only feemed willing, as a candid enquirer after truth, however ftrange and inexplicable, to fhew that he understood what might be urged for it 3. On Friday, April 10, I dined with with him at General Oglethorpe's, where we found Dr. Goldfmith. Armorial bearings having been mentioned, Johnson faid, they were as ancient as the fiege of Thebes, which he proved by a paffage in one of the tragedies of Euripides. I ftarted the question whether duelling was confiftent with moral duty. The brave old General fired at this, and faid, with a lofty air, "Undoubtedly a man has a right to defend his honour.' GOLDSMITH, (turning to me.) "I ask you first, Sir, what would you do if you were affronted ?" I answered I fhould think it neceffary to fight. Why then (replied Goldsmith,) that folves the question." JOHNSON. "No, Sir, it does not folve the question. It does not follow that what a man would do is therefore right." I faid, I wished to have it fettled, whether duelling was contrary to the laws of Christianity. Johnfon immediately entered on the subject, and treated it in a masterly manner; and fo far as I have been able to recollect, his thoughts were these : "Sir, as men become in a high degree refined, various causes of offence arife; which are confidered to be of fuch importance, that life must be ftaked to atone for them, though in reality they are not fo. A body that has received a very fine polish may be eafily hurt. Be 3 See this curious question treated by him with most acute ability," Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," 3d edit. p. 33. 1772. Etat. 63. Etat. 63. 1772. fore men arrive at this artificial refinement, if one tells his neighbour he lies, his neighbour tells him he lies; if one gives his neighbour a blow, his neighbour gives him a blow: but in a state of highly polished society, an affront is held to be a ferious injury. It muft, therefore, be refented, or rather a duel must be fought upon it; as men have agreed to banish from their society one who puts up with an affront without fighting a duel. Now, Sir, it is never unlawful to fight in felf-defence. He, then, who fights a duel, does not fight from paffion against his antagonist, but out of felf defence; to avert the stigma of the world, and to prevent himself from being driven out of fociety. I could wish there was not that fuperfluity of refinement; but while fuch notions prevail, no doubt a man may lawfully fight a duel." Let it be remembered, that this juftification is applicable only to the perfon who receives an af front. All mankind must condemn the aggreffor. The General told us, that when he was a very young man, I think only fifteen, ferving under Prince Eugene of Savoy, he was fitting in a company at table with a Prince of Wirtemberg. The Prince took up a glass of wine, and, by a fillip, made fome of it fly in Oglethorpe's face. Here was a nice dilemma. To have challenged him inftantly, might have fixed a quarrelsome character upon the young foldier: to have taken no notice of it might have been considered as cowardice. Oglethorpe, therefore, keeping his eye upon the Prince, and smiling all the time, as if he took what his Highnefs had done in jeft, faid, "Mon Prince,→→ (1 forget (I forget the French words he used, the purport however was,)" That's a good joke; but we do it much better in England;" and threw a whole glass of wine in the Prince's face. An old General who fat by, faid, "Il a bien fait, mon Prince, vous l'avez commencé ;" and thus all ended in good humour." Dr. Johnson faid, “ Pray, General, give us an account of the fiege of Bender." Upon which the General, pouring a little wine upon the table, described every thing with a wet finger: "Here we were, here were the Turks," &c. &c. Johnson liftened with the closest attention. A question was started, how far people who difagree in a capital point can live in friendship together. Johnson faid they might. Goldsmith faid they could not, as they had not the idem velle atque idem nolle-the fame likings and the fame averfions. JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, you must fhun the fubject as to which you disagree. For instance, I can live very well with Burke: I love his knowledge, his genius, his diffufion, and affluence of converfation; but I would not talk to him of, the Rockingham party," GOLDSMITH, "But, Sir, when people live together who have fomething as to which they difagree, and which they want to fhun, they will be in the fituation mentioned in the ftory of Bluebeard; you may look into all the chambers but one,' But we fhould have the greatest inclination to look into that chamber, to talk of that subject." JOHNSON. (with a loud voice.) "Sir, I am not saying that you could live in friendship with a man from whom 1772. Ætat. 63. 1772. Etat. 63. differ as to fome point: I am only faying that I could do it. You put me in mind of Sappho in Ovid." Goldsmith told us, that he was now bufy in writing a natural hiftory, and, that he might have full leisure for it, he had taken lodgings, at a farmer's houfe, near to the fix mile-ftone, on the Edgeware-road, and had carried down his books in two returned poft-chaifes. He faid, he believed the farmer's family thought him an odd character, fimilar to that in which the Spectator appeared to his landlady and her children: he was The Gentleman. Mr. Mickle, the tranflator of "The Lufiad," and I, went to vifit him at this place a few days afterwards. He was not at home; but having a curiofity to fee his apartment, we went in and found curious fcraps of descriptions of animals, fcrawled upon the wall with a black lead pencil. one. The fubject of ghosts being introduced, Johnfon repeated what he had told me of a friend of his, an honest man, and a man of sense, having afferted to him that he had feen an apparition. Goldsmith told us, he was affured by his brother, the Reverend Mr. Goldfmith, that he alfo had feen General Oglethorpe told us, that Pendergraft, an officer in the Duke of Marlborough's army, had mentioned to many of his friends, that he fhould die on a particular day. That upon that day a battle took place with the French; that after it was over, and Pendergraft was still alive, his brother officers, while they were yet in the field, jeftingly asked him where was his prophecy now. Pendergraft gravely answered," I shall die, notwithstanding Soon afterwards, 4 Sir withstanding what you fee." On Saturday, April 11, he appointed me to "The charge is, that he has used immoderate and cruel correction. Correction, in itself, is not 1772. Ætat. 63. 4 Here was a blank, which be filled |