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such a situation?"-Johnson answered, "Sir, he said all that a man should say-he said he was sorry for it."

"I was at one time (says Mr. B.) myself a water-drinker upon trial by Johnson's recommendation; and my friend observed, "Boswell is a bolder combatant than Sir Joshua: he argues for wine without the help of wine; but Sir Joshua with it." SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS (who was of the party), "But to please one's company is a strong motive."-7. (who from drinking only water supposed every body who drank wine to be elevated), "I won't argue any more with you, Sir. You are too far gone."-SIR JOSHUA. "I should have thought so indeed, Sir, had I made such a speech as you have now done."-JOHNSON. (drawing himself in, and blushing), "Nay, don't be angry. I did not mean to offend you.”

SIR J. "At first the taste of wine was disagreeable to me; but I brought myself to drink it that I might be like other people. The pleasure of drinking wine is so connected with pleasing your company, that altogether there is something of social goodness in it."-J. "Sir, this is only saying the same thing over again.”—SIR J. “ No, this is new."-7. "You put it in new words, but it is an old thought. This is one of the disadvantages of wine. It makes a man mistake words for thoughts."-B. “I think it is a new thought,

at least it is in a new attitude."-7. "Nay, Sir, it is only in a new coat; or an old coat with a new facing. It is (laughing heartily), the old dog in a new doublet. An extraordinary instance, however, may occur where a man's patron will do nothing for him unless he will drink: there may be a good reason for drinking."

Mr. Boswell mentioned a nobleman who he believed was really uneasy if his company would not drink hard.-JOHNSON. "That is from having had people about him whom he has been accustomed to command."-BosWELL. "Supposing I should be tête-à-tête with him at table."-7."Sir, there is no more reason for your drinking with him, than his being sober with you.”—B. “ Why that is true; for it would do him less hurt to be sober than it would do me to get drunk.”—J. Yes, Sir; and from what I have heard of him one would not wish to sacrifice himself to such a man. If he must always have somebody to drink with him he should buy a slave, and then he would be sure to have it. They who submit to drink as another pleases make themselves his slaves.”—B. "But, Sir, you will surely make allowance for the duty of hospitality.—A gentleman who loves drinking comes to visit me."-7. "Sir, a man knows whom he visits; he comes to the table of a sober man."-B. "But, Sir, you and I should not have been so well received in the Highlands

and Hebrides if I had not drunk with our worthy friends. Had I drunk water only, as you did, they would not have been so cordial."-7. " Sir William Temple mentions, that in his travels through the Netherlands he had two or three gentlemen with him, and when a bumper was necessary he put it on them. Were I to travel again through the islands I would have Sir Joshua with me to take the bumpers."-B. "But, Sir, let me put a case: Suppose Sir Joshua should take a jaunt into Scotland; he does me the honour to pay me a visit at my house in the country; I am overjoyed at seeing him; we are quite by ourselves; shall I unsociably and churlishly let him sit drinking by himself? No, no, my dear Sir Joshua, you shall not be treated so, I will take a bottle with you."

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To Mr. Boswell on the eve of marriage Johnson said, "Now that you are going to marry, do not expect more from life than life will afford. You may often find yourself out of humour, and you may often think your wife not studious enough to please you; and yet you may have

reason to consider yourself as upon the whole very happily married."

Of marriage in general, he observed, "Our marriage service is too refined: it is calculated only for the best kind of marriages; whereas we should have a form for matches of convenience, of which there are many."

At General Paoli's, a question was one day 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 all the motives which they have for remaining in that connection, 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 together would form a strong and constant affection, by the mutual pleasure each would receive; and that the same causes of dissention would not arise between them, as occur between husband and wife in a civilized state.-7. "Sir, they would have dissentions enough, though of another kind. One would choose to go a hunting in this wood, the other in that; one would choose to go a fishing in this lake, the other in that; or, perhaps, one would choose to go a hunting when the other would choose to go a fishing; and so they would part. Besides, Sir, a savage man and a

savage woman meet by chance; and when the man sees another woman that pleases him better, he will leave the first."

Yet he well observed, " Marriage is the best state for a man in general; and every man is a worse man, in proportion as he is unfit for the married state.

Marriage is much more necessary to a man than to a woman; for he is much less able to supply himself with domestic comforts. You (addressing Mr. Boswell) will recollect my saying to some ladies the other day, that I had often wondered why young women should marry, as they have so much more freedom, and so much more attention paid to them while unmarried, than when married."

He one day remarked, that it was commonly a weak man who married for love. Some one then talked of marrying a woman of fortune; and mentioned a common remark, that a man may be, upon the whole, richer by marrying a woman with a very small portion, because a woman of fortune will be proportionally expensive; whereas a woman who brings none will be very moderate in expences.—JOHNSON. "Depend upon it, Sir, this is not true. A woman of fortune, being used to the handling of money, spends it judiciously; but a woman who gets the command of money for the first time upon her marriage, has such a

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