* He used to tell, with great humour, from my relation to him, the following little story of my early years, which was literally true:  ’Boswell, in the year 1745, was a fine boy, wore a white cockade, and prayed for King James, till one of his uncles (General Cochran) gave him a shilling on condition that he should pray for King George, which he accordingly did.  So you see (says Boswell) that Whigs of all ages are made the same way.’—­Boswell.

He advised me, when abroad, to be as much as I could with the Professors in the Universities, and with the Clergy; for from their conversation I might expect the best accounts of every thing in whatever country I should be, with the additional advantage of keeping my learning alive.

It will be observed, that when giving me advice as to my travels, Dr. Johnson did not dwell upon cities, and palaces, and pictures, and shows, and Arcadian scenes.  He was of Lord Essex’s opinion, who advises his kinsman Roger Earl of Rutland, ’rather to go an hundred miles to speak with one wise man, than five miles to see a fair town.’

I described to him an impudent fellow from Scotland, who affected to be a savage, and railed at all established systems.  Johnson.  ’There is nothing surprizing in this, Sir.  He wants to make himself conspicuous.  He would tumble in a hogstye, as long as you looked at him and called to him to come out.  But let him alone, never mind him, and he’ll soon give it over.’

I added, that the same person maintained that there was no distinction between virtue and vice.  Johnson.  ’Why, Sir, if the fellow does not think as he speaks, he is lying; and I see not what honour he can propose to himself from having the character of a lyar.  But if he does really think that there is no distinction between virtue and vice, why, Sir, when he leaves our houses let us count our spoons.’

He recommended to me to keep a journal of my life, full and unreserved.  He said it would be a very good exercise, and would yield me great satisfaction when the particulars were faded from my remembrance.  I was uncommonly fortunate in having had a previous coincidence of opinion with him upon this subject, for I had kept such a journal for some time; and it was no small pleasure to me to have this to tell him, and to receive his approbation.  He counselled me to keep it private, and said I might surely have a friend who would burn it in case of my death.  From this habit I have been enabled to give the world so many anecdotes, which would otherwise have been lost to posterity.  I mentioned that I was afraid I put into my journal too many little incidents.  Johnson.  ’There is nothing, Sir, too little for so little a creature as man.  It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.’

Next morning Mr. Dempster happened to call on me, and was so much struck even with the imperfect account which I gave him of Dr. Johnson’s conversation, that to his honour be it recorded, when I complained that drinking port and sitting up late with him affected my nerves for some time after, he said, ’One had better be palsied at eighteen than not keep company with such a man.’