Of Dr. Beattie, Mr. Johnson faid, "Sir, he' has written like a man conscious of the truth, and feeling his own ftrength. Treating your adversary with respect, is giving him an advantage to which he is not entitled. The greatest part of men cannot judge of reasoning, and are impreffed by character; so that, if you allow your adversary a respectable character, they will think, that though you differ from him, you may be in the wrong. Sir, treating your adversary with respect, is ftriking foft in a battle. And as to Hume-a man who has fo much conceit as to tell all mankind that they have been bubbled for ages, and he is the wife man who fees better' than they—a man who has fo little fcrupulofity as to venture to oppose those principles which have been thought neceffary to human happinefs-is he to be surprised if another man comes and laughs at him? If he is the great man he thinks himself, all this cannot hurt him it is like throwing peas against a rock." He added. "fomething much too rough," both as to Mr. Hume's head and heart, which I fupprefs. Violence is, in my opinion, not fuitable to the Christian cause. Befides, I always lived on good terms with Mr. Hume, though I have frankly told him, I was not clear that it was right in me to keep company with him. "But (faid I) how much better are you than your books!"

C3

books!" He was cheerful, obliging, and inftructive; he was charitable to the poor; and many an agreeable hour have I paffed with him.. I have preserved fome entertaining and interefting memoirs of him, particularly when he knew himself to be dying, which I may some time or other communicate to the world. I shall not, however, extol him so very highly as Dr. Adam Smith does, who fays, in a letter to Mr. Strahan the Printer (not a confidential letter to his friend, but a letter which is publifhed with all formality): "Upon the whole, "I have always confidered him, both in his life-time, and fince his death, as approaching

*

as

This letter, though shattered by the fharp shot of Dr. Horne of Oxford's wit, in the character of " One of the People called "Chriftians," is ftill prefixed to Mr. Hume's excellent Hiftory of England, like a poor invalid on the piquet guard, or like a lift of quack medicines fold by the fame book feller, by whom a work of whatever nature is published; for it has no connection with his Hiftory, let it have what it may with what are called his Philofophical Works. A worthy friend of mine in London was lately confulted by a lady of quality, of moft diftinguished merit, what was the best History of England for her fon to read. My friend recommended Hume's. But, upon recollecting that its ufher was a fuperlative panegyrick on one, who endeavoured to fap the credit of our holy religion, he repented. I am really forry for this oftentatious alliance; because I admire "The Theory of Moral "Sentiments" and value the greateft part of "An Inquiry "into the Nature and Caufes of the Wealth of Nations." Why should fuch a writer be fo forgetful of human comfort, as to give any countenance to that dreary infidelity which would make us poor indeed!"

as nearly to the idea of a perfectly wife and "virtuous man as perhaps the nature of human

frailty will permit." Let Dr. Smith confider: Was not Mr. Hume bleft with good health, good fpirits, good friends, a competent and increasing fortune? And had he not also a perpetual feast of fame? But, as a learned friend has obferved to me, "What trials did he undergo, to prove the perfection of his virtue?" Did he ever experience any great inftance of advérfity?"-When I read this fentence, delivered by my old Profeffor of Moral Philofophy, I could not help exclaiming with the Pfalmift, Surely I have now more understanding than

my

teachers!"

While we were talking, there came a note to me from Dr. William Robertson.

"Dear Sir,

"I have been expecting every day to hear from you, of Dr. Johnfon's arrival. Pray "what do you know about his motions? I long to take him by the hand. I write this "from the college, where I have only this "fcrap of paper. Ever your's,

« Sunday.

W. R."

It pleased me to find Dr. Robertson thus eager to meet Dr. Johnfon. I was glad I could anfwer, that he was come and I begged Dr. Robertfon might be with us as foon as he could.

€ 4

Sir

Sir William Forbes, Mr. Scott, Mr. Arbuthpot, and another gentleman, dined with us. "Come, Dr. Johnson, (faid I) it is commonly thought that our veal in Scotland is not good, But here is fome which I believe you will like."-There was no catching him.-Johnson. "Why, Sir, what is commonly thought, I fhould take to be true. Your veal may be good; but that will only be an exception to the general opinion; not a proof against it.".

Dr. Robertson, according to the custom of Edinburgh at that time, dined in the interval between the forenoon and afternoon fervice, which was then later than now; fo we had not the pleasure of his company till dinner was over, when he came and drank wine with us. then began fome animated dialogue, of which here follows a pretty full note.

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And

We talked of Mr. Burke.-Dr. Johnson faid, he had great variety of knowledge, store of imagery, copiousness of language. — Robertfon. "He has wit too." -Johnson, " No, Şir; he never fucceeds there. 'Tis low; 'tis conceit. I used to fay, Burke never once made a good joke *. What I moft What I most envy Burke

for,

This was one of the points upon which Dr. Johnson was frangely heterodox. For, furely, Mr. Burke, with his other remarkable qualities, is also diftinguished for his wit,

and

for, is, his being conftantly the fame. He is never what we call hum-drum; never unwil

ling

and for wit of all kinds too; not merely that power of language which Pope chufes to denominate wit,

(True wit is Nature to advantage dreft;

What oft was thought, but ne'er fo well expreft.

"a two

but surprising allufions, brilliant fallies of vivacity, and pleafant conceits. His fpeeches in parliament are ftrewed with them. Take, for inftance, the variety which he has given in his wide range, yet exact detail, when exhibiting his Reform Bill. And his conversation abounds in wit. Let me put down a fpecimen. I told him, I had feen, at a Blue-flocking affembly, a number of ladies fitting round a worthy and tall friend of ours, liftening to his literature. "Aye (faid he) like ❝maids round a May-pale."—I told him, I had found out a perfect definition of human nature, as diftinguished from the animal. An ancient philofopher faid, Man was legged animal without feathers " - upon which his rival Sage had a Cock plucked bare, and set him down in the school be fore all the difciples, as a "Philofophic Man." Dr. Franklin faid, Man was "a tool-making animal," which is very well; for, no animal but man makes a thing, by means of which he can make another thing. But this applies to very few of the fpecies. My definition of Man is, "a Cooking Animal.” The beafts have memory, judgement, and all the faculties and Raffions of our mind, in a certain degree; but no beast is a cook. The trick of the monkey using the cat's paw to roast a chestnut, is only a piece of fhrewd malice in that turpiffima beftia, which humbles us fo fadly by its fimilarity to us. Man alone can dress a good dish; and every man whatever is more or less a cook, in seasoning what he himself eats.-Your definition is good, said Mr. Burke, and I now fee the full force of the common proverb, "There is reafon in roafting of eggs." -When Mr. Wilkes, in his days of tumultuous opposition, was bor'n upon the fhoulders of the mob, Mr. Burke (as Mr.

Wilkes