man may be beat at times by one who has not the tenth part of his wit. Now Goldfmith's putting himself against another, is like a man laying a hundred to one, who cannot spare the hundred. It is not worth a man's while. A man should not lay a hundred to one, unless he can easily spare it, though he has a hundred chances for him: he can get but a guinea, and he may lofe a hundred. Goldsmith is in this state. When he contends, if he gets the better, it is a very little addition to a man of his literary reputation: if he does not get the better, he is miserably vexed. The misfortune of Goldfmith in converfation is this: he goes on without knowing how he is to get off. His genius is great, but his knowledge is fmall. As they fay of a generous man, it is a pity he is not rich; we may fay of Goldfmith, it is a pity he is not knowing. He would not keep his knowledge to himself."

Goldfmith faid once to Dr. Johnson, that he wished for fome additional members to the LITERARY CLUB, to give it an agreeable variety; "for (faid he), there can now be nothing new among us: we have travelled over one another's minds. Johnfon feemed a little angry, and faid, "Sir, you have not travelled over my mind, I promise you." Sir Joshua Reynolds, however, thought Goldsmith right; observing,

that

that "when people have lived a great deal together, they know what each of them will fay on every fubject. A new understanding, therefore, is defirable; because though it may only furnish the fame fenfe upon a question which would have been furnifhed by thofe with whom we are accustomed to live, yet this fenfe will have a different colouring; and colouring is of much effect in every thing else as well as in painting."

Mr. Berrenger visited Johnson one day, and they talked of an evening fociety for converfation at a house in town, of which (fays Mr. B.) we were all members, but of which Johnfon faid, "It will never do, Sir. There is nothing ferved about there, neither tea, nor coffee, nor lemonade, nor any thing whatever; and depend upon it, Sir, a man does not like to go to a place from whence he comes out exactly as he went in. Mr. B. endeavoured, for argument's fake, to maintain, that men of learning and talents might have very good intellectual fociety, without the aid of any little gratifications of the fenfes. Berrenger joined with Johnson, and faid, that without these any meeting would be dull and infipid. He would therefore have all the flight refreshments; nay, it would not be amifs to have fome cold meat and a bottle of wine upon a fide-board. "Sir (faid Johnson,

with an air of triumph), Mr. Berrenger knows the world. Every body loves to have good things furnished to them without any trouble. I told Mrs. Thrale once, that as fhe did not choose to have card-tables, fhe fhould have a profufion of the beft fweetmeats, and the would be fure to have company enough come to her*"

One evening, in fine spirits, at the EffexHead-Club, he faid, "I dined yesterday at Mrs. Garrick's, with Mrs. Carter, Mifs Hannah More, and Miss Fanny Burney. Three fuch women are not to be found; I know not where I could find a fourth, except Mrs. Lennox, who is fuperior to them all."-BOSWELL. "What! had you them all to yourself, Sir?"-JOHNSON. "I had them all, as much as they were had; but it might have been better had there been more company there." there." B. "Might not Mrs. Montagu have been a fourth?". "Sir, Mrs. Montagu does not make a trade of her wit; but Mrs. Montagu is a very extraordinary woman, fhe has a conftant ftream of converfation, and it is always impregnated; it has always meaning."-B. "Mr. Burke has a conftant ftream of converfation."-7. "Yes, Sir: if a man were to go

"I agreed with my illuftrious friend upon this fubject, (fays his Biographer) for it has pleafed GOD to make man a compofite animal; and where there is nothing to refresh the body, the mind will languish."

by chance at the fame time with Burke under a fhed, to fhun a fhower, he would fay this is an extraordinary man. If Burke fhould go into a ftable to fee his horfe dreft, the oftler would fay we have had an extraordinary man here."-BoSWELL. Foote was a man who

never failed in converfation. If he had gone into a ftable-"-JOHNSON. "Sir, if he had gone into a fiable, the oftler would have faid, here has been a comical fellow; but he would not have refpected him.-B. "And, Sir, the oftler would have anfwered him, would have given him as good as he brought, as the common faying is."-7. "Yes, Sir; and Foote would have anfwered the oftler."

Mr. Bofwell gave him an account of the excellent mimickry of a friend of his in Scotland; obferving, at the fame time, that fome people thought it a very mean thing.-JOHNSON.

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Why, Sir, it is making a very mean ufe of a man's powers. But to be a good mimick requires great powers; great acuteness of observation, great retention of what is obferved, and great pliancy of organs, to reprefent what is obferved. I remember a lady of quality in this town, who was a wonderful mimick, and used to make me laugh immoderately. I have heard fhe is now gone mad."-BOSWELL. "It is amazing how

a mimic can not only give you

the geftures and voice of a perfon whom he reprefents, but even what a perfon would fay on any particular subject.”—7. "Why, Sir, you are to confider that the manner and fome particular phrafes of a perfon do much to impress you with an idea of him, and you are not sure that he would fay what the mimick fays in his character." "I don't think Foote a good mimick, Sir."-. tations are not like.

B.

"No, Sir; his imiHe gives you some

thing different from himfelf, but not the character which he means to affume. He goes out of himself, without going into other people. He cannot take off any perfon unless he is firongly marked, fuch as George Faulkner. He is like a painter who can draw the portrait of a man who has a wen upon his face, and who, therefore, is eafily known. If a man hops upon one leg, Foote can hop upon one leg. But he has not that nice diferimination which your friend feems to poflefs. Foote is, however, very entertaining, with a kind of converfation between wit and buffoonery."

At another time he faid, "Garrick's gaiety of converfation has delicacy and elegance; Foote makes you laugh more: but Foote has the air of a buffoon paid for entertaining the company. He, indeed, well deferves his hire."