* July 21.

’Sir, I love the acquaintance of young people; because, in the first place, I don’t like to think myself growing old.  In the next place, young acquaintances must last longest, if they do last; and then, Sir, young men have more virtue than old men:  they have more generous sentiments in every respect.  I love the young dogs of this age:  they have more wit and humour and knowledge of life than we had; but then the dogs are not so good scholars.  Sir, in my early years I read very hard.  It is a sad reflection, but a true one, that I knew almost as much at eighteen as I do now.  My judgement, to be sure, was not so good; but I had all the facts.  I remember very well, when I was at Oxford, an old gentleman said to me, “Young man, ply your book diligently now, and acquire a stock of knowledge; for when years come upon you, you will find that poring upon books will be but an irksome task."’

He again insisted on the duty of maintaining subordination of rank.  ’Sir, I would no more deprive a nobleman of his respect, than of his money.  I consider myself as acting a part in the great system of society, and I do to others as I would have them to do to me.  I would behave to a nobleman as I should expect he would behave to me, were I a nobleman and he Sam.  Johnson.  Sir, there is one Mrs. Macaulay* in this town, a great republican.  One day when I was at her house, I put on a very grave countenance, and said to her, “Madam, I am now become a convert to your way of thinking.  I am convinced that all mankind are upon an equal footing; and to give you an unquestionable proof, Madam, that I am in earnest, here is a very sensible, civil, well-behaved fellow-citizen, your footman; I desire that he may be allowed to sit down and dine with us.”  I thus, Sir, shewed her the absurdity of the levelling doctrine.  She has never liked me since.  Sir, your levellers wish to level down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.  They would all have some people under them; why not then have some people above them?’ I mentioned a certain authour who disgusted me by his forwardness, and by shewing no deference to noblemen into whose company he was admitted.  Johnson.  ’Suppose a shoemaker should claim an equality with him, as he does with a Lord; how he would stare.  “Why, Sir, do you stare? (says the shoemaker,) I do great service to society.  ’Tis true I am paid for doing it; but so are you, Sir:  and I am sorry to say it, paid better than I am, for doing something not so necessary.  For mankind could do better without your books, than without my shoes.”  Thus, Sir, there would be a perpetual struggle for precedence, were there no fixed invariable rules for the distinction of rank, which creates no jealousy, as it is allowed to be accidental.’

     * This one Mrs. Macaulay was the same personage who
     afterwards made herself so much known as the celebrated
     female historian.’—­Boswell.