Smith does, who says, in a letter to Mr. Strahan the Printer (not a confidential letter to his friend, but a letter which is published[75] with all formality:) ’Upon the whole, I have always considered him, both in his life time and since his death, as approaching as nearly to the idea of a perfectly wise and virtuous man as perhaps the nature of human frailty will permit.’  Let Dr. Smith consider:  Was not Mr. Hume blest with good health, good spirits, good friends, a competent and increasing fortune?  And had he not also a perpetual feast of fame[76]?  But, as a learned friend has observed to me, ’What trials did he undergo to prove the perfection of his virtue?  Did he ever experience any great instance of adversity?’—­When I read this sentence delivered by my old Professor of Moral Philosophy, I could not help exclaiming with the Psalmist, ’Surely I have now more understanding than my teachers[77]!’

While we were talking, there came a note to me from Dr. William Robertson.

’DEAR SIR,
   ’I have been expecting every day to hear from you, of Dr. Johnson’s
arrival.  Pray, what do you know about his motions?  I long to take him by the hand.  I write this from the college, where I have only this scrap of paper.  Ever yours,

‘W.  R.’

‘Sunday.’

It pleased me to find Dr. Robertson thus eager to meet Dr. Johnson.  I was glad I could answer, that he was come:  and I begged Dr. Robertson might be with us as soon as he could.

Sir William Forbes, Mr. Scott, Mr. Arbuthnot, and another gentleman dined with us.  ’Come, Dr. Johnson, (said I,) it is commonly thought that our veal in Scotland is not good.  But here is some which I believe you will like.’  There was no catching him.  JOHNSON.  ’Why, Sir, what is commonly thought, I should take to be true. Your veal may be good; but that will only be an exception to the general opinion; not a proof against it.’

Dr. Robertson, according to the custom of Edinburgh at that time, dined in the interval between the forenoon and afternoon service, which was then later than now; so we had not the pleasure of his company till dinner was over, when he came and drank wine with us.  And then began some animated dialogue[78], of which here follows a pretty full note.

We talked of Mr. Burke.  Dr. Johnson said, he had great variety of knowledge, store of imagery, copiousness of language.  ROBERTSON.  ’He has wit too.’  JOHNSON.  ’No, Sir; he never succeeds there.  ’Tis low; ’tis conceit.  I used to say, Burke never once made a good joke[79].  What I most envy Burke for, is his being constantly the same.  He is never what we call hum-drum; never unwilling to begin to talk, nor in haste to leave off.’  BOSWELL.  ‘Yet he can listen.’  JOHNSON.  ’No:  I cannot say he is good at that[80].  So desirous is he to talk, that, if one is speaking at this end of the table, he’ll speak to somebody at the other end.  Burke, Sir, is such a man,