“Though pleas’d to see the dolphins play,
     I mind my compass and my way.”

You may be wise in your study in the morning, and gay in company at a tavern in the evening.  Every man is to take care of his own wisdom and his own virtue, without minding too much what others think.’

He said, ’Dodsley first mentioned to me the scheme of an English Dictionary; but I had long thought of it.’  Boswell.  ’You did not know what you were undertaking.’  Johnson.  ’Yes, Sir, I knew very well what I was undertaking,—­and very well how to do it,—­and have done it very well.’  Boswell.  ’An excellent climax! and it has availed you.  In your Preface you say, “What would it avail me in this gloom of solitude?” You have been agreeably mistaken.’

In his Life of Milton he observes, ’I cannot but remark a kind of respect, perhaps unconsciously, paid to this great man by his biographers:  every house in which he resided is historically mentioned, as if it were an injury to neglect naming any place that he honoured by his presence.’  I had, before I read this observation, been desirous of shewing that respect to Johnson, by various inquiries.  Finding him this evening in a very good humour, I prevailed on him to give me an exact list of his places of residence, since he entered the metropolis as an authour, which I subjoin in a note.*

* 1.  Exeter-street, off Catherine-street, Strand. 2.  Greenwich. 3.  Woodstock-street, near Hanover-square. 4.  Castle-street, Cavendish-square, No. 6. 5.  Strand. 6.  Boswell-Court. 7.  Strand, again. 8.  Bow-street. 9.  Holborn. 10.  Fetter-lane. 11.  Holborn, again. 12.  Gough-square. 13.  Staple Inn. 14.  Gray’s Inn. 15.  Inner Temple-lane, No. 1. 16.  Johnson’s-court, No. 7. 17.  Bolt-court.  No. 8.—­Boswell.

On Tuesday, October 12, I dined with him at Mr. Ramsay’s, with Lord Newhaven, and some other company, none of whom I recollect, but a beautiful Miss Graham, a relation of his Lordship’s, who asked Dr. Johnson to hob or nob with her.  He was flattered by such pleasing attention, and politely told her, he never drank wine; but if she would drink a glass of water, he was much at her service.  She accepted.  ’Oho, Sir! (said Lord Newhaven,) you are caught.’  Johnson.  ’Nay, I do not see how I am caught; but if I am caught, I don’t want to get free again.  If I am caught, I hope to be kept.’  Then when the two glasses of water were brought, smiling placidly to the young lady, he said, ’Madam, let us reciprocate.’