in Mrs. Williams's room; Mrs. Desmoulins doing the honours of the tea-table. I observed that he would not even look at a proof-sheet of his "Life of Waller" on Good-Friday.

Mr. Allen, the printer, brought a book on agriculture, which was printed, and was soon to be published'. It was a very strange performance, the authour having mixed in it his own thoughts upon various topicks, along with his remarks on ploughing, sowing, and other farming operations. He seemed to be an absurd profane fellow, and had introduced in his books many sneers at religion, with equal ignorance and conceit. Dr. Johnson permitted me to read some passages aloud. One was that he resolved to work on Sunday, and did work, but he owned he felt some weak compunction; and he had this very curious reflection: "I was born in the wilds of Christianity, and the briars and thorns still hang about me." Dr. Johnson could not help laughing at this ridiculous image, yet was very angry at the fellow's impiety. "However," said he, "the reviewers will make him hang himself." He, however, observed, "that formerly there might have been a dispensation obtained for working on Sunday in the time of harvest." Indeed in ritual observances, were all the ministers of religion what they should be, and what many of them are, such a power might be wisely and safely lodged with the church.

On Saturday, 18th April, I drank tea with him. He praised the late Mr. Duncombe, of Canterbury, as a pleasing man. "He used to come to me; I did not seek much after him. Indeed I never sought much after any body." BOSWELL. "Lord Orrery, I suppose.' JOHNSON. "No, sir; I never went

[Marshall's "Minutes of Agriculture."-ED.]

2 William Duncombe, Esq. He married the sister of John Hughes, the poct; was the authour of two tragedies, and other ingenious productions; and died 26th Feb. 1769, aged 79.—MALONE.

Piozzi, p. 134, 135.

to him but when he sent for me."

BOSWELL.

"Richardson?" JOHNSON. "Yes, sir: but I sought I used to go

after George Psalmanazar the most.

and sit with him at an alehouse in the city."

[When Mrs. Piozzi asked Dr. Johnson who was the best man he had ever known? "Psalmanazar" was the unexpected reply. He said, likewise, "that though a native of France, as his friend imagined, he possessed more of the English language than any other foreigner who had fallen in his way." Though there was much esteem, however, there was I believe but little confidence between them; they conversed merely about general topics, religion and learning, of which both were undoubtedly stupendous examples; and, with regard to true Christian per"That George fection, I have heard Johnson say, Psalmanazar's piety, penitence, and virtue, exceeded almost what we read as wonderful even in the lives of saints."

This extraordinary person lived and died at a house in Old-street, where Dr. Johnson was witness to his talents and virtues, and to his final preference of the church of England, after having studied, disgraced, and adorned so many modes of worship. The name he went by was not supposed by his friend to be that of his family; but all inquiries were vain; his reasons for concealing his original were penitentiary; he deserved no other name than that of the Impostor, he said. That portion of the Universal History which was written by him does not seem to me to be composed with peculiar spirit; but all traces of the wit and the wanderer were probably worn out before he undertook the work. His pious and patient endurance of a tedious illness, ending in an exemplary death, confirmed the strong impression his merit had made upon the mind of Dr. Johnson.]

[He had never, he said, seen the close of the life of Hawk. Apoph. any one that he wished so much his own to resemble, p. 206. as that of Psalmanazar, for its purity and devotion. He told many anecdotes of him; and said, he was supposed, by his accent, to have been a Gascon; but that he spoke English with the city accent, and coarse enough. He for some years spent his evenings at a publick-house near Old-street, where many persons went to talk with him. When Dr. Johnson was asked whether he ever contradicted Psalmanazar; "I should as soon," said he, "have thought of contradicting a bishop:" so high did he hold his character in the latter part of his life. When he was asked whether he ever mentioned Formosa before him, he said, "he was afraid to mention even China."]

1

I am happy to mention another instance which I discovered of his seeking after a man of merit. Soon after the Honourable Daines Barrington had published his excellent "Observations on the Statutes '." Johnson waited on that worthy and learned gentleman; and, having told him his name, courteously said, "I have read your book, sir, with great pleasure, and wish to be better known to you." Thus began an acquaintance, which was continued with mutual regard as long as Johnson lived.

66

Talking of a recent seditious delinquent, he said, They should set him in the pillory, that he may be punished in a way that would disgrace him." I observed, that the pillory does not always disgrace.

14to. 1766. The worthy authour died many years after Johnson, March 13, 1800, aged about 74.-MALONE.

[Mr. Horne Tooke, who had been in the preceding July convicted of a seditious libel. The sentence-pronounced in November, 1777-was a year's imprisonment, and 2001. fine; but it seems strange that Johnson should, in April, 1778, have spoken conjecturally of a sentence passed six months before. Perhaps the conversation occurred at Ashbourn in the preceding autumn, when the sentence was a subject of much conjecture and curiosity, and that, by some mistake in arranging his notes, Mr. Boswell has misplaced it here.-ED.]

66

And I mentioned an instance of a gentleman', who I thought was not dishonoured by it. JOHNSON. 'Ay, but he was, sir. He could not mouth and strut as he used to do, after having been there. People are not willing to ask a man to their tables who has stood in the pillory."

3

The gentleman who had dined with us at Dr. Percy's came in. Johnson attacked the Americans with intemperate vehemence of abuse. I said something in their favour; and added, that I was always sorry when he talked on that subject. This, it seems, exasperated him; though he said nothing at the time. The cloud was charged with sulphureous vapour, which was afterwards to burst in thunder. We talked of a gentleman who was running out his fortune in London; and I said, "We must get him out of it. All his friends must quarrel with him, and that will soon drive him away.' JOHNSON. "Nay, sir, we'll send you to him. If your company does not drive a man out of his house, nothing will." This was a horrible shock, for which there was no visible cause. I afterwards asked him why he had said so harsh a thing. JOHNSON." JOHNSON. "Because, sir, you made me angry about the Americans." BosWELL. "But why did you not take your revenge directly?" JOHNSON (smiling). "Because, sir, I had nothing ready. A man cannot strike till he has his weapons." This was a candid and pleasant confession.

[Probably Dr. Shebbeare. It was Shebbeare's exposure which suggested the witty allusion of the Heroick Epistle,

"Does envy doubt? Witness, ye chosen train,
Who breathe the sweets of his Saturnian reign;
Witness, ye Hills, ye Johnsons, Scots, Shebbeares,
Hark to my call, for some of you have ears!”

But his ears were not endangered; indeed he was so favourably treated, being
allowed to stand on, and not in, the pillory, and to have certain other indulgences,
that the sheriff was afterwards prosecuted for partiality towards him.-Ed.]
2 See p. 131, of this volume.-BOSWELL.

3 [Mr. Langton.—ED.]

He showed me to-night his drawing-room, very genteelly fitted up, and said, Mrs. Thrale sneered when I talked of my having asked you and your lady to live at my house. I was obliged to tell her that you would be in as respectable a situation in my house as in hers. "Sir, the insolence of wealth will creep out." BOSWELL. "She has a little both of the insolence of wealth and the conceit of parts." JOHNSON. "The insolence of wealth is a wretched thing; but the conceit of parts has some foundation. To be sure, it should not be. But who is without it?" BOSWELL. "Yourself, sir." JOHNSON. "Why, I play no tricks: I lay no traps." BOSWELL. No, sir. You are six feet high, and you only do not stoop."

66

We talked of the numbers of people that sometimes have composed the household of great families. I mentioned that there were a hundred in the family of the present Earl of Eglintoune's father. Dr. Johnson seeming to doubt it, I began to enumerate; "Let us see, my lord and my lady, two." JOHNSON. "Nay, sir, if you are to count by twos, you may be long enough." BOSWELL. "Well, but now I add two sons and seven daughters, and a servant for each, that will make twenty; so we have the fifth part already." JOHNSON. " Very true. You get at twenty pretty readily; but you will not so easily get further on. We grow to five feet pretty readily; but it is not so easy to grow to seven."

1

[Yesterday (18th) I rose late, having not slept ill. Having Prayers promised a dedication, I thought it necessary to write; but for & Med. some time neither wrote nor read. Langton came in and talked. P. 163.

After dinner I wrote. At tea Boswell came in. He staid till near twelve.]

[He means that if it had not been in performance of a promise, he would not have done any worldly business on Easter eve. What the dedication was does not appear.- ED.]