ted with pleasing your
company, that altogether there is something of social goodness in it.'
JOHNSON. 'Sir, this is only saying the same thing over again.' SIR
JOSHUA. 'No, this is new.' JOHNSON. 'You put it in new words, but it is
an old thought. This is one of the disadvantages of wine. It makes a man
mistake words for thoughts.' BOSWELL. 'I think it is a new thought; at
least, it is in a new ATTITUDE.' JOHNSON. 'Nay, Sir, it is only in a new
coat; or an old coat with a new facing. (Then laughing heartily,) It
is the old dog in a new doublet.--An extraordinary instance however
may occur where a man's patron will do nothing for him, unless he will
drink: THERE may be a good reason for drinking.'

I mentioned a nobleman, who I believed was really uneasy if his company
would not drink hard. JOHNSON. 'That is from having had people about him
whom he has been accustomed to command.' BOSWELL. 'Supposing I should be
tete-a-tete with him at table.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, there is no more reason
for your drinking with HIM, than his being sober with YOU.' BOSWELL.
'Why, that is true; for it would do him less hurt to be sober, than
it would do me to get drunk.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir; and from what I have
heard of him, one would not wish to sacrifice himself to such a man. If
he must always have somebody to drink with him, he should buy a slave,
and then he would be sure to have it. They who submit to drink as
another pleases, make themselves his slaves.' Boswell. 'But, Sir, you
will surely make allowance for the duty of hospitality. A gentleman who
loves drinking, comes to visit me.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, a man knows whom he
visits; he comes to the table of a sober man.' BOSWELL. 'But, Sir,
you and I should not have been so well received in the Highlands and
Hebrides, if I had not drunk with our worthy friends. Had I drunk water
only as you did, they would not have been so cordial.' JOHNSON. 'Sir
William Temple mentions that in his travels through the Netherlands he
had two or three gentlemen with him; and when a bumper was necessary, he
put it on THEM. Were I to travel again through the islands, I would have
Sir Joshua with me to take the bumpers.' BOSWELL. 'But, Sir, let me put
a case. Suppose Sir Joshua should take a jaunt into Scotland; he does me
the honour to pay me a visit at my house in the country; I am overjoyed
at seeing him; we are quite by ourselves, shall I unsociably and
churlishly let him sit drinking by himself? No, no, my dear S