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the maxims herein contained are those of one of the greatest moralists, and most acute judges of human nature, that ever lived, there are few occasions on which this manual of knowledge and wisdom may not be consulted with both profit and pleasure.

It may be added, that, to those whom circumstances permit to have the pleasure of reading but seldom, a work comprising many things in few words, a short cut to wisdom, which may be traversed in little time and at little expense; to persons so situated, a work of this kind must be peculiarly acceptable, and to such, this work, which will be found to be of this nature, is presented.

London, September 1, 1825.

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TABLE TALK..

CONVERSATION.

JOHNSON'S usual phrase for conversation was talk; yet he made a distinction; for having once dined at a friend's house with what he termed "a very pretty company," and being asked if there was good conversation, he answered, "No, sir; we had talk enough, but no conversation; there was nothing discussed."

He had a great aversion to gesticulation in company, and called once to a gentleman who offended him in that point, "Don't attitudenise.' When another gentleman thought he was giving additional force to what he uttered, by expressive movements of his hands, Johnson fairly seized them, and held them down.

He also disapproved of introducing scripture phrases into secular discourse.

Mr. Boswell having on some occasion observed, that he thought it right to tell one man of a handsome thing which had been said of him by another, as tending to increase benevolence, Johnson answered, "Undoubtedly it is right, sir."

He thus defined the difference between physical and moral truth: "Physical truth is, when you tell a thing as it actually is. Moral truth is, when you tell a thing sincerely and precisely as it appears to you. I say such a one walked across the street; if he really did so, I told a physical

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truth. If I thought so, though I should have been mistaken, I told a moral truth."

"A man," he said, "should be careful never to tell tales of himself to his own disadvantage. People may be amused and laugh at the time; but they will be remembered, and brought out against him upon some subsequent occasion."

At another time he observed," A man cannot with propriety speak of himself, except he relates simple facts; as, 'I was at Richmond:' or what depends on mensuration; as, 'I am six feet high.' He is sure he has been at Richmond; he is sure he is six feet high: but he cannot be sure he is wise, or that he has any other excellence. Then, all censure of a man's self is oblique praise. It is in order to show how much he can spare. It has all the invidiousness of self-praise, and all the reproach of falsehood." Mr. Boswell, however, remarks, that this may sometimes proceed from a man's strong consciousness of his faults being observed. He knows that others would throw him down, and therefore he had better lie down softly of his own accord.

Johnson used also to say, that if a man talked of his misfortunes, we might depend upon it there was something in them not disagreeable to himfor where there was nothing but pure misery, there never was any recourse to the mention of it.

Talking of an acquaintance, whose narratives, which abounded in curious and interesting topics, were unhappily found to be very fabulous, Mr. B. mentioned Lord Mansfield's having said, "Suppose we believe one half of what he tells."

Aye," said Johnson, "but we don't know which half to believe. By his lying we lose not only

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