Lord Chesterfield being mentioned, Johnson remarked, that almost all of that celebrated nobleman’s witty sayings were puns.  He, however, allowed the merit of good wit to his Lordship’s saying of Lord Tyrawley and himself, when both very old and infirm:  ’Tyrawley and I have been dead these two years; but we don’t choose to have it known.’

The conversation having turned on modern imitations of ancient ballads, and some one having praised their simplicity, he treated them with that ridicule which he always displayed when that subject was mentioned.

He disapproved of introducing scripture phrases into secular discourse.  This seemed to me a question of some difficulty.  A scripture expression may be used, like a highly classical phrase, to produce an instantaneous strong impression; and it may be done without being at all improper.  Yet I own there is danger, that applying the language of our sacred book to ordinary subjects may tend to lessen our reverence for it.  If therefore it be introduced at all, it should be with very great caution.

On Thursday, April 8, I sat a good part of the evening with him, but he was very silent.

Though he was not disposed to talk, he was unwilling that I should leave him; and when I looked at my watch, and told him it was twelve o’clock, he cried, What’s that to you and me?’ and ordered Frank to tell Mrs. Williams that we were coming to drink tea with her, which we did.  It was settled that we should go to church together next day.

On the 9th of April, being Good Friday, I breakfasted with him on tea and cross-buns; Doctor Levet, as Frank called him, making the tea.  He carried me with him to the church of St. Clement Danes, where he had his seat; and his behaviour was, as I had imaged to myself, solemnly devout.  I never shall forget the tremulous earnestness with which he pronounced the awful petition in the Litany:  ’In the hour of death, and at the day of judgement, good Lord deliver us.

We went to church both in the morning and evening.  In the interval between the two services we did not dine; but he read in the Greek New Testament, and I turned over several of his books.

I told him that Goldsmith had said to me a few days before, ’As I take my shoes from the shoemaker, and my coat from the taylor, so I take my religion from the priest.’  I regretted this loose way of talking.  Johnson.  ‘Sir, he knows nothing; he has made up his mind about nothing.’

To my great surprize he asked me to dine with him on Easter-day.  I never supposed that he had a dinner at his house; for I had not then heard of any one of his friends having been entertained at his table.  He told me, ’I generally have a meat pye on Sunday:  it is baked at a publick oven, which is very properly allowed, because one man can attend it; and thus the advantage is obtained of not keeping servants from church to dress dinners.’