AfterdinnerourconversationfirstturneduponPope。Johnsonsaid，hischaractersofmenwereadmirablydrawn，thoseofwomennotsowell。Herepeatedtous，inhisforciblemelodiousmanner，theconcludinglinesoftheDunciad。Whilehewastalkingloudlyinpraiseofthoselines，oneofthecompany*venturedtosay，’Toofineforsuchapoem：——apoemonwhat？’JOHNSON，withadisdainfullook，’Why，onDUNCES。Itwasworthwhilebeingaduncethen。Ah，Sir，hadstTHOUlivedinthosedays!Itisnotworthwhile’beingaduncenow，whentherearenowits。’
Bickerstaffobserved，asapeculiarcircumstance，thatPope’sfamewashigherwhenhewasalivethanitwasthen。Johnsonsaid，hisPastoralswerepoorthings，thoughtheversificationwasfine。Hetoldus，withhighsatisfaction，theanecdoteofPope’sinquiringwhowastheauthourofhisLondon，andsaying，hewillbesoondeterre。Heobserved，thatinDryden’spoetrytherewerepassagesdrawnfromaprofunditywhichPopecouldneverreach。Herepeatedsomefinelinesonlove，bytheformer，whichIhavenowforgotten，andgavegreatapplausetothecharacterofZimri。
Goldsmithsaid，thatPope’scharacterofAddisonshewedadeepknowledgeofthehumanheart。Johnsonsaid，thatthedescriptionofthetemple，inTheMourningBride，wasthefinestpoeticalpassagehehadeverread；herecollectednoneinShakspeareequaltoit。’But，saidGarrick，allalarmedforthe’Godofhisidolatry，’weknownottheextentandvarietyofhispowers。Wearetosupposetherearesuchpassagesinhisworks。Shakspearemustnotsufferfromthebadnessofourmemories。’Johnson，divertedbythisenthusiastickjealousy，wentonwithgreaterardour：’No，Sir；CongrevehasNATURE；’smilingonthetragickeagernessofGarrick；butcomposinghimself，headded，’Sir，thisisnotcomparingCongreveonthewhole，withShakspeareonthewhole；butonlymaintainingthatCongrevehasonefinerpassagethananythatcanbefoundinShakspeare。Sir，amanmayhavenomorethantenguineasintheworld，buthemayhavethosetenguineasinonepiece；andsomayhaveafinerpiecethanamanwhohastenthousandpounds：butthenhehasonlyoneten-guineapiece。
WhatImeanis，thatyoucanshewmenopassagewherethereissimplyadescriptionofmaterialobjects，withoutanyintermixtureofmoralnotions，whichproducessuchaneffect。’Mr。MurphymentionedShakspeare’sdescriptionofthenightbeforethebattleofAgincourt；butitwasobserved，ithadMENinit。Mr。DaviessuggestedthespeechofJuliet，inwhichshefiguresherselfawakinginthetombofherancestors。SomeonementionedthedescriptionofDoverCliff。JOHNSON。’No，Sir；itshouldbeallprecipice，——allvacuum。Thecrowsimpedeyourfall。Thediminishedappearanceoftheboats，andothercircumstances，areallverygooddescriptions；butdonotimpressthemindatoncewiththehorribleideaofimmenseheight。Theimpressionisdivided；youpassonbycomputation，fromonestageofthetremendousspacetoanother。HadthegirlinTheMourningBridesaid，shecouldnotcasthershoetothetopofoneofthepillarsinthetemple，itwouldnothaveaidedtheidea，butweakenedit。’
*Everyoneguessesthat’oneofthecompany’wasBoswell——HILL。