for Johnson. There are assembled those heads which live for ever on the canvas of Reynolds. There are the spectacles of Burke, and the tall thin form of Langton; the courtly sneer of Beauclerc, and the beaming smile of Garrick; Gibbon tapping his snuffbox, and Sir Joshua with his trumpet in his ear. In the foreground is that strange figure which is as familiar to us as the figures of those among whom we have been brought up the gigantic body, the huge, massy face, seamed with the scars of disease; the brown coat, the black worsted stockings, the grey wig, with the scorched fore top; the dirty hands, the nails bitten and pared to the quick. We see the eyes and nose moving with convulsive twitches, and we see the heavy form rolling; we hear it puffing; and then comes the "Why, sir!" and the "What then, sir?" and the "No, sir !" and the "You don't see your way through the question, sir !"' Lord Macaulay (1800-1859).

DR. JOHNSON'S FATHER.

Mr. Michael Johnson suffered from a weariness of life, an unconcern about those things which agitate the greater part of mankind, and a general sensation of gloomy wretchedness.

EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.

A lady (probably a fond, maternal ass') asked Johnson what subjects she should first teach her children. His reply was characteristic: 'It is no matter what you teach them first, any more than what leg you shall put into your breeches first, madam ; you may stand disputing which is best to put in first, but in the meantime your breech is cold.'

WOMEN PREACHING.

'Sir, a woman preaching is like a dog walking on his hind legs; it is not done well, but you are surprised to find it done at all.'

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784).

SOCIAL RANK.

Boswell I consider distinction of rank to be of so much importance in civilised society, that if I were asked on the same day to dine with the greatest duke in England, and with the first man in Britain for genius, I should hesitate which to prefer.'

Johnson-To be sure, sir, if you were to dine only once, and it were never to be known where you dined, you would choose rather to dine with the first man of genius; but to gain most respect, you should dine with the first duke in England, for nine people in ten that you met with would have a higher opinion

of you for having dined with a duke, and the great genius himself would receive you better because you had been with the great duke.'

** In these days it is not impossible but that you

*

may meet the duke at the table of the genius.

RADICALS.

Sir, your levellers wish to level down to themselves, but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.' Samuel Johnson (1709-1784).

A NEW RELIGION.

Lepaux, of the French Directory, invented theophilanthropy, and had a great wish to impose it on France, but found, spite of his passionate endeavours, that he made little progress. He sought the advice and assistance of Talleyrand. I am not surprised,' said Talleyrand, at the difficulty you experience; it is no easy matter to introduce a new religion; but I will tell you what you might, at any rate, try: I recommend you to be crucified, and to rise again on the third day.'

6

A BAD TEMPER.

There was a good bishop whose brother, though possessed of many estimable virtues, had one serious

fault; he had a very hasty temper. He was an unOne day, when he had got into a great

married man. passion about some trifle or other, the bishop, instead of reproving him, merely said, 'Ah, brother, I cannot help thinking you have done a great kindness to one woman—the woman who might have been your wife.'

SOCIETY.

Lord Jeffrey says, speaking of the tone of good society, 'It has that air of gaiety and playfulness in which persons of high rank seem, from time immemorial, to have thought it necessary to array, not their courtesy only, but their generosity and hostility. The constraint experienced by those who have not been accustomed to high society arises from a difficulty, or sense of propriety, in adopting the unceremonious indifference that reigns around. The polished rudeness, the easy unconcern which goes straight to the point, without the ceremonies that formerly were considered polite, and which still remain, in some measure, in the middle classes.'

The author of Friends in Council' says there is a light, jesting, flippant tone of talking about things and persons now very common in society (exceedingly different from wit), which stifles good conversation and gives a sense of general hostility, rather than socia

bility; just as if men came together chiefly for the purpose of ridiculing their neighbours and talking slightingly of matters of great concern.

A TYRANNICAL CONGREGATION.

A dignitary of the Greek Church ventured to alter the form of his ritual, and the historian, who relates the event, gravely remarks: 'And his congregation, justly incensed, tore their bishop to pieces.'

POOR HUMANITY.

'Man is a bubble . . . he is born in vanity and sin; he comes into the world like morning mushrooms, soon thrusting up their heads unto the air, and conversing with their kindred of the same production, and as soon they turn unto dust and forgetfulness; some of them without any other interest in the affairs of the world, but that they made their parents a little glad, and very sorrowful. Others ride longer in the storm, it may be until seven years of vanity be expired, and then, peradventure, the sun shines hot upon their heads, and they fall into the shades below, into the cover of death and darkness of the grave to hide them. But if the bubble stands the shock of a bigger drop, and outlives the chances of a child, of a careless nurse, of