’His distinction of the different degrees of attainment of learning was thus marked upon two occasions.  Of Queen Elizabeth he said, “She had learning enough to have given dignity to a bishop;” and of Mr. Thomas Davies he said, “Sir, Davies has learning enough to give credit to a clergyman[47]."’

’He used to quote, with great warmth, the saying of Aristotle recorded by Diogenes Laertius[48]; that there was the same difference between one learned and unlearned, as between the living and the dead.’

’It is very remarkable, that he retained in his memory very slight and trivial, as well as important things[49].  As an instance of this, it seems that an inferiour domestick of the Duke of Leeds had attempted to celebrate his Grace’s marriage in such homely rhimes as he could make; and this curious composition having been sung to Dr. Johnson he got it by heart, and used to repeat it in a very pleasant manner.  Two of the stanzas were these:—­

     “When the Duke of Leeds shall married be
      To a fine young lady of high quality,
      How happy will that gentlewoman be
      In his Grace of Leeds’s good company.

      She shall have all that’s fine and fair,
      And the best of silk and sattin shall wear;
      And ride in a coach to take the air,
      And have a house in St. James’s-square[50].”

To hear a man, of the weight and dignity of Johnson, repeating such humble attempts at poetry, had a very amusing effect.  He, however, seriously observed of the last stanza repeated by him, that it nearly comprized all the advantages that wealth can give.’

’An eminent foreigner, when he was shewn the British Museum, was very troublesome with many absurd inquiries.  “Now there, Sir, (said he,) is the difference between an Englishman and a Frenchman.  A Frenchman must be always talking, whether he knows any thing of the matter or not; an Englishman is content to say nothing, when he has nothing to say."’

’His unjust contempt for foreigners was, indeed, extreme.  One evening, at old Slaughter’s coffee-house[51], when a number of them were talking loud about little matters, he said, “Does not this confirm old Meynell’s[52] observation—­For any thing I see, foreigners are fools[53]."’

’He said, that once, when he had a violent tooth-ach, a Frenchman accosted him thus:—­Ah, Monsieur vous etudiez trop[54].’

’Having spent an evening at Mr. Langton’s with the Reverend Dr. Parr, he was much pleased with the conversation of that learned gentleman; and after he was gone, said to Mr. Langton, “Sir, I am obliged to you for having asked me this evening.  Parr is a fair man.  I do not know when I have had an occasion of such free controversy.  It is remarkable how much of a man’s life may pass without meeting with any instance of this kind of open discussion[55]."’

’We may fairly institute a criticism between Shakspeare and Corneille[56], as they both had, though in a different degree, the lights of a latter age.  It is not so just between the Greek dramatick writers and Shakspeare.  It may be replied to what is said by one of the remarkers on Shakspeare, that though Darius’s shade[57] had prescience, it does not necessarily follow that he had all past particulars revealed to him.’