His notion of the duty of a member of Parliament, sitting upon an election-committee, was very high; and when he was told of a gentleman upon one of those committees, who read the newspapers part of the time, and slept the rest, while the merits of a vote were examined by the counsel; and as an excuse, when challenged by the chairman for such behaviour, bluntly answered, ’I had made up my mind upon that case.’—­Johnson, with an indignant contempt, said, ’If he was such a rogue as to make up his mind upon a case without hearing it, he should not have been such a fool as to tell it.’  ’I think (said Mr. Dudley Long, now North,) the Doctor has pretty plainly made him out to be both rogue and fool.’

Johnson’s profound reverence for the Hierarchy made him expect from bishops the highest degree of decorum; he was offended even at their going to taverns; ’A bishop (said he,) has nothing to do at a tippling-house.  It is not indeed immoral in him to go to a tavern; neither would it be immoral in him to whip a top in Grosvenor-square.  But, if he did, I hope the boys would fall upon him, and apply the whip to him.  There are gradations in conduct; there is morality,—­decency,—­propriety.  None of these should be violated by a bishop.  A bishop should not go to a house where he may meet a young fellow leading out a wench.’  Boswell.  ’But, Sir, every tavern does not admit women.’  Johnson.  ’Depend upon it, Sir, any tavern will admit a well-drest man and a well-drest woman; they will not perhaps admit a woman whom they see every night walking by their door, in the street.  But a well-drest man may lead in a well-drest woman to any tavern in London.  Taverns sell meat and drink, and will sell them to any body who can eat and can drink.  You may as well say that a mercer will not sell silks to a woman of the town.’

He also disapproved of bishops going to routs, at least of their staying at them longer than their presence commanded respect.  He mentioned a particular bishop.  ’Poh! (said Mrs. Thrale,) the Bishop of ------ is never minded at a rout.’  Boswell.  ’When a bishop places himself in a situation where he has no distinct character, and is of no consequence, he degrades the dignity of his order.’  Johnson.  ’Mr. Boswell, Madam has said it as correctly as it could be.’

Johnson and his friend, Beauclerk, were once together in company with several clergymen, who thought that they should appear to advantage, by assuming the lax jollity of men of the world; which, as it may be observed in similar cases, they carried to noisy excess.  Johnson, who they expected would be entertained, sat grave and silent for some time; at last, turning to Beauclerk, he said, by no means in a whisper, ’This merriment of parsons is mighty offensive.’

On Friday, March 30, I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds’s, with the Earl of Charlemont, Sir Annesley Stewart, Mr. Eliot of Port-Eliot, Mr. Burke, Dean Marlay, Mr. Langton; a most agreeable day, of which I regret that every circumstance is not preserved; but it is unreasonable to require such a multiplication of felicity.