one day, Goldsmith remarked, « that he wished for some additional members to the Literary Club, to give it an agreeable variety; for (said he) there can be nothing new among us; we have travelled over one another's minds." Johnson, however, did not like the idea that his mind could be travelled over or exhausted, and seemed rather displeased; but Sir Joshua thought Goldsmith in the right, observing, that «where people have lived a great deal together, they know what each of them will say on every subject. A new understanding, therefore, is desirable; because, though it may only furnish the same sense upon a question which would have been furnished by those with whom we are accustomed to live, yet this sense will have a different colouring; and colouring is of much effect in every thing else as well as painting."1

1 From the institution of the Literary Club to the present time, it is believed that the following is a correct list of the members :

to

In a society thus composed of men distinguished for genius, learning, and rank, where the chief object of the institution was social and literary enjoyment, it is certainly interesting to know what kind of intellectual sauce was usually served up give a zest to their periodical suppers. Happily, Mr Boswell has supplied such a desideratum ; and as a fair specimen of the numerous conversations which he has reported of the members, it may not be unamusing to our readers to be presented with part of the discussion which took place at the time of his own election in April, 1773, and a full report of the sitting of the club on the 24th of March, 1775. This we do with the more pleasure, on account of the first discussion being in some sort illustrative of the character and writings of our author.

« On Friday, April 30," says Mr Boswell, «I dined with Dr Johnson at Mr Beauclerk's, where were Lord Charlemont, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and some more members of the Literary Club, whom he had obligingly invited to meet me, as I was this evening to be balloted for as candidate for admission into that distinguished society. Johnson had done me the honour to propose me, and Beauclerk was very zealous for me.

« Goldsmith being mentioned, Johnson said, 'It is amazing how little Goldsmith knows. He seldom comes where he is not

The members whose names are distinguished by an asterisk in the foregoing list have all paid the debt of nature. Among those who survive, it is generally understood that the spirit of the original association is still preserved.

VOL I.

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more ignorant than any one else.' Sir Joshua Reynolds, ‘Yet there is no man whose company is more liked.' Johnson, ‘To be sure, sir. When people find a man, of the most distinguished abilities as a writer, their inferiour while he is with them, it must be highly gratifying to them. What Goldsmith comically says of himself is very true, he always gets the better when he argues alone; meaning, that he is master of a subject in his study, and can write well upon it; but when he comes into company grows confused, and unable to talk. Take him as a poet, his «< Traveller» is a very fine performance; ay, and so is his « Deserted Village," were it not sometimes too much the echo of his « Traveller.>> Whether, indeed, we take him as a poet, as a comic writer, or as a historian, he stands in the first class.' Boswell, 'A historian! my dear sir, you will not surely rank his compilation of the Roman History with the works of other historians of this age?' Johnson, 'Why, who is before him?" Boswell, 'Hume, Robertson, Lord Lyttelton.' Johnson (his antipathy to the Scotch beginning to rise), 'I have not read Hume; but, doubtless, Goldsmith's History is better than the verbiage of Robertson, or the foppery of Dalrymple.' Boswell, 'Will you not admit the superiority of Robertson, in whose History we find such penetration, such painting?" Johnson, 'Sir, you must consider how that penetration and that painting are employed. It is not history; it is imagination. He who describes what he never

saw,

it

draws from fancy. Robertson paints minds as Sir Joshua paints faces in a history-piece: he imagines a heroic countenance. You must look upon Robertson's work as romance, and try by that standard. History it is not. Besides, sir, it is the great excellence of a writer to put into his book as much as his book will hold. Goldsmith has done this in his History. Now Robertson might have put twice as much into his book. Robertson is like a man who has packed gold in wool: the wool takes up more room than the gold. No, sir, I always thought Robertson would be crushed by his own weight-would be buried under his own ornaments. Goldsmith tells you shortly all you want to know; Robertson detains you a great deal too long. No man will read Robertson's cumbrous detail a second time; but Gold

smith's plain narrative will please again and again. I would say to Robertson what an old tutor of a college said to one of his pupils: «Read over your compositions, and wherever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out."> Goldsmith's abridgment is better than that of Lucius Florus.or Eutropius; and I will venture to say, that if you compare him with Vertot, in the same places of the Roman History, you will find that he excels Vertot. Sir, he has the art of compiling, and of saying every thing he has to say in a pleasing manner. He is now writing a Natural History, and will make it as entertaining as a Persian tale.'

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<< I cannot dismiss the present topic (continues Mr Boswell) without observing, that Dr Johnson, who owned that he often talked for victory, rather urged plausible objections to Dr Robertson's excellent historical works in the ardour of contest, than expressed his real and decided opinion; for it is not easy to suppose, that he should so widely differ from the rest of the literary world.

<< Johnson, 'I remember once being with Goldsmith in Westminster Abbey. While we surveyed the Poet's-Corner, I said to him,

Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis, '

When we got to Temple-Bar he stopped me, pointed to the heads upon it, and slily whispered me,—

Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis.'"

6

<< Johnson praised John Bunyan highly. His « Pilgrim's Progress » has great merit, both for invention, imagination, and the conduct of the story; and it has had the best evidence of its merits, the general and continued approbation of mankind. Few books, I believe, have had a more extensive sale. It is remarkable, that it begins very much like the poem of Dante; yet there was no translation of Dante when Bunyan wrote. There is reason to think that he had read Spenser.'

1 Ovid. de Art. Amand. l'iii. 5. 13.

* In allusion to Dr. Johnson's supposed political principles, and perhaps his own.

E.

« A proposition which had been agitated, that monuments to eminent persons should, for the time to come, be erected in St Paul's Church as well as in Westminster Abbey, was mentioned; and it was asked, who should be honoured by having his monument first erected? Somebody suggested Pope. Johnson, 'Why, sir, as Pope was a Roman Catholic, I would not have his to be first. I think Milton's rather should have the precedence. I think more highly of him now than I did at twenty. There is more thinking in him and Butler than in any of our poets.'

<< The gentlemen (continues Mr Boswell) now went away to their club, and I was left at Beauclerk's till the fate of my election should be announced to me. I sat in a state of anxiety, which even the charming conversation of Lady Di Beauclerk could not entirely dissipate. In a short time I received the agreeable intelligence that I was chosen. I hastened to the place of meeting, and was introduced to such a society as can seldom be found. Mr Edmund Burke, whom I then saw for the first time, and whose splendid talents had long made me ardently wish for his acquaintance; Dr Nugent, Mr Garrick, Dr Goldsmith, Mr (afterwards Sir William) Jones, and the company with whom I had dined. Upon my entrance, Johnson placed himself behind a chair, on which he leaned as on a desk or pulpit, and, with humorous formality, gave me a charge, pointing out the conduct expected from me as a member of this club."

The next conversational specimen given by Mr Boswell, is of the discussion which took place at the meeting of 24th March, 1775. « Before Johnson came in, we talked of his 'Journey to the Western Islands,' and of his coming away 'willing to believe the second sight,' which seemed to excite some ridicule. I was then so impressed with the truth of many of the stories of which I had been told, that I avowed my conviction, saying: 'He is only willing to believe; I do believe. The evidence is enough for me, though not for his great mind. What will not fill a quart bottle will fill a pint bottle. I am filled with belief.' 'Are you,' said Colman, 'then cork it up.'

<< I found his Journey' the common topic of conversation in