He argued in defence of some of the peculiar tenets of the Church of Rome.  As to the giving the bread only to the laity, he said, ’They may think, that in what is merely ritual, deviations from the primitive mode may be admitted on the ground of convenience, and I think they are as well warranted to make this alteration, as we are to substitute sprinkling in the room of the ancient baptism.’  As to the invocation of saints[892], he said, ’Though I do not think it authorised, it appears to me, that “the communion of saints” in the Creed means the communion with the saints in Heaven, as connected with “The holy Catholick Church[893]."’ He admitted the influence of evil spirits[894] upon our minds, and said, ‘Nobody who believes the New Testament can deny it.’

I brought a volume of Dr. Hurd the Bishop of Worcester’s Sermons, and read to the company some passages from one of them, upon this text, ‘Resist the Devil, and he will fly[895] from you.’  James, iv. 7.  I was happy to produce so judicious and elegant a supporter[896] of a doctrine, which, I know not why, should, in this world of imperfect knowledge, and, therefore, of wonder and mystery in a thousand instances, be contested by some with an unthinking assurance and flippancy.

After dinner, when one of us talked of there being a great enmity between Whig and Tory;—­JOHNSON.  ’Why not so much, I think, unless when they come into competition with each other.  There is none when they are only common acquaintance, none when they are of different sexes.  A Tory will marry into a Whig family, and a Whig into a Tory family, without any reluctance.  But indeed, in a matter of much more concern than political tenets, and that is religion, men and women do not concern themselves much about difference of opinion; and ladies set no value on the moral character of men who pay their addresses to them; the greatest profligate will be as well received as the man of the greatest virtue, and this by a very good woman, by a woman who says her prayers three times a day.’  Our ladies endeavoured to defend their sex from this charge; but he roared them down!  ’No, no, a lady will take Jonathan Wild as readily as St. Austin, if he has three-pence more; and, what is worse, her parents will give her to him.  Women have a perpetual envy of our vices; they are less vicious than we, not from choice, but because we restrict them; they are the slaves of order and fashion; their virtue is of more consequence to us than our own, so far as concerns this world.’

Miss Adams mentioned a gentleman of licentious character, and said, ’Suppose I had a mind to marry that gentleman, would my parents consent?’ JOHNSON.  ’Yes, they’d consent, and you’d go.  You’d go though they did not consent.’  MISS ADAMS.  ’Perhaps their opposing might make me go.’  JOHNSON.  ’O, very well; you’d take one whom you think a bad man, to have the pleasure of vexing your parents.  You put me in mind of Dr. Barrowby[897], the physician, who was very fond of swine’s flesh.  One day, when he was eating it, he said, ‘I wish I was a Jew.’  ’Why so? (said somebody); the Jews are not allowed to eat your favourite meat.’  ’Because, (said he,) I should then have the gust of eating it, with the pleasure of sinning.’  Johnson then proceeded in his declamation.