" if he would. Sixteen-string Jack? towered above the common mark." BOSWELL : Then, Sir, what is poetry ?” JOHNSON : “Why, Sir, it is much easier to say what it is not. We all know what light is, but it is not easy to tell what it is.” On Friday, April 12, I dined with him at our friend Tom Davies's, where we met Mr. Cradock, of Leicestershire, author of “ Zobeide,” a tragedy ; a very pleasing gentleman, to whom my friend Dr. Farmer's very excellent “Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare” is addressed ; and also Dr. Harwood, who has written and published various works, particularly a fantastical translation of the New Testament in modern phrase, and with a Socinian twist. I introduced Aristotle's doctrine in his “ Art of Poetry,” of “the kádapois T@V radnuátw, the purging of the passions,” as the purpose of tragedy.3 “But how are the passions to be purged by terror and pity ?" said I, with an assumed air of ignorance, to incite him to talk, for which it was often necessary to employ some address. JOHNSON : “Why, Sir, you are to consider what is the meaning of purging in the original It is to expel impurities from the human body. The mind is subject to the same imperfection. The passions are the greatest movers of human actions ; but they are mixed with such impurities, that it is necessary they should be purged or refined by means of terror and pity. For instance, ambition is a noble passion ; but by seeing upon the stage, that a man who is so excessively ambitious as to raise himself by injustice is punished, we are terrified at the fatal consequences of such a passion. In the same manner a certain degree of resentment is necessary; but if we see that a man carries it too far, we MR, CRADOCK. sense. 1 A noted highwayman, who, after having been several times tried and acquitted, was at last hanged. He was remarkable for foppery in his dress, and particularly for wearing a bunch of sixteen strings at the knees of his breeches.-BOSWELL. 2 The hospitable proprietor of Gumley Hall, where he was accustomed to entertain a large circle of literary friends. Mr. was admitted to the first literary circles of his day, and was in habits of intimacy with Dr. Johnson, Boswell, Burke, Goldsmith, Doctors Parr, Farmer, and Askew, Geo. Steevens, Lords Thurlow and Sandwich, Bishops Hurd, Percy, and Hinchliff, &c. “Of Dr. Johnson's manners,” says Mr. Cradock, in his Literary Memoirs, “Garrick was a great mimic, and by his imitations at times rendered Johnson abundantly ridiculous. Tom Davies monopolised his laugh, and his laugh was that of a rhinoceros !” He was the author of several works; and in 1826, just previous to his death, he published his “Literary and Miscellaneous Memoirs." Mr. Cradock was senior fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He was born 1741-2, and died December 15, 1826.—ED. 3 See an ingenious Essay on this subject by the late Dr. Moor, Greek professor of Glasgow.–BOSWELL. put the player in ander wat de maderate that passion.” My 1. Xiana 4* in astice to Johnson's expression, which was used and can tesi Mr. Cradock whispered me, l) thai his wine r. 1. & ** I alwrn the past and the bagety of - Othello” was, that it had in mise erdia resist the circumstances of we nhid Testaa tel Othello's mind. JOHNSON : * In the mini mi Sri W RATE Othello this very useful moral, Hal to the ** *** sih: the second place, we learn not to Vile for the sea. The banåkerchief is merely a trick, Though w PRIN KIÀ: kichey are no other cireumstances of bahis su 4* Wsi raised br lago of Cassio's warm durisculs 12). Firman Thaimas his sleer, and that depended entirrhan the man. To Sir, I think Othello has marr mal than er " Talking of a qurmurhan Pangan of our scqnaintance, Johnson said, "Sir, he is narn-w, B**ch fum ararica, as from impotence to spend his money, He came ini in his heart to pour out a bottle of wine: but he would not much it should sour." He said he wished test anda leniss critical works collected. Davies said they would nursil P. Johnsin seemed to think otherwise. Davies suid is a well-kno wa dramatic anthor, that " he lived upon ported ris and that he made his waras Hannibal did, by vinegar ; having begin by attacking pepe: particularly the players." He reminded Pr. Johnsən x Mr. Marphr's having paid him the highest compliment that ever was paid to a larman, by asking his parleu for repeating some caths in the curse of telling a story. Johnson and I supped this evening at the Crown and Anchor tavern, in company with Sir Joshua Renoids Mr. Langton, Mr. Vairne, now one of the Scotch judges, with the utle of Lord Dunsinan, and my very worthy friend, Sir William Forbes of Misligo. We discussed the question whether drinking improved conversation and benevolence. Sir Joshua maintained it did. Johnson: “ No, Sir, before dinner men meet with great inequality of understanding; and those who are conscious of their inferiority hare the modesty not to talk. When they have drunk wine, every man feels himself happy, and loses that modesty, and grows impudent and vociferous: but he is not improved : he is only not sensible of his defects." Sir Joshua said the Doctor was talking of the effects of excess in wine ; but that a moderate glass enlivened the mind, by giving a proper cireulation to the blood. “I am,” said he, “in very good spirits, when I get up in the morning. n 1 Sir W. Forbes was the founder, in conjunction with Sir J. H. Blair, of the first banking establishment in Edinburgh. He was an early member of the celebrated Literary Club, of which Dr. Johnson, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Garrick, and Burke, were distinguished He was born at Pitsligo in 1739, and died in 1806.- Ed. utes, By dinner-time I am exhausted; wine puts me in the same state as when I got up ; and I am sure that moderate drinking makes people talk better.” JOHNSON : “No, Sir, wine gives not light, gay, ideal hilarity ; but tumultuous, noisy, clamorous merriment. I have heard none of those drunken-nay, drunken is a coarse word-none of those vinous flights.” Sir JOSHUA : “ Because you have sat by, quite sober, and felt an envy of the happiness of those who were drinking.” JOHNSON : “Perhaps contempt. And, Sir, it is not necessary to be drunk one's self to relish the wit of drunkenness. Do we not judge of the drunken wit, and of the dialogue between Iago and Cassio, the most excellent in its kind, when we are quite sober? Wit is wit, by whatever means it is produced ; and, if good, will appear so at all times. I admit that the spirits are raised by drinking, as by the common participation of any pleasure : cock-fighting or bear-baiting will raise the spirits of a company as drinking does, though surely they will not improve conversation. I also admit, that there are some sluggish men who are improved by drinking ; as there are fruits which are not good till they are rotten. There are such men, but they are medlars. I indeed allow that there have been a very few men of talents who were improved by drinking ; but I maintain that I am right as to the effects of drinking in general: and let it be considered, that there is no position, however false in its universality, which is not true of some particular man.” Sir William Forbes said, “ Might not a man warmed with wine be like a bottle of beer, which is made brisker by being set before the fire ? ” “Nay,” said Johnson laughing, “I cannot answer that : that is too much for me." I observed that wine did some people harm, by inflaming, confusing, and irritating their minds ; but that the experience of mankind had declared in favour of moderate drinking. JOHNSON : “Sir, I do not say it is wrong to produce self-complacency by drinking; I only deny that it improves the mind. When I drank wine I scorned to drink it when in company. I have drunk many a bottle by myself; in the first place, because I had need of it to raise my spirits ; in the second place, because I would have nobody to witness its effects upon me.” He told us, “almost all his Ramblers were written just as they were wanted for the press ; that he sent a certain portion of the copy of an essay, and wrote the remainder, while the former part of it was printing. When it was wanted, and he had fairly sat down to it, he was sure it would be done.” He said, that for general improvement a man should read whatever his immediate inclination prompts him to; though, to be sure, if a man has a science to learn, he must regularly and resolutely advance. He added, “What we read with inclination makes a much stronger impression. If we read without inclination, half the mind is employed in fixing the attention ; so there is but one half to be employed on what ز we read.” He told us he read Fielding's “ Amelia" through without stopping. He said, “If a man begins to read in the middle of a book, and feels an inclination to go on, let him not quit it, to go to the beginning. He may perhaps not feel again the inelination.” Sir Joshua mentioned Mr. Cumberland's Odes, which were just published. Johnson: “Why, Sir, they would have been thought as , good as odes commonly are, if Cumberland had not put his name to them; but a name immediately draws censure, unless it be a name that beary down everything before it. Nay, Cumberland has made his odes subsidiary to the fame of another man. They might have run well enough by themselves ; but he has not only loaded them with a name, but has made them carry double.” We talked of the Reviews, and Dr. Johnson spoke of them as he did at Thrale’s. Sir Joshua said, what I have often thought, that he wondered to find so much good writing employed in them, when the authors were to remain unknown, and so could not have the motive of fame. JOHNSON : “Nay, Sir, those who write in them write well in order to be paid well.” Soon after this day he went to Bath with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. I had never seen that beautiful city, and wished to take the opportunity of visiting it, while Johnson was there. Having written to him, I received the following answer : " TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. “ DEAR SIR, “Why do you talk of neglect? When did I neglect you ? If you will come to Path we shall all be glad to see you. Come, therefore, as soon as you can. “But I have a little business for you at London. Bid Francis look in the paper drawer of the chest of drawers in my bed-chamber, for two cases; one for the Attorney-General, and one for the Solicitor-General. They lie, I think, at the top of my papers; otherwise they are somewhere else, and will give me Inore trouble. “Please to write to me immediately, if they can be found. Make my compliments to all our friends round the world, and to Mrs. Williams at home. "I am, Sir, yours, &c., “Sam. JOHNSON." “ Search for the papers as soon as you can, that, if it is necessary, I may write to you again before you come down." 1 We have here an involuntary testimony to the excellence of this admirable writer, to whom we have seen that Dr. Johnson directly allowed so little merit.—BOSWELL. 2 Mr. Romney, the painter, who has now deservedly established a high reputation.BOSWELL. BOSWELL VISITS BATH-ADDISON AND EUSTACE BUDGELL-DR. BLAIR-JOHNSON'S Con VERSATION AND OPINIONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS-EXCURSION TO BRISTOL-CHATTERTON'S On the 26th of April. I went to Bath ; and, on my arrival at the Pelican inn, found lying for me an obliging invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, by whom I was agreeably entertained almost constantly during my stay. They were gone to the rooms; but there was a kind note from Dr. Johnson, that he should sit at home all the evening. I went to him directly, and before Mr. and Mrs. Thrale returned, we had by ourselves some hours of tea-drinking and talk. I shall group together such of his sayings as I preserved during the few days that I was at Bath. Of a person who differed from him in politics, he said, “In private life he is a very honest gentleman ; but I will not allow him to be so in public life. People may be honest, though they are doing wrong: that is between their Maker and them. But we, who are suffering by their |