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authours. But even in this light he held it very cheap.

The first

We then walked to the Pantheon. view of it did not ftrike us fo much as Ranelagh, of which he faid, the " coup d'oeil was the finest thing he had ever seen." The truth is, Ranelagh is of a more beautiful form; more of it, or rather indeed the whole rotunda, appears at once, and it is better lighted. However, as Johnson observed, we saw the Pantheon in time of mourning, when there was a dull uniformity; whereas we had seen Ranelagh, when the view was enlivened with a gay profufion of colours. Mrs. Bofville, of Gunthwait, in Yorkfhire, joined us, and entered into converfation with us. Johnson faid to me afterwards, "Sir, this is a mighty intelligent lady."

I faid there was not half a guinea's worth of pleasure in feeing this place. JOHNSON. "But, Sir, there is half a guinea's worth of inferiority to other people in not having feen 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."

Happening to meet Sir Adam Fergusson, I prefented him to Dr. Johnfon. Sir Adam expreffed fome apprehenfion that the Pantheon would encourage luxury. "Sir, (faid Johnfon,) I am a great friend to publick amusements; for they keep people from vice. You now (addressing himself to me,) would have been with a wench, had you not been here, O! I forgot you were married,"

1772.

Atat. 63.

1772.

Sir Adam fuggested, that luxury corrupts a

Etat, 63. people, and destroys the spirit of liberty. JOHNSON. "Sir, that is all vifionary. I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of government rather than another. It is of no moment to the happiness of an individual. Sir, the danger of the abuse of power is nothing to a private man. What Frenchman is prevented from paffing his life as he pleases?" SIR ADAM. "But, Sir, in the British conftitution it is furely of importance to keep up a spirit in the people, fo as to preferve a balance against the crown." JOHNSON. "Sir, I perceive you are a vile Whig.-Why all this childish jealousy of the power of the crown? The crown has not power enough. When I fay that all governments are alike, I confider that in no government power can be abufed long. Mankind will not bear it. If a fovereign oppreffes his people to a great degree, they will rife and cut' off his head. There is a remedy in human nature against tyranny, that will keep us fafe under every form of government. Had not the people of France thought themfelves honoured as fharing in the brilliant actions of Lewis XIV. they would not have endured him; and we may fay the fame of the King of Pruffia's people." Sir Adam introduced the ancient Greeks and Romans. JOHNSON. "Sir, the mafs of both of them were barbarians. The mass of every people must be barbarous where there is no printing, and confequently knowledge is not generally diffused. Knowledge is diffused among our people by the news-papers." Sir Adam mentioned the orators, poets, and artists of

Greece.

Greece. JOHNSON. "Sir, I am talking of the 1772. mass of the people. We fee even what the boafted Etat. 63.

Athenians were.

The little effect which Demofthenes's orations had upon them, fhews that they were barbarians."

Sir Adam was unlucky in his topicks; for he fuggefted a doubt of the propriety of Bishops having feats in the House of Lords. JOHNSON. "How fo, Sir? Who is more proper for having the dignity of a peer, than a bishop, provided a Bishop, be what he ought to be; and if improper Bishops be made, that is not the fault of the Bishops, but of those who make them.”

On Sunday, April 5, after attending divine service at St. Paul's church, I found him alone. Of a schoolmaster of his acquaintance, a native of Scotland, he said, "He has a great deal of good about him; but he is alfo very defective in fome respects. His inner part is good, but his outer part is mighty aukward. You in Scotland do not attain that nice critical skill in languages, which we get in our schools in England. I would not put a boy to him, whom I intended for a man of learning. But for the fons of citizens, who are to learn a little, get good morals, and then go to trade, he may do very well."

I mentioned a caufe in which I had appeared as counsel at the bar of the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, where a Probationer, (as one licensed to preach, but not yet ordained, is called,) was opposed in his application to be inducted, be-, cause it was alledged that he had been guilty of fornication five years before. JOHNSON. "Why,*

1772.

Sir, if he has repented, it is not a fufficient objecEtat. 63. tion. A man who is good enough to go to heaven, is good enough to be a clergyman." This was a humane and liberal fentiment. But the character of a clergyman is more facred than that of an ordinary Chriftian. As he is to inftruct with authority, he fhould be regarded with reverence, as one upon whom divine truth has had the effect to fet him above fuch tranfgreffions, as men less exalted by fpiritual habits, and yct upon the whole not to be excluded from heaven, have been betrayed into by the predominance of paffion. That clergymen may be confidered as finners in general, as all men are, cannot be denied; but this reflection will not counteract their good precepts fo much, as the abfolute knowledge of their having been guilty of certain specifick immoral acts. I told him, that by the rules of the Church of Scotland, in their "Book of Difcipline," if a fcandal, as it is called, is not profecuted for five years, it cannot afterwards be proceeded upon, "unless it be of a heinous nature, or again become flagrant;" and that hence a queftion arose, whether fornication was a fin of a heinous nature; and that I had maintained, that it did not deferve that epithet, in as much as it was not one of thofe fins which argue very great depravity of heart: in fhort, was not, in the general acceptation of mankind, a heinous fin. JOHNSON. "No, Sir, it is not a heinous fin. A heinous fin is that for which a man is punished with death or banishment." BOSWELL. "But, Sir, after I had argued that it was not a heigous fin, an old clergyman rofe up, and repeating the text of fcripture

denouncing

denouncing judgement against whoremongers, afked, whether, confidering this, there could be any doubt of fornication being a heinous fin. JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, obferve the word whoremonger. Every fin, if perfifted in, will become heinous. Whoremonger is a dealer in whores, as ironmonger is dealer in iron. But as you don't call a man an ironmonger for buying and felling a pen-knife; fo you don't call a man a whoremonger for getting one wench with child."*

I fpoke of the inequality of the livings of the clergy in England, and the fcanty provifions of fome of the Curates. JOHNSON. "Why yes, Sir; but it cannot be helped. You must confider, that the revenues of the clergy are not at the disposal of the ftate, like the pay of the army. Different men have founded different churches; and fome are better endowed, fome worfe. The State cannot interfere and make an equal division of what has been particularly appropriated. Now when a clergyman has but a fmall living, or even two fmall livings, he can afford very little to a Curate."

He said, he went more frequently to church when there were prayers only, than when there was alfo a fermon, as the people required more an example for the one than the other; it being much easier for them to hear a fermon, than to fix their minds on prayer.

On Monday, April 6, I dined with him at Sir Alexander Macdonald's, where was a young officer

* It must not be prefumed that Dr. Johnson meant to give any countenance to licentioufnefs, though in the character of an Advocate he made a juft and subtle diftinction between occafional and habitual tranfgreffion.

1772.

Etat. 63.

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