s
sure it would be done.'

He said, that for general improvement, a man should read whatever his
immediate inclination prompts him to; though, to be sure, if a man has
a science to learn, he must regularly and resolutely advance. He added,
'what we read with inclination makes a much stronger impression. If
we read without inclination, half the mind is employed in fixing the
attention; so there is but one half to be employed on what we read.' He
told us, he read Fielding's Amelia through without stopping. He
said, 'if a man begins to read in the middle of a book, and feels an
inclination to go on, let him not quit it, to go to the beginning. He
may perhaps not feel again the inclination.'

Soon after this day, he went to Bath with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. I had
never seen that beautiful city, and wished to take the opportunity of
visiting it, while Johnson was there.

On the 26th of April, I went to Bath; and on my arrival at the Pelican
inn, found lying for me an obliging invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Thrale,
by whom I was agreeably entertained almost constantly during my stay.
They were gone to the rooms; but there was a kind note from Dr. Johnson,
that he should sit at home all the evening. I went to him directly, and
before Mr. and Mrs. Thrale returned, we had by ourselves some hours of
tea-drinking and talk.

I shall group together such of his sayings as I preserved during the few
days that I was at Bath.

It having been mentioned, I know not with what truth, that a certain
female political writer, whose doctrines he disliked, had of late become
very fond of dress, sat hours together at her toilet, and even put on
rouge:--Johnson. 'She is better employed at her toilet, than using
her pen. It is better she should be reddening her own cheeks, than
blackening other people's characters.'

He would not allow me to praise a lady then at Bath; observing, 'She
does not gain upon me, Sir; I think her empty-headed.' He was, indeed,
a stern critick upon characters and manners. Even Mrs. Thrale did not
escape his friendly animadversion at times. When he and I were one day
endeavouring to ascertain, article by article, how one of our friends
could possibly spend as much money in his family as he told us he did,
she interrupted us by a lively extravagant sally, on the expence of
clothing his children, describing it in a very ludicrous and fanciful
manner. Johnson looked a little angry, and said, 'Nay, Madam, when you
are decla