BOSWELL。’LordMansfieldisnotamerelawyer。JOHNSON。’No，Sir。IneverwasinLordMansfield’scompany；butLordMansfieldwasdistinguishedattheUniversity。LordMansfield，whenhefirstcametotown，“drankchampagnewiththewits，“asPriorsays。HewasthefriendofPope。’SIRA。’Barristers，Ibelieve，arenotsoabusivenowastheywereformerly。Ifancytheyhadlesslawlongago，andsowereobligedtotaketoabuse，tofillupthetime。Nowtheyhavesuchanumberofprecedents，theyhavenooccasionforabuse。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，theyhadmorelawlongagothantheyhavenow。Astoprecedents，tobesuretheywillincreaseincourseoftime；butthemoreprecedentsthereare，thelessoccasionisthereforlaw；thatistosay，thelessoccasionisthereforinvestigatingprinciples。’SIRA。’IhavebeencorrectingseveralScotchaccentsinmyfriendBoswell。Idoubt，Sir，ifanyScotchmaneverattainstoaperfectEnglishpronunciation。’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，fewofthemdo，becausetheydonotpersevereafteracquiringacertaindegreeofit。But，Sir，therecanbenodoubtthattheymayattaintoaperfectEnglishpronunciation，iftheywill。Wefindhowneartheycometoit；andcertainly，amanwhoconquersnineteenpartsoftheScottishaccent，mayconquerthetwentieth。But，Sir，whenamanhasgotthebetterofninetenthshegrowsweary，herelaxeshisdiligence，hefindshehascorrectedhisaccentsofarasnottobedisagreeable，andhenolongerdesireshisfriendstotellhimwhenheiswrong；nordoeshechoosetobetold。Sir，whenpeoplewatchmenarrowly，andIdonotwatchmyself，theywillfindmeouttobeofaparticularcounty。Inthesamemanner，DunningmaybefoundouttobeaDevonshireman。SomostScotchmenmaybefoundout。
　　But，Sir，littleaberrationsareofnodisadvantage。InevercatchedMalletinaScotchaccent；andyetMallet，Isuppose，waspastfive-and-twentybeforehecametoLondon。’
　　Iagainvisitedhimatnight。Findinghiminaverygoodhumour，I
　　venturedtoleadhimtothesubjectofoursituationinafuturestate，havingmuchcuriositytoknowhisnotionsonthatpoint……
　　BOSWELL。’Idonotknowwhetherthereareanywell-attestedstoriesoftheappearanceofghosts。YouknowthereisafamousstoryoftheappearanceofMrs。Veal，prefixedtoDrelincourtonDeath。’JOHNSON。’Ibelieve，Sir，thatisgivenup。Ibelievethewomandeclareduponherdeath-bedthatitwasalie。’BOSWELL。
　　’Thisobjectionismadeagainstthetruthofghostsappearing：thatiftheyareinastateofhappiness，itwouldbeapunishmenttothemtoreturntothisworld；andiftheyareinastateofmisery，itwouldbegivingthemarespite。’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，asthehappinessormiseryofembodiedspiritsdoesnotdependuponplace，butisintellectual，wecannotsaythattheyarelesshappyorlessmiserablebyappearinguponearth。’
　　WewentdownbetweentwelveandonetoMrs。Williams’sroom，anddranktea。ImentionedthatweweretohavetheremainsofMr。
　　Gray，inproseandverse，publishedbyMr。Mason。JOHNSON。’I
　　thinkwehavehadenoughofGray。IseetheyhavepublishedasplendideditionofAkenside’sworks。Onebadodemaybesuffered；
　　butanumberofthemtogethermakesonesick。’BOSWELL。
　　’Akenside’sdistinguishedpoemishisPleasuresofImagination；butformypart，Inevercouldadmireitsomuchasmostpeopledo。’
　　JOHNSON。’Sir，Icouldnotreaditthrough。’BOSWELL。’Ihavereaditthrough；butIdidnotfindanygreatpowerinit。’
　　OnTuesday，March31，heandIdinedatGeneralPaoli’s。
　　Dr。JohnsonwenthomewithmetomylodgingsinConduit-streetanddranktea，previoustoourgoingtothePantheon，whichneitherofushadseenbefore。
　　Hesaid，’Goldsmith’sLifeofParnellispoor；notthatitispoorlywritten，butthathehadpoormaterials；fornobodycanwritethelifeofaman，butthosewhohaveeatanddrunkandlivedinsocialintercoursewithhim。’
　　Isaid，thatifitwasnottroublesomeandpresumingtoomuch，I
　　wouldrequesthimtotellmeallthelittlecircumstancesofhislife；whatschoolsheattended，whenhecametoOxford，whenhecametoLondon，&c。&c。Hedidnotdisapproveofmycuriosityastotheseparticulars；butsaid，’They’llcomeoutbydegreesaswetalktogether。’
　　Wetalkedoftheproperuseofriches。JOHNSON。’IfIwereamanofagreatestate，IwoulddrivealltherascalswhomIdidnotlikeoutofthecountyatanelection。’
　　WethenwalkedtothePantheon。ThefirstviewofitdidnotstrikeussomuchasRanelagh，ofwhichhesaid，the’coupd’oeilwasthefinestthinghehadeverseen。’Thetruthis，Ranelaghisofamorebeautifulform；moreofitorratherindeedthewholerotunda，appearsatonce，anditisbetterlighted。However，asJohnsonobserved，wesawthePantheonintimeofmourning，whentherewasadulluniformity；whereaswehadseenRanelaghwhentheviewwasenlivenedwithagayprofusionofcolours。Mrs。Bosville，ofGunthwait，inYorkshire，joinedus，andenteredintoconversationwithus。Johnsonsaidtomeafterwards，’Sir，thisisamightyintelligentlady。’
　　Isaidtherewasnothalfaguinea’sworthofpleasureinseeingthisplace。JOHNSON。’But，Sir，thereishalfaguinea’sworthofinferioritytootherpeopleinnothavingseenit。’BOSWELL。’I
　　doubt，Sir，whethertherearemanyhappypeoplehere。’JOHNSON。
　　’Yes，Sir，therearemanyhappypeoplehere。Therearemanypeopleherewhoarewatchinghundreds，andwhothinkhundredsarewatchingthem。’
　　HappeningtomeetSirAdamFergusson，IpresentedhimtoDr。
　　Johnson。SirAdamexpressedsomeapprehensionthatthePantheonwouldencourageluxury。’Sir，saidJohnson，Iamagreatfriendtopublickamusements；fortheykeeppeoplefromvice。Younowaddressinghimselftome，wouldhavebeenwithawench，hadyounotbeenhere——O!Iforgotyouweremarried。’
　　SirAdamsuggested，thatluxurycorruptsapeople，anddestroysthespiritofliberty。JOHNSON。’Sir，thatisallvisionary。Iwouldnotgivehalfaguineatoliveunderoneformofgovernmentratherthananother。Itisofnomomenttothehappinessofanindividual。Sir，thedangeroftheabuseofpowerisnothingtoaprivateman。WhatFrenchmanispreventedfrompassinghislifeashepleases？’SIRADAM。’But，Sir，intheBritishconstitutionitissurelyofimportancetokeepupaspiritinthepeople，soastopreserveabalanceagainstthecrown。’JOHNSON。’Sir，IperceiveyouareavileWhig。Whyallthischildishjealousyofthepowerofthecrown？Thecrownhasnotpowerenough。WhenIsaythatallgovernmentsarealike，Iconsiderthatinnogovernmentpowercanbeabusedlong。Mankindwillnotbearit。Ifasovereignoppresseshispeopletoagreatdegree，theywillriseandcutoffhishead。Thereisaremedyinhumannatureagainsttyranny，thatwillkeepussafeundereveryformofgovernment。HadnotthepeopleofFrancethoughtthemselveshonouredassharinginthebrilliantactionsofLewisXIV，theywouldnothaveenduredhim；
　　andwemaysaythesameoftheKingofPrussia’speople。’SirAdamintroducedtheancientGreeksandRomans。JOHNSON。’Sir，themassofbothofthemwerebarbarians。Themassofeverypeoplemustbebarbarouswherethereisnoprinting，andconsequentlyknowledgeisnotgenerallydiffused。Knowledgeisdiffusedamongourpeoplebythenews-papers。’SirAdammentionedtheorators，poets，andartistsofGreece。JOHNSON。’Sir，Iamtalkingofthemassofthepeople。WeseeevenwhattheboastedAthenianswere。ThelittleeffectwhichDemosthenes’sorationshaduponthem，shewsthattheywerebarbarians。’
　　OnSunday，April5，afterattendingdivineserviceatSt。Paul’schurch，Ifoundhimalone。
　　Hesaid，hewentmorefrequentlytochurchwhentherewereprayersonly，thanwhentherewasalsoasermon，asthepeoplerequiredmoreanexamplefortheonethantheother；itbeingmucheasierforthemtohearasermon，thantofixtheirmindsonprayer。
　　OnMonday，April6，IdinedwithhimatSirAlexanderMacdonald’s，wherewasayoungofficerintheregimentalsoftheScotsRoyal，whotalkedwithavivacity，fluency，andprecisionsouncommon，thatheattractedparticularattention。HeprovedtobetheHonourableThomasErskine，youngestbrothertotheEarlofBuchan，whohassincerisenintosuchbrilliantreputationatthebarinWestminster-hall。
　　Fieldingbeingmentioned，Johnsonexclaimed，’hewasablockhead；’
　　anduponmyexpressingmyastonishmentatsostrangeanassertion，hesaid，’WhatImeanbyhisbeingablockheadisthathewasabarrenrascal。’BOSWELL。’Willyounotallow，Sir，thathedrawsverynaturalpicturesofhumanlife？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，itisofverylowlife。Richardsonusedtosay，thathadhenotknownwhoFieldingwas，heshouldhavebelievedhewasanostler。Sir，thereismoreknowledgeoftheheartinoneletterofRichardson’s，thaninallTomJones。I，indeed，neverreadJosephAndrews。’
　　ERSKINE。’Surely，Sir，Richardsonisverytedious。’JOHNSON。
　　’Why，Sir，ifyouweretoreadRichardsonforthestory，yourimpatiencewouldbesomuchfrettedthatyouwouldhangyourself。
　　Butyoumustreadhimforthesentiment，andconsiderthestoryasonlygivingoccasiontothesentiment。’
　　Wetalkedofgaming，andanimadvertedonitwithseverity。
　　JOHNSON。’Nay，gentlemen，letusnotaggravatethematter。Itisnotroguerytoplaywithamanwhoisignorantofthegame，whileyouaremasterofit，andsowinhismoney；forhethinkshecanplaybetterthanyou，asyouthinkyoucanplaybetterthanhe；andthesuperiourskillcarriesit。’ERSKINE。’Heisafool，butyouarenotarogue。’JOHNSON。’That’smuchaboutthetruth，Sir。Itmustbeconsidered，thatamanwhoonlydoeswhateveryoneofthesocietytowhichhebelongswoulddo，isnotadishonestman。IntherepublickofSparta，itwasagreed，thatstealingwasnotdishonourable，ifnotdiscovered。Idonotcommendasocietywherethereisanagreementthatwhatwouldnototherwisebefair，shallbefair；butImaintain，thatanindividualofanysociety，whopractiseswhatisallowed，isnotadishonestman。’BOSWELL。’Sothen，Sir，youdonotthinkillofamanwhowinsperhapsfortythousandpoundsinawinter？’JOHNSON。’Sir，Idonotcallagamesteradishonestman；butIcallhimanunsocialman，anunprofitableman。Gamingisamodeoftransferringpropertywithoutproducinganyintermediategood。Tradegivesemploymenttonumbers，andsoproducesintermediategood。’
　　OnThursday，April9，IcalledonhimtobeghewouldgoanddinewithmeattheMitretavern。Hehadresolvednottodineatallthisday，Iknownotforwhatreason；andIwassounwillingtobedeprivedofhiscompany，thatIwascontenttosubmittosufferawant，whichwasatfirstsomewhatpainful，buthesoonmademeforgetit；andamanisalwayspleasedwithhimselfwhenhefindshisintellectualinclinationspredominate。
　　Heobserved，thattoreasonphilosophicallyonthenatureofprayer，wasveryunprofitable。
　　Talkingofghosts，hesaid，heknewonefriend，whowasanhonestmanandasensibleman，whotoldhimhehadseenaghost，oldMr。
　　EdwardCave，theprinteratSt。John’sGate。Hesaid，Mr。Cavedidnotliketotalkofit，andseemedtobeingreathorrourwheneveritwasmentioned。BOSWELL。’Pray，Sir，whatdidhesaywastheappearance？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，somethingofashadowybeing。’
　　OnFriday，April10，IdinedwithhimatGeneralOglethorpe’s，wherewefoundDr。Goldsmith。