shouldnothavetakenthetroubletowritehiseulogy，anddedicateMortimertohim。’
Mr。Wilkesheldacandletoshewafineprintofabeautifulfemalefigurewhichhungintheroom，andpointedouttheelegantcontourofthebosomwiththefingerofanarchconnoisseur。Heafterwards，inaconversationwithme，waggishlyinsisted，thatallthetimeJohnsonshewedvisiblesignsofaferventadmirationofthecorrespondingcharmsofthefairQuaker。
Thisrecord，thoughbynomeanssoperfectasIcouldwish，willservetogiveanotionofaverycuriousinterview，whichwasnotonlypleasingatthetime，buthadtheagreeableandbenignanteffectofreconcilinganyanimosity，andsweeteninganyacidity，whichinthevariousbustleofpoliticalcontest，hadbeenproducedinthemindsoftwomen，whothoughwidelydifferent，hadsomanythingsincommon——classicallearning，modernliterature，wit，andhumour，andreadyrepartee——thatitwouldhavebeenmuchtoberegrettediftheyhadbeenforeveratadistancefromeachother。
Mr。BurkegavememuchcreditforthissuccessfulNEGOCIATION；andpleasantlysaid，that’therewasnothingtoequalitinthewholehistoryoftheCorpsDiplomatique。’
IattendedDr。Johnsonhome，andhadthesatisfactiontohearhimtellMrs。WilliamshowmuchhehadbeenpleasedwithMr。Wilkes’scompany，andwhatanagreeabledayhehadpassed。
ItalkedagooddealtohimofthecelebratedMargaretCarolineRudd，whomIhadvisited，inducedbythefameofhertalents，address，andirresistiblepoweroffascination。Toaladywhodisapprovedofmyvisitingher，hesaidonaformeroccasion，’Nay，Madam，Boswellisintheright；Ishouldhavevisitedhermyself，wereitnotthattheyhavenowatrickofputtingeverythingintothenews-papers。’Thiseveningheexclaimed，’IenvyhimhisacquaintancewithMrs。Rudd。’
OntheeveningofthenextdayItookleaveofhim，beingtosetoutforScotland。Ithankedhimwithgreatwarmthforallhiskindness。’Sir，saidhe，youareverywelcome。Nobodyrepaysitwithmore。
ThefollowinglettersconcerninganEpitaphwhichhewroteforthemonumentofDr。Goldsmith，inWestminster-Abbey，affordatonceaproofofhisunaffectedmodesty，hiscarelessnessastohisownwritings，andofthegreatrespectwhichheentertainedforthetasteandjudgementoftheexcellentandeminentpersontowhomtheyareaddressed：
TOSIRJOSHUAREYNOLDS。
DEARSIR，——Ihavebeenkeptawayfromyou，Iknownotwellhow，andofthesevexatioushindrancesIknownotwhentherewillbeanend。
IthereforesendyouthepoordearDoctor’sepitaph。Readitfirstyourself；andifyouthenthinkitright，shewittotheClub。I
am，youknow，willingtobecorrected。Ifyouthinkanythingmuchamiss，keepittoyourself，tillwecometogether。Ihavesenttwocopies，butpreferthecard。ThedatesmustbesettledbyDr。
Percy。Iam，Sir，yourmosthumbleservant，’May16，1776。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
Itwas，Ithink，afterIhadleftLondonthisyear，thatthisEpitaphgaveoccasiontoaRemonstrancetotheMONARCHOF
LITERATURE，foranaccountofwhichIamindebtedtoSirWilliamForbes，ofPitsligo。
Thatmyreadersmayhavethesubjectmorefullyandclearlybeforethem，IshallfirstinserttheEpitaph。
OLIVARIIGOLDSMITH，Poetae，Physici，Historici，QuinullumferescribendigenusNontetigit，Nullumquodtetiqitnonornavit：
Siverisusessentmovendi，Sivelacrymae，Affectuumpotensatlenisdominator：
Ingeniosublimis，vividus，versatilis，Orationegrandis，nitidus，venustus：
HocmonumentomemoriamcoluitSodaliumamor，Amicorumfides，Lectorumveneratio。
NatusinHiberniaForniaeLongfordiensis，InlococuinomenPallas，Nov。XXIX。MDCCXXXI；
Eblanaeliterisinstitutus；
ObiitLondini，AprilIV，MDCCLXXIV。’
SirWilliamForbeswritestomethus：——
’IenclosetheRoundRobin。Thisjeud’esprittookitsriseonedayatdinneratourfriendSirJoshuaReynolds’s。Allthecompanypresent，exceptmyself，werefriendsandacquaintanceofDr。
Goldsmith。TheEpitaph，writtenforhimbyDr。Johnson，becamethesubjectofconversation，andvariousemendationsweresuggested，whichitwasagreedshouldbesubmittedtotheDoctor’sconsideration。Butthequestionwas，whoshouldhavethecouragetoproposethemtohim？Atlastitwashinted，thattherecouldbenowaysogoodasthatofaRoundRobin，asthesailorscallit，whichtheymakeuseofwhentheyenterintoaconspiracy，soasnottoletitbeknownwhoputshisnamefirstorlasttothepaper。
Thispropositionwasinstantlyassentedto；andDr。Barnard，DeanofDerry，nowBishopofKillaloe，drewupanaddresstoDr。Johnsonontheoccasion，repletewithwitandhumour，butwhichitwasfearedtheDoctormightthinktreatedthesubjectwithtoomuchlevity。Mr。Burkethenproposedtheaddressasitstandsinthepaperinwriting，towhichIhadthehonourtoofficiateasclerk。
’SirJoshuaagreedtocarryittoDr。Johnson，whoreceiveditwithmuchgoodhumour，*anddesiredSirJoshuatotellthegentlemen，thathewouldaltertheEpitaphinanymannertheypleased，astothesenseofit；buthewouldneverconsenttodisgracethewallsofWestminsterAbbeywithanEnglishinscription。
*Hehowever，uponseeingDr。Warton’snametothesuggestion，thattheEpitaphshouldbeinEnglish，observedtoSirJoshua，’IwonderthatJoeWarton，ascholarbyprofession，shouldbesuchafool。’
Hesaidtoo，’IshouldhavethoughtMundBurkewouldhavehadmoresense。’Mr。Langton，whowasoneofthecompanyatSirJoshua’s，likeasturdyscholar，resolutelyrefusedtosigntheRoundRobin。
TheEpitaphisengraveduponDr。Goldsmith’smonumentwithoutanyalteration。Atanothertime，whensomebodyendeavouredtoargueinfavourofitsbeinginEnglish，Johnsonsaid，’Thelanguageofthecountryofwhichalearnedmanwasanative，isnotthelanguagefitforhisepitaph，whichshouldbeinancientandpermanentlanguage。Consider，Sir；howyoushouldfeel，wereyoutofindatRotterdamanepitaphuponErasmusINDUTCH!’——BOSWELL。
’IconsiderthisRoundRobinasaspeciesofliterarycuriosityworthpreserving，asitmarks，inacertaindegree，Dr。Johnson’scharacter。’
SirWilliamForbes’sobservationisveryjust。Theanecdotenowrelatedproves，inthestrongestmanner，thereverenceandawewithwhichJohnsonwasregarded，bysomeofthemosteminentmenofhistime，invariousdepartments，andevenbysuchofthemaslivedmostwithhim；whileitalsoconfirmswhatIhaveagainandagaininculcated，thathewasbynomeansofthatferociousandirasciblecharacterwhichhasbeenignorantlyimagined。
ThishastycompositionisalsotoberemarkedasoneofathousandinstanceswhichevincetheextraordinarypromptitudeofMr。Burke；
whowhileheisequaltothegreatestthings，canadorntheleast；
can，withequalfacility，embracethevastandcomplicatedspeculationsofpoliticks，ortheingenioustopicksofliteraryinvestigation。
’DR。JOHNSONTOMRS。BOSWELL。
’MADAM，——Youmustnotthinkmeuncivilinomittingtoanswertheletterwithwhichyoufavouredmesometimeago。IimaginedittohavebeenwrittenwithoutMr。Boswell’sknowledge，andthereforesupposedtheanswertorequire，whatIcouldnotfind，aprivateconveyance。
’ThedifferencewithLordAuchinleckisnowover；andsinceyoungAlexanderhasappeared，Ihopenomoredifficultieswillariseamongyou；forIsincerelywishyouallhappy。Donotteachtheyoungonestodislikeme，asyoudislikemeyourself；butletmeatleasthaveVeronica’skindness，becausesheismyacquaintance。
’YouwillnowhaveMr。Boswellhome；itiswellthatyouhavehim；
hehasledawildlife。IhavetakenhimtoLichfield，andhehasfollowedMr。ThraletoBath。Praytakecareofhim，andtamehim。
TheonlythinginwhichIhavethehonourtoagreewithyouis，inlovinghim；andwhilewearesomuchofamindinamatterofsomuchimportance，ourotherquarrelswill，Ihope，producenogreatbitterness。Iam，Madam，yourmosthumbleservant，’May16，1776。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
Iselectfromhisprivateregisterthefollowingpassage：
’July25，1776。OGod，whohastordainedthatwhateveristobedesiredshouldbesoughtbylabour，andwho，bythyblessing，bringesthonestlabourtogoodeffect，lookwithmercyuponmystudiesandendeavours。Grantme，OLORD，todesignonlywhatislawfulandright；andaffordmecalmnessofmind，andsteadinessofpurpose，thatImaysodothywillinthisshortlife，astoobtainhappinessintheworldtocome，forthesakeofJESUSCHRISTourLord。Amen。’
Itappearsfromanotesubjoined，thatthiswascomposedwhenhe’purposedtoapplyvigorouslytostudy，particularlyoftheGreekandItaliantongues。’
Suchapurpose，soexpressed，attheageofsixty-seven，isadmirableandencouraging；anditmustimpressallthethinkingpartofmyreaderswithaconsolatoryconfidenceinhabitualdevotion，whentheyseeamanofsuchenlargedintellectualpowersasJohnson，thusinthegenuineearnestnessofsecrecy，imploringtheaidofthatSupremeBeing，’fromwhomcomethdowneverygoodandeveryperfectgift。’