Acuriousincidenthappenedto-day，whileMr。ThraleandIsatwithhim。Francisannouncedthatalargepacketwasbroughttohimfromthepost-office，saidtohavecomefromLisbon，anditwaschargedSEVENPOUNDSTENSHILLINGS。Hewouldnotreceiveit，supposingittobesometrick，nordidheevenlookatit。Butuponenquiryafterwardshefoundthatitwasarealpacketforhim，fromthatveryfriendintheEastIndiesofwhomhehadbeenspeaking；andtheshipwhichcarriedithavingcometoPortugal，thispacket，withothers，hadbeenputintothepost-officeatLisbon。
Imentionedanewgaming-club，ofwhichMr。Beauclerkhadgivenmeanaccount，wherethemembersplayedtoadesperateextent。
JOHNSON。’Dependuponit，Sir，thisismeretalk。WHOisruinedbygaming？Youwillnotfindsixinstancesinanage。Thereisastrangeroutmadeaboutdeepplay：whereasyouhavemanymorepeopleruinedbyadventuroustrade，andyetwedonothearsuchanoutcryagainstit。’THRALE。’Theremaybefewpeopleabsolutelyruinedbydeepplay；butverymanyaremuchhurtintheircircumstancesbyit。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir，andsoareverymanybyotherkindsofexpence。’Ihadheardhimtalkoncebeforeinthesamemanner；andatOxfordhesaid，’hewishedhehadlearnttoplayatcards。’Thetruth，however，is，thathelovedtodisplayhisingenuityinargument；andthereforewouldsometimesinconversationmaintainopinionswhichhewassensiblewerewrong，butinsupportingwhich，hisreasoningandwitwouldbemostconspicuous。Hewouldbeginthus：’Why，Sir，astothegoodorevilofcard-playing——’’Now，saidGarrick，heisthinkingwhichsideheshalltake。’Heappearedtohaveapleasureincontradiction，especiallywhenanyopinionwhateverwasdeliveredwithanairofconfidence；sothattherewashardlyanytopick，ifnotoneofthegreattruthsofReligionandMorality，thathemightnothavebeenincitedtoargue，eitherfororagainst。LordElibankhadthehighestadmirationofhispowers。Heonceobservedtome，’WhateveropinionJohnsonmaintains，Iwillnotsaythatheconvincesme；butheneverfailstoshewme，thathehasgoodreasonsforit。’IhaveheardJohnsonpayhisLordshipthishighcompliment：’IneverwasinLordElibank’scompanywithoutlearningsomething。’
Wesattogethertillitwastoolatefortheafternoonservice。
Thralesaidhehadcomewithintentiontogotochurchwithus。WewentatseventoeveningprayersatSt。Clement’schurch，afterhavingdrankcoffee；anindulgence，whichIunderstoodJohnsonyieldedtoonthisoccasion，incomplimenttoThrale。