characteristical: that when the sale of Thrale's brewery was going
forward, Johnson appeared bustling about, with an ink-horn and pen in
his button-hole, like an excise-man; and on being asked what he really
considered to be the value of the property which was to be disposed of,
answered, 'We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the
potentiality of growing rich, beyond the dreams of avarice.'

On Friday, April 6, he carried me to dine at a club, which, at his
desire, had been lately formed at the Queen's Arms, in St. Paul's
Church-yard. He told Mr. Hoole, that he wished to have a City Club, and
asked him to collect one; but, said he, 'Don't let them be PATRIOTS.'
The company were to-day very sensible, well-behaved men.

On Friday, April 13, being Good-Friday, I went to St. Clement's church
with him as usual. There I saw again his old fellow-collegian, Edwards,
to whom I said, 'I think, Sir, Dr. Johnson and you meet only at
Church.'--'Sir, (said he,) it is the best place we can meet in, except
Heaven, and I hope we shall meet there too.' Dr. Johnson told me, that
there was very little communication between Edwards and him, after their
unexpected renewal of acquaintance. 'But, (said he, smiling), he met me
once, and said, "I am told you have written a very pretty book called
The Rambler." I was unwilling that he should leave the world in total
darkness, and sent him a set.'

Mr. Berrenger visited him to-day, and was very pleasing. We talked of
an evening society for conversation at a house in town, of which we were
all members, but of which Johnson said, 'It will never do, Sir. There is
nothing served about there, neither tea, nor coffee, nor lemonade, nor
any thing whatever; and depend upon it, Sir, a man does not love to
go to a place from whence he comes out exactly as he went in.' I
endeavoured, for argument's sake, to maintain that men of learning and
talents might have very good intellectual society, without the aid of
any little gratifications of the senses. Berrenger joined with Johnson,
and said, that without these any meeting would be dull and insipid. He
would therefore have all the slight refreshments; nay, it would not be
amiss to have some cold meat, and a bottle of wine upon a side-board.
'Sir, (said Johnson to me, with an air of triumph,) Mr. Berrenger
knows the world. Every body loves to have good things furnished to them
without any trouble. I told Mrs. Thrale once, that as she did not