Scotchman." Why should we shut the gates of mercy' upon him, when we pardon his betters for more flagrant sins, for instance, Mr. Pope, who in his Essay on Criticism, makes a blunder, or rather uses an hyperbole, stronger than that of your poor irish mason.

When first young Maro in his noble mind A work t'outlast immortal Rome designed.' And to give you a more modern case, I lately heard an english shopkeeper say to a lady, in recommendation of his goods, 'Ma'am, it will wear for ever, and make you a petticoat afterwards.”

Irishman." Upon my word I did not think you could have found a match for the mason; but what will you say to my countryman, who, on meeting an acquaintance, accosted him with this ambiguous compliment- When first I saw you I thought it was you, but now I see it is your brother."

Scotchman." If I were not afraid you

would take me for a pedant, I should quote a sentence from Cicero, that is not far behind this blunder."

Irishman." I can take you for nothing but a friend-pray let us have the latin."

Scotchman." It is one of Cicero's compliments to Cæsar,- Qui, cum ipse imperator in toto imperio populi Romani unus esset, esse me alterum passus est*.'Perhaps," continued the Scotchman, "my way of pronouncing latin sounds strangely to you gentlemen?"

Irishman." And perhaps ours would be unintelligible to Cicero himself, if he were to overhear us; I fancy we are all so far from right, that we need not dispute about degrees of wrong."

The coach stopped at this instant, and the conversation was interrupted.

And when Cæsar was the only emperor within the dominion of Rome, he suffered me to be another,

195

CHAPTER XIII.
HAPTER

Bath Coach Conversation.

AFTER our travellers had dined, the conversation was renewed by the english gentleman's repeating Goldsmith's celebrated lines on Burke

"Who too deep for his hearers, still went on refining, And thought of convincing, whilst they thought of dining,

In short 'twas his fate unemploy'd or in place, sir, To eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor."

"What humour and wit there are in that poem of Goldsmith's! and where is there any thing equal to his Traveller?"

Irishman." Yet this is the man who used to be the butt of the company for his bulls."

Englishman." No, not for his bulls, but for blurting out opinions in conversa

tion, that could not stand the test of Dr. Johnson's critical powers. But what

would become of the freedom of wit and humour, if every word that came out of our mouths were subject to the tax of a professed critic's censure, or if every sentence were to undergo a logical examination? It would be well for Englishmen, if they were a little more inclined, like your open hearted countrymen, to blurt out their opinions freely."

"I

Scotchman." I cannot forgive Dr. Johnson for calling Goldsmith an inspired idiot; I confess I see no idiotism, but much inspiration in his works."

Irishman." But we must remember, that if Johnson did laugh at Goldsmith, he would let no one else laugh at him, and he was his most sincere and active friend. The world would, perhaps, never have seen the Vicar of Wakefield, if Johnson had not recommended it to a bookseller; and Goldsmith might have died in

jail, if the Doctor had not got him a hundred pounds for it, when poor Goldsmith did not know it was worth a shilling. When we recollect this, we must forgive the Doctor for calling him, in jest, an inspired idiot."

Scotchman." Especially as Goldsmith has wit enough, to bear him up against a thousand such jests."

Englishman." It is curious to observe how nearly wit and absurdity are allied. We may forgive the genius of Ireland if he sometimes

Leap his light courser o'er the bounds of taste.'

Even english genius is not always to be restrained within the strict limits of common sense. For instance Young is witty when he says

How would a miser startle, to be told

Of such a wonder as insolvent gold!'

But Johnson is, I am afraid, absurd, when

he says

• Turn from the glittering bribe your scornful eye, Nor sell for gold what gold can never buy.'