he be trusted with it; in which there would be no danger now, when laws and every thing else are so much advanced: and every King will govern by the laws. And you must also consider, Sir, that there is nothing on the other side to oppose this; for it is not alleged by any one that the present family has any inherent right: so that the Whigs could not have a contest between two rights." Dr. Taylor admitted, that if the question as to hereditary right were to be tried by a poll of the people of England, to be sure the abstract doctrine would be given in favour of the family of Stuart; but he said, the conduct of that family, which occasioned them expulsion, was so fresh in the minds of the people, that they would not vote for a restoration. Dr. Johnson, I think, was contented with the admission as to the hereditary right, leaving the original point in dispute, ris. what the people upon the whole would do, taking in right and affection; for he said, people were afraid of a change, even though they think it right. Dr. Taylor said something of the slight foundation of the hereditary right of the house of Stuart. "Sir, (said Johnson,) the house of Stuart succeeded to the full right of both the houses of York and Lancaster, whose common source had the undisputed right. A right to a throne is like a right to any thing else. Possession is sufficient, where no better right can be shewn. This was the case with the Royal Family of England, as it is now with the King of France: for as to the first beginning of the right we are in the dark." Thursday, September 18. Last night, Dr. Johnson had proposed that the crystal lus. tre, or chandelier, in Dr. Taylor's large room, should be lighted up some time or We talked of a collection being made of all the English Poets who had published a volume of poems. Johnson told me "that a Mr. Coxeter, whom he knew, had gone the greatest length towards this; having collected, I think, about five hundred volumes of poets whose works were little known; but that upon his death Tom Os. borne bought them, and they were dispersed, which he thought a pity, as it was curious to see any series complete; and in every volume of poems something good may be found." He observed, that a gentleman of eminence in literature had got into a bad style of Poetry of late. "He puts (said he) a very common thing in a strange dress till he does not know it himself, and thinks other people do not know it." BosWELL: "That is owing to his being so much versant in old English poetry." JOHNSON: "What is that to the purpose, Sir? If I say a man is drunk, and you tell me it is owing to his taking much drink, the matter is not mended. No, Sir, has taked to an odd For example; he'd write thus; Hermit hoar, in solemn cell, Wearing out life's evening gray.' Gray evening is common enough; but even. ing gray he'd think fine.—Stay ;—we'll make out the stanza : mode. 'Hermit hoar, in solemn cell, Wearing out life's evening gray: What is bliss? and which the way?'"* BoswELL: "But why smite his bosoni, Sir ?" JOHNSON: "Why to shew he was in earnest" (smiling.)-He at an after period added the following stanza: "Thus I spoke; and speaking sigh'd; other. Taylor said, it should be lighted up I cannot help thinking the first stanza very next night. "That will do very well, (said I,) for it is Dr. Johnson's birth-day." When we were in the Isle of Sky, Johnson had desired me not to mention his birth-day. He did not seem pleased at this time that I mentioned it, and said (somewhat sternly) "he would not have the lustre lighted the next day." Some ladies, who had been present yesterday when I mentioned his birth-day, came to dinner to-day, and plagued him unintentionally, by wishing him joy. I know not why he disliked having his birth-day mentioned, unless it were that it reminded him of his approaching nearer to death, of which he had a constant dread. I mentioned to him a friend of mine who was formerly gloomy from low spirits, and much distressed by the fear of death, but was now uniformly placid, and contemplated his dissolution without any perturbation. "Sir, (said Johnson,) this is only a disordered imagination taking a different turn." [Thomas Coxeter, Esq. who had also made a large collection of old plays, and from whose manuscript notes the Lives of the English Poets, by Shiels and Cibber, were principally compiled, as should have been mentioned in a former page. See p. 296 of this volume. Mr. Coxeter was bred at Trinity College, Oxford, and died in London, April 17, 1747, in his fifty-ninth year. A particular account of him may be found in "The Gentleman's Magazine" for 1781, p. 173. M. As some of my readers may be gratified by reading the progress of this little composition, I shall insert f from my notes. "When Dr. Johnson and I were sitting tete à réte at the Mitre tavern, May 9, 1778, he said, "Where is bliss,' would be better. He then added a hu dicrous stanza, but would not repeat it, lest I should take it down. It was somewhat as follows; the last line I am sure I remember: good solemn poetry, as also the first three lines of the second. Its last line is an excellent burlesque surprise on gloomy sentimental inquirers. And, perhaps, the advice is as good as can be given to a low-spirited dissatisfied being:-"Don't trouble your head with sickly thinking: take a cup, and be merry." : | Lord, this is the most costly room that I ever saw;' which is true." Dr. Manningham, physician in London, who was visiting at Lord Scarsdale's, accompanied us through many of the rooms, and soon afterwards my Lord himself, to whom Dr. Johnson was known, appeared, and did the honours of the house. We talked of Mr. Langton. Johnson, with a warm vehemence of affectionate regard, exclaim man than Bennet Langton. We saw a good many fine pictures, which I think are described in one of " Young's Tours." There is a printed catalogue of them, which the housekeeper put into my hand; I should like to view them at leisure. I was much struck with Daniel interpreting Nebuchad nezzar's dream, by Rembrandt. - We were shewn a pretty large library. In his Lordship's dressing-room lay Johnson's small Dictionary: he shewed it to me, with some eagerness, saying, "Look'ye! Quæ regio in terris nostri non plena laboris ?" He observed, also, Goldsmith's "Animated Nature;" and said, "Here's our friend! The poor Doctor would have been happy to hear of this." Friday, September 19, after breakfast, Johnson and I set out in Dr. Taylor's chaise to go to Derby. The day was fine, and weed, "The earth does not bear a worthier resolved to go by Keddlestone, the seat of Lord Scarsdale, that I might see his Lordship's fine house. I was struck with the magnificence of the building; and the extensive park, with the finest verdure, covered with deer, and cattle, and sheep, delighted me. The number of old oaks, of an immense size, filled me with a sort of respectful admiration for one of them, 607. was offered. The excellent smooth gravel roads; the large piece of water, formed by his Lordship from some small brooks, with a handsome barge upon it; the venerable Gothic church, now the family chapel, just by the house; in short, the grand group of objects agitated and distended my mind in a most agreeable manner. "One should think (said that the proprietor of all this must be happy."-" Nay, Sir (said Johnson,) all this excludes but one evil-poverty." In our way, Johnson strongly expressed his love of driving fast in a post-chaise. "If (said he) I had no duties, and no reference Our names were sent up, and a well-drest to futurity, I would spend my life in drivelderly housekeeper, a most distinct articu- ing briskly in a post-chaise with a pretty lator, shewed us the house; which I need woman; but she should be one who could not describe, as there is an account of it pub- understand me, and would add something lished in "Adams's Works in Architecture." to the conversation." I observed, that we Dr. Johnson thought better of it to-day, were this day to stop just where the Highthan when he saw it before; for he had lately land army did in 1745. JOHNSON: "It attacked it violently, saying, “It would do was a noble attempt." BosWELL: “I wish excellently for a town-hall. The large room we could have an authentic history of it." with the pillars (said he) would do for the JOHNSON: "If you were not an idle dog, Judges to sit in at the assizes; the circu- you might write it, by collecting from every lar room for a jury-chamber; and the room body what they can tell, and putting down above for prisoners." Still he thought the your authorities." BOSWELL: "But I large room ill-lighted, and of no use but for could not have the advantage of it in my dancing in; and the bed-chambers but in-life-time." JOHNSON : You might have different rooms; and that the immense sum have the satisfaction of its fame, by printwhich it cost was injudiciously laid out. ing it in Holland; and as to profit, consiDr. Taylor had put him in mind of his ap- der how long it was before writing came to pearing pleased with the house. "But (said be considered in a pecuniary view. Baretti he) that was when Lord Scarsdale was pre- says, he is the first man that ever received sent. Politeness obliges us to appear pleased copy-money in Italy." I said that I would with a man's works when he is present. No endeavour to do what Dr. Johnson sugman will be so ill-bred as to question you. gested; and I thought that I might write You may therefore pay compliments with- so as to venture to publish my "History of out saying what is not true. I should say the Civil War in Great Britain, in 1745 to Lord Scarsdale, of his large room, My and 1746,” without being obliged to go to a foreign press.+ When I mentioned Dr. Johnson's remark to a lady 66 When we arrived at Derby, Dr. Butter of admirable good sense and quickness of understanding, accompanied us to see the manufactory of china there. I admired the ingenuity and she observed, "It is true, all this excludes only one evil; but how much good does it let in ?"To this observation much praise has been justly given. Let me then now do myself the honour to mention that the lady who made it was the late Margaret Montgomerie, my very valuable wife, and the very affectionate mother of my children, who, if they inherit her good qualities, will have no reason to complain of their lot. Dos magna purentum virtus. I am now happy to understand that Mr. John Home, who was himself gallantly in the field for the reigning family, in that interesting warfare, but is generous enough to do justice to the other side, is preparing an account of it for the press. delicate art with which a man fashioned | you have: is your mind at ease? Goldclay into a cup, a saucer, or a tea-pot, while smith answered it was not." a boy turned round a wheel to give the mass rotundity. I thought this as excellent in its species of power, as making good verses in its species. Yet I had no respect for this potter. Neither, indeed, has a man of any extent of thinking for a mere verse-maker, in whose numbers, however perfect, there is no poetry, no mind. The china was beautiful, but Dr. Johnson justly observed it was too dear; for that he could have vessels of silver, of the same size, as cheap as what were here made of porcelain. After dinner, Mrs. Butter went with me to see the silk-mill which Mr. John Lombe had† had a patent for, having brought away the contrivance from Italy. I am not very conversant with mechanics; but the simpli city of this machine, and its multiplied operations, struck me with an agreeable surprise. I had learnt from Dr. Johnson, during this interview, not to think with a dejected indifference of the works of art, and the pleasures of life, because life is uncertain and short; but to consider such indif. I felt a pleasure in walking about Derby, ference as a failure of reason, a morbidness such as I always have in walking about any of mind; for happiness should be cultivated town to which I am not accustomed. There as much as we can, and the objects which are is an immediate sensation of novelty; and instrumental to it should be steadily consione speculates on the way in which life is dered as of importance, with a reference not passed in it, which, although there is a same-only to ourselves, but to multitudes in sucness every where upon the whole, is yet cessive ages. Though it is proper to value minutely diversified. The minute diversi- small parts, as ties in every thing are wonderful. Talking "Sands make the mountain, moments make the year;" of shaving, the other night at Dr. Taylor's, Dr. Johnson said, "Sir, of a thousand sha-have a just estimation of objects. One moyet we must contemplate, collectively, to vers, two do not shave so much alike as not to be distinguished." I thought this not ment's being uneasy or not, seems of no possible, till he specified so many of the vaconsequence; yet this may be thought of rieties in shaving;-holding the razor more the next, and the next, and so on, till there or less perpendicular;-drawing long or is a large portion of misery. In the same short strokes ;--beginning at the upper part way one must think of happiness, of learnof the face, or the under at the right side ing, of friendship. We cannot tell the preor the left side. Indeed, when one considers cise moment when friendship is formed. As what variety of sounds can be uttered by the in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at wind-pipe, in the compass of last a drop which makes it run over; so in a aperture, we may be convinced how many de- series of kindnesses there is at last one which makes the heart run over. We must not grees of difference there may be in the ap-divide objects of our attention into minute plication of a razor. a very small We dined with Dr. Butter, whose lady is daughter of my cousin Sir John Douglas, whose grandson is now presumptive heir of the noble family of Queensberry. Johnson and he had a good deal of medical conversation. Johnson said, he had somewhere or other given an account of Dr. Nichols's discourse "De Anima Medica." He told us, "that whatever a man's distemper was, Dr. Nichols would not attend him as a physician, if his mind was not at ease; for he believed that no medicines would have any influence. He once attended a man in trade, upon whom he found none of the medicines he prescribed had any effect; he asked the man's wife privately whether his affairs were not in a bad way? She said no, He continued his attendance some time, still At length the man's wife told him, she had discovered that her husband's affairs were in a bad way. When Goldsmith was dying, Dr. Turton said to him, Your pulse is in greater disorder than it should be, from the degree of fever which without success. [Dr. Butter was at this time a practising physician at Derby. He afterwards removed to London, where he died in his 79th year, March 22, 1805. He is author of several medical tracts. M.] parts, and think separately of each part. It is by contemplating a large mass of human existence, that a man, while he sets a just value on his own life, does not think of Lis death as annihilating all that is great and pleasing in the world, as if actually contained in his mind, according to Berkeley's reverie. If his imagination be not sickly and feeble, it "wings its distant way" far beyond him self, and views the world in unceasing ac tivity of every sort. It must be acknow. ledged, however, that Pope's plaintive reflection, that all things would be as gay as ever, on the day of his death, is natural and common. We are apt to transfer to all around us our own gloom, without consider. ing that at any given point of time there is, perhaps, as much youth and gaiety in the Before I came into world as at another. this life, in which I have had so many plea sant scenes, have not thousands and ten thousands of deaths and funerals happened, and have not families been in grief for their nearest relations? But have those dismal + See Hutton's History of Derby, a book which is de servedly esteemed for its information, accuracy, and good narrative. Indeed, the age in which we live is enLİnently distinguished by topographical excellence. + Young. circumstances at all affected me? Why then should the gloomy scenes which I experience, or which I know, affect others? Let us guard against imagining that there is an end of felicity upon earth, when we ourselves grow old, or are unhappy. Dr. Johnson told us at tea, that when some of Dr. Dodd's pious friends were trying to console him by saying that he was going to leave "a wretched world," he had honesty enough not to join in the cant:"No, no (said he), it has been a very agree. able world to me.' Johnson added, "I respect Dodd for thus speaking the truth; for, to be sure, he had for several years enjoyed a life of great voluptuousness." He told us, that Dodd's city friends stood by him so, that a thousand pounds were ready to be given to the jailer, if he would let him escape. He added, that he knew a friend of Dodd's, who walked about New-| gate for some time on the evening before the day of his execution, with five hundred pounds in his pocket, ready to be paid to any of the turnkeys who could get him out: but it was too late; for he was watched with much circumspection. He said, Dodd's friends had an image of him made of wax, which was to have been left in his place; and he believed it was carried into the prison. Johnson disapproved of Dr. Dodd's leaving the world persuaded that "The Convict's Address to his unhappy Brethren" was of his own writing. "But, Sir, (said I,) you contributed to the deception; for when Mr. Seward expressed a doubt to you that it was not Dodd's own, because it had a great deal more force of mind in it than any thing known to be his, you answered,Why should you think so? Depend upon it, Sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.' JOHNSON: "Sir, as Dodd got it from me to pass as his own, while that could do him any good, that was an implied promise that I should not own it. To own it, therefore, would have been telling a lie, with the addition of breach of promise, which was worse than simply telling a lie to make it be believed it was Dodd's. Besides, Sir, I did not directly tell a lie: I left the matter uncertain. Perhaps I thought that Seward would not believe it the less to be mine for what I said; but I would not put it in his power to say I had owned it." He praised Blair's sermons: "Yet," said he (willing to let us see he was aware that fashionable fame, however deserved, is not always the most lasting.) "perhaps, they may not be reprinted after seven years; at least not after Blair's death." He said, "Goldsmith was a plant that flowered late. There appeared nothing remarkable about him when he was young; though when he had got high in fame, one of his friends began to recollect something of his being distinguished at College. Goldsmith in the same manner recollected more of that friend's early years, as he grew a greater man." I mentioned that Lord Monboddo told me, he awaked every morning at four, and then for his health got up and walked in his room naked, with the window open, which he called taking an air bath; after which he went to bed again, and slept two hours more. Johnson, who was always ready to beat down any thing that seemed to be exhibited with disproportionate importance, thus observed: "I suppose, Sir, there is no more in it than this, he wakes at four, and cannot sleep till he chills himself, and makes the warmth of the bed a grateful sensation." I talked of the difficulty of rising in the morning. Dr. Johnson told me, "that the learned Mrs. Carter, at that period when she was eager in study, did not awake as early as she wished, and she therefore had a contrivance, that, at a certain hour, her chamber-light should burn a string, to which a heavy weight was suspended, which then fell with a strong sudden noise: this roused her from her sleep, and then she had no difficulty in getting up." But I said that was my difficulty; and wished there could be some medicine invented which would make one rise without pain, which I never did, unless after lying in bed a very long time. Perhaps there may be something in the stores of Nature which could do this. I have thought of a pulley to raise me gradually; but that would give me pain, as it would counteract my internal inclination. I would have something that can dissipate the vis inertia, and give elasticity to the muscles. As I imagine that the human body may be put, by the operation of other substances, into any state in which it has ever been; and as I have experienced a state in which rising from bed was not disagreeable, but easy, nay, sometimes agreeable; I suppose that this state may be produced, if we knew by what. We can heat the body, we can cool it; we can give it tension or relaxation; and surely it is possible to bring it into a state in which ri sing from bed will not be a pain. Johnson observed, that a man should take a sufficient quantity of sleep, which Dr. Mead says is between seven and nine hours." I told him, that Dr. Cullen said to me, that a man should not take more sleep than he can take at once. JOHNSON: "This rule, Sir, cannot hold in all cases; for many people have their sleep broken by sickness; and surely, Cullen would not have a man to get up, after having slept but an hour. Such a regimen would soon end in a He was distinguished in college, as appears from a circumstance inentioned by Dr. Kearney. See p. 113. M.] long sleep." Dr. Taylor remarked, I think very justly, that "a man who does not feel an inclination to sleep at the ordinary times, instead of being stronger than other people, must not be well; for a man in health has all the natural inclinations to eat, drink, and sleep in a strong degree." Johnson advised me to-night not to refine in the education of my children. "Life, (said he) will not bear refinement; you must do as other people do." As we drove back to Ashbourne, Dr. Johnson recommended to me, as he had often done, to drink water only: "For (said he) you are then sure not to get drunk; whereas, if you drink wine, you are never sure." I said drinking wine was a pleasure which I was unwilling to give up. "Why, Sir, (said he,) there is no doubt that not to drink wine is a great deduction from life: but it may be necessary." He however owned, that in his opinion a free use of wine did not shorten life; and said he would not give less for the life of a certain Scotch Lord' (whom he named) celebrated for hard drinking, than for that of a sober man. "But stay, (said he, with his usual intelligence, and accuracy of inquiry,) does it take much wine to make him drunk?" I answered, "a great deal either of wine or strong punch."-" Then (said he) that is the worse." I presume to illustrate my friend's observation thus; "A fortress which soon surrenders has its walls less shattered, than when a long and obstinate resistance is made." I ventured to mention a person who was as violent a Scotchman as he was an Englishman; and literally had the same contempt for an Englishman compared with a Scotsman, that he had for a Scotsman compared with an Englishman; and that he would say of Dr. Johnson, "Damned rascal! to talk as he does of the Scotch." This seemed, for a moment, "to give him pause." It, perhaps, presented his extreme prejudice against the Scotch in a point of view somewhat new to him, by the effect of contrast. By the time when we returned to Ashbourne, Taylor was gone to bed. Johnson and I sat up a long time by ourselves. He was much diverted with an article which I shewed him in the "Critical Re This regimen was, however, practised by Bishop Ken, of whom Hawkins (not Sir John) in his life of that venerable prelate, p. 4, tells us, And that neither his study might be the aggressor on his hours of instruction, or what he judged his duty, prevent his improvements; or both, his closet addresses to his GOD; he strictly accustomed himself to but one sleep, which often obliged him to rise at one or two of the clock in the morning, and sometimes sooner; and grew so habitual, that it continued with him almost till his last illness. lively and cheerful was his temper, that he would be very facetious and entertaining to his friends in the evening, even when it was perceived that with difficulty And so he kept his eyes open; and then seemed to go to rest with no other purpose than the refreshing and enabling him with more vigour and cheerfulness to sing his morning hymn, as he then used to do to his lute before he put on his clothes. view" of this year, giving an account of a curious publication, entitled "A Spiritual Diary and Soliloquies, by John Rutty, M.D." Dr. Rutty was one of the people called Quakers, a physician of some eminence in Dublin, and author of several works. This Diary, which was kept from 1753 to 1775, the year in which he died, and was now published in two volumes octavo, exhibited in the simplicity of his heart, a minute and honest register of the state of his mind; which, though frequently laughable enough, was not more so than the history of many men would be, if recorded with equal fairness. The following specimens were extracted by the Reviewers:" "Tenth month, 1753. "23. Indulgence in bed an hour too long. "Twelfth month, 17. An hypochondriac obnubilation from wind and indigestion. "Ninth month, 28. An over-dose of whisky. 66 29. A dull cross choleric day. "First month, 1757-22. A little swinish at dinner and repast. "31. Dogged on provocation. "Second month, 5. Very dogged or snappish. "14. Snappish on fasting. "26. Cursed snappishness to those under me, on a bodily indisposition. "Third month, 11. On a provocation, exercised a dumb resentment for two days, instead of scolding. "22. Scolded too vehemently. "23. Dogged again. "Fourth month, 29. Mechanically and sinfully dogged." Johnson laughed heartily at this good Quietist's self-condemning minutes; particularly at his mentioning with such a serious regret, occasional instances of “ swinishness" in eating, and "doggedness of temper." He thought the observations of the Critical Reviewers upon the importance of a man to himself so ingenious, and so well expressed, that I shall here introduce them. After observing that "there are few wnters who have gained any reputation by recording their own actions," they say, "We may reduce the egotists to four classes. In the first we have Julius Cæsar : he relates his own transactions; but he relates them with peculiar grace and dignity, and his narrative is supported by the greatness of his character and achievements. In the second class we have Marcus Antoninus: this writer has given us a series of reflections on his own life; but his sentiments are so noble, his morality so sublime, that his meditations are universally admired. In the third class we have some others of tolerable credit, who have given importance to their own private history by an intermixture of literary anecdotes, and the occurrences of |