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thought that all appearance of diligence would deduct something from the reputation of genius; and hoped that he should appear to attain, amidst all the ease of carelessness, and all the tumult of diversion, that knowledge and those accomplishments which mortals of the common fabrick obtain only by mute abstraction and solitary drudgery. He tried this scheme of life a while, was made weary of it by his sense and his virtue; he then wished to return to his studies; and finding long habits of idleness and pleasure harder to be cured than he expected, still willing to retain his claim to some extraordinary prerogatives, resolved the common consequences of irregularity into an unalterable decree of destiny, and concluded that Nature had originally formed him incapable of rational employment.

"Let all such fancies, illusive and destructive, be banished henceforward from your thoughts for ever. Resolve, and keep your resolution; choose, and pursue your choice. If you spend this day in study, you will find yourself still more able to study to-morrow; not that you are to expect that you shall at once obtain a complete victory. Depravity is not very easily overcome. Resolution will sometimes relax, and diligence will sometimes be interrupted; but let no accidental surprise or deviation, whether short or long, dispose you to despondency. Consider

these failings as incident to all mankind. Begin again where you left off, and endeavour to avoid the seducements that prevailed over you before."

CONDUCT.

"I BELIEVE (said Johnson) it is best to throw life into a method, that every hour may bring its employment, and every employment have its hour. Xenophon observes, in his Treatise of Economy,' that if every thing be kept in a certain place, when any thing is worn out or consumed, the vacuity which it leaves will shew what is wanting; so if every part of time has its duty, the hour will call into remembrance its proper engagement."

He observed, that "it was a most mortifying reflection for any man to consider what he had done, compared with what he might have done."

He would allow no settled indulgence of idleness upon principle, and always repelled every attempt to urge excuses for it. A friend one day suggested, that it was not wholesome to study soon after dinner. "Ah, Sir, (said Johnson) don't give way to such a fancy. At one time of my life I had taken it into my head that it was

not wholesome to study between breakfast and dinner."

Mr. Boswell one day told him, that he had been to see a man ride upon three horses. "Such a man, Sir, (said he) should be encouraged; for his performances shew the extent of the human powers in one instance, and thus tend to raise our opinion of the faculties of man. He shews what may be attained by persevering application; so that every man may hope, that by giving as much application, although perhaps he may never ride three horses at a time, or dance upon a wire, yet he may be equally expert in whatever profession he has chosen to pursue."

At one time he said, "The more a man extends and varies his acquaintance the better." This, however, was meant with a just restriction; for on another occasion he observed, "A man be so much of every thing, that he is nothing of any thing."

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At a late period of his life he said to Sir Joshua Reynolds, "If a man does not make new acquaintance as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, Sir, should keep his friendship in constant repair."

During a visit at Oxford, the following conversation passed between the Doctor and Mr. Boswell on the subject of Mr. B.'s trying his fortune at the English bar. Being asked whether a

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very extensive acquaintance in London, which was very valuable, and of great advantage to a man at large, might not be prejudicial to a lawyer, by preventing him from giving sufficient attention to his business, Johnson said, "Sir, you will attend to business as business lays hold of you. When not actually employed, you may see your friends as much as you do now. may dine at a club every day, and sup with one of the members every night; and you may be as much at public places as one who has seen them all would wish to be. But you must take care to attend constantly in Westminster Hall; both to mind your business, as it is almost all learnt there (for nobody reads now); and to shew that you want to have business. And you must not be too often seen at public places, that competitors may not have it to say, He is always at the Playhouse or at Ranelagh, and never to be found at his chambers.' And, Sir, there must be a kind of solemnity in the manner of a professional man."

Concerning a private transaction, on which his opinion was asked, he made the following reflections, which are applicable on other occasions: "Nothing deserves more compassion than wrong conduct with good meaning; than loss or obloquy suffered by one who, as he is conscious only of good intentions, wonders why he loses that kind

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ness which he wishes to preserve; and not knowing his own fault, if, as may sometimes happen, nobody will tell him, goes on to offend by his endeavours to please."

At another time he said, "Never impose tasks upon mortals. To require two things is the way to have them both undone. In the correspondence of your friends do not fancy that an intermission of writing is a decay of kindness. No man is always in a disposition to write; nor has any man at all times something to say."

Being asked whether a man's being forward to make himself known to eminent people, and seeing as much of life, and getting as much information as he could in every way, was not lessening himself by his forwardness, he said, "No, Sir; a man always makes himself greater as he increases his knowledge."

Talking of a court-martial that was sitting upon a very momentous public occasion, he expressed much doubt of an enlightened decision; and said, "That perhaps there was not a member of it who, in the whole course of his life, had ever spent an hour by himself in balancing probabilities."

He observed, that "A principal source of erroneous judgment was viewing things partially, and only on one side: as for instance, fortunehunters, when they contemplated the fortunes

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