ge in a remote part of the island, and all his notions are taken from
the old world. Besides, Sir, there must always be a struggle between a
father and son while one aims at power and the other at independence.'

He enlarged very convincingly upon the excellence of rhyme over blank
verse in English poetry. I mentioned to him that Dr. Adam Smith, in his
lectures upon composition, when I studied under him in the College of
Glasgow, had maintained the same opinion strenuously, and I repeated
some of his arguments. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I was once in company with Smith,
and we did not take to each other; but had I known that he loved rhyme
as much as you tell me he does, I should have HUGGED him.'

'Idleness is a disease which must be combated; but I would not advise
a rigid adherence to a particular plan of study. I myself have never
persisted in any plan for two days together. A man ought to read just
as inclination leads him; for what he reads as a task will do him little
good. A young man should read five hours in a day, and so may acquire a
great deal of knowledge.'

To such a degree of unrestrained frankness had he now accustomed me,
that in the course of this evening I talked of the numerous reflections
which had been thrown out against him on account of his having accepted
a pension from his present Majesty. 'Why, Sir, (said he, with a hearty
laugh,) it is a mighty foolish noise that they make.* I have accepted of
a pension as a reward which has been thought due to my literary merit;
and now that I have this pension, I am the same man in every respect
that I have ever been; I retain the same principles. It is true, that I
cannot now curse (smiling) the House of Hanover; nor would it be decent
for me to drink King James's health in the wine that King George gives
me money to pay for. But, Sir, I think that the pleasure of cursing
the House of Hanover, and drinking King James's health, are amply
overbalanced by three hundred pounds a year.'

* When I mentioned the same idle clamour to him several
years afterwards, he said, with a smile, 'I wish my pension
were twice as large, that they might make twice as much
noise.'--BOSWELL.

There was here, most certainly, an affectation of more Jacobitism than
he really had. Yet there is no doubt that at earlier periods he was
wont often to exercise both his pleasantry and ingenuity in talking
Jacobitism. My much respected friend, Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of
Sali