gain and again, why not allow of the power to incapacitate for
that parliament, rather than have a perpetual contest kept up between
parliament and the people.' Lord Newhaven took the opposite side; but
respectfully said, 'I speak with great deference to you, Dr. Johnson; I
speak to be instructed.' This had its full effect on my friend. He bowed
his head almost as low as the table, to a complimenting nobleman; and
called out, 'My Lord, my Lord, I do not desire all this ceremony; let
us tell our minds to one another quietly.' After the debate was over, he
said, 'I have got lights on the subject to-day, which I had not before.'
This was a great deal from him, especially as he had written a pamphlet
upon it.

Of his fellow-collegian, the celebrated Mr. George Whitefield, he said,
'Whitefield never drew as much attention as a mountebank does; he did
not draw attention by doing better than others, but by doing what was
strange. Were Astley to preach a sermon standing upon his head on a
horse's back, he would collect a multitude to hear him; but no wise
man would say he had made a better sermon for that. I never treated
Whitefield's ministry with contempt; I believe he did good. He had
devoted himself to the lower classes of mankind, and among them he
was of use. But when familiarity and noise claim the praise due to
knowledge, art, and elegance, we must beat down such pretensions.'

What I have preserved of his conversation during the remainder of my
stay in London at this time, is only what follows: I told him that when
I objected to keeping company with a notorious infidel, a celebrated
friend of ours said to me, 'I do not think that men who live laxly in
the world, as you and I do, can with propriety assume such an authority.
Dr. Johnson may, who is uniformly exemplary in his conduct. But it is
not very consistent to shun an infidel to-day, and get drunk to-morrow.'
JOHNSON. 'Nay, Sir, this is sad reasoning. Because a man cannot be right
in all things, is he to be right in nothing? Because a man sometimes
gets drunk, is he therefore to steal? This doctrine would very soon
bring a man to the gallows.'

He, I know not why, shewed upon all occasions an aversion to go to
Ireland, where I proposed to him that we should make a tour. JOHNSON.
'It is the last place where I should wish to travel.' BOSWELL. 'Should
you not like to see Dublin, Sir?' JOHNSON. 'No, Sir! Dublin is only a
worse capital.' BOSWELL. 'Is not the Giant's-C