Dr。Johnsonwasverykindthisevening，andsaidtome’Youhavenowlivedfive-and-twentyyears，andyouhaveemployedthemwell。’
’Alas，Sir，saidI，Ifearnot。DoIknowhistory？DoIknowmathematicks？DoIknowlaw？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，thoughyoumayknownosciencesowellastobeabletoteachit，andnoprofessionsowellastobeabletofollowit，yourgeneralmassofknowledgeofbooksandmenrendersyouverycapabletomakeyourselfmasterofanyscience，orfityourselfforanyprofession。’Imentionedthatagayfriendhadadvisedmeagainstbeingalawyer，becauseIshouldbeexcelledbyploddingblock-
heads。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，intheformularyandstatutorypartoflaw，aploddingblock-headmayexcel；butintheingeniousandrationalpartofitaploddingblock-headcanneverexcel。’
Italkedofthemodeadoptedbysometoriseintheworld，bycourtinggreatmen，andaskedhimwhetherhehadeversubmittedtoit。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，Ineverwasnearenoughtogreatmen，tocourtthem。Youmaybeprudentlyattachedtogreatmenandyetindependent。Youarenottodowhatyouthinkwrong；and，Sir，youaretocalculate，andnotpaytoodearforwhatyouget。Youmustnotgiveashilling’sworthofcourtforsix-penceworthofgood。
Butifyoucangetashilling’sworthofgoodforsix-penceworthofcourt，youareafoolifyoudonotpaycourt。’