aid, he had seen three folio volumes of Dr.
Johnson's sayings collected by me. 'I must put you right, Sir, (said I,)
for I am very exact in authenticity. You could not see folio volumes,
for I have none: you might have seen some in quarto and octavo. This is
inattention which one should guard against.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, it is a want
of concern about veracity. He does not know that he saw any volumes. If
he had seen them he could have remembered their size.'

Mr. Thrale appeared very lethargick to-day. I saw him again on Monday
evening, at which time he was not thought to be in immediate danger; but
early in the morning of Wednesday, the 4th, he expired. Johnson was in
the house, and thus mentions the event: 'I felt almost the last flutter
of his pulse, and looked for the last time upon the face that for
fifteen years had never been turned upon me but with respect and
benignity.' Upon that day there was a Call of The LITERARY CLUB; but
Johnson apologised for his absence by the following note:--

'MR. JOHNSON knows that Sir Joshua Reynolds and the other gentlemen
will excuse his incompliance with the call, when they are told that Mr.
Thrale died this morning.--Wednesday.'

Mr. Thrale's death was a very essential loss to Johnson, who, although
he did not foresee all that afterwards happened, was sufficiently
convinced that the comforts which Mr. Thrale's family afforded him,
would now in a great measure cease. He, however, continued to shew a
kind attention to his widow and children as long as it was acceptable;
and he took upon him, with a very earnest concern, the office of one of
his executors, the importance of which seemed greater than usual to him,
from his circumstances having been always such, that he had scarcely
any share in the real business of life. His friends of THE CLUB were in
hopes that Mr. Thrale might have made a liberal provision for him for
his life, which, as Mr. Thrale left no son, and a very large fortune, it
would have been highly to his honour to have done; and, considering Dr.
Johnson's age, could not have been of long duration; but he bequeathed
him only two hundred pounds, which was the legacy given to each of his
executors. I could not but be somewhat diverted by hearing Johnson talk
in a pompous manner of his new office, and particularly of the concerns
of the brewery, which it was at last resolved should be sold. Lord Lucan
tells a very good story, which, if not precisely exact, is certainly