History.—­Watts’s Improvement of the Mind.—­Watts’s Logick.—­Nature Displayed.—­Lowth’s English Grammar.—­Blackwall on the Classicks.—­Sherlock’s Sermons.—­Burnet’s Life of Hale.—­Dupin’s History of the Church.—­Shuckford’s Connection.—­Law’s Serious Call.—­Walton’s Complete Angler.—­Sandys’s Travels.—­Sprat’s History of the Royal Society.—­England’s Gazetteer.—­Goldsmith’s Roman History.—­Some Commentaries on the.  Bible[958].

It having been mentioned to Dr. Johnson that a gentleman who had a son whom he imagined to have an extreme degree of timidity, resolved to send him to a publick school, that he might acquire confidence;—­’ Sir, (said Johnson,) this is a preposterous expedient for removing his infirmity; such a disposition should be cultivated in the shade.  Placing him at a publick school is forcing an owl upon day[959].’

Speaking of a gentleman whose house was much frequented by low company; ’Rags, Sir, (said he,) will always make their appearance where they have a right to do it.’

Of the same gentleman’s mode of living, he said, ’Sir, the servants, instead of doing what they are bid, stand round the table in idle clusters, gaping upon the guests; and seem as unfit to attend a company, as to steer a man of war[960].’

A dull country magistrate[961] gave Johnson a long tedious account of his exercising his criminal jurisdiction, the result of which was his having sentenced four convicts to transportation.  Johnson, in an agony of impatience to get rid of such a companion, exclaimed, ’I heartily wish, Sir, that I were a fifth.’

Johnson was present when a tragedy was read, in which there occurred this line:—­

     ‘Who rules o’er freemen should himself be free[962].’

The company having admired it much, ’I cannot agree with you (said Johnson:) It might as well be said,—­

‘Who drives fat oxen should himself be fat.’

He was pleased with the kindness of Mr. Cator, who was joined with him in Mr. Thrale’s important trust, and thus describes him[963]:—­’There is much good in his character, and much usefulness in his knowledge.’  He found a cordial solace at that gentleman’s seat at Beckenham, in Kent, which is indeed one of the finest places at which I ever was a guest; and where I find more and more a hospitable welcome.

Johnson seldom encouraged general censure of any profession[964]; but he was willing to allow a due share of merit to the various departments necessary in civilised life.  In a splenetick, sarcastical, or jocular frame, however, he would sometimes utter a pointed saying of that nature.  One instance has been mentioned[965], where he gave a sudden satirical stroke to the character of an attorney.  The too indiscriminate admission to that employment, which requires both abilities and integrity, has given rise to injurious reflections, which are totally inapplicable to many very respectable men who exercise it with reputation and honour.