' He, however, stood upon the defensive. 'Why, Sir, the sense
of ridicule is given us, and may be lawfully used. The authour of The
Government of the Tongue would have us treat all men alike.'
In the interval between morning and evening service, he endeavoured
to employ himself earnestly in devotional exercises; and as he has
mentioned in his Prayers and Meditations, gave me Les Pensees de
Paschal, that I might not interrupt him. I preserve the book with
reverence. His presenting it to me is marked upon it with his own hand,
and I have found in it a truly divine unction. We went to church again
in the afternoon.
On Wednesday, April 7, I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's. I have
not marked what company was there. Johnson harangued upon the qualities
of different liquors; and spoke with great contempt of claret, as so
weak, that a man would be drowned by it before it made him drunk.' He
was persuaded to drink one glass of it, that he might judge, not from
recollection, which might be dim, but from immediate sensation.
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