I

go. I dine fix days in the week at good tables, have frequent invitations to parties of pleasure ; nay, I might have even fome profeffional advantage, if I was inclined to lay hold of it, and might be fee'd for prescribing remedies to people of fashion, of which themselves have first told me the infallibility. I had a prefent of a gold fnuff-box from an old gouty Lord, for liftening to his account of the virtues of fulphur water; and my Lady Notable lately fent me a fuit of damafk of her own making, for having staid to witness fome experiments with her favourite worm-powder.

Not only indeed in medicine, in which I might be supposed to have fome knowledge, but in most other arts and sciences, this fame echocounfel has given me the character of being very skilful and well informed. I have acquired a great character for connoiffeurship in painting, by advifing the great collector, Mr. Tinto, to purchase, as an original Vandyke, a picture which his ordinary counsellor in these matters had infifted, in fpite of his patron's affertion, was but a copy; and an author of great reputation has mentioned me as one of the jufteft critics of his acquaintance, because I gave it as my opinion, that he should by all means retain a fimile in his new tragedy, which an actor would have had him cut out as too long and unnatural.

At

At the theatre my advice is followed, even by that most unadvisable of all profeffions, the players, ever fince I told Mr. that he was an incomparable Macbeth, and advised Mrs.to play Juliet in her grand climacteric.

I fometimes make friends, and establish my reputation for tafte, as much by diffuading from what fhould not, as by advifing what should be done. I have eat venifon half a dozen times at Lord Fife's country-feat, ever fince I begged him not to think of building fuch a clumsy temple as his neighbour Sir Paul Prospect has lately erected; and have been very much a man à bonnes fortunes in the good graces of Mis Trippet, since one morning that I diffuaded her from wearing a gypsey hat with pink ribbons, which made Lady Bell Airy look fo frightful at the Affembly a few evenings before.

On one occafion only I recollect my method of giving counfel to have failed of being acceptable: in my young days, when I had the foolish way of advising inconfiderately, I had given a decided opinion against a friend's marrying his maid-servant, who a few days after first shewed his being eftranged from me, by leaving me out of the company he invited to the chriftening of his first child. In my wifer days, I was confulted by another friend on a fimilar occafion. I advised him by all means to marry. I did not fee

him till a twelvemonth after; he feemed to bear me no good-will for my advice; and the first token of reconciliation I received from him was a few weeks ago, by a letter to his wife's funeral.

I have thus very candidly communicated to you, Mr. Lounger, my method of giving advice, fo agreeable to the advised, as well as fo highly advantageous to the advifer. I communicate it to you from a very friendly motive; because I think I have obferved, that in many of your Papers you have rather fhewn a difpofition to give counsel to your readers in my first manner, which, before I had been taught better things, made me fo unwelcome a guest and so disagreeable a companion. Believe me, you will find it much more expedient to perform this friendly office according to the improved system which at present I follow with fo much applause and fuccefs. But I forget that it is probable you design your Work rather for pofterity than the present times; in which cafe, you are certainly very much in the right to adopt the oppofite plan; and in that view of the matter, it has my entire approbation.

I have the honour to be, &c.

VALERIUS VELVET.

Ꮓ

N° 95. SATURDAY, November 25, 1786.

Here HUNT may box, or MAHOMET may dance.

JOHNSON.

WHEN I returned from my morning's

walk one day of laft week, Peter informed me that a young gentleman had called, who would not tell his name, but promised to call again in the evening, and in the mean time left a letter which he faid would inform me who he was. "I think, Sir," faid Peter, while I was opening the letter," that were he a little "older, and had a major wig instead of his "own brown hair in round curls on his neck, "that one might difcover a likenefs between him "and Colonel Cauftic." There was fome reafon for the resemblance; for in fact it was a young relation of the Colonel's, who had been two or three years at an English university, and is now come hither for the winter to study some particular branches at ours. He brought me a letter of introduction from my worthy friend his kinsman, which gave him, in the Colonel's delicate way, a great deal of commendation, though

though I am perfuaded, from what I have feen of him, no more than he merits.

"He is really

a fine boy," said the Colonel's letter," and I "think you will like him the better that he pre"tends to be no more. He has neither learned "to be a Fop nor a Prig at college; and though "a little flighty and light-headed now and then, "has a foundness at heart that never deceives The lad has a claffical taste, and has "written fome love-verses that would not have "difgraced better times, when the women were "worthy of them."

<< one.

When he came in the evening, I found his appearance very prepoffeffing, and not the less fo, that I really imagined I faw fome of that resemblance which Peter's fagacity had discovered. Peter laid two covers without my bidding; and the young gentleman accepted the invitation they implied. After our little fupper, we got fo well acquainted, and found ourselves fo much related through the connection of Colonel Cauftic, that the young man, as I wished, forgot the difference of our age, and the lateness of his introduction, and we quoted Horace, told college anecdotes, repeated college verfes, and laughed at college puns, till midnight.

He pleased me much with the affection he expreffed for my old friend and his fifter, with whom he had spent several weeks previous to