84 JOHNSON. 



his good humour and his kindness. This has indeed 

 been observed as often accompanying the melancholic 

 temperament, as if their innocence and defencelessness 

 were a relief and repose to the agitated mind. The 

 same love of children was observed in Sir Isaac Newton, 

 and it was an accompaniment of the case of which I have 

 already given the outlines. Johnson also liked the 

 society of persons younger than himself ; and to the last 

 had nothing of the severeness, querulousness, and dis- 

 content with the world, which the old are often seen to 

 shew. Indeed at all times of his life he liked to view 

 things rather on their light side, at least in discussion ; 

 and he was a decided enemy to the principles of those 

 who superciliously look down upon vulgar enjoyments, or 

 ascetically condemn the innocent recreations of sense. 

 Though he never at any period of his life, except during 

 his intimacy with Savage, was intemperate, (for his 

 often drinking alone as he said " to get rid of himself," 

 must be regarded only as a desperate remedy attempted 

 for an incurable disease,) yet he loved at all times to 

 indulge in the pleasures of the table, and was exceed- 

 ingly fond of good eating, even while for some years he 

 gave up the use of wine. It was a saying of his in dis- 

 cussing the merits of an entertainment at which he had 

 been a guest, " Sir, it was not a dinner to ask a man 

 to." With the breakfasts in Scotland he expressed his 

 entire satisfaction : and in his ' Journey/ he says that 

 if he could " transport himself by wish, he should, 

 wherever he might be to dine, always breakfast in 

 Scotland." 



All these, however, are trifling matters, only made im- 

 portant by the extraordinary care taken to record every 



