'On Monday, May 3, I dined with him at Mr. Dilly's; I pressed him this day for his opinion on the passage in Parnell, concerning which I had in vain questioned him in several letters, and at length obtained it in [italics] due form of law [end italics]. CASE for Dr. JOHNSON'S Opinion; 3rd of May, 1779. "PARNELL, in his "Hermit", has the following passage: "To clear this doubt, to know the world by sight, To find if [italics] books [end italics] and [italics] swains [end italics] report it right: ( For yet by [italics] swains alone [end italics]the world he knew, Whose feet came wand'ring o'er the nightly dew.)" "Is there not a contradiction in its being [italics] first [end italics] supposed that the [italics] Hermit [end italics] knew [italics] both [end italics] what books and swains reported of the world; yet afterwards said, that he knew it by swains [italics] alone? [end italics] [italics] I think it an inaccuracy.--He mentions two instructors in the first line, and says he had only one in the next.[end italics]".'