trade, he might have grown rich; but he has neither spirit to spend, nor resolution to spare. He does not spend fast enough to have pleasure from it; he has the crime of prodigality, and the wretchedness of parfimony. If a man is killed in a duel, he is killed as many a one has been killed; but it is a fad thing for a man to lie down and die; to bleed to death, because he has not fortitude enough to fear the wound, or even to stitch it up."

Once when checking Mr. Bofwell for boafting too frequently of himself in company, he faid, "Bofwell, you often vaunt so much as to provoke ridicule. You put me in mind of a man who was standing in the kitchen of an inn with his back to the fire, and thus accosted the person next him: ' Do you know, Sir, who I am?' 'No, Sir (faid the other), I have not that advantage.'-" Sir (faid he), I am the great Twalmley who invented the New Floodgate box-iron." The Bishop of Killaloe on hearing the story defended Twalmley, by observing, that he was entitled to the epithet of great; for Virgil in his groupe of worthies in the Elysian fields

Hic manus ob patriam pugnando vulnera passfi, &c. mentions

Inventas aut qui vitam excoluere per artes.

Mr.

Be

Mr. Boswell mentioned a young man who was going to Jamaica with his wife and children, in expectation of being provided for by two of her brothers settled in that island, one a clergyman, and the other a phyfician. "It is (said Johnson) a wild scheme, Sir, unless he has a positive and deliberate invitation. There was a poor girl, who used to come about me, who had a coufin in Barbadoes, that, in a letter to her, expressed a wish she would come out to that Island, and expatiated on the comforts and happiness of her situation. The poor girl went out: her cousin was much surprised, and asked her how she could think of coming. cause (faid the) you invited me.'-' Not I,' answered the coufin. The letter was then produced. I fee it is true (said she) that I did invite you : but I did not think you would come.' They lodged her in an out-house, where she passed her time miferably: and as foon as the had an opportunity, she returned to England. Always tell this, when you hear of people going abroad to relations, upon a notion of being well received. In the cafe which you mention, it is probable the clergyman spends all he gets, and the physician does not know how much he is to get."

On another occafion Johnson observed, "A man is very apt to complain of the ingratitude

of

:

of those who have risen far above him. A man when he gets into a higher sphere, into other habits of life, cannot keep up all his former connections. Then, Sir, those who knew him formerly upon a level with themselves, may think that they ought still to be treated as on a level, which cannot be; and an acquaintance in a former fituation may bring out things which it would be very disagreeable to have mentioned before higher company, though, perhaps, every body knows of them."He placed this subject in a new light, and shewed that a man who has risen in the world must not be condemned too harshly for being diftant to former acquaintance, even though he may have been much obliged to them. It is, no doubt, to be wished (as Mr. B. justly remarks) that a proper degree of attention should be shewn by great men to their early friends; but if either from obtufe insensibility to difference of fituation, or presumptuous forwardness, which will not submit even to an exterior observance of it, the dignity of high place cannot be preserved, when they are admitted into the company of those raised above the state in which they once were, encroachment must be repelled, and the kinder feelings sacrificed.

A question was started, how far people who disagree in a capital point can live in friendship together. Johnson said they might. Goldsmith faid they could not, as they had not the idem velle atque idem nolle-the same likings and the fame aversions.-7. "Why, Sir, you must shun the subject as to which you disagree. For instance, I can live very well with Burke; I love his knowledge, his genius, his diffusion, and affluence of conversation; but I would not talk to him of the Rockingham party."-G." But, Sir, when people live together who have somethingas to which they disagree, and which they want to shun, they will be in the situation mentioned in the story of Bluebeard, 'you may look into all the chambers but one;' but we should have the greatest inclination to look into that chamber; to talk of that subject."-7. (with a loud voice)

66

Sir, I am not saying that you could live in friendship with a man from whom you differ as to some point; I am only saying that I could do it."

On the casuistical question, whether it was allowable at any time to depart from Truth? Johnson observed, "The general rule is, that Truth should never be violated, because it is of the utmost importance to the comfort of life, that we should have a full security by mutual faith; and occafional inconveniencies should be willingly suffered that we may preserve it. There must, however, be some exceptions.If, for instance, a murderer should ask you which way a man is gone, you may tell him what what is not true, because you are under a previous obligation not to betray a man to a murderer."-BOSWELL. "Supposing the perfon who wrote Junius were asked whether he was the author, might he deny it?"-7. "I don't know what to say to this. If you were fure that he wrote Junius, would you, if he denied it, think as well of him afterwards? Yet it may be urged, that what a man has no right to afk, you may refuse to communicate; and there is no other effectual mode of preserving a secret, and an important secret, the discovery of which may be very hurtful to you, but by a flat denial; for if you are filent, or hefitate, or evade, it will be held equivalent to a confeffion. But stay, Sir: here is another cafe. Supposing the author had told me confidentially that he had written Junius, and I were asked if he had, I should hold myself at liberty to deny it, as being under a previous promise, express or implied, to conceal it. Now what I ought to do for the author, may I not do for myself? But I deny the lawfulness of telling a lie to a fick man, for fear of alarming him. You have no business with consequences; you are to tell the truth. Besides, you are not fure what effect your telling him that he is in danger may have. It may bring his diftemper to a crisis, and that may cure him. Of all lying, I have the greatest abhorrence of this, because