleman. A studied and factitious about with you: and, when you want the pronunciation, which requires perpetual at-word, you have not the dictionary. It is tention, and imposes perpetual constraint, is exceedingly disgusting. A small intermixture of provincial peculiarities may, perhaps, have an agreeable effect, as the notes of different birds concur in the harmony of the grove, and please more than if they were all exactly alike. I could name some gentlemen of Ireland 3, to whom a slight proportion of the accent and recitative of that country is an advantage. The same observation will apply to the gentlemen of Scotland. I do not mean that we should speak as broad as a certain prosperous member 4 of parliament from that country; though it has been well observed, that "it has been of no small use to him; as it rouses the at

like a man who has a sword that will not draw. It is an admirable sword, to be sure: but while your enemy is cutting your throat, you are unable to use it. Besides, sir, what entitles Sheridan to fix the pronunciation of English? He has, in the first place, the disadvantage of being an Irishman: and if he says he will fix it after the example of the best company, why, they differ among themselves. I remember an instance: when I published the Plan for my Dictionary, Lord Chesterfield told me that the word great should be pronounced so as to rhyme to state; and Sir William Yonge sent me word that it should be pronounced so as to rhyme to seat, and that none but an Irishman would pronounce it grait. Now here

5 [Third baronet, father of the first Lord Min to; a gentleman of distinction in the political, and not unknown in the poetical world: he died in 1777. Is it not, however, rather Hibernian to recommend as a model of pronunciation, one who was already dead?—ignotum per ignotius.

[He says, in the Lives of the Poets, that "of Mallet he had a very slight personal knowledge." Mallet came to England in 1723, when he was about twenty-five years of age.-ED.] 2 [Love was an assumed name. He was the son of Mr. Dance, the architect. He resided many years at Edinburgh as manager of the theatre of that city; he removed in 1762 to Drury--ED.] lane, and died in 1771. He wrote some theatrical pieces of no reputation.-ED.]

[Mr. Boswell probably included, in this observation, Mr. Burke; who, to the last, retained more of the Irish accent than was agreeable to less indulgent ears.-ED.]

4 [Mr. Dundas, successively lord advocate, secretary of state, first lord of the admiralty, and Viscount Melville, whose accent, and many of whose phrases, were to the last peculiarly national.-ED.]

6 [Hugh, fourth Earl of Marchmont, the friend and executor of Pope; born in 1708, died in 1794. ED.]

7 [Sir W. Yonge, fourth baronet, K. B. and secretary at war in Sir Robert Walpole's administration; he died in 1755. See ante, p. 79, where the editor has inadvertently stated that Sir W. Yonge told, instead of sent word to Johnson how great should be pronounced. The pronunciation is now settled, beyond question, in the mode stated by Lord Chesterfield.-ED.]

were two men of the highest rank, the one, the best speaker in the house of lords, the other, the best speaker in the house of commons, differing entirely."

SON.

"Why, sir, we must either suppose that passage to be metaphorical, or hold with many divines, and all the Purgatorians, that departed souls do not all at once I again visited him at night. Finding arrive at the utmost perfection of which him in a very good humour, I ventured to they are capable." BoSWELL. "I think, lead him to the subject of our situation in sir, that is a very rational supposition." a future state, having much curiosity to JOHNSON. "Why, yes, sir; but we do not know his notions on that point. JOHNSON. know it is a true one. There is no harm in "Why, sir, the happiness of an unem- believing it: but you must not compel othbodied spirit will consist in a consciousness ers to make it an article of faith; for it is of the favour of GOD, in the contemplation not revealed." BOSWELL. "Do you of truth, and in the possession of felicitating think, sir, it is wrong in a man who holds ideas." BOSWELL. "But, sir, is there the doctrine of purgatory, to pray for the any harm in our forming to ourselves con- souls of his deceased friends?" JOHNSON, jectures as to the particulars of our happi-" Why no, sir." BOSWELL. "I have ness, though the scripture has said but very little on the subject? We know not what we shall be.""JOHNSON. "Sir, there is no harm. What philosophy suggests to us on this topick is probable: what scripture tells us is certain. Dr. Henry More1 has carried it as far as philosophy can. You may buy both his theological and philosophical works in two volumes folio, for about eight shillings." BOSWELL. "One of the most pleasing thoughts is, that we shall see our friends again." JOHNSON. "Yes, sir; but you must consider, that when we are become purely rational, many of our friendships will be cut off. Many friendships are formed by a community of sensual pleasures; all these will be cut off. We form many friendships with bad men, because they have agreeable qualities, and they can be useful to us; but, after death, they can no longer be of use to us. We form many friendships by mistake, imagining people to be different from what they really are. After death, we shall see every one in a true light. Then, sir, they talk of our meeting our relations: but then all relationship is dissolved: and we shall have no regard for one person more than another, but for their real value. However, we shall either have the satisfaction of meeting our friends, or be satisfied without meeting them." BOSWELL. "Yet, sir, we see in scripture, that Dives still retained an anxious concern about his brethren." JOHN

1 [Called the Platonist, on account of his voluminous efforts to blend the platonic philosophy with christianity. He, Van Helmot, and Valentine Greatrakes, all mystics in their several professions, were patronized by Anne Finch, Lady Conway (herself a mystic), and all resided for some time in her house at Ragley, where there is a portrait of Van Helmot, and where were found by Mr. Walpole several letters of Dr. More.ED.]

Bishop Hall, in his Epistle, "discoursing of the different degrees of heavenly glory, and of our mutual knowledge of each other above," holds the affirmative on both these questions.-MA[See ante, p. 227.—ED.]

LONE.

been told, that in the liturgy of the episco-
pal church of Scotland, there was a form
of prayer for the dead." JOHNSON.
"Sir,
it is not in the liturgy which Laud framed
for the episcopal church of Scotland: if
there is a liturgy older than that, I should
be glad to see it." BOSWELL. "As to
our employment in a future state, the sa-
cred writings say little. The Revelation,
however, of St. John gives us many ideas,
and particularly mentions musick. JOHN-
SoN." Why, sir, ideas must be given you
by means of something which you know
and as to musick, there are some philoso-
phers and divines who have maintained
that we shall not be spiritualized to such a
degree, but that something of matter, very
much refined, will remain. In that case,
musick may make a part of our future fe
licity 3."

BOSWELL. "I do not know whether there are any well-attested stories of the appear ance of ghosts. You know there is a fa mous story of the appearance of Mrs. Veal, prefixed to Drelincourt on Death."" JOHN SON. "I believe, sir, that is given up 4; I believe the woman declared upon her deathbed that it was a lie 5." BOSWELL. "This objection is made against the truth of ghosts appearing: that if they are in a state of happiness, it would be a punishment to them to return to this world; and if they are in a state of misery, it would be giving

3 [See ante, p. 58.-ED.]

4 [It may be inferred from this that Dr. Johnson, notwithstanding his assertion, that apparitions are frequent, (ante, p. 228), was not able to produce one authentic instance of such an appearance. We shall find, in the course of his conversation, a statement, that old Cave had seen a spirit, and some other similar stories, but nothing which, as it would seem, Johnson himself could believe.-ED.]

5 This fiction is known to have been invented by Daniel Defoe, and was added to the second edition of the English translation of Drelincourt's work (which was originally written in French), to make it sell. The first edition had it not.-. MALONE.

them a respite." JOHNSON. "Why, sir, as the happiness or misery of embodied spirits does not depend upon place, but is intellectual, we cannot say that they are less happy or less miserable by appearing upon earth."

all the motives which they have for remaining in that connexion, and the restraints which civilized society imposes to prevent separation, are hardly sufficient to keep them together." The general said, that in a state of nature a man and woman uniting We went down between twelve and one together, would form a strong and constant to Mrs. Williams's room, and drank tea. affection, by the mutual pleasure each would I mentioned that we were to have the re- receive; and that the same causes of dis-mains of Mr. Gray in prose and verse, pub- sension would not arise between them, as lished by Mr. Mason. JOHNSON. "I think occur between husband and wife in a civilizwe have had enough of Gray. I see they ed state. JOHNSON. "Sir, they would have published a splendid edition of Aken- have dissensions enough, though of another side's works. One bad ode may be suffered; kind. One would choose to go a hunting but a number of them together makes one in this wood, the other in that; one would sick." BoswELL. "Akenside's distinguish- choose to go a fishing in this lake, the othed poem is his Pleasures of Imagination:'er in that; or, perhaps, one would choose but, for my part, I never could admire to go a hunting, when the other would it so much as most people do." JOHN- choose to go a fishing; and so they would SON. Sir, I could not read it through." part. Besides, sir, a savage man and a savBOSWELL. < 66 "I have read it through; but age woman meet by chance; and when the I did not find any great power in it." man sees another woman that pleases him better, he will leave the first."

I mentioned Elwal, the heretick, whose trial' Sir John Pringle had given me to read. JOHNSON. "Sir, Mr. Elwal was, I think, an ironmonger at Wolverhampton; and he had a mind to make himself famous, by being the founder of a new sect, which he wished much should be called Elwallians. He held, that every thing in the Old Testament that was not typical was to be of perpetual observance; and so he wore a riband in the plaits of his coat, and he also wore a beard. I remember I had the honour of dining in company with Mr. Elwal. There was one Barter, a miller, who wrote against him; and you had the controversy between Mr. Elwal and Mr. Barter. To try to make himself distinguished, he wrote a letter to King George the Second, challenging him to dispute with him, in which he said, George, if you be afraid to come by yourself, to dispute with a poor old man, you may bring a thousand of your black guards with you; and if you should still be afraid, you may bring a thousand of your red-guards.' The letter had something of the impudence of Junius to our present king. But the men of Wolverhampton were not so inflammable as the common council of London; so Mr. Elwal failed in his scheme of making himself a man of great consequence."

On Tuesday, 31st March, he and I dined at General Paoli's. A question was started whether the state of marriage was natural to man. JOHNSON. "Sir, it is so far from being natural for a man and woman to live in a state of marriage, that we find

1 ["The Triumph of Truth; being an account of the trial of E. Elwal for heresy and blasphemy, 8vo. Lond." This is rather the rambling declamation of an enthusiast, than the account of a trial. ED.]

We then fell into a disquisition whether there is any beauty independent of utility. The general maintained there was not. Dr. Johnson maintained that there was; and he instanced a coffee cup which he held in his hand, the painting of which was of no real use, as the cup could hold the coffee equally well if plain; yet the painting was beautiful.

We talked of the strange custom of swearing in conversation. The general said, that all barbarous nations swore from a certain violence of temper, that could not be confined to earth, but was always reaching at the powers above. He said, too, that there was greater variety of swearing, in proportion as there was a greater variety of religious ceremonies.

Dr. Johnson went home with me to my lodgings in Conduit-street and drank tea, previous to our going to the Pantheon, which neither of us had seen before.

He said, "Goldsmith's Life of Parnell is poor; not that it is poorly written, but that he had poor materials; for nobody can write the life of a man, but those who have eat and drunk and lived in social intercourse 2 with him."

I said, that if it was not troublesome and presuming too much, I would request him to tell me all the little circumstances of his life; what schools he attended, when he came to Oxford, when he came to London, &c. &c. He did not disapprove of my curiosity as to these particulars; but said, They 'll come out by degrees, as we talk together."

2 [Yet Johnson himself knew but few of the many whose lives he wrote, and these few are certainly not his most amusing biographical productions. See ante, p. 110 n.-ED.]

Prozzi,
p. 24, 25.

[When Mrs. Piozzi, in July, 1773, happened to allude to his future biographer, "And who will be my biographer," said he, "do you think?" "Goldsmith, no doubt," replied she, "and he will do it the best among us." "The dog would write it best, to be sure," replied he; "but his particular malice towards me, and general disregard for truth, would make the book useless to all, and injurious to my character." "Oh! as to that," said she, "we should all fasten upon him, and force him to do you justice; but the worst is, the doctor does not know your life; nor can I tell indeed who does, except Dr. Taylor of Ashbourne," "Why, Taylor," said he, "is better acquainted with my heart than any man or woman now alive; and the history of my Oxford exploits lies all between him and Adams; but Dr. James knows my very early days better than he. After my coming to London to drive the world about a little, you must all go to Jack Hawkesworth for anecdotes: I lived in great familiarity with him (though I think there was not much affection) from the year 1753 till the time Mr. Thrale and you took me up. I intend, however, to disappoint the rogues, and either make you write the life, with Taylor's intelligence; or, which is better, do it myself, after outliving you all. I am now," added he, "keeping a diary, in hopes of using it for that purpose some time."]

66

an uncommercial country, when men being idle, were glad to be entertained at rich men's tables. But in a commercial country, a busy country, time becomes precious, and therefore hospitality is not so much valued. No doubt there is still room for a certain degree of it; and a man has a satisfaction in seeing his friends eating and drinking around him. But promiscuous hospitality is not the way to gain real influence. You must help some people at table before others; you must ask some people how they like their wine oftener than others. You therefore offend more people than you please. You are like the French statesman, who said, when he granted a favour. J'a fait dix mécontents et un ingrat.' Besides, sir, being entertained ever so well at a man's table, impresses no lasting regard or esteem. No, sir, the way to make sure of power and influence is, by lending money confidentially to your neighbours at a small interest, or perhaps at no interest at all, and having their bonds in your possession." BOSWELL. "May not a man, sir, employ his riches to. advantage, in educating young men of merit?" JOHNSON. "Yes, sir, if they fall in your way; but if it be understood that you patronize young men of merit, you will be harassed with solicitations. You will have numbers forced upon you, who have no merit; some will force them upon you from mistaken partiality; and some from downright interested motives, without scruple; and you will be disgraced.

"Were I a rich man, I would propagate all kinds of trees that will grow in the open air. A green-house is childish. I would introduce foreign animals into the country; for instance, the rein-deer 2."

He censured Ruffhead's Life of Pope; and said, "he knew nothing of Pope, and nothing of poetry." He praised Dr. Joseph Warton's Essay on Pope; but said, he supposed we should have no more of it, as the authour had not been able to persuade the world to think of Pope as he did." BosWELL Why, sir, should that prevent The conversation now turned on critical him from continuing his work? He is an subjects. JOHNSON. Bayes, in The ingenious counsel, who has made the most Rehearsal,' is a mighty silly character. If of his cause: he is not obliged to gain it." it was intended to be like a particular man, JOHNSON. "But, sir, there is a difference it could only be diverting while that man when the cause is of a man's own making." was remembered. But I question whether We talked of the proper use of riches. it was meant for Dryden, as has been report JOHNSON. "If I were a man of great es-ed; for we know some of the passages said tate, I would drive all the rascals whom I to be ridiculed were written since the Redid not like out of the county, at an elec-hearsal: at least a passage mentioned in tion." the preface 3 is of a later date." I main

This project has since been realized. Sir Henry Liddel, who made a spirited tour into Lapland, brought two rein-deer to his estate in Northumberland, where they bred: but the race has unfortunately perished.-BOSWELL.

3 There is no preface to "The Rehearsal," as originally published. Dr. Johnson seems to have meant the address to the reader, with a key, subjoined to it, which have been prefixed to the modern editions of that play. He did not know, it appears, that several additions were made to "The Rehearsal" after the first edition. The ridicule on the passages here alluded to is found

tained that it had merit as a general satire |" But, sir, there is half a guinea's worth of