and only in extreme necessity. I mentioned how commonly it was used
in Turkey, and that therefore it could not be so pernicious as he
apprehended. He grew warm and said, 'Turks take opium, and Christians
take opium; but Russel, in his Account of Aleppo, tells us, that it is
as disgraceful in Turkey to take too much opium, as it is with us to get
drunk. Sir, it is amazing how things are exaggerated. A gentleman was
lately telling in a company where I was present, that in France as soon
as a man of fashion marries, he takes an opera girl into keeping; and
this he mentioned as a general custom. "Pray, Sir, (said I,) how many
opera girls may there be?" He answered, "About fourscore." "Well then,
Sir, (said I,) you see there can be no more than fourscore men of
fashion who can do this."'

Mrs. Desmoulins made tea; and she and I talked before him upon a
topick which he had once borne patiently from me when we were by
ourselves,--his not complaining of the world, because he was not called
to some great office, nor had attained to great wealth. He flew into a
violent passion, I confess with some justice, and commanded us to have
done. 'Nobody, (said he,) has a right to talk in this manner, to bring
before a man his own character, and the events of his life, when he does
not choose it should be done. I never have sought the world; the world
was not to seek me. It is rather wonderful that so much has been done
for me. All the complaints which are made of the world are unjust. I
never knew a man of merit neglected: it was generally by his own fault
that he failed of success. A man may hide his head in a hole: he may go
into the country, and publish a book now and then, which nobody reads,
and then complain he is neglected. There is no reason why any person
should exert himself for a man who has written a good book: he has
not written it for any individual. I may as well make a present to the
postman who brings me a letter. When patronage was limited, an authour
expected to find a Maecenas, and complained if he did not find one. Why
should he complain? This Maecenas has others as good as he, or others
who have got the start of him.'

On the subject of the right employment of wealth, Johnson observed, 'A
man cannot make a bad use of his money, so far as regards Society, if he
does not hoard it; for if he either spends it or lends it out, Society
has the benefit. It is in general better to spend money than to give it
away; for indus