ill he looks; he can live but a very short time.
Would you refuse any slight gratifications to a man under sentence
of death? There is a humane custom in Italy, by which persons in that
melancholy situation are indulged with having whatever they like best to
eat and drink, even with expensive delicacies.'

On Sunday, June 27, I found him rather better. I mentioned to him
a young man who was going to Jamaica with his wife and children, in
expectation of being provided for by two of her brothers settled in that
island, one a clergyman, and the other a physician. JOHNSON. 'It is a
wild scheme, Sir, unless he has a positive and deliberate invitation.
There was a poor girl, who used to come about me, who had a cousin in
Barbadoes, that, in a letter to her, expressed a wish she should come
out to that Island, and expatiated on the comforts and happiness of her
situation. The poor girl went out: her cousin was much surprised, and
asked her how she could think of coming. "Because, (said she,) you
invited me." "Not I," answered the cousin. The letter was then produced.
"I see it is true, (said she,) that I did invite you: but I did not
think you would come." They lodged her in an out-house, where she passed
her time miserably; and as soon as she had an opportunity she returned
to England. Always tell this, when you hear of people going abroad to
relations, upon a notion of being well received. In the case which
you mention, it is probable the clergyman spends all he gets, and the
physician does not know how much he is to get.'

We this day dined at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, with General Paoli, Lord
Eliot, (formerly Mr. Eliot, of Port Eliot,) Dr. Beattie, and some
other company. Talking of Lord Chesterfield;--JOHNSON. 'His manner
was exquisitely elegant, and he had more knowledge than I expected.'
BOSWELL. 'Did you find, Sir, his conversation to be of a superiour
style?' JOHNSON. 'Sir, in the conversation which I had with him I
had the best right to superiority, for it was upon philology and
literature.' Lord Eliot, who had travelled at the same time with Mr.
Stanhope, Lord Chesterfield's natural son, justly observed, that it was
strange that a man who shewed he had so much affection for his son as
Lord Chesterfield did, by writing so many long and anxious letters to
him, almost all of them when he was Secretary of State, which certainly
was a proof of great goodness of disposition, should endeavour to make
his son a rascal. His Lo