On Friday, April 16, I had been present at the trial of the unfortunate Mr. Hackman, who, in a fit of frantick jealous love, had shot Miss Ray, the favourite of a nobleman.  Johnson, in whose company I dined to-day with some other friends, was much interested by my account of what passed, and particularly with his prayer for the mercy of heaven.  He said, in a solemn fervid tone, ‘I hope he shall find mercy.’

This day a violent altercation arose between Johnson and Beauclerk, which having made much noise at the time, I think it proper, in order to prevent any future misrepresentation, to give a minute account of it.

In talking of Hackman, Johnson argued, as Judge Blackstone had done, that his being furnished with two pistols was a proof that he meant to shoot two persons.  Mr. Beauclerk said, ’No; for that every wise man who intended to shoot himself, took two pistols, that he might be sure of doing it at once.  Lord ------ ------’ cook shot himself with one pistol, and lived ten days in great agony.  Mr. ------, who loved buttered muffins, but durst not eat them because they disagreed with his stomach, resolved to shoot himself; and then he eat three buttered muffins for breakfast, before shooting himself, knowing that he should not be troubled with indigestion:  He had two charged pistols; one was found lying charged upon the table by him, after he had shot himself with the other.’  ’Well, (said Johnson, with an air of triumph,) you see here one pistol was sufficient.’  Beauclerk replied smartly, ’Because it happened to kill him.’  And either then or a very little afterwards, being piqued at Johnson’s triumphant remark, added, ’This is what you don’t know, and I do.’  There was then a cessation of the dispute; and some minutes intervened, during which, dinner and the glass went on cheerfully; when Johnson suddenly and abruptly exclaimed, ’Mr. Beauclerk, how came you to talk so petulantly to me, as “This is what you don’t know, but what I know”?  One thing I know, which you don’t seem to know, that you are very uncivil.’  Beauclerk.  ’Because you began by being uncivil, (which you always are.)’ The words in parenthesis were, I believe, not heard by Dr. Johnson.  Here again there was a cessation of arms.  Johnson told me, that the reason why he waited at first some time without taking any notice of what Mr. Beauclerk said, was because he was thinking whether he should resent it.  But when he considered that there were present a young Lord and an eminent traveller, two men of the world with whom he had never dined before, he was apprehensive that they might think they had a right to take such liberties with him as Beauclerk did, and therefore resolved he would not let it pass; adding, that ‘he would not appear a coward.’  A little while after this, the conversation turned on the violence of Hackman’s temper.  Johnson then said, ’It was his business to command his temper, as my friend, Mr. Beauclerk, should have done some