:

stant affection, by the mutual pleasure each will receive; and the same causes of dissension will not arise between them as occur between husband and wife in a civilized state." JOHNSON. "Sir, they would have dissensions 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."

"A young lady, who had married a man much her inferior in rank being mentioned at Mr. Thrale's, a question arose, how a woman's relations should behave to her in such a situation; and, while I reca. pitulate the debate," says Boswell," and recollect what has since happened, I cannot but be struck in a manner that delicacy forbids me to express. While I contended that she ought to be treated with an inflexible steadiness of displeasure, Mrs. Thrale was all for mildness and forgiveness, and, according to the vulgar phrase, making the best of a bad bargain.' JOHNSON. Madam, we must distinguish. Were I a man of rank, I would not let a daughter starve who had made a mean marriage; but having voluntarily degraded herself from the station which she was originally entitled to hold, I would support her only in that which she herself had chosen, and would not put her on a level with my other daughters. You are to consider, madam, that it is our duty to maintain the subordination of civilized so.

ciety; and when there is a gross and shameful deviation from rank, it should be punished so as to deter others from the same perversion.'

"After frequently considering this subject, I am more and more confirmed in what I then meant to express, and which was sanctioned by the authority, and illustrated by the wisdom, of Johnson; and I think it of the utmost consequence to the happiness of society, to which subordination is absolutely necessary. It is weak, and contemptible, and unworthy in a parent, to relax in such a case. It is sacrificing general advantage to private feelings. And let it be considered, that the claim of a daughter who has acted thus, to be restored to her former situation, is either fantastical or unjust. If there be no value in the distinction of rank, what does she suffer by being kept in the situation to which she has descended? If there be a value in that distinction, it ought to be steadily maintained. If indulgence be shown to such conduct, and the offenders know that in a shorter or longer time they shall be received as well as if they had not contaminated their blood by a base alliance, the great check upon that inordinate caprice which generally occasions low marriages will be removed, and the fair and comfortable order of improved life will be miserably dis. turbed."

When a gentleman told him he had bought a suit of lace for his lady, he said, "Well, sir, you have done a good thing, and a wise one." "I have done a good thing," said the gentleman, "but I do not know that I have done a wise thing." JOHNSON. "Yes, sir; no money is better spent than what is laid out for domestic satisfaction. A man is pleased that his

wife is dressed as well as other people, and the wife is pleased that she is dressed."

Boswell talked of legitimation by subsequent marriage, which obtained in the Roman law, and still obtains in the law of Scotland. JOHNSON. "I think it a bad thing; because the chastity of women being of the utmost importance, as all property depends upon it, they who forfeit it should not have any possibility of being restored to good character; nor should the children by an illicit connexion attain the full right of lawful children, by the posterior consent of the offending parties." "His opinion upon this subject," Boswell remarks, "deserves consideration. Upon his principle, there may, at times, be a hardship, and seemingly a strange one, upon individuals; but the general good of society is better secured. And, after all, it is unreasonable in an individual to repine that he has not the advantage of a state which is made different from his own by the social institution under which he is born. A woman does not complain that her brother, who is younger than her, gets their common father's estate. Why then should a natural son complain that a younger brother, by the same parents lawfully begotten, gets it? The operation of law is similar in both cases."

He said, "It is commonly a weak man who marries for love." The conversation then turned on marrying women of fortune; and Boswell 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 proportionably expensive; whereas a woman who brings none will be very moderate in expenses.

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 gust in spending it, that she throws it away with great profusion."

He praised the ladies of the present age, insisting that they were more faithful to their husbands, and more virtuous in every respect, than in former times, because their understandings were better cultivated.

but

Boswell repeated to him an argument of a lady of his acquaintance, who maintained that her husband's having been guilty of numberless infidelities, released her from conjugal obligations, because they were reciprocal. JOHNSON. "This is miserable stuff, sir: to the contract of marriage, besides the man and wife, there is a third party-society; and, if it be considered as a vow-God: and, therefore, it cannot be dissolved by their consent alone. Laws are not made for particular, but for men in general. A woman may be unhappy with her husband; she cannot be freed from him without the approbation of the civil and ecclesiastical power. A man may be unhappy because he is not so rich as another; but he is not to seize upon another's property with his own hand." BOSWELL. "But, sir, this lady does not want that the contract should be dissolved; she only argues that she may indulge herself in gallantries with equal freedom as her husband does, provided she takes care not to introduce a spurious issue into his family. You know, sir, what Macrobius has told of Julia." JOHNSON.

"That lady of yours, sir, I think, is very fit for a brothel."

At another time, he observed, "Marriage, sir, is much more necessary to a man than to a woman : for he is much less able to supply himself with domestic comforts. You 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, than when married. I indeed did not mention the strong reason for their marrying the mechanical reason." BoswELL." Why, that is a strong one; but does not imagination make it more important than it is in reality? is it not, to a certain degree, a delusion in us as well as in women?" JOHNSON. "Why, yes, sir; but it is a delusion that is always beginning again." BosWELL. I don't know but there is upon the whole more misery than happiness produced by that passion." JOHNSON. "I don't think so, sir.”

No. IX.

CHILDREN.

BOSWELL said he disliked the custom which some people had of bringing their children into company, because it in a manner forced us to pay foolish compliments to please their parents. JOHNSON. "You are right, sir. We may be excused for not caring much about other people's children, for there are many who care very little about their own children.