my father, my brother, and my mother. She is now fifty-eight years old.

"I desired all to withdraw, then told her that we were to part forever; that as Christians we should part with prayer; and that I would, if she was willing, say a short prayer beside her. She expressed great desire to hear me; and held up her poor hands, as she lay in bed, with great fervour, while I prayed, kneeling beside her, nearly in the following words:

"Almighty and most merciful Father, whose loving kindness is over all thy works, behold, visit and relieve this thy servant, who is grieved with sickness. Grant that the sense of her weakness may add strength to her faith and seriousness to her repentance. And grant that by the help of thy Holy Spirit, after the pains and labours of this short life, we may all obtain everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord, for whose sake hear our prayers. Amen. Our Father, etc.'

"I then kissed her. She told me that to part was the greatest pain that she had ever felt, and that she hoped we should meet again in a better place. I expressed, with swelled eyes, and great emotion of tenderness, the same hopes. We kissed, and parted, I humbly hope, to meet again, and to part no more."— Vol. II, p. 197.

1769 Et. 60

I complained that he had not mentioned Garrick in his Preface to Shakespeare; and asked him

if he did not admire him. Johnson: "Yes, as 'a poor player, who frets and struts his hour upon the stage' as a shadow." Boswell: "But has he not brought Shakespeare into notice?" Johnson: "Sir, to allow that would be to lampoon the age. Many of Shakespeare's plays are the worse for being acted: Macbeth, for instance." Boswell: "What, sir, is nothing gained by decoration and action? Indeed, I do wish that you had mentioned Garrick." Johnson: "My dear sir, had I mentioned him, I must have mentioned many more; Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Cibber, nay, and Mr. Cibber too; he too altered Shakespeare." - Vol. II, p. 238.

1770-Æt. 61

"His general mode of life during my acquaintance, seemed to be pretty uniform. About twelve o'clock I commonly visited him, and frequently found him in bed, or declaiming over his tea, which he drank very plentifully. He generally had a levee of morning visitors, chiefly men of letters; Hawkesworth, Goldsmith, Murphy, Langton, Steevens, Beauclerk, etc., etc., and sometimes learned ladies; particularly I remember a French lady of wit and fashion doing him the honour of a visit. He seemed to me to be considered as a kind of public oracle, whom everybody thought they had a right to visit and consult; and doubtless they were well rewarded. I never could discover how he found time for his compositions. He declaimed all the morning, then

went to dinner at a tavern, where he commonly stayed late, and then drank his tea at some friend's house, over which he loitered a great while, but seldom took supper. I fancy he must have read and wrote chiefly in the night, for I can scarcely recollect that he ever refused going with me to a tavern, and he often went to Ranelagh, which he deemed a place of innocent recreation." 1

1772 Æt. 63

Vol. II, p. 265.

A question was started, how far people who disagreed in a capital point can live in friendship together. Goldsmith said they could not, as they had not the idem velle atque idem nolle · the same likings and the same aversions. Johnson: "Why, sir, you must shun the subject as to which you disagree. For instance, I can live very well with Burke: I love his knowledge, his genius, his diffusion, and affluence of conversation; but I would not talk to him of the Rockingham party." Goldsmith: "But, sir, when people live together who have something as to which they disagree, and which they want to shun, they will be in the situation mentioned in the story of Bluebeard, 'You may look into all the chambers but one.' But we should 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 friend1 Quoted from the account of Rev. Dr. Maxwell.

ship with a man from whom you differ as to some point: I am only saying that I could do it."

1773-Æt. 64

Vol. III, p. 38.

He owned that he thought Hawkesworth was one of his imitators, but he did not think Goldsmith was. Goldsmith, said he, had great merit. Boswell: "But, sir, he is much indebted to you for his getting so high in the public estimation." Johnson: "Why, sir, he has perhaps got sooner to it by his intimacy with me."

Goldsmith, though his vanity often excited him to occasional competition, had a very high regard for Johnson, which he had at this time expressed in the strongest manner in the Dedication of his Comedy, entitled She Stoops to Conquer.

"By inscribing this slight performance to you, I do not mean so much to compliment you as myself. It may do me some honour to inform the public that I have lived many years in intimacy with you. It may serve the interests of mankind also to inform them, that the greatest wit may be, found in a character, without impairing the most unaffected piety." - Vol. III, p. 71.

1773 Et. 64

Talking of the family of Stuart, he said, "It should seem that the family at present on the throne has now established as good a right as the former

family, by the long consent of the people; and that to disturb this right might be considered as culpable. At the same time I own that it is a very difficult question when considered with respect to the house of Stuart. To oblige people to take oaths as to the disputed right is wrong. I know not whether I could take them: but I do not blame those who do." Vol. III, p. 74.

1773-Et. 64

A gentleman attacked Garrick for being vain. Johnson: "No wonder, sir, that he is vain; a man who is perpetually flattered in every mode that can be conceived. So many bellows have blown the fire, that one wonders he is not by this time become a cinder." Boswell: "And such bellows too. Lord Mansfield with his cheeks like to burst; Lord Chatham like an Eolus. I have read such notes from them to him as were enough to turn his head." Johnson: "True. When he whom everybody else flatters, flatters me, I then am truly happy." Mrs. Thrale: "The sentiment is in Congreve, I think." Johnson: "Yes, madam, in The Way of the World:

'If there's delight in love, 'tis when I see

That heart which others bleed for, bleed for me.'

No, sir, I should not be surprised though Garrick chained the ocean and lashed the winds."

Vol. III, p. 81.