rian Church? from the Romish Church? from the Greek Church? from the Coptic Church? they could not tell you. So, Sir, it comes to the fame thing."-B. "But would it not be fufficient to fubfcribe the Bible.-7. "Why, no, Sir; for all fects will fubfcribe the Bible, 'nay, the Mahometans will fubfcribe the Bible; for the Mahometans acknowledge Jefus Chrift, as well as Mofes; but maintain that God fent Mahomet as a ftill greater prophet than either."

Johnfon's profound reverence for the Hierarchy made him expect from Bishops the higheft degree of decorum; he was offended even at their going to taverns: "A bishop (faid he) has nothing to do at a tipling house. It is not indeed immoral in him to go to a tavern; neither would it be immoral in him to whip a top in Grofvenor-square; but if he did, I hope the boys would fall upon him, and apply the whip to him. There are gradations in conduct; there is morality, decency, propriety. None of thefe fhould be violated by a bifhop. A bifhop fhould not go to a houfe where he may meet a young fellow leading out a wench."

He also disapproved of bifhops going to routs, at least of their ftaying at them longer than their prefence commanded respect. He mentioned a particular bifhop. "Poh! (faid Mrs. Thrale) the Bishop of

is never minded at

a rout."- BoswELL. "When a bishop places

himself in a fituation where he has no diftinct character, and is of no confequence, he degrades the dignity of his order."-JOHNSON, Mr. Bofwell, Madam, has faid it as correctly as it could be."

Nor was it only in the dignitaries of the Church that Johnfon required a particular decorum and delicacy of behaviour: he juftly confidered that the Clergy, as perfons fet apart for the facred office of ferving at the altar, and impreffing the minds of men with the aweful concerns of a future ftate, fhould be fomewhat more serious than the generality of mankind, and have a fuitable compofure of manners. A due fenfe of the dignity of their profeffion, independent of higher motives, will ever prevent them from lofing their diftinction in an indifcriminate fociality; and did fuch as affect this know how much it leffens them in the eyes of those whom they think to please by it, they would feel themfelves much mortified.

Johnfon and his friend Beauclerk were once together in company with feveral clergymen, who thought that they should appear to advantage by affuming the lax jollity of men of the world; which, as it may be observed in fimilar cafes, they carried to a noify excefs. Johnson, who they expected would be entertained, fat grave and filent for fome time; at laft, turning to

Beauclerk,

Beauclerk, he faid, by no means in a whisper, "This merriment of parfons is mightily offen five."

Even the drefs of a clergyman fhould be in character, and nothing can be more despicable than conceited attempts at avoiding the appearance of the clerical order; attempts, which are as ineffectual as they are pitiful. Dr. Porteus, now Bishop of London, in his excellent charge when prefiding over the diocese of Chester, justly animadverts upon this fubject; and obferves of a reverend fop, that he "can be but half a beau."

Addison, in "The Spectator," has given a fine portrait of a clergyman, who is fuppofed to be a member of his Club; and Johnfon has exhibited a model, in the character of Mr. Mudge, which has efcaped the collectors of his works, but which he owned to Mr. Bofwell, and which indeed he fhewed to Sir Joshua Reynolds at the time when it was written. It bears the genuine marks of Johnson's best manner, and is as follows:

"The Reverend Mr. Zachariah Mudge, Prebendary of Exeter, and Vicar of St. Andrew's in Plymouth; a man equally eminent for his virtues and abilities, and at once beloved as a companion, and reverenced as a paftor. He had that general curiofity to which no kind of know

ledge

ledge is indifferent or fuperfluous; and that general benevolence by which no order of men is hated or defpifed.

"His principles both of thought and action were great and comprehenfive. By a folicitous examination of objections, and judicious comparison of oppofite arguments, he attained what enquiry never gives but to industry and perfpicuity, a firm and unfhaken fettlement of conviction. But his firmnefs was without afperity; for knowing with how much difficulty truth was fometimes found, he did not wonder that many miffed it.

"The general courfe of his life was determined by his profeffion: he ftudied the facred volumes in the original languages; with what diligence and fuccefs, his Notes upon the Pfalms' give fufficient evidence. He once endeavoured to add the knowledge of Arabic to that of Hebrew; but finding his thoughts too much diverted from other ftudies, after fome time defifted from his purpose.

"His difcharge of parochial duties was exemplary. How his Sermons were composed, may be learned from the excellent volume which he has given to the public; but how they were delivered can be known only to those who heard them; for as he appeared in the pulpit, words will not eafily defcribe him. His delivery, though

though unconstrained, was not negligent, and though forcible, was not turbulent; difdaining anxious nicety of emphafis, and laboured artifice of action, it captivated the hearer by its na tural dignity, it roufed the fluggish, and fixed the volatile, and detained the mind upon the subject, without directing it to the fpeaker.

"The grandeur and folemnity of the preacher did not intrude upon his general behaviour; at the table of his friends he was a companion communicative and attentive, of unaffected manners, of manly cheerfulness, willing to plcafe, and eafy to be pleased. His acquaintance was univerfally folicited, and his prefence obftructed no enjoyment which religion did not forbid. Though ftudious he was popular; though argumentative he was modeft; though inflexible he was candid; and though metaphyfical yet orthodox."

JOHNSON, fpeaking of religious feclufion, faid, "If convents thould be allowed at all, they should only be retreats for perfons unable to ferve the public, or who have ferved it. It is our firft duty to ferve Society, and after we have done that we may attend wholly to the falvation of our own fouls. A youthful paffion for abstracted devotion fhould not be encouraged. It is as unreafonable for a man to go into a Carthufian convent for fear of being immoral, as

for