and studied declarations.--'Afternoon spent cheerfully and
elegantly, I hope without offence to GOD or man; though in no holy duty,
yet in the general exercise and cultivation of benevolence.'

On Monday, May 17, I dined with him at Mr. Dilly's, where were Colonel
Vallancy, the Reverend Dr. Gibbons, and Mr. Capel Lofft, who, though a
most zealous Whig, has a mind so full of learning and knowledge, and so
much exercised in various departments, and withal so much liberality,
that the stupendous powers of the literary Goliath, though they did not
frighten this little David of popular spirit, could not but excite his
admiration. There was also Mr. Braithwaite of the Post-office, that
amiable and friendly man, who, with modest and unassuming manners, has
associated with many of the wits of the age. Johnson was very quiescent
to-day. Perhaps too I was indolent. I find nothing more of him in my
notes, but that when I mentioned that I had seen in the King's library
sixty-three editions of my favourite Thomas a Kempis, amongst which
it was in eight languages, Latin, German, French, Italian, Spanish,
English, Arabick, and Armenian, he said, he thought it unnecessary to
collect many editions of a book, which were all the same, except as
to the paper and print; he would have the original, and all the
translations, and all the editions which had any variations in the text.
He approved of the famous collection of editions of Horace by Douglas,
mentioned by Pope, who is said to have had a closet filled with them;
and he added, every man should try to collect one book in that manner,
and present it to a publick library.'

On Wednesday, May 19, I sat a part of the evening with him, by
ourselves. I observed, that the death of our friends might be a
consolation against the fear of our own dissolution, because we might
have more friends in the other world than in this. He perhaps felt this
as a reflection upon his apprehension as to death; and said, with heat,
'How can a man know WHERE his departed friends are, or whether they will
be his friends in the other world? How many friendships have you known
formed upon principles of virtue? Most friendships are formed by caprice
or by chance, mere confederacies in vice or leagues in folly.'

We talked of our worthy friend Mr. Langton. He said, 'I know not who
will go to Heaven if Langton does not. Sir, I could almost say, Sit
anima mea cum Langtono.' I mentioned a very eminent friend as a virtu