loves the labour." JOHNSON. "Sir, that is be- 1769. caufe he loves refpect and diftinction. Could he Etat. 60. have them without labour, he would like it lefs." BOSWELL."He tells me he likes it for itself."— "Why, Sir, he fancies fo, because he is not accustomed to abstract."

We went home to his houfe to tea. Mrs. Williams made it with fufficient dexterity, notwithstanding her blindness, though her manner of fatisfying herself that the cups were full enough, appeared to me, a little aukward; for I fancied the put her finger down a certain way, till fhe felt the tea touch it'. In my firft elation at being allowed the privilege of attending Dr. Johnson at his late vifits to this lady, which was like being è fecretoribus confiliis, I willingly drank cup after cup, as if it had been the Heliconian fpring. But as the charm of novelty went off, I grew more faftidious; and befides, I difcovered that fhe was of a peevish temper.

There was a pretty large circle this evening. Dr. Johnson was in very good humour, lively, and ready to talk upon all fubjects. Mr. Ferguffon, the felf-taught philofopher, told him of a newinvented machine which went without horfes: a man who fat in it turned a handle, which worked a fpring that drove it forward. "Then, Sir, (faid Johnfon,) what is gained is, the man has his choice

I have fince had reason to think that I was miftaken; for I have been informed by a Lady, who was long intimate with her, and likely to be a more accurate obferver of fuch matters, that fhe had acquired fuch a nicenefs of touch, as to know, by the feeling on the outfide ecup, how near it was to being full.

whether

1769.

Ætat, 60.

whether he will move himself alone, or himself and the machine too." Dominicetti being mentioned, he would not allow him any merit. "There is nothing in all this boasted system. No, Sir; medicated baths can be no better than warm water: their only effect can be that of tepid moifture." One of the company took the other fide, maintaining that medicines of various forts, and fome too of most powerful effect, are introduced into the human frame by the medium of the pores; and, therefore, when warm water is impregnated with falutiferous fubftances, it may produce great effects as a bath. This appeared to me very fatisfactory. Johnfon did not answer it; but talking for victory, and determined to be master of the field, he had recourfe to the device which Goldfmith imputed to him in the witty words of one of Cibber's comedies: "There is no arguing with Johnfon; for when his piftol miffes fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it." He turned to the gentleman, "Well, Sir, go to Dominicetti, and get thyfelf fumigated; but be fure that the fteam be directed to thy head, for that is the peccant part." This produced a triumphant roar of laughter from the motley affembly of philofophers, printers, and dependents, male and female.

I know not how fo whimfical a thought came into my mind, but I asked, "If, Sir, you were 1 fhut up in a castle, and a new-born child with you, what would you do?" JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, I should not much like my company." BOSWELL. "But would you take the trouble of rearing it ?" He feemed, as may well be fuppofed, unwilling

to

to pursue the subject: but upon my perfevering 1769. in my question, replied, "Why yes, Sir, I would; but I must have all conveniencies. If I had no garden, I would make a fhed on the roof, and take it there for fresh air. I fhould feed it, and wash it much, and with warm water to please it, not with cold water to give it pain." BosWELL. "But, Sir, does not heat relax?" JOHNSON. "Sir, you are not to imagine the water is to be very hot. I would not coddle the child. No, Sir, the hardy method of treating children does no good. I'll take you five children from London, who fhall cuff five Highland children. Sir, a man bred in London will carry a burthen, or run, or wrestle, as well as a man brought up in the hardiest manner in the country." BoswELL. Good living, I fuppofe, makes the Londoners ftrong." JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, I don't know that it does. Our chairmen from Ireland, who are as ftrong men as any, have been brought up upon potatoes. Quantity makes up for quality." BOSWELL. Would you teach this child that I have furnished you with, any thing?" JOHNSON. "No, I fhould not be apt to teach it." BOSWELL. "Would not you have a pleasure in teaching it?" JOHNSON. "No, Sir, I fhould not have a pleasure in teaching it." BOSWELL. "Have you not a pleasure in teaching men!--There I have you. You have the fame pleasure in teaching men, that I should have in teaching children." JOHNSON. JOHNSON. "Why, fomething about that."

BOSWELL. "Do you think, Sir, that what is called natural affection is born with us? It feems

to

1769.

to me to be the effect of habit, or of gratitude for Etat. 60. kindness. No child has it for a parent whom it has not feen." JOHNSON. CC Why, Sir, I think there is an inftinctive natural affection in parents towards their children."

Ruffia being mentioned as likely to become a great empire, by the rapid increase of population:JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, I fee no prospect of their propagating more. They can have no more children than they can get. I know of no way to make them breed more than they do. It is not from reafon and prudence that people marry, but from inclination. A man is poor; he thinks, I cannot be worse, and fo I'll e'en take Peggy." BoswELL. "But have not nations been more populous at one period than another?" JOHNSON. “Yes, Sir; but that has been owing to the people being lefs thinned at one period than another, whether by emigrations, war, or peftilence, not by their being more or less prolifick. Births at all times. bear the fame proportion to the fame number of people." BOSWELL. "But, to confider the ftate of our own country;-does not throwing a number of farms into one hand hurt population?" JOHNSON. "Why no, Sir; the fame quantity of food being produced, will be confumed by the fame number of mouths, though the people may be difpofed of in different ways. We fee, if corn be dear, and butchers' meat cheap, the farmers all apply themselves to the raifing of corn, till it becomes plentiful and cheap, and then butchers' meat becomes dear; fo that an equality is always preferved. No, Sir, let fanciful men do as they will, depend

upon.

upon it, it is difficult to difturb the fyftem of life.' BOSWELL. "But, Sir, is it not a very bad thing for landlords to opprefs their tenants, by raising their rents?" JOHNSON. "Very bad. But, Sir, it never can have any general influence; it may diftrefs fome individuals. For, confider this: landlords cannot do without tenants. Now tenants will not give more for land, than land is worth. If they can make more of their money by keeping a fhop, or any other way, they'll do it, and fo oblige landlords to let land come back to a reafonable rent, in order that they may get tenants. Land, in England, is an article of commerce. A tenant who pays his landlord his rent, thinks himfelf no more obliged to him than you think yourfelf obliged to a man in whose shop you buy a piece of goods. He knows the landlord does not let him have his land for less than he can get from others, in the fame manner as the fhopkeeper fells his goods. No shopkeeper fells a yard of ribband for fixpence when feven-pence is the current price." BoswELL. "But, Sir, is it not better that tenants fhould be dependent on landlords?" JOHNSON. Why, . Sir, as there are many more tenants than landlords, perhaps, ftrictly fpeaking, we fhould with not. But if you pleafe you may let your lands cheap, and fo get the value, part in money and part in homage. I fhould agree with you in that." BosWELL. "So, Sir, you laugh at fchemes of political improvement." JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, most fchemes of political improvement are very laughable things."

He

1769.

tat. 60.