son of Mr. Jonathan Tyers, the founder of that excellent place of
publick amusement, Vauxhall Gardens, which must ever be an estate to
its proprietor, as it is peculiarly adapted to the taste of the English
nation; there being a mixture of curious show,--gay exhibition, musick,
vocal and instrumental, not too refined for the general ear;--for all
which only a shilling is paid; and, though last, not least, good eating
and drinking for those who choose to purchase that regale. Mr. Thomas
Tyers was bred to the law; but having a handsome fortune, vivacity of
temper, and eccentricity of mind, he could not confine himself to the
regularity of practice. He therefore ran about the world with a pleasant
carelessness, amusing everybody by his desultory conversation. He
abounded in anecdote, but was not sufficiently attentive to accuracy. I
therefore cannot venture to avail myself much of a biographical sketch
of Johnson which he published, being one among the various persons
ambitious of appending their names to that of my illustrious friend.
That sketch is, however, an entertaining little collection of fragments.
Those which he published of Pope and Addison are of higher merit; but
his fame must chiefly rest upon his Political Conferences, in which he
introduces several eminent persons delivering their sentiments in the
way of dialogue, and discovers a considerable share of learning, various
knowledge, and discernment of character. This much may I be allowed to
say of a man who was exceedingly obliging to me, and who lived with
Dr. Johnson in as easy a manner as almost any of his very numerous
acquaintance.

Mr. Edwards had said to me aside, that Dr. Johnson should have been of
a profession. I repeated the remark to Johnson that I might have his own
thoughts on the subject. JOHNSON. 'Sir, it WOULD have been better that I
had been of a profession. I ought to have been a lawyer.' BOSWELL. 'I
do not think, Sir, it would have been better, for we should not have
had the English Dictionary.' JOHNSON. 'But you would have had Reports.'
BOSWELL. 'Ay; but there would not have been another, who could have
written the Dictionary. There have been many very good Judges. Suppose
you had been Lord Chancellor; you would have delivered opinions with
more extent of mind, and in a more ornamented manner, than perhaps any
Chancellor ever did, or ever will do. But, I believe, causes have been
as judiciously decided as you could have done.' JOHNSON.