scheme of an English
Dictionary; but I had long thought of it.' BOSWELL. 'You did not know
what you were undertaking.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir, I knew very well what
I was undertaking,--and very well how to do it,--and have done it very
well.' BOSWELL. 'An excellent climax! and it HAS availed you. In your
Preface you say, "What would it avail me in this gloom of solitude?" You
have been agreeably mistaken.'

In his Life of Milton he observes, 'I cannot but remark a kind
of respect, perhaps unconsciously, paid to this great man by his
biographers: every house in which he resided is historically mentioned,
as if it were an injury to neglect naming any place that he honoured by
his presence.' I had, before I read this observation, been desirous of
shewing that respect to Johnson, by various inquiries. Finding him this
evening in a very good humour, I prevailed on him to give me an exact
list of his places of residence, since he entered the metropolis as an
authour, which I subjoin in a note.*

* 1. Exeter-street, off Catherine-street, Strand. 2.
Greenwich. 3. Woodstock-street, near Hanover-square. 4.
Castle-street, Cavendish-square, No. 6. 5. Strand. 6.
Boswell-Court. 7. Strand, again. 8. Bow-street. 9.
Holborn. 10. Fetter-lane. 11. Holborn, again. 12.
Gough-square. 13. Staple Inn. 14. Gray's Inn. 15. Inner
Temple-lane, No. 1. 16. Johnson's-court, No. 7. 17.
Bolt-court. No. 8.--BOSWELL.

On Tuesday, October 12, I dined with him at Mr. Ramsay's, with Lord
Newhaven, and some other company, none of whom I recollect, but a
beautiful Miss Graham, a relation of his Lordship's, who asked Dr.
Johnson to hob or nob with her. He was flattered by such pleasing
attention, and politely told her, he never drank wine; but if she would
drink a glass of water, he was much at her service. She accepted. 'Oho,
Sir! (said Lord Newhaven,) you are caught.' JOHNSON. 'Nay, I do not see
HOW I am CAUGHT; but if I am caught, I don't want to get free again. If
I am caught, I hope to be kept.' Then when the two glasses of water were
brought, smiling placidly to the young lady, he said, 'Madam, let us
RECIPROCATE.'

Lord Newhaven and Johnson carried on an argument for some time,
concerning the Middlesex election. Johnson said, 'Parliament may be
considered as bound by law as a man is bound where there is nobody to
tie the knot. As it is clear that the House of Commons may expel and
expel a