580] The justness of this remark is confirmed by the following story,
for which I am indebted to Lord Eliot:--A country parson, who was
remarkable for quoting scraps of Latin in his sermons, having died, one
of his parishioners was asked how he liked his successor. 'He is a very
good preacher,' was his answer, 'but no _latiner_.' BOSWELL. For the
original of Lord Eliot's story see Twells's _Life of Dr. E. Pocock_, ed.
1816, p. 94. Reynolds said that 'Johnson always practised on every
occasion the rule of speaking his best, whether the person to whom he
addressed himself was or was not capable of comprehending him. "If,"
says he, "I am understood, my labour is not lost. If it is above their
comprehension, there is some gratification, though it is the admiration
of ignorance;" and he said those were the most sincere admirers; and
quoted Baxter, who made a rule never to preach a sermon without saying
something which he knew was beyond the comprehension of his audience, in
order to inspire their admiration.' Taylor's _Reynolds_, ii. 456.
Addison, in _The Spectator_, No. 221, tells of a preacher in a country
town who outshone a more ignorant rival, by quoting every now and then a
Latin sentence from one of the Fathers. 'The other finding his
congregation mouldering every Sunday, and hearing at length what was the
occasion of it, resolved to give his parish a little Latin in his turn;
but being unacquainted with any of the Fathers, he digested into his
sermons the whole book of _Quae Genus_, adding, however, such
explications to it as he thought might be for the benefit of his people.
He afterwards entered upon _As in praesenti_, which he converted in the
same manner to the use of his parishioners. This in a very little time
thickened his audience, filled his church, and routed his antagonist.'

[581] See _ante_, ii. 96

[582] '"Well," said he, "we had good talk." BOSWELL. "Yes, Sir; you
tossed and gored several persons."' _Ante,_ ii. 66.

[583] Dr. J. H. Burton says of Hume (_Life, ii. 31_):--'No Scotsman
could write a book of respectable talent without calling forth his loud
and warm eulogiums. Wilkie was to be the Homer, Blacklock the Pindar,
and Home the Shakespeare or something still greater of his country.' See
_ante_, ii. 121, 296, 306.

[584] _The Present State of Music in France and Italy,_ I vol. 1771, and
_The Present State of Music in Germany, &c.,_ 2 vols. 1773. Johnson must
have skipped widely in reading thes