Storiesofhumourdonottellwellinbooks;andwhatmadeimpressiononthefriendswhoheardajestwillseldommuchdelightthedistantacquaintanceorsullencriticwhoreadsit。ThecorkmodelofParisisnotmoredespicableasaresemblanceofagreatcity，thanthisbook，leviorcortice，asaspecimenofJohnson’scharacter。Yeteverybodynaturallylikestogatherlittlespecimensoftheraritiesfoundinagreatcountry;
andcouldIcarryhomefromItalysquarepiecesofallthecuriousmarbleswhicharethejustgloryofthissurprisingpartoftheworld，Icouldscarcelycontrive，perhaps，toarrangethemsomeanlyasnottogainsomeattentionfromtherespectduetotheplacestheyoncebelongedto。SuchapieceofmotleyMosaicworkwilltheseanecdotesinevitablymake。Butletthereaderrememberthathewaspromisednothingbetter，andsobeascontentedashecan。
AnIrishtraderatourhouseonedayheardDr。JohnsonlaunchoutintoverygreatandgreatlydeservedpraisesofMr。EdmundBurke。Delightedtofindhiscountrymanstoodsohighintheopinionofamanhehadbeentoldsomuchof，\"Sir，\"saidhe，\"giveMEleavetotellsomethingofMr。Burkenow。\"Wewereallsilent，andthehonestHibernianbegantorelatehowMr。
Burkewenttoseethecollieriesinadistantprovince;andhewouldgodownintothebowelsoftheearth（inabag），andhewouldexamineeverything。\"Hewentinabag，sir，andventuredhishealthandhislifeforknowledge：buthetookcareofhisclothes，thattheyshouldnotbespoiled，forhewentdowninabag。\"\"Well，sir，\"saysMr。Johnson，good—humouredly，\"ifourfriendMundshoulddieinanyofthesehazardousexploits，youandIwouldwritehislifeandpanegyrictogether;andyourchapterofitshouldbeentitledthus：’BurkeinaBag。’\"
HehadalwaysaverygreatpersonalregardandparticularaffectionforMr。