Befides all this, think of the lofs of time, and the wafte of life that is continually made by fome who frequent thefe gaming places. Think how it calls away many a youth from their proper bufiness, and tempts them to throw away what is not their own, and rifque the fubftance, as well as the displeasure of their parents, or of their mafter, at all the uncertain hazards of a dice box.

IN

Anecdote of Dr. Johnfon.

N June or July, 1762, his Majefty, willing to reward literary merit, granted the penfion of 300l. a year. Sir John Hawkins, perhaps in a hurry to relieve the diftreffes of his friend, places this tranfaction in the year 1760, when, he says, Lord Bute was not Minifter till the rifing of the Parliament in 1762. Of this affair, as far as it is known, the real ftate is as follows: Mr. Wedderburn (now Lord Loughborough) had authority to mention it. He was well acquainted with Johnson, but he had heard much of his fierce independence and alfo of the downfall of Ofborne the Bookfeller. He did not know but a folio might be thrown at his own head, and, to avoid all untoward accidents, defired Mr. Murphy, who was intimate with

Johnfon,

Johnson, to open the matter to him. Mr. Mur

phy went, without delay, to the Doctor's chambers in the Inner Temple Lane. By due degrees and artful approaches, and after waiting for fome time for the mollia tempora fandi, the meffage was difclofed. Johnson was overwhelmed with the tidings. He made a long paufe: he afked if it was seriously intended? He fell into profound meditation, and at last his own definition of a penfioner occurred to him. He did not fay a fyllable about the Houfe of Hanover. It was enough to obferve to him that he, at leaft, did not come within the definition. The refult was, he took a fhort time to confider of it: he defired that Mr. Murphy and he might dine at the Mitre Tavern on the following day. The parties met at the appointed hour. The matter was fully discussed, and ended in Johnson's acknowledging himself highly honoured by his Majefty's liberal offer. It was then fixed that he was to be dreffed the next day at eleven o'clock, when a carriage would be ready to convey him to a house at the west end of the town, where Mr. Wedderburn would meet him, in order to proceed to the Earl of Bute. On the next day, Mr. Murphy was in the Temple-Lane foon after nine: he got Johnfon up, and dreffed in due time, and faw him fet off at eleven. Ofthe converfation between Lord Bute and Johnfon, the fubftance

fubftance was this: The penfion was notified; Johnfon expreffed his fenfe of the royal munificence, and thought himself the more highly honoured, as the offer was not made to him for having dipped his pen in faction. No, Sir, faid Lord Bute, it is not offered to you for having dipped your pen in faction, nor with a defire that you ever should. Sir John Hawkins fays, that after this interview, Johnson was often preffed to wait on Lord Bute but he never knocked at his door. Of Johnson's intimates there are many living to whom this is entirely new. Certain it is, he was never heard to utter a difrefpectful word of that Nobleman. Mrs. Piozzi has related a difpute with the late Dr. Rofe of Chifwick, about the Scotch and English writers. Dr. Rofe contended for the pre-eminence of his countrymen: and Ferguson's book upon Civil Society, he faid, would give the laurel to the Authors of North-Britain. "Alas! what can he do upon the fubject? Ariftotle, Polybius, Grotius, Puffendorf, and Burlamaqui have been before him. He will treat it, faid Dr. Rose, in a new manner."—" A new manner!-Buckinger had no hands, and he wrote his name with his toes, for half a crown a time, at Charing-crofs; that was a new manner of writing!" Mrs. Piozzi has omitted the reply. If that will not fatisfy you, faid Dr. Rofe, I will name a writer, whom you must allow to be the best in the

the kingdom." Who is that?-The Earl of Bute, when he wrote an order for your penfion. There, Sir, replied Johnson, you have me in the toil: to Lord Bute I must allow whatever praise you claim for him.-Ingratitude was no part of Johnson's

character.

SONG.

A

MORAL THOUGHT.

THR

"HRO' groves fequefter'd, dark, and still,
Low vales, and moffy cells among,

In filent paths the careless rill
With languid murmurs fteals along.
Awhile it plays with circling fweep,

And ling'ring leaves its native plain!
Then pours impetuous down the steep,
And mingles with the boundless main.
O let my years thus devious glide,

Through filent scenes obfcurely calm;
Nor wealth, nor ftrife pollute the tide,
Nor honor's fanguinary palm.
When labour tires, and pleasure palls,

Still let the ftream untroubled be,
As down the steep of age it falls,
And mingles with eternity.

ESSAY

A

ESSA Y

O N

READING.

LL the pursuits of man in this world, have one univerfal gaol-happiness: various indeed are the meandering paths of different travellers to reach this fo much defired fpot. As our paffions prompt, and our defires excite, we rush on, but often find ourselves in the road directly oppofite to that which leads to the temple of felicity. All corporeal pleasures, as they are tranfitory, cannot communicate a lafting fatisfaction; mental gratification can alone be of any duration, or furnish us with agreeable reflection.

Of all the amufements of the mind, there is none more agreeable, more useful, or more eafily obtained than reading. Plautus, the poet and philofopher, was in his youth much addicted to the vanities of the world; and being naturally vivacious and mercurial, he was very inconftant and excentric in his conduct. His firft vocation in life was that of a foldier; he then tried his fortune at fea; he afterwards turned baker; then he commenced taylor; but this profeffion not answering, he became a merchant; at length, after having