there were no trade, many who are poor would always remain poor; but no man loves labour for itfelf."-B. "Yes, Sir, I know a perfon who does. He is a very laborious Judge, and he loves the labour."-7. "Sir, that is because he loves respect and diftinction. Could he have them without labour, he would like it lefs."-B. "He tells me he likes it for itself." -766 Why, Sir, he fancies fo, because he is not accustomed to abftract."

The company got into an argument whether the Judges who went to India might with

propriety engage in trade. maintained that they might.

Johnson warmly "For why (he

"No

urged) fhould not Judges get riches, as well as those who deferve them lefs ?" Mr. Bofwell faid, they fhould have fufficient falaries, and have nothing to take off their attention from the affairs of the public. JonINSON. Judge, Sir, can give his whole attention to his office; and it is very proper that he should employ what time he has to himself, to his own advantage, in the moft profitable manner.”— "Then, Sir (faid Mr. Davies, who enlivened the difpute by making it fomewhat dramatic), he may become an infurer; and when he is going to the bench he may be ftopped- Your Lordship cannot go yet; here is a bunch of invoices; feveral fhips are about to fail."— 7. "Sir,

7. "Sir, you may as well fay a Judge fhould not have a houfe; for they may come and tell him, Your Lordship's houfe is on fire;' and fo, inftead of minding the bufinefs of his court, he is to be occupied in getting the engine with the greatest speed. There is no end of this. Every Judge, who has land, trades to a certain extent in corn or in cattle; and in the land itfelf undoubtedly. His fteward acts for him, and fo do clerks for a great merchant. A Judge may be a farmer; but he is not to caftrate his own pigs. A Judge may play a little at cards for his amufement; but he is not to play at marbles, or at chuck-farthing in the Piazza. No, Sir; there is no profeffion to which a man gives a very great proportion of his time. It is wonderful when a calculation is made, how little the mind is actually employed in the difcharge of any profeffion. No man would be a Judge, upon the condition of being totally a Judge. The beft employed lawyer has his mind at work but for a finall proportion of his time a great deal of his occupation is merely mechanical. I once wrote for a Magazine: I made a calculation, that if I fhould write but a page a day, at the fame rate, I fhould in ten years write nine volumes in folio of an ordinary fize and print."-BOSWELL. "Such as Carte's History?"-7. "Yes, Sir. When a nan

writes from his own mind, he writes very rapidly. The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book."

Mr. Bofwell argued warmly against the Judges trading, and mentioned Hale as an inftance of a perfect Judge, who devoted himfelf entirely to his office.--. "Hale, Sir, attended to other things befide law: he left a great estate."-B. "That was, because what he got accumulated without any exertion and anxiety on his part.'

Johnfon at another time obferved, that abilities might be employed in a narrow fphere, as in getting money, which he faid he believed no man could do without vigorous parts, though concentrated to a point. RAMSAY. "Yes, like a ftrong horfe in a mill; he pulls better."

Mr. Strahan talked of launching into the great occan of London in order to have a chance for rifing into eminence; and, observing that many men were kept back from trying their fortunes there, becaufe they were born to a competency, faid, "Small certainties are the bane of men of talents;" which Johnson confirmed. Mr. Strahan put Johnson in mind of a remark which he had made to him; "There are few ways in which a man can be

more

more innocently employed, than in getting moncy." "The more one thinks of this (faid Strahan) the jufter it will appear."

Talking of expence, Johnfon obferved with what munificence a great merchant will spend his money, both from his having it at command, and from his enlarged views by calculation of a good effect "Whereas (faid upon the whole.

he) you will hardly ever find a country gentleman who is not a good deal difconcerted at an unexpected occafion for his being obliged to lay out ten pounds."

Of an acquaintance whofe manners and every thing about him, though expenfive, were coarfe, he said, "Sir, you fee in him vulgar profperity."

Upon a visit to Mr. Bofwell at a country lodging near Twickenham, he asked what fort of fociety he had there. Mr. B. told him. but indifferent; as they chiefly confifted of opulent traders, retired from bufinefs. Johnfon faid, he never much liked that clafs of people; "For (faid he) they have loft the civility of tradefinen, without acquiring the manners of gentlemen."

Being once folicited to compofe a funeral fermon for the daughter of a tradefiman, he naturally enquired into the character of the deceafed :

N 4

ceafed; and being told fhe was remarkable for her humility and condefcenfion to inferiors, he obferved, that thofe were very laudable qualities, but it might not be so easy to difcover who the lady's inferiors were.

He made the common remark on the unhappiness which men who have led a busy life experience when they retire in expectation of enjoying themfelves at cafe, and that they generally languish for want of their habitual occupation, and with to return to it. He mentioned as firong an inftance of this as can well be imagined. "An eminent tallow-chandler in London, who had acquired a confiderable fortune, gave up the trade in favour of his foreman, and went to live at a country-house near town. He foon grew weary, and paid frequent vifits to his old fhop, where he defired they might let him know their meltingdays, and he would come and affift them; which he accordingly did. Here, Sir, was a man, to whom the moft difgufting circumftance in the bufinefs to which he had been ufed, was a relief from idleness *."

*The COMPILER has been informed of a living instance of the t uth of this remark of Dr. Johnfon's.

A tavern keeper in the nei burhood of Holborn having faved money enough to retire from bufinefs, parted with his leafe and stock to his principal fervant. Things went on well with the new proprietor, and for a fhort time the retired

citizen