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Johnson loved his dinner exceedingly； and has often said in my hearing； perhaps for my edification； 〃that wherever the dinner is ill got there is poverty or there is avarice； or there is stupidity； in short； the family is somehow grossly wrong： for；〃 continued he； 〃a man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner； and if he cannot get that well dressed； he should be suspected of inaccuracy in other things。〃 One day； when he was speaking upon the subject； I asked him if he ever huffed his wife about his dinner？ 〃So often；〃 replied he； 〃that at last she called to me； and said； 'Nay； hold； Mr。 Johnson； and do not make a farce of thanking God for a dinner which in a few minutes you will protest not eatable。'〃
When any disputes arose between our married acquaintance； however； Mr。 Johnson always sided with the husband； 〃whom；〃 he said； 〃the woman had probably provoked so often； she scarce knew when or how she had disobliged him first。 Women；〃 says Dr。 Johnson； 〃give great offence by a contemptuous spirit of non…compliance on petty occasions。 The man calls his wife to walk with him in the shade； and she feels a strange desire just at that moment to sit in the sun： he offers to read her a play； or sing her a song； and she calls the children in to disturb them； or advises him to seize that opportunity of settling the family accounts。 Twenty such tricks will the faithfullest wife in the world not refuse to play； and then look astonished when the fellow fetches in a mistress。 Boarding…schools were established；〃 continued he； 〃for the conjugal quiet of the parents。 The two partners cannot agree which child to fondle； nor how to fondle them； so they put the young ones to school； and remove the cause of contention。 The little girl pokes her head； the mother reproves her sharply。 'Do not mind your mamma；' says the father； 'my dear； but do your own way。' The mother complains to me of this。 'Madam；' said I； 'your husband is right all the while； he is with you but two hours of the day； perhaps； and then you tease him by making the child cry。 Are not ten hours enough for tuition？ and are the hours of pleasure so frequent in life； that when a man gets a couple of quiet ones to spend in familiar chat with his wife； they must be poisoned by petty mortifications？ Put missy to school； she will learn to hold her head like her neighbours； and you will no longer torment your family for want of other talk。'〃。
The vacuity of life had at some early period of his life struck so forcibly on the mind of Mr。 Johnson； that it became by repeated impression his favourite hypothesis； and the general tenor of his reasonings commonly ended there； wherever they might begin。 Such things； therefore； as other philosophers often attribute to various and contradictory causes； appeared to him uniform enough； all was done to fill up the time； upon his principle。 I used to tell him that it was like the clown's answer in As You Like It； of 〃Oh； lord； sir！〃 for that it suited every occasion。 One man； for example； was profligate and wild； as we call it； followed the girls； or sat still at the gaming…table。 〃Why； life must be filled up；〃 says Johnson； 〃and the man who is not capable of intellectual pleasures must content himself with such as his senses can afford。〃 Another was a hoarder。 〃Why； a fellow must do something； and what； so easy to a narrow mind as hoarding halfpence till they turn into sixpences。〃 Avarice was a vice against which； however； I never much heard Mr。 Johnson declaim； till one represented it to him connected with cruelty； or some such disgraceful companion。 〃Do not；〃 said he； 〃discourage your children from hoarding if they have a taste to it： whoever lays up his penny rather than part with it for a cake； at least is not the slave of gross appetite； and shows besides a preference always to be esteemed； of the future to the present moment。 Such a mind may be made a good one； but the natural spendthrift； who grasps his pleasures greedily and coarsely； and cares for nothing but immediate indulgence； is very little to be valued above a negro。〃 We talked of Lady Tavistock； who grieved herself to death for the loss of her husband〃She was rich； and wanted employment；〃 says Johnson； 〃so she cried till she lost all power of restraining her tears： other women are forced to outlive their husbands； who were just as much beloved； depend on it； but they have no time for grief： and I doubt not； if we had put my Lady Tavistock into a small chandler's shop； and given her a nurse…child to tend； her life would have been saved。 The poor and the busy have no leisure for sentimental sorrow。〃 We were speaking of a gentleman who loved his friend〃Make him Prime Minister；〃 says Johnson； 〃and see how long his friend will be remembered。〃 But he had a rougher answer for me； when I commended a sermon preached by an intimate acquaintance of our own at the trading end of the town。 〃What was the subject； madam？〃 says Dr。 Johnson。 〃Friendship； sir；〃 replied I。 〃Why； now； is it not strange that a wise man； like our dear little Evans； should take it in his head to preach on such a subject； in a place where no one can be thinking of it？〃 〃Why； what are they thinking upon； sir？〃 said I。 〃Why； the men are thinking on their money； I suppose； and the women are thinking of their mops。〃
Dr。 Johnson's knowledge and esteem of what we call low or coarse life was indeed prodigious； and he did not like that the upper ranks should be dignified with the name of THE WORLD。 Sir Joshua Reynolds said one day that nobody WORE laced coats now； and that once everybody wore them。 〃See； now；〃 says Johnson； 〃how absurd that is； as if the bulk of mankind consisted of fine gentlemen that came to him to sit for their pictures。 If every man who wears a laced coat （that he can pay for） was extirpated； who would miss them？〃 With all this haughty contempt of gentility； no praise was more welcome to Dr。 Johnson than that which said he had the notions or manners of a gentleman： which character I have heard him define with accuracy； and describe with elegance。 〃Officers；〃 he said； 〃were falsely supposed to have the carriage of gentlemen； whereas no profession left a stronger brand behind it than that of a soldier； and it was the essence of a gentleman's character to bear the visible mark of no profession whatever。〃 He once named Mr。 Berenger as the standard of true elegance； but some one objecting that he too much resembled the gentleman in Congreve's comedies； Mr。 Johnson said； 〃We must fix them upon the famous Thomas Hervey； whose manners were polished even to acuteness and brilliancy； though he lost but little in solid power of reasoning； and in genuine force of mind。〃 Mr。 Johnson had； however； an avowed and scarcely limited partiality for all who bore the name or boasted the alliance of an Aston or a Hervey； and when Mr。 Thrale once asked him which had been the happiest period of his past life？ he replied； 〃It was that year in which he spent one whole evening with M…y Asn。 That； indeed；〃 said he； 〃was not happiness； it was rapture； but the thoughts of it sweetened the whole year。〃 I must add that the evening alluded to was not passed tete…a…