should himself be fat." Said Boswell one day, "I am vexed with our politics." "That is cant, sir,” replied JOHNSON, "Public affairs vex no man."

On a certain occasion in speaking, Boswell used the phrase, to "make money." "Don't you see, sir," said JOHNSON, "the impropriety of the phrase? To make money is to coin it. You should say get money." One evening at a dinner party, a learned Professor, in speaking to him, talked about "a botanical garden." "Why, sir," said JOHNSON, "is not every garden botanical?" "To be distinct," said he, "we must talk analytically. If we analyse language, we must speak of it grammatically; if we analyse argument, we must speak of it logically."

We shall now try to illustrate the SARCASTICAL PHASE of JOHNSON'S character.

A gentleman having said that a congé d'elire has not perhaps the force of a command, but may be considered only as a strong recommendation,"Sir," replied Johnson, who overheard him, "it is such a recommendation, as if I should throw you

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"He

out of a two pair of stairs window, and recommend you to fall soft." It was mentioned to him one evening that a gentleman who enjoyed his cups, was also much given to taking exercise. "I never heard that he used any," said JOHNSON. might for aught I know, walk to the ale-house; but I believe he was always carried home again." Of a certain individual he said: "This fellow's dullness is elastic, and all we can do is like kicking at a woolsack." "Taylor, the famous oculist," he said, “was an instance how far impudence could carry ignorance." Of a certain lady, he said: "She maintains the dignity of her own performances with all the firmness of stupidity accustomed to be flattered." Says Boswell: "JOHNSON has now and then borrowed a shilling of me, and when I asked him for it again, seemed to be rather out of humour. A droll little circumstance once occurred-As if he meant to reprimand my minute exactness as a creditor, he thus addressed me'Boswell, lend me a sixpence-not to be repaid.""

A gentleman put himself forward as his antagonist, and persisted in his argument too long.

"Sir," said JOHNSON, "what is it that you are contending for, if you be contending?" The gentleman replied by a kind of smart drollery. JOHNSON at once sharply reproved him. The gentleman said that he had the greatest respect for him, and intended no improper freedom. After a pause, said JOHNSON: "Give me your hand, sir. You were too tedious, and I was too short." Mr. "Sir, I am honoured by your attention in any way." JOHNSON: "Come, sir, let's have no more of it. We offended one another by our contention; let us not offend the company by our compliments." "It was well managed," said JOHNSON, of Mr. "to leave his affairs in the hands of his wife, because in matters of business no woman stops at integrity." Says Boswell: "We talked of a gentleman who was running out his fortune in London; and I said, 'We must get him out of it. All his friends must quarrel with him, and that will soon drive him away."" JOHNSON, who was angry: "Nay, sir, we'll send you to him. If your company does not drive a man out of his house, nothing will." Dr. JOHNSON asked a young clergyman

what kind of parishioners he had in his new parish.

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Sir," replied the clergyman, " chiefly opulent, retired traders." "A class, sir,” replied JOHNSON, "which I never much like; for they have lost the civility of traders, without acquiring the manners of gentlemen." "Trade," he said, "could not be managed by those who manage it if it had much difficulty." "A merchant," he said, "may perhaps be a man of an enlarged mind; but there is nothing in trade connected with an enlarged mind." Of sailors, he said: "No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a gaol; for being in a ship is being in a gaol, with the chance of being drowned." Speaking of old maids, he said: "When females' minds are embittered by age or solitude, their malignity is generally exerted in a vigorous and spiteful superintendence of domestic trifles." "No man now," said JOHNSON, "has the same authority as his father had-except a gaoler." London he calls "the needy villain's general home; the common sewer of Paris and of Rome."

At a dinner-party given by Garrick one Christ

mas eve, it was stated by some one that Foote, who was then in Ireland, "had been horse-whipped by a Dublin apothecary for mimicking him on the stage." "I wonder," said Garrick, "that any man should show so much resentment to Foote; he has a patent for such liberties; nobody ever thought it worth his while to quarrel with him in London.” "I am glad," said JOHNSON, "to find that the man is rising in the world." This remark having been related to Foote, he let it be widely known that he would produce the "Caliban of literature" on the stage; Caliban of literature being a name given by Gilbert Cooper, whom JOHNSON in return dubbed "the Punchinello." Being informed of Foote's intention, JOHNSON sent word to him, "That the theatre being intended for the reformation of vice, he would step from the boxes on the stage, and correct him before the audience." Foote, although a liar and a coward, knew JOHNSON'S veracity and courage, and abandoned the design.

A very talkative lady said to him one day

Why, Doctor, I believe you prefer the company of men to that of ladies." "Madam," replied he, "I am