1773. for him, and he'd have had a numerous audience. A man who preaches in the stocks will always have hearers enough." BOSWELL. "But Elwal thought Etat. 64. himself in the right." JOHNSON. JOHNSON. "We are not providing for mad people ; there are places for them in the neighbourhood," (meaning Moorfields.) MAYO. "But, Sir, is it not very hard that I should not be allowed to teach my children what I really believe to be the truth?" JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, you might contrive to teach your children extrà fcandalum; but, Sir, the magiftrate, if he knows it, has a right to restrain you. Suppose you teach your children to be thieves?" MAYO. "This is making a joke of the fubject." JOHNSON. "Nay, Sir, take it thus:-that you teach them the community of goods, for which there are as many plausible arguments as for most erroneous doctrines. You teach them that all things at firft were in common, and that no man had a right to any thing but as he laid his hands upon it; and that this still is, or ought to be, the rule amongst mankind. Here, Sir, you fap a great principle in fociety, property. And don't you think the magiftrate would have a right to prevent you? Or, fuppofe you fhould teach your children the notions of the Adamites, and they should run naked into the streets, would not the magistrate have a right to flog 'em into their doublets?" MAYO. "I think the magiftrate has no right to interfere till there is fome overt act." BOSWELL. "So, Sir, though he fees an enemy to the state charging a blunderbufs, he is not to interfere till it is fired off." MAYO. "He must be fure of its direction against the state." JOHNSON. "The magiftrate is to judge of that.—He has no right to restrain your thinking, because the evil centers in yourself. If a man were fitting at this table, and chopping off his fingers, the magistrate, as guardian of the community, has no authority to reftrain him, however he might do it from kindness as a parent.-Though, indeed, upon more confideration, I think he may; as it is probable that he who is chopping off his own fingers, may foon proceed to chop off thofe of other people. If I think it right to steal Mr. Dilly's plate, I am a bad man; but he can fay nothing to me. If I make an open declaration that I think fo, he will keep me out of his house. If I put forth my hand, I shall be sent to Newgate. This is the gradation of thinking, preaching, and acting: if a man thinks erroneously, he may keep his thoughts to himself, and nobody will trouble him; if he preaches erroneous doctrine, fociety may expel him; if he acts in consequence of it, the law takes place, and he is hanged." MAYO. "But, Sir, ought not Christians to have liberty of conscience?" JOHNSON. "I have already told you fo, Sir. You are coming back to where you were." BOSWELL. "Dr. Mayo is always taking a return poft-chaife, and going the stage over again. Hhh He 1773. Etat. 64. He has it at half price." JOHNSON. "Dr. Mayo, like other champions for unlimited toleration, has got a set of words. Sir, it is no matter, politically, whether the magiftrate be right or wrong. Suppose a club were to be formed to drink confufion to King George the Third, and a happy restoration to Charles the Third; this would be very bad with respect to the state; but every member of that club must either conform to its rules, or be turned out of it. Old Baxter, I remember, maintains, that the magistrate should tolerate all things that are tolerable.' This is no good definition of toleration upon any principle; but it fhews that he thought fome things were not tolerable." TOPLADY." Sir, you have untwisted this difficult fubject with great dexterity." During this argument, Goldsmith fat in restless agitation, from a wish to get in, and fhine. Finding himself excluded, he had taken his hat to go away, but remained for fome time with it in his hand, like a gamefter, who at the clofe of a long night, lingers for a little while, to fee if he can have a favourable opening to finish with fuccefs. Once when he was beginning to speak, he found himself overpowered by the loud voice of Johnson, who was at the opposite end of the table, and did not perceive Goldsmith's attempt. Thus disappointed of his wifh to obtain the attention of the company, Goldsmith in a paffion threw down his hat, looking angrily at Johnfon, and exclaiming in a bitter tone, “Take it.” When Toplady was going to speak, Johnson uttered some found, which led Goldfinith to think that he was beginning again, and taking the words from Toplady. Upon which, he seized this opportunity of venting his own envy and fpleen, under the pretext of fupporting another perfon: “Sir, (faid he to Johnson,) the gentleman has heard you patiently for an hour; pray allow us now to hear him." JOHNSON. (fternly,)" Sir, I was not interrupting the gentleman. I was only giving him a signal of my attention. Sir, you are impertinent." Goldsmith made no reply, but continued in the company for fome time. A gentleman prefent ventured to ask Dr. Johnson if there was not a material difference as to toleration of opinions which lead to action, and opinions merely speculative; for inftance, would it be wrong in the magistrate to tolerate 9 Dr. Mayo's calm temper and steady perfeverance, rendered him an admirable fubject for the exercife of Dr. Johnson's powerful abilities. He never flinched; but, after reiterated blows, remained feemingly unmoved as at the firft. The fcintillations of Johnfon's genius flashed every time he was struck, without his receiving any injury. Hence he obtained the epithet of THE LITERARY ANVIL. thofe 1773. those who preach against the doctrine of the TRINITY. Johnson was highly offended, and faid, "I wonder, Sir, how a gentleman of your piety can tat. 64. introduce this fubject in a mixed company." He told me afterwards, that the impropriety was, that perhaps fome of the company might have talked on the subject in such terms as would have shocked him; or he might have been forced to appear in their eyes a narrow-minded man.. The gentleman, with fubmiffive deference, faid, he had only hinted at the question from a defire to hear Dr. Johnson's opinion upon it. JOHNSON. "Why then, Sir, I think that permitting men to preach any opinion contrary to the doctrine of the established church, tends, in a certain degree, to leffen the authority of the church, and, confequently, to leffen the influence of religion." "It may be confidered, (said the gentleman,) whether it would not be politick to tolerate in fuch a cafe." JOHNSON. "Sir, we have been talking of right: this is another question. I think it is not politick to tolerate in fuch a case.” Though he did not think it fit that so aweful a subject should be introduced in a mixed company, and therefore at this time waved the theological queftion; yet his own orthodox belief in the facred mystery of the TRINITY is evinced beyond doubt, by the following paffage in his private devotions: "O LORD, hear my prayers, for JESUS CHRIST'S fake; to whom with thee and the HOLY GHOST, three perfons and one GOD, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen'." BOSWELL. "Pray, Mr. Dilly, how does Dr. Leland's Hiftory of Ireland' fell?" JOHNSON. (Bursting forth with a generous indignation,) "The Irish are in a most unnatural state; for we fee there the minority prevailing over the majority. There is no inftance, even in the ten perfecutions, of such severity as that which the Proteftants of Ireland have exercised against the Catholicks. Did we tell them we have conquered them, it would be above board: to punish them by confiscation and other penalties, as rebels, was monftrous injuftice. King William was not their lawful fovereign: he had not been acknowledged by the parliament of Ireland, when they appeared in arms against him." I here fuggested something favourable of the Roman Catholicks. TOPLADY. "Does not their invocation of faints fuppofe omniprefence in the faints?” JOHNSON. "No, Sir; it fuppofes only pluripresence; and when spirits are divested of matter, it seems probable that they should fee with more extent than when in an embodied ftate. There is, therefore, no approach to an invafion of any of the divine attributes, in the invocation of faints. But I think it is will-worship, and prefumption. I fee no command for it, and therefore think it is fafer not to practise it." He and Mr. Langton and I went together to the Club, where we found Mr. Burke, Mr. Garrick, and fome other members, and amongst them our friend Goldsmith, who fat filently brooding over Johnson's reprimand to him "I'll after dinner. Johnfon perceived this, and faid afide to fome of us, make Goldsmith forgive me;" and then called to him in a loud voice, “Dr. Goldfmith,-fomething paffed to-day where you and I dined; I ask your pardon." Goldsmith anfwered placidly, "It must be much from you, Sir, that I take ill." And fo at once the difference was over, and they were on as easy terms as ever, and Goldfmith rattled away as ufual. In our way to the club to-night, when I regretted that Goldfmith would, upon every occafion, endeavour to fhine, by which he often exposed himself, Mr. Langton observed, that he was not like Addison, who was content with the fame of his writings, and did not aim also at excellency in conversation, for which he found himself unfit; and that he faid to a lady, who complained of his having talked little in company, "Madam, I have but nine-pence in ready money, but I can draw for a thoufand pounds." I obferved, that Goldsmith had a great deal of gold in his cabinet, but, not content with that, was always taking out his purfe. JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir, and that so often an 'empty purse!" Goldfmith's inceffant defire of being confpicuous in company, was the occafion of his fometimes appearing to fuch difadvantage as one should hardly have fuppofed poffible in a man of his genius. When his literary reputation had rifen deservedly high, and his fociety was much courted, he became very jealous of the extraordinary attention which was every where paid to Johnson. One evening, in a circle of wits, he found fault with me for talking of Johnson as entitled to the honour of unquestionable fuperiority. "Sir, (faid he,) you are for making a monarchy of what should be a republick." 'He was ftill more mortified, when talking in a company with fluent vivacity, and, as he flattered himself, to the admiration of all who were prefent; à German who fat next him, and perceived Johnson rolling himself, as if about to speak, fuddenly stopped him, faying, "Stay, ftay,-Toctor Shonfon is going to fay fomething." This was, no doubt, very provoking, especially to one fo irritable as Goldfmith, who frequently mentioned it with ftrong expreffions of indignation. It It may also be observed, that Goldfmith was fometimes content to be 1773. treated with an eafy familiarity, but, upon occafions, would be confequential Etat. 64. and important. An inftance of this occurred in a small particular. Johnson had a way of contracting the names of his friends; as, Beauclerk, Beau; Bofwell, Bozzy; Langton, Lanky; Murphy, Mur; Sheridan, Sherry. I remember one day, when Tom Davies was telling that Dr. Johnfon faid, "We are all in labour for a name to Goldy's play," Goldsmith seemed difpleased that fuch a liberty fhould be taken with his name, and faid, "I have often defired him not to call me Goldy." Tom was remarkably attentive to the most minute circumftance about Johnson. I recollect his telling me once, on my arrival in London, "Sir, our great friend has made an improvement on his appellation of old Mr. Sheridan. He calls him now Sherry derry," "SIR, To the Reverend Mr. BAGSHAW, at Bromley 2.. "I RETURN you my fincere thanks for your additions to my Dictionary; but the new edition has been published fome time, and therefore I cannot now make use of them. Whether I fhall ever revise it more, I know not. If many readers had been as judicious, as diligent, and as communicative as yourself, my work had been better. The world muft at present. take it as it is. I am, Sir, "Your most obliged "And moft humble fervant, "May 8, 1773. SAM. JOHNSON." On Sunday, May 8, I dined with Johnfon at Mr. Langton's, with Dr. Beattie and fome other company. He defcanted on the subject of Literary Property, "There seems, (faid he,) to be in authours a stronger right of property than that by occupancy; a metaphysical right, a right, as it were, of creation, 2 'The Feverend Thomas Bagfhaw, M. A. who died on November 20, 1787, in the seventyfeventh year of his age, Chaplain of Bromley College, in Kent, and Rector of Southfleet. He had refigned the cure of Bromley parish fome time before his death. For this, and another letter from Dr. Johnfon in 1784, to the fame truly refpectable man, I am indebted to Dr. John Loveday, of the Commons, who has obligingly tranfcribed them for me from the originals in his poffeffion. |