state of being.  Mrs. Thrale and I looked to each other while he talked, and our looks expressed our congenial admiration and affection for him.  I shall ever recollect this scene with great pleasure, I exclaimed to her, ’I am now, intellectually, Hermippus redivivus, I am quite restored by him, by transfusion of mind.’  ’There are many (she replied) who admire and respect Mr. Johnson; but you and I love him.’

     * He said, when in Scotland, that he was Johnson of that
     Ilk.—­Boswell.

He seemed very happy in the near prospect of going to Italy with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale.  ’But, (said he,) before leaving England I am to take a jaunt to Oxford, Birmingham, my native city Lichfield, and my old friend, Dr. Taylor’s, at Ashbourn, in Derbyshire.  I shall go in a few days, and you, Boswell, shall go with me.’  I was ready to accompany him; being willing even to leave London to have the pleasure of his conversation.

We got into a boat to cross over to Black-friars; and as we moved along the Thames, I talked to him of a little volume, which, altogether unknown to him, was advertised to be published in a few days, under the title of Johnsoniana, or Bon-Mots of Dr. Johnson.  Johnson.  ’Sir, it is a mighty impudent thing.’  Boswell.  ’Pray, Sir, could you have no redress if you were to prosecute a publisher for bringing out, under your name, what you never said, and ascribing to you dull stupid nonsense, or making you swear profanely, as many ignorant relaters of your bon-mots do?’ Johnson.  ’No, Sir; there will always be some truth mixed with the falsehood, and how can it be ascertained how much is true and how much is false?  Besides, Sir, what damages would a jury give me for having been represented as swearing?’ Boswell.  ’I think, Sir, you should at least disavow such a publication, because the world and posterity might with much plausible foundation say, “Here is a volume which was publickly advertised and came out in Dr. Johnson’s own time, and, by his silence, was admitted by him to be genuine."’ Johnson.  ’I shall give myself no trouble about the matter.’

He was, perhaps, above suffering from such spurious publications; but I could not help thinking, that many men would be much injured in their reputation, by having absurd and vicious sayings imputed to them; and that redress ought in such cases to be given.

He said, ’The value of every story depends on its being true.  A story is a picture either of an individual or of human nature in general:  if it be false, it is a picture of nothing.  For instance:  suppose a man should tell that Johnson, before setting out for Italy, as he had to cross the Alps, sat down to make himself wings.  This many people would believe; but it would be a picture of nothing. ******* (naming a worthy friend of ours,) used to think a story, a story, till I shewed him that truth was essential to it.’  I observed, that Foote entertained us with stories which were not true; but that, indeed, it was properly not as narratives that Foote’s stories pleased us, but as collections of ludicrous images.  Johnson.  ‘Foote is quite impartial, for he tells lies of every body.’