to drink confusion to King George the Third, and a happy restoration to Charles the Third, this would be very bad with respect to the State; but every member of that club must either conform to its rules, or be turned out of it.  Old Baxter, I remember, maintains, that the magistrate should “tolerate all things that are tolerable.”  This is no good definition of toleration upon any principle; but it shows that he thought some things were not tolerable.’  Toplady.  ’Sir, you have untwisted this difficult subject with great dexterity.’

During this argument, Goldsmith sat in restless agitation, from a wish to get in and shine.  Finding himself excluded, he had taken his hat to go away, but remained for some time with it in his hand, like a gamester, who at the close of a long night, lingers for a little while, to see if he can have a favourable opening to finish with success.  Once when he was beginning to speak, he found himself overpowered by the loud voice of Johnson, who was at the opposite end of the table, and did not perceive Goldsmith’s attempt.  Thus disappointed of his wish to obtain the attention of the company, Goldsmith in a passion threw down his hat, looking angrily at Johnson, and exclaiming in a bitter tone, ‘take it.’  When Toplady was going to speak, Johnson uttered some sound, which led Goldsmith to think that he was beginning again, and taking the words from Toplady.  Upon which, he seized this opportunity of venting his own envy and spleen, under the pretext of supporting another person: 

’Sir, (said he to Johnson,) the gentleman has heard you patiently for an hour; pray allow us now to hear him.’  Johnson. (sternly,) ’Sir, I was not interrupting the gentleman.  I was only giving him a signal of my attention.  Sir, you are impertinent.’  Goldsmith made no reply, but continued in the company for some time.

A gentleman present ventured to ask Dr. Johnson if there was not a material difference as to toleration of opinions which lead to action, and opinions merely speculative; for instance, would it be wrong in the magistrate to tolerate those who preach against the doctrine of the Trinity?  Johnson was highly offended, and said, ’I wonder, Sir, how a gentleman of your piety can introduce this subject in a mixed company.’  He told me afterwards, that the impropriety was, that perhaps some of the company might have talked on the subject in such terms as might have shocked him; or he might have been forced to appear in their eyes a narrow-minded man.  The gentleman, with submissive deference, said, he had only hinted at the question from a desire to hear Dr. Johnson’s opinion upon it.  Johnson.  ’Why then, Sir, I think that permitting men to preach any opinion contrary to the doctrine of the established church tends, in a certain degree, to lessen the authority of the church, and consequently, to lessen the influence of religion.’  ’It may be considered, (said the gentleman,) whether it would not be politick to tolerate in such a case.’  Johnson.  ’Sir, we have been talking of right:  this is another question.  I think it is not politick to tolerate in such a case.’