always governs. When it comes to dry understanding, man has the better."

Even between men it is much the same. "Though many men are nominally entrusted with the admi. nistration of hospitals and other public institutions, almost all the good is done by one man, by whom the rest are driven on; owing to confidence in him, and indolence in them."

A gentleman talked of retiring from office. "Never think of that," said Johnson. The gentleman urged, "I should then do no ill." JOHN. SON. "Nor no good either. Sir, it would be a civil suicide."

On the common topic, whether mankind in general have grown worse or better, the following dialogue took place between Johnson and some friends.

E. "From the experience which I have hadand I have had a great deal-I have learnt to think better of mankind."

JOHNSON." From my experience, I have found them worse in commercial dealings, more disposed to cheat, than I had any notion of; but more disposed to do one another good than I had conceived."

I. "Less just, and more beneficent."

JOHNSON." And really it is wonderful, considering how much attention is necessary for men to take care of themselves, and ward off immediate evils which press upon them-it is wonderful how much they do for others. As it is said of the greatest liar, that he tells more truth than falsehood; so it may be said of the worst man, that he does more good than evil.”

BOSWELL.

Perhaps from experience men may be found happier than we suppose."

JOHNSON. "No, sir; the more we inquire we shall find men less happy."

P. "As to thinking better or worse of mankind from experience, some cunning people will not be satisfied unless they have put men to the test, as they think. There is a very good story told of sir Godfrey Kneller, in his character of a justice of the peace. A gentleman brought his servant before him, upon an accusation of having stolen some money from him; but it having come out that he had laid it purposely in the servant's way, in order to try his honesty, sir Godfrey sent the master to prison."

JOHNSON. "To resist temptation once is not a sufficient proof of honesty. If a servant, indeed, were to resist the continued temptation of silver lying in a window, as some peoplé let it lie, when he is sure his master does not know how much there is of it, he would give a strong proof of honesty. But this is a proof to which you have no right to put a man. You know, humanly speaking, there is a certain degree of temptation which will overcome any virtue. Now, in so far as you approach temptation to a man, you do him an injury; and, if he is overcome, you share his guilt."

P." And when once overcome, it is easier for him to be got the better of again."

BOSWELL. "Yes, you are his seducer; you have debauched him. I have known a man resolve to put friendship to the test, by asking a friend to lend him money, merely with that view, when he did not want it."

JOHNSON. "That is very wrong, sir. Your friend may be a narrow man, and yet have many good qualities: narrowness may be his only fault. Now you are trying his general character as a friend by one particular singly, in which he happens to be defective; when in truth his character is composed of many particulars."

No. IV.

MELANCHOLY.

JOHNSON Once mentioned to Boswell, that he had been distressed by melancholy, and for this reason had been obliged to fly from study and meditation, to the dissipating variety of life. Against melancholy he recommended constant occupation of mind, a great deal of exercise, moderation in eating and drinking, and especially to shun drinking at night. He said, melancholy people were apt to fly to intemperance for relief, but that it sunk them much deeper in misery. He observed, that labouring men, who work hard, and live sparingly, are seldom or never troubled with low spirits.

Boswell often teased him with fanciful apprehensions of unhappiness. A moth having fluttered round the candle, and burnt itself, he laid hold of this little incident to admonish him; saying, with a sly look, and in a solemn but a quiet tone," That creature was its own tormentor, and I believe its name was Boswell."

Talking of constitutional melancholy, he observed, "A man so afflicted, sir, must divert dis

tressing thoughts, and not combat with them." BOSWELL." May not he think them down, sir." JOHNSON. "No, sir: to attempt to think them down is madness. He should have a lamp constantly burning in his bed chamber during the night, and if wakefully disturbed, take a book, and read, and compose himself to rest. To have the management of the mind is a great art; it may be attained in a considerable degree by experience and habitual exercise." BOSWELL. "Should not he provide amusements for himself? Would it not, for instance, be right for him to take a course of chymistry?" JOHNSON."Let him take a course of chymistry, or a course of rope-dancing, or a course of any thing to which he is inclined at the time: let him contrive to have as many retreats for his mind as he can, as many things to which it can fly from itself. Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy is a valuable work. It is perhaps overloaded with quotation : but there is great spirit and great power in what Burton says, when he writes from his own mind."

Johnson lamented to Mr. Hector the state of one of their school-fellows, Mr. Charles Congreve, a clergyman, which he thus described. "He obtained, I believe, considerable preferment in Ireland, but now lives in London, quite as a valetudinarian, afraid to go into any house but his own. He takes a short airing in his post-chaise every day. He has an elderly woman, whom he calls cousin, who lives with him, and jogs his elbow when his glass has stood too long empty; and encourages him in drinking, in which he is very willing to be encouraged : not that he gets drunk, for he is very pious man,

but he is always muddy. He confesses to one bottle of port every day, and he probably drinks more. He is quite unsocial; his conversation is quite monosyllabical; and when, at my last visit, I asked him what o'clock it was; that signal of my departure had so pleasing an effect on him, that he sprung up to look at his watch like a greyhound bounding at a hare." When Johnson took leave of Mr. Hector, he said, "Don't grow like Congreve; nor let me grow like him, when you are near me."

He gave Dr. Taylor the same sad account of their school-fellow, Congreve, that he had given to Mr. Hector; adding a remark of such moment to the rational conduct of a man in the decline of life, that deserves to be imprinted upon every mind: "There is nothing against which an old man should be so much upon his guard as putting himself to nurse." Innumerable have been the melancholy instances of men, once distinguished for firmness, resolution, and spirit, who, in their latter days, have been governed, like children, by interested female artifice.

Another time, talking of melancholy, he said, "Some men, and very thinking men too, have not those vexing thoughts. Sir Joshua Reynolds is the same all the year round. Beauclerk, except when ill and in pain, is the same. But I believe most men have them in the degree in which they are capable of having them. If I were in the country, and were distressed by that malady, I would force myself to take a book; and every time I did it I should find it the easier. deed, should be diverted by drinking."

Melancholy, inevery means but