ses them
in good humour.'

We went to the drawing-room, where was a considerable increase of
company. Several of us got round Dr. Johnson, and complained that he
would not give us an exact catalogue of his works, that there might be a
complete edition. He smiled, and evaded our entreaties. That he intended
to do it, I have no doubt, because I have heard him say so; and I
have in my possession an imperfect list, fairly written out, which he
entitles Historia Studiorum. I once got from one of his friends a list,
which there was pretty good reason to suppose was accurate, for it was
written down in his presence by this friend, who enumerated each article
aloud, and had some of them mentioned to him by Mr. Levett, in concert
with whom it was made out; and Johnson, who heard all this, did not
contradict it. But when I shewed a copy of this list to him, and
mentioned the evidence for its exactness, he laughed, and said, 'I was
willing to let them go on as they pleased, and never interfered.' Upon
which I read it to him, article by article, and got him positively to
own or refuse; and then, having obtained certainty so far, I got some
other articles confirmed by him directly; and afterwards, from time to
time, made additions under his sanction.

The conversation having turned on Bon-Mots, be quoted, from one of the
Ana, an exquisite instance of flattery in a maid of honour in France,
who being asked by the Queen what o'clock it was, answered, 'What your
Majesty pleases.' He admitted that Mr. Burke's classical pun upon Mr.
Wilkes's being carried on the shoulders of the mob,--

'-------------Numerisque fertur
Lege solutus,'

was admirable; and though he was strangely unwilling to allow to that
extraordinary man the talent of wit, he also laughed with approbation at
another of his playful conceits; which was, that 'Horace has in one line
given a description of a good desirable manour:--

"Est modus in rebus, sunt certi denique fines;"

that is to say, a modus as to the tithes and certain fines.'

He observed, 'A man cannot with propriety speak of himself, except
he relates simple facts; as, "I was at Richmond:" or what depends
on mensuration; as, "I am six feet high." He is sure he has been at
Richmond; he is sure he is six feet high: but he cannot be sure he is
wise, or that he has any other excellence. Then, all censure of a man's
self is oblique praise. It is in order to shew how much he can spare.
It ha