At one of the booths where wild beasts were exhibited to the wondering crowd, was a very large bear, which the showman assured them was "cotched" in the undiscovered deserts of the remotest Russia.

The bear was muzzled, and might therefore be approached with safety; but to all the company, except Johnson, was very surly and ill tempered.

Of the philosopher he appeared extremely fond, rubbed against him, and displayed every mark of awkward partiality, and ursine kindness.

"How is it, (said one of the company,) that; this savage animal is so attached to Mr.Johnson ?" From a very natural cause, replied Mallet: "the bear is a Russian philosopher, and he knows that Linnaeus would have placed him in the same class with the English moralist.

They are two barbarous animals of one species."-- Johnson disliked Mallet for his tendency to infidelity, and this sarcasm turned his dislike into downright hatred.