CONTAINING

APHORISMS

ON

LITERATURE, LIFE, AND MANNERS;

WITH

ANECDOTES

OF

DISTINGUISHED PERSONS:

SELECTED AND. ARRANGED

FROM

MR. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON.

He that questioneth' much !hall learn inuch, and content
much; but especially if he apply Kis questofs to the kill of the
persons whom he asketh : for he. Mail give chem occasion to
please themselves in speakiny; and himself full continually
gather knowlcdgc. i.; ;;;'; . :

BACON'S ESSAYS,

London:

PRINTED FOR C. DILLY IN THE POULTRY,

M,DCC.XCVIII.

KENOX LIBRA

NEW YORK

ar

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE approbation bestowed on BoswELL's Life of Johnson, suggested the propriety of the selection now offered to the Public. The sentiments of that great moralist and judge of human nature on various interesting topics are here arranged and digested in a manner which it is hoped will prove agreeable to a numerous class of readers ; those, namely, who seek for instruction from works which they may take up or lay down at pleasure, without interrupting the chain of an argument, or the circumstances of a nare ration.

Dr. JOHNSON's conver;ction portaled precisely that exe cellence so well described by, LORD VERUĻAM in a sentence almost immediately preceding ihat, wokich bas been chosen for the metto to the Title Page of this work :-" It is good in discourse and speech of conversation ( says his Lordship, in the quaint but expresive language of his age) to vary and inter mingle speech of the present occafion with arguments ; tales with reasons; asking of questions with telling of opinions ; and jest with earnest."