brother to Dr. Johnson was earnest to
recommend him to the Doctor's notice, which he did by saying, "When
we have sat together some time, you'll find my brother grow very
entertaining."--"Sir, (said Johnson,) I can wait."'

'In the latter part of his life, in order to satisfy himself whether his
mental faculties were impaired, he resolved that he would try to learn
a new language, and fixed upon the Low Dutch, for that purpose, and this
he continued till he had read about one half of Thomas a Kempis; and
finding that there appeared no abatement of his power of acquisition, he
then desisted, as thinking the experiment had been duly tried.'

'Mr. Langton and he having gone to see a Freemason's funeral procession,
when they were at Rochester, and some solemn musick being played on
French horns, he said, "This is the first time that I have ever been
affected by musical sounds;" adding, "that the impression made upon him
was of a melancholy kind." Mr. Langton saying, that this effect was a
fine one,--JOHNSON. "Yes, if it softens the mind, so as to prepare it
for the reception of salutary feelings, it may be good: but inasmuch as
it is melancholy per se, it is bad."'

'Goldsmith had long a visionary project, that some time or other when
his circumstances should be easier, he would go to Aleppo, in order to
acquire a knowledge as far as might be of any arts peculiar to the
East, and introduce them into Britain. When this was talked of in Dr.
Johnson's company, he said, "Of all men Goldsmith is the most unfit to
go out upon such an inquiry; for he is utterly ignorant of such arts
as we already possess, and consequently could not know what would be
accessions to our present stock of mechanical knowledge. Sir, he would
bring home a grinding barrow, which you see in every street in London,
and think that he had furnished a wonderful improvement."'

'Greek, Sir, (said he,) is like lace; every man gets as much of it as he
can.'

'Johnson one day gave high praise to Dr. Bentley's verses in Dodsley's
Collection, which he recited with his usual energy. Dr. Adam Smith,
who was present, observed in his decisive professorial manner, "Very
well--Very well." Johnson however added, "Yes, they ARE very well, Sir;
but you may observe in what manner they are well. They are the forcible
verses of a man of a strong mind, but not accustomed to write verse; for
there is some uncouthness in the expression."'

'Drinking tea one day at Garrick'