Wewereallinfinespirits；andIwhisperedtoMrs。Boscawen，’I
　　believethisisasmuchascanbemadeoflife。’Inadditiontoasplendidentertainment，wewereregaledwithLichfieldale，whichhadapeculiarappropriatedvalue。SirJoshua，andDr。Burney，andI，drankcordiallyofittoDr。Johnson’shealth；andthoughhewouldnotjoinus，heascordiallyanswered，’Gentlemen，Iwishyouallaswellasyoudome。’
　　Thegeneraleffectofthisdaydwellsuponmymindinfondremembrance；butIdonotfindmuchconversationrecorded。WhatI
　　havepreservedshallbefaithfullygiven。
　　OneofthecompanymentionedMr。ThomasHollis，thestrenuousWhig，whousedtosendoverEuropepresentsofdemocraticalbooks，withtheirboardsstampedwithdaggersandcapsofliberty。Mrs。Cartersaid，’Hewasabadman。Heusedtotalkuncharitably。’JOHNSON。
　　’Poh!poh!Madam；whoistheworseforbeingtalkedofuncharitably？Besides，hewasadullpoorcreatureaseverlived：
　　andIbelievehewouldnothavedoneharmtoamanwhomheknewtobeofveryoppositeprinciplestohisown。IrememberonceattheSocietyofArts，whenanadvertisementwastobedrawnup，hepointedmeoutasthemanwhocoulddoitbest。This，youwillobserve，waskindnesstome。Ihoweversliptaway，andescapedit。’
　　Mrs。Carterhavingsaidofthesameperson，’IdoubthewasanAtheist。’JOHNSON。’Idon’tknowthat。Hemightperhapshavebecomeone，ifhehadhadtimetoripen，smiling。HemighthaveEXUBERATEDintoanAtheist。’
　　SirJoshuaReynoldspraisedMudge’sSermons。JOHNSON。’Mudge’sSermonsaregood，butnotpractical。Hegraspsmoresensethanhecanhold；hetakesmorecornthanhecanmakeintomeal；heopensawideprospect，butitissodistant，itisindistinct。IloveBlair’sSermons。ThoughthedogisaScotchman，andaPresbyterian，andeverythingheshouldnotbe，Iwasthefirsttopraisethem。Suchwasmycandour，’smiling。MRS。BOSCAWEN。
　　’Suchhisgreatmerittogetthebetterofallyourprejudices。’
　　JOHNSON。’Why，Madam，letuscompoundthematter；letusascribeittomycandour，andhismerit。’
　　Intheeveningwehadalargecompanyinthedrawing-room，severalladies，theBishopofKillaloe，Dr。Percy，Mr。Chamberlayne，oftheTreasury，&c。&c。
　　Talkingofaveryrespectableauthour，hetoldusacuriouscircumstanceinhislife，whichwas，thathehadmarriedaprinter’sdevil。REYNOLDS。’Aprinter’sdevil，Sir!Why，I
　　thoughtaprinter’sdevilwasacreaturewithablackfaceandinrags。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir。ButIsuppose，hehadherfacewashed，andputcleanclothesonher。Thenlookingveryserious，andveryearnest。Andshedidnotdisgracehim；thewomanhadabottomofgoodsense。’Thewordbottomthusintroduced，wassoludicrouswhencontrastedwithhisgravity，thatmostofuscouldnotforbeartitteringandlaughing；thoughIrecollectthattheBishopofKillaloekepthiscountenancewithperfectsteadiness，whileMissHannahMoreslylyhidherfacebehindalady’sbackwhosatonthesamesetteewithher。Hispridecouldnotbearthatanyexpressionofhisshouldexciteridicule，whenhedidnotintendit；hethereforeresolvedtoassumeandexercisedespotickpower，glancedsternlyaround，andcalledoutinastrongtone，’Where’sthemerriment？’Thencollectinghimself，andlookingaweful，tomakeusfeelhowhecouldimposerestraint，andasitweresearchinghismindforastillmoreludicrousword，heslowlypronounced，’IsaytheWOMANwasFUNDAMENTALLYsensible；’asifhehadsaid，hearthisnow，andlaughifyoudare。Weallsatcomposedasatafuneral。
　　HeandIwalkedawaytogether；westoppedalittlewhilebytherailsoftheAdelphi，lookingontheThames，andIsaidtohimwithsomeemotionthatIwasnowthinkingoftwofriendswehadlost，whooncelivedinthebuildingsbehindus，BeauclerkandGarrick。
　　’Ay，Sir，saidhe，tenderly，andtwosuchfriendsascannotbesupplied。’
　　ForsometimeafterthisdayIdidnotseehimveryoften，andoftheconversationwhichIdidenjoy，IamsorrytofindIhavepreservedbutlittle。Iwasatthistimeengagedinavarietyofothermatters，whichrequiredexertionandassiduity，andnecessarilyoccupiedalmostallmytime。
　　OnTuesday，May8，IhadthepleasureofagaindiningwithhimandMr。Wilkes，atMr。Dilly’s。NoNEGOCIATIONwasnowrequiredtobringthemtogether；forJohnsonwassowellsatisfiedwiththeformerinterview，thathewasverygladtomeetWilkesagain，whowasthisdayseatedbetweenDr。BeattieandDr。Johnson；betweenTruthandReason，asGeneralPaolisaid，whenItoldhimofit。
　　WILKES。’Ihavebeenthinking，Dr。Johnson，thatthereshouldbeabillbroughtintoparliamentthatthecontrovertedelectionsforScotlandshouldbetriedinthatcountry，attheirownAbbeyofHoly-RoodHouse，andnothere；fortheconsequenceoftryingthemhereis，thatwehaveaninundationofScotchmen，whocomeupandnevergobackagain。NowhereisBoswell，whoiscomeupupontheelectionforhisowncounty，whichwillnotlastafortnight。’
　　JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，Iseenoreasonwhytheyshouldbetriedatall；for，youknow，oneScotchmanisasgoodasanother。’WILKES。
　　’Pray，Boswell，howmuchmaybegotinayearbyanAdvocateattheScotchbar？’BOSWELL。’Ibelievetwothousandpounds。’WILKES。
　　’HowcanitbepossibletospendthatmoneyinScotland？’JOHNSON。
　　’Why，Sir，themoneymaybespentinEngland：butthereisaharderquestion。IfonemaninScotlandgetspossessionoftwothousandpounds，whatremainsforalltherestofthenation？’WILKES。
　　’Youknow，inthelastwar，theimmensebootywhichThurotcarriedoffbythecompleteplunderofsevenScotchisles；here-embarkedwithTHREEANDSIX-PENCE。’HereagainJohnsonandWilkesjoinedinextravagantsportiverailleryuponthesupposedpovertyofScotland，whichDr。BeattieandIdidnotthinkitworthourwhiletodispute。
　　Thesubjectofquotationbeingintroduced，Mr。Wilkescensureditaspedantry。JOHNSON。’No，Sir，itisagoodthing；thereisacommunityofmindinit。Classicalquotationistheparoleofliterarymenallovertheworld。’
　　HegaveusanentertainingaccountofBetFlint，awomanofthetown，who，withsomeeccentricktalentsandmucheffrontery，forcedherselfuponhisacquaintance。’Betsaidhe，wroteherownLifeinverse，whichshebroughttome，wishingthatIwouldfurnishherwithaPrefacetoit，laughing。Iusedtosayofherthatshewasgenerallyslutanddrunkard；occasionally，whoreandthief。
　　Shehad，however，genteellodgings，aspinnetonwhichsheplayed，andaboythatwalkedbeforeherchair。PoorBetwastakenuponachargeofstealingacounterpane，andtriedattheOldBailey。
　　ChiefJustice——，wholovedawench，summedupfavourably，andshewasacquitted。AfterwhichBetsaid，withagayandsatisfiedair，“NowthatthecounterpaneisMYOWN，Ishallmakeapetticoatofit。“’
　　Talkingoforatory，Mr。Wilkesdescribeditasaccompaniedwithallthecharmsofpoeticalexpression。JOHNSON。’No，Sir；oratoryisthepowerofbeatingdownyouradversary’sarguments，andputtingbetterintheirplace。’WILKES。’Butthisdoesnotmovethepassions。’JOHNSON。’Hemustbeaweakman，whoistobesomoved。’WILKES。namingacelebratedorator，’Amidstallthebrilliancyof——’simagination，andtheexuberanceofhiswit，thereisastrangewantofTASTE。ItwasobservedofApelles’sVenus，thatherfleshseemedasifshehadbeennourishedbyroses：
　　hisoratorywouldsometimesmakeonesuspectthatheeatspotatoesanddrinkswhisky。’
　　Mr。Wilkessaidtome，loudenoughforDr。Johnsontohear，’Dr。
　　JohnsonshouldmakemeapresentofhisLivesofthePoets，asIamapoorpatriot，whocannotaffordtobuythem。’Johnsonseemedtotakenonoticeofthishint；butinalittlewhile，hecalledtoMr。Dilly，’Pray，Sir，besogoodastosendasetofmyLivestoMr。Wilkes，withmycompliments。’Thiswasaccordinglydone；andMr。WilkespaidDr。Johnsonavisit，wascourteouslyreceived，andsatwithhimalongtime。
　　Thecompanygraduallydroppedaway。Mr。Dillyhimselfwascalleddownstairsuponbusiness；Ilefttheroomforsometime；whenI
　　returned，IwasstruckwithobservingDr。SamuelJohnsonandJohnWilkes，Esq。，literallytete-a-tete；fortheywerereclinedupontheirchairs，withtheirheadsleaningalmostclosetoeachother，andtalkingearnestly，inakindofconfidentialwhisper，ofthepersonalquarrelbetweenGeorgetheSecondandtheKingofPrussia。
　　Suchasceneofperfectlyeasysocialitybetweentwosuchopponentsinthewarofpoliticalcontroversy，asthatwhichInowbeheld，wouldhavebeenanexcellentsubjectforapicture。ItpresentedtomymindthehappydayswhichareforetoldinScripture，whenthelionshallliedownwiththekid。
　　Afterthisdaytherewasanotherprettylonginterval，duringwhichDr。JohnsonandIdidnotmeet。WhenImentionedittohimwithregret，hewaspleasedtosay，’Then，Sir，letuslivedouble。’
　　Aboutthistimeitwasmuchthefashionforseveralladiestohaveeveningassemblies，wherethefairsexmightparticipateinconversationwithliteraryandingeniousmen，animatedbyadesiretoplease。ThesesocietiesweredenominatedBlue-stockingClubs，theoriginofwhichtitlebeinglittleknown，itmaybeworthwhiletorelateit。Oneofthemosteminentmembersofthosesocieties，whentheyfirstcommenced，wasMr。Stillingfleet，whosedresswasremarkablygrave，andinparticularitwasobserved，thatheworebluestockings。Suchwastheexcellenceofhisconversation，thathisabsencewasfeltassogreataloss，thatitusedtobesaid，’Wecandonothingwithoutthebluestockings；’andthusbydegreesthetitlewasestablished。MissHannahMorehasadmirablydescribedaBlue-stockingClub，inherBasBleu，apoeminwhichmanyofthepersonswhoweremostconspicuoustherearementioned。
　　Johnsonwasprevailedwithtocomesometimesintothesecircles，anddidnotthinkhimselftoograveevenforthelivelyMissMoncktonnowCountessofCorke，whousedtohavethefinestBIT
　　OFBLUEatthehouseofhermother，LadyGalway。HervivacityenchantedtheSage，andtheyusedtotalktogetherwithallimaginableease。Asingularinstancehappenedoneevening，whensheinsistedthatsomeofSterne’swritingswereverypathetick。
　　Johnsonbluntlydeniedit。’Iamsuresaidshe，theyhaveaffectedME。’’Why，saidJohnson，smiling，androllinghimselfabout，thatis，because，dearest，you’readunce。’Whenshesometimeafterwardsmentionedthistohim，hesaidwithequaltruthandpoliteness；’Madam，ifIhadthoughtso，Icertainlyshouldnothavesaidit。’
　　AnothereveningJohnson’skindindulgencetowardsmehadaprettydifficulttrial。IhaddinedattheDukeofMontrose’swithaveryagreeableparty，andhisGrace，accordingtohisusualcustom，hadcirculatedthebottleveryfreely。LordGrahamandIwenttogethertoMissMonckton’s，whereIcertainlywasinextraordinaryspirits，andaboveallfearorawe。Inthemidstofagreatnumberofpersonsofthefirstrank，amongstwhomIrecollectwithconfusion，anobleladyofthemoststatelydecorum，IplacedmyselfnexttoJohnson，andthinkingmyselfnowfullyhismatch，talkedtohiminaloudandboisterousmanner，desiroustoletthecompanyknowhowIcouldcontendwithAjax。Iparticularlyrememberpressinghimuponthevalueofthepleasuresoftheimagination，andasanillustrationofmyargument，askinghim，’What，Sir，supposingI
　　weretofancythatthe——namingthemostcharmingDuchessinhisMajesty’sdominionswereinlovewithme，shouldInotbeveryhappy？’Myfriendwithmuchaddressevadedmyinterrogatories，andkeptmeasquietaspossible；butitmayeasilybeconceivedhowhemusthavefelt。However，whenafewdaysafterwardsIwaiteduponhimandmadeanapology，hebehavedwiththemostfriendlygentleness。
　　WhileIremainedinLondonthisyear，JohnsonandIdinedtogetheratseveralplaces。IrecollectaplaciddayatDr。Butter’s，whohadnowremovedfromDerbytoLowerGrosvenor-street，London；butofhisconversationonthatandotheroccasionsduringthisperiod，Ineglectedtokeepanyregularrecord，andshallthereforeinsertheresomemiscellaneousarticleswhichIfindinmyJohnsoniannotes。