our conviction of their intellectual originality which has mainly induced us to issue such a work as this. The amusement lies on the surface; underneath there is a well-spring of deep, serious thought.

JOHNSON was unrivalled not only in Wit and Comicality, but in WISDOM.

His sayings are not only thoroughly original, but many of them are startlingly strong. We have often to pause and reflect before the shock permits us to analyse their truth or falsity. Yet we feel conscious that for us to attempt to explain, illustrate, or comment upon them, would be a work of supererogation. We shall, therefore, simply record a few of his wise sayings alphabetically, as there is no reason why one should be first, and another last, better than the letters which compose the alphabet :

Affectation in Dying.-" Hardly any man dies without affectation."

Apologies." Apologies are seldom of any use."

Apology.-"There are occasions on which all apology is rudeness."

Applause.-"The applause of a single human being is of great consequence."

J.Churchmanship."It is dangerous to be of no

church."

Grace at Meat.—“A man may as well pray when he mounts his horse, or a woman when she milks her cow."

Gratitude." Gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation; you do not find it among gross people."

Hereditary. "Neither our virtues nor our vices are all our own."

History." All history was at first oral.".

"An hour may be tedious, but cannot be long." Good Humour.-" All good humour and complaisance are acquired."

Idleness. "To be idle is to be vicious."

Idler." Every man is, or hopes to be, an idler." "Ignorance is a subject for pity, not for laugh

ter."

} Intentions." Hell is paved with good inten

៩

tions."

City Life." In a city it is possible to obtain at the same time the gratification of society, and the secrecy of solitude."

Madness." Madness is occasioned by too much indulgence of the imagination."

Marrying for Love.-"It is commonly a weak man who marries for love."

A merchant." A merchant may perhaps be a man of enlarged mind, but there is nothing in trade connected with an enlarged mind."

Moroseness." With some people gloomy penitence is only madness turned upside down."

Music." Music is the only sensual qualification without vice."

Oddness. "Nothing odd will do long.".

Parsons." The merriment of parsons is mighty offensive."

Patriotism." Patriotism is the last refuge of a Scoundrel."

Pedantry."Pedantry is the unseasonable ostentation of learning."

Place for Everything.-"A cow is a very good animal in the field, but we turn her out of a garden."

1

Pleasing Others." We all live upon the hope of pleasing somebody."

Praise." Praise is to an old man an empty sound."

Praise. "Praise may be always omitted without inconvenience."

Pride." Pride is undeniably the original of anger."

Reading. "You can never be wise unless you love reading."

Refinement. "Life will not bear refinement, you must do as other people do."

Regret." What cannot be repaired is not to be regretted."

Reproof." Reproof should not exhaust its power upon petty failings."

Riches.-"Riches very seldom make their owner

✓ richer."

Sermons." The composition of sermons is not very difficult."

The Sick." It is so very difficult for a sick man not to be a scoundrel."

Sickness from Home.-"How few of his friends' houses would a man choose to be at when he is sick."

Sleep.-" Sleep is equally a leveller with death." Definition of Soul.-"The power of thinking.' The Stage." The Stage but echoes back the public voice."

Study." Study requires solitude, and solitude

is a state dangerous to those who are too much accustomed to sink into themselves."

Temptation." There is a certain degree of temptation which will overcome any man."

Trade. "Trade could not be managed by those who manage it, if it had much difficulty."

Translation.-' Poetry cannot be translated; and therefore it is the poets that preserve the languages."

Usury." The law against usury is for the protection of creditors; as well as debtors."

Freedom of the Will.-"All theory is against the freedom of the will; all experience for it."

For further illustration of his wisdom-Philosophy "speaking on the side of morality"—we must refer our readers to the Aphorisms in the following pages, where they will not merely find "the drippings of his lips, but the history of his mind." Meanwhile, we venture to say that in the whole range of literature it will be difficult to find anything to surpass the practical wisdom and sound philosophy which is contained in the "sententious brevity" of these sayings.