ture, the French have a couple of tragick poets who go
round the world, Racine and Corneille, and one comick poet, Moliere.'
BOSWELL. 'They have Fenelon.' JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, _Telemachus_ is pretty
well.' BOSWELL. 'And Voltaire, Sir.' JOHNSON. 'He has not stood his
trial yet. And what makes Voltaire chiefly circulate is collection; such
as his _Universal History_.' BOSWELL. 'What do you say to the Bishop of
Meaux?' JOHNSON. 'Sir, nobody reads him[843].' He would not allow
Massilon and Bourdaloue to go round the world. In general, however, he
gave the French much praise for their industry.

He asked me whether he had mentioned, in any of the papers of the
_Rambler_, the description in Virgil of the entrance into Hell, with an
application to the press; 'for (said he) I do not much remember them.' I
told him, 'No.' Upon which he repeated it:--

'Vestibulum ante ipsum, primisque in faucibus orci,
Luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae;
Pallentesque habitant Morbi, tristisque Senectus,
Et metus, et malesuada Fames, et turpis Egestas,
Terribiles visu formae; Lethumque, Laborque[844].'

'Now, (said he) almost all these apply exactly to an authour: all these
are the concomitants of a printing-house. I proposed to him to dictate
an essay on it, and offered to write it. He said, he would not do it
then, but perhaps would write one at some future period.

The Sunday evening that we sat by ourselves at Aberdeen, I asked him
several particulars of his life, from his early years, which he readily
told me; and I wrote them down before him. This day I proceeded in my
inquiries, also writing them in his presence. I have them on detached
sheets. I shall collect authentick materials for THE LIFE OF SAMUEL
JOHNSON, LL.D.; and, if I survive him, I shall be one who will most
faithfully do honour to his memory. I have now a vast treasure of his
conversation, at different times, since the year 1762[845], when I first
obtained his acquaintance; and, by assiduous inquiry, I can make up for
not knowing him sooner[846].

A Newcastle ship-master, who happened to be in the house, intruded
himself upon us. He was much in liquor, and talked nonsense about his
being a man for _Wilkes and Liberty_, and against the ministry. Dr.
Johnson was angry, that 'a fellow should come into _our_ company, who
was fit for _no_ company.' He left us soon.

Col returned from his aunt, and told us, she insisted that we should
come to