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andthatopinion，asithadbeeninpartformeduponDr。Johnson’sjudgment，receivesmoreandmoreconfirmationbyhearingwhat，sincehisdeath，Dr。Johnsonhassaidconcerningthem；afeweveningsago，hewasatMr。Vesey’s，whereLordAlthorpe，whowasoneofanumerouscompanythere，addressedDr。JohnsononthesubjectofMr。Beauclerk’sdeath，saying，“OurCLUBhashadagreatlosssincewemetlast。“Hereplied，“Aloss，thatperhapsthewholenationcouldnotrepair!“TheDoctorthenwentontospeakofhisendowments，andparticularlyextolledthewonderfuleasewithwhichheutteredwhatwashighlyexcellent。Hesaid，that“nomaneverwassofreewhenhewasgoingtosayagoodthing，fromaLOOKthatexpressedthatitwascoming；or，whenhehadsaidit，fromalookthatexpressedthatithadcome。“AtMr。Thrale’s，somedaysbeforewhenweweretalkingonthesamesubject，hesaid，referringtothesameideaofhiswonderfulfacility，“ThatBeauclerk’stalentswerethosewhichhehadfelthimselfmoredisposedtoenvy，thanthoseofanywhomhehadknown。“

’OntheeveningIhavespokenofabove，atMr。Vesey’s，youwouldhavebeenmuchgratified，asitexhibitedaninstanceofthehighimportanceinwhichDr。Johnson’scharacterisheld，IthinkevenbeyondanyIeverbeforewaswitnessto。Thecompanyconsistedchieflyofladies，amongwhomweretheDuchessDowagerofPortland，theDuchessofBeaufort，whomIsupposefromherrankImustnamebeforehermotherMrs。Boscawen，andhereldersisterMrs。Lewson，whowaslikewisethere；LadyLucan，LadyClermont，andothersofnotebothfortheirstationandunderstandings。AmongthegentlemenwereLordAlthorpe，whomIhavebeforenamed，LordMacartney，SirJoshuaReynolds，LordLucan，Mr。Wraxal，whosebookyouhaveprobablyseen，TheTourtotheNorthernPartsofEurope；averyagreeableingeniousman；Dr。Warren，Mr。Pepys，theMasterinChancery，whomIbelieveyouknow，andDr。Barnard，theProvostofEton。AssoonasDr。Johnsonwascomeinandhadtakenachair，thecompanybegantocollectroundhim，tilltheybecamenotlessthanfour，ifnotfive，deep；thosebehindstanding，andlisteningovertheheadsofthosethatweresittingnearhim。TheconversationforsometimewaschieflybetweenDr。JohnsonandtheProvostofEton，whiletheotherscontributedoccasionallytheirremarks。’

Onhisbirth-day，Johnsonhasthisnote：’Iamnowbeginningtheseventy-secondyearofmylife，withmorestrengthofbody，andgreatervigourofmind，thanIthinkiscommonatthatage。’Butstillhecomplainsofsleeplessnightsandidledays，andforgetfulness，orneglectofresolutions。Hethuspatheticallyexpresseshimself，——’SurelyIshallnotspendmywholelifewithmyowntotaldisapprobation。’

Mr。Macbean，whomIhavementionedmorethanonce，asoneofJohnson’shumblefriends，adeservingbutunfortunateman，beingnowoppressedbyageandpoverty，JohnsonsolicitedtheLordChancellorThurlow，tohavehimadmittedintotheCharterhouse。I

takethelibertytoinserthisLordship’sanswer，asIameagertoembraceeveryoccasionofaugmentingtherespectablenotionwhichshouldeverbeentertainedofmyillustriousfriend：——

’TODR。SAMUELJOHNSON。

’London，October24，1780。

’SIR，’Ihavethismomentreceivedyourletter，datedthe19th，andreturnedfromBath。

’InthebeginningofthesummerIplacedoneintheChartreux，withoutthesanctionofarecommendationsodistinctandsoauthoritativeasyoursofMacbean；andIamafraid，thataccordingtotheestablishmentoftheHouse，theopportunityofmakingthecharitysogoodamendswillnotsoonrecur。Butwheneveravacancyshallhappen，ifyou’llfavourmewithnoticeofit，Iwilltrytorecommendhimtotheplace，eventhoughitshouldnotbemyturntonominate。Iam，Sir，withgreatregard，yourmostfaithfulandobedientservant，’THURLOW。’

BeingdisappointedinmyhopesofmeetingJohnsonthisyear，sothatIcouldhearnoneofhisadmirablesayings，Ishallcompensateforthiswantbyinsertingacollectionofthem，forwhichIamindebtedtomyworthyfriendMr。Langton，whosekindcommunicationshavebeenseparatelyinterwoveninmanypartsofthiswork。Veryfewarticlesofthiscollectionwerecommittedtowritingbyhimself，henothavingthathabit；whichheregrets，andwhichthosewhoknowthenumerousopportunitieshehadofgatheringtherichfruitsofJohnsonianwitandwisdom，musteverregret。I

howeverfound，inconversationswithhim，thatagoodstoreofJohnsonianawastreasuredinhismind；andIcomparedittoHerculaneum，orsomeoldRoman

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