’Snatches of reading (said he,) will not make a Bentley or a Clarke.  They are, however, in a certain degree advantageous.  I would put a child into a library (where no unfit books are) and let him read at his choice.  A child should not be discouraged from reading any thing that he takes a liking to, from a notion that it is above his reach.  If that be the ease, the child will soon find it out and desist; if not, he of course gains the instruction; which is so much the more likely to come, from the inclination with which he takes up the study.’

’A gentleman who introduced his brother to Dr. Johnson was earnest to recommend him to the Doctor’s notice, which he did by saying, “When we have sat together some time, you’ll find my brother grow very entertaining.”—­“Sir, (said Johnson,) I can wait."’

’In the latter part of his life, in order to satisfy himself whether his mental faculties were impaired, he resolved that he would try to learn a new language, and fixed upon the Low Dutch, for that purpose, and this he continued till he had read about one half of Thomas a Kempis; and finding that there appeared no abatement of his power of acquisition, he then desisted, as thinking the experiment had been duly tried.’

’Mr. Langton and he having gone to see a Freemason’s funeral procession, when they were at Rochester, and some solemn musick being played on French horns, he said, “This is the first time that I have ever been affected by musical sounds;” adding, “that the impression made upon him was of a melancholy kind.”  Mr. Langton saying, that this effect was a fine one,—­Johnson.  “Yes, if it softens the mind, so as to prepare it for the reception of salutary feelings, it may be good:  but inasmuch as it is melancholy per se, it is bad."’

’Goldsmith had long a visionary project, that some time or other when his circumstances should be easier, he would go to Aleppo, in order to acquire a knowledge as far as might be of any arts peculiar to the East, and introduce them into Britain.  When this was talked of in Dr. Johnson’s company, he said, “Of all men Goldsmith is the most unfit to go out upon such an inquiry; for he is utterly ignorant of such arts as we already possess, and consequently could not know what would be accessions to our present stock of mechanical knowledge.  Sir, he would bring home a grinding barrow, which you see in every street in London, and think that he had furnished a wonderful improvement."’

’Greek, Sir, (said he,) is like lace; every man gets as much of it as he can.’

’Johnson one day gave high praise to Dr. Bentley’s verses in Dodsley’s Collection, which he recited with his usual energy.  Dr. Adam Smith, who was present, observed in his decisive professorial manner, “Very well—­Very well.”  Johnson however added, “Yes, they are very well, Sir; but you may observe in what manner they are well.  They are the forcible verses of a man of a strong mind, but not accustomed to write verse; for there is some uncouthness in the expression."’