friend who heard his name distinctly called by a brother who had gone to America. The next packet brought accounts of that brother's death. RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. WITH WITH regard to the resurrection of the dead Dr. Johnson said that Scripture clearly taught that we shall not be raised with the same bodies (1 Cor. xv.). He said to Mrs. Hall, John Wesley's sister, "You cannot suppose that we shall rise with a diseased body; it is enough if there be such a sameness as to distinguish identity of persons." LIFE AT AN INN. JOHNSON often spoke with satis faction of tavern life. "There is no private house," he said, "in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern. Let there be ever so great plenty of good things, ever so much grandeur, ever so much elegance, ever so much desire that everybody should be easy, in the nature of things it cannot be: there must always be some degree of care and anxiety. The master of the house is anxious to entertain his guests the guests are anxious to be agreeable to him; and no man, but a very impudent dog indeed, can as freely command what is in another man's house, as if it was his own. Whereas, at a tavern, there is a general freedom from anxiety. You are sure you are welcome; and the more noise you make, the more trouble you give, the more good things you call for, the welcomer you are. No servants will attend you with the alacrity which waiters do, who are incited by the prospect of an immediate reward in proportion as they please. No, sir, there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn." He then repeated with great emotion Shenstone's lines: Whoe'er has travelled life's dull round, May sigh to think he still has found THE "THREE CROWNS" AT LICHFIELD. WHEN Johnson took Boswell to Lichfield in 1776, they put up at the "Three Crowns "-not one of the great inns, but a good old-fashioned one, kept by a Mr. Wilkins, and was next door to the house where Johnson was born and brought up. There was much interest in the town, and hospitality pressed on them, but Johnson preferred staying at the "Three Crowns," and thoroughly enjoyed it. * ** One of the houses visited by the Doctor when at Lichfield was that of Mrs. Gastrel, widow of the clergyman who was barbarian enough to cut down Shakespeare's mulberry tree at Stratford-on-Avon, because he was annoyed by the numbers of people coming to look at it! Mrs. Gastrel was sister to Lady Aston, one of whose daughters, known as a London toast, Molly Aston, was an early flame of Johnson, and afterwards married Captain Brodie of the Navy. Her picture by Sir Joshua was in the winter exhibition at Burlington House in 1883-4. Boswell has recorded many of the things said by Johnson in this Lichfield visit, when in company with Peter Garrick, Canon Seward, Mistress Lucy Porter, Dr. Taylor, and other friendly and hospitable residents of the old city. PRAISE NOT ALWAYS SERVICEABLE. TO Dr. Taylor he made a singular remark. He was commending a physician, who was thought skilful but not popular. "Many a battle I fight for him," said Dr. Taylor, " as many people in the country dislike him." Johnson said he was wrong in thus praising him in argument. "You should consider, sir, that by every one of your victories he is a loser; for every man of whom you get the battle will be very angry, and resolve not to employ him; whereas, if people get the better of you in argument, they are pleased, and think, We'll send for Dr. nevertheless." It was a shrewd and useful hint in the unpopular doctor's favour. DRESS AS INCREASING RESPECT. T was at Dr. Taylor's also that IT Boswell brought down a scolding upon himself in a conversation about dress. He had been arguing as to the almost invariable effect of good dress in increasing respect. Johnson said, "No, sir; fine clothes are good only as they supply the want of other means of procuring respect. Was Charles XII., think you, less respected |