Grampian Club > Boswelliana

214 ^ BOSWELLIANA.
" Boswell was talking to Mr. Samuel Johnson of Mr. Sheri-
dan's enthusiasm for the advancement of eloquence. 'Sir,' said
Mr. Johnson, ' it won't do. He cannot carry through his
scheme. He is like a man attempting to stride the English
Channel. Sir, the cause bears no proportion to the effect. It
is setting up a candle at Whitechapel to give light at West-
minster,' "
" When Mr. Trotz,* Professor of Civil Law at Utrecht, was at
Copenhagen, he had a mind to hear the Danish pulpit oratory,
and went into one of their churches. At that time the barbarous
custom of making spoil of shipwrecked goods still prevailed in
Denmark. The minister prayed with great fervency : ' Lord,
if it please Thee to chastise the wicked for their sins, and to
send forth Thy stormy winds to destroy their ships, we beg that
Thou mayest throw them upon our coasts rather upon any other,
that Thy chosen people may receive benefit therefrom, and with
thankful hearts may glorify Thy holy name.' " Mr. Tkotz.
" ' Tres f admit collegium'' is the common adage. A professor
of law at Utrecht came to his college one day, and found but
one student. He would not have it said that he was obliged
to dismiss for want of auditors. So he gravely pronounced,
' Deus imus, ergo duo in tres. Tres faciunt collegium. Incipe-
mus.'" An Utrecht Student.
"An English gentleman who was studying at Geneva was
introduced to Mr. Voltaire, and at one of the comedies which
were given at the Delice he had the part of a stupid absurd
Englishman assigned to him. The gentleman was modest and
anxious, and was saying he did not know well how to do.
Mr. Voltaire encouraged him : ' Sir,' said he, ' don't be affraid.
Just a<;t in your own natural way, and you'll do very well.'"
Mr. Temple.
* C. H. Trotz, the great German jurisconsult, whose lectures on
civil law Boswell attended at Utrecht in 1763. Professor Trotz
was born in 1701, and died in 1773.