Istartedthequestionwhetherduellingwasconsistentwithmoralduty。ThebraveoldGeneralfiredatthis，andsaid，withaloftyair，’Undoubtedlyamanhasarighttodefendhishonour。’
　　GOLDSMITH。turningtome，’Iaskyoufirst，Sir，whatwouldyoudoifyouwereaffronted？’IansweredIshouldthinkitnecessarytofight。’Whythen，repliedGoldsmith，thatsolvesthequestion。’JOHNSON。’No，Sir，itdoesnotsolvethequestion。Itdoesnotfollowthatwhatamanwoulddoisthereforeright。’I
　　said，Iwishedtohaveitsettled，whetherduellingwascontrarytothelawsofChristianity。Johnsonimmediatelyenteredonthesubject，andtreateditinamasterlymanner；andsofarasIhavebeenabletorecollect，histhoughtswerethese：’Sir，asmenbecomeinahighdegreerefined，variouscausesofoffencearise；
　　whichareconsideredtobeofsuchimportance，thatlifemustbestakedtoatoneforthem，thoughinrealitytheyarenotso。A
　　bodythathasreceivedaveryfinepolishmaybeeasilyhurt。
　　Beforemenarriveatthisartificialrefinement，ifonetellshisneighbourhelies，hisneighbourtellshimhelies；ifonegiveshisneighbourablow，hisneighbourgiveshimablow：butinastateofhighlypolishedsociety，anaffrontisheldtobeaseriousinjury。Itmustthereforeberesented，orratheraduelmustbefoughtuponit；asmenhaveagreedtobanishfromtheirsocietyonewhoputsupwithanaffrontwithoutfightingaduel。
　　Now，Sir，itisneverunlawfultofightinself-defence。He，then，whofightsaduel，doesnotfightfrompassionagainsthisantagonist，butoutofself-defence；toavertthestigmaoftheworld，andtopreventhimselffrombeingdrivenoutofsociety。I
　　couldwishtherewasnotthatsuperfluityofrefinement；butwhilesuchnotionsprevail，nodoubtamanmaylawfullyfightaduel。’
　　TheGeneraltoldus，thatwhenhewasaveryyoungman，Ithinkonlyfifteen，servingunderPrinceEugeneofSavoy，hewassittinginacompanyattablewithaPrinceofWirtemberg。ThePrincetookupaglassofwine，and，byafillip，madesomeofitflyinOglethorpe’sface。Herewasanicedilemma。Tohavechallengedhiminstantly，mighthavefixedaquarrelsomecharacterupontheyoungsoldier：tohavetakennonoticeofitmighthavebeenconsideredascowardice。Oglethorpe，therefore，keepinghiseyeuponthePrince，andsmilingallthetime，asifhetookwhathisHighnesshaddoneinjest，said’MonPrince，——’。IforgettheFrenchwordsheused，thepurporthoweverwas，’That’sagoodjoke；butwedoitmuchbetterinEngland；’andthrewawholeglassofwineinthePrince’sface。AnoldGeneralwhosatby，said，’Ilabienfait，monPrince，vousl’avezcommence：’andthusallendedingoodhumour。
　　Dr。Johnsonsaid，’Pray，General，giveusanaccountofthesiegeofBelgrade。’UponwhichtheGeneral，pouringalittlewineuponthetable，describedeverythingwithawetfinger：’Herewewere，hereweretheTurks，’&c。&c。Johnsonlistenedwiththeclosestattention。
　　Aquestionwasstarted，howfarpeoplewhodisagreeinacapitalpointcanliveinfriendshiptogether。Johnsonsaidtheymight。
　　Goldsmithsaidtheycouldnot，astheyhadnottheidemvelleatqueidemnolle——thesamelikingsandthesameaversions。JOHNSON。
　　’Why，Sir，youmustshunthesubjectastowhichyoudisagree。Forinstance，IcanliveverywellwithBurke：Ilovehisknowledge，hisgenius，hisdiffusion，andaffluenceofconversation；butI
　　wouldnottalktohimoftheRockinghamparty。’GOLDSMITH。’But，Sir，whenpeoplelivetogetherwhohavesomethingastowhichtheydisagree，andwhichtheywanttoshun，theywillbeinthesituationmentionedinthestoryofBluebeard：“Youmaylookintoallthechambersbutone。“Butweshouldhavethegreatestinclinationtolookintothatchamber，totalkofthatsubject。’
　　JOHNSON。withaloudvoice，’Sir，IamnotsayingthatYOUcouldliveinfriendshipwithamanfromwhomyoudifferastosomepoint：IamonlysayingthatIcoulddoit。YouputmeinmindofSapphoinOvid。’
　　Goldsmithtoldus，thathewasnowbusyinwritinganaturalhistory，and，thathemighthavefullleisureforit，hehadtakenlodgings，atafarmer’shouse，neartothesixmilestone，ontheEdgewareroad，andhadcarrieddownhisbooksintworeturnedpost-
　　chaises。Hesaid，hebelievedthefarmer’sfamilythoughthimanoddcharacter，similartothatinwhichtheSpectatorappearedtohislandladyandherchildren：hewasTheGentleman。Mr。Mickle，thetranslatorofTheLusiad，andIwenttovisithimatthisplaceafewdaysafterwards。Hewasnotathome；buthavingacuriositytoseehisapartment，wewentinandfoundcuriousscrapsofdescriptionsofanimals，scrawleduponthewallwithablackleadpencil。
　　OnSaturday，April11，heappointedmetocometohimintheevening，whenheshouldbeatleisuretogivemesomeassistanceforthedefenceofHastie，theschoolmasterofCampbelltown，forwhomIwastoappearinthehouseofLords。WhenIcame，Ifoundhimunwillingtoexerthimself。Ipressedhimtowritedownhisthoughtsuponthesubject。Hesaid，’There’snooccasionformywriting。I’lltalktoyou。’……
　　Ofourfriend，Goldsmith，hesaid，’Sir，heissomuchafraidofbeingunnoticed，thatheoftentalksmerelylestyoushouldforgetthatheisinthecompany。’BOSWELL。’Yes，hestandsforward。’
　　JOHNSON。’True，Sir；butifamanistostandforward，heshouldwishtodoitnotinanaukwardposture，notinrags，notsoasthatheshallonlybeexposedtoridicule。’BOSWELL。’Formypart，IlikeverywelltohearhonestGoldsmithtalkawaycarelessly。’JOHNSON。’Whyyes，Sir；butheshouldnotliketohearhimself。’……
　　OnTuesday，April14，thedecreeoftheCourtofSessionintheschoolmaster’scausewasreversedintheHouseofLords，afteraveryeloquentspeechbyLordMansfield，whoshewedhimselfanadeptinschooldiscipline，butIthoughtwastoorigoroustowardsmyclient。OntheeveningofthenextdayIsuppedwithDr。Johnson，attheCrownandAnchortavern，intheStrand，incompanywithMr。
　　Langtonandhisbrother-in-law，LordBinning。
　　ItalkedoftherecentexpulsionofsixstudentsfromtheUniversityofOxford，whoweremethodistsandwouldnotdesistfrompublicklyprayingandexhorting。JOHNSON。’Sir，thatexpulsionwasextremelyjustandproper。WhathavetheytodoatanUniversitywhoarenotwillingtobetaught，butwillpresumetoteach？WhereisreligiontobelearntbutatanUniversity？Sir，theywereexamined，andfoundtobemightyignorantfellows。’
　　BOSWELL。’But，wasitnothard，Sir，toexpelthem，forIamtoldtheyweregoodbeings？’JOHNSON。’Ibelievetheymightbegoodbeings；buttheywerenotfittobeintheUniversityofOxford。A
　　cowisaverygoodanimalinthefield；butweturnheroutofagarden。’LordElibankusedtorepeatthisasanillustrationuncommonlyhappy。
　　DesirousofcallingJohnsonforthtotalk，andexercisehiswit，thoughIshouldmyselfbetheobjectofit，Iresolutelyventuredtoundertakethedefenceofconvivialindulgenceinwine，thoughhewasnotto-nightinthemostgenialhumour。Afterurgingthecommonplausibletopicks，Iatlasthadrecoursetothemaxim，invinoveritas，amanwhoiswellwarmedwithwinewillspeaktruth。
　　JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，thatmaybeanargumentfordrinking，ifyousupposemeningeneraltobeliars。But，Sir，Iwouldnotkeepcompanywithafellow，wholyesaslongasheissober，andwhomyoumustmakedrunkbeforeyoucangetawordoftruthoutofhim。’
　　AtthistimeitappearsfromhisPrayersandMeditations，thathehadbeenmorethancommonlydiligentinreligiousduties，particularlyinreadingtheHolyScriptures。ItwasPassionWeek，thatsolemnseasonwhichtheChristianworldhasappropriatedtothecommemorationofthemysteriesofourredemption，andduringwhich，whateverembersofreligionareinourbreasts，willbekindledintopiouswarmth。
　　IpaidhimshortvisitsbothonFridayandSaturday，andseeinghislargefolioGreekTestamentbeforehim，beheldhimwithareverentialawe，andwouldnotintrudeuponhistime。Whilehewasthusemployedtosuchgoodpurpose，andwhilehisfriendsintheirintercoursewithhimconstantlyfoundavigorousintellectandalivelyimagination，itismelancholytoreadinhisprivateregister，’Mymindisunsettledandmymemoryconfused。Ihaveoflateturnedmythoughtswithaveryuselessearnestnessuponpastincidents。Ihaveyetgotnocommandovermythoughts；anunpleasingincidentisalmostcertaintohindermyrest。’Whatphilosophickheroismwasitinhimtoappearwithsuchmanlyfortitudetotheworldwhilehewasinwardlysodistressed!Wemaysurelybelievethatthemysteriousprincipleofbeing’madeperfectthroughsuffering’wastobestronglyexemplifiedinhim。
　　OnSunday，April19，beingEaster-day，GeneralPaoliandIpaidhimavisitbeforedinner。
　　Wetalkedofsounds。TheGeneralsaid，therewasnobeautyinasimplesound，butonlyinanharmoniouscompositionofsounds。I
　　presumedtodifferfromthisopinion，andmentionedthesoftandsweetsoundofafinewoman’svoice。JOHNSON。’No，Sir，ifaserpentoratoadutteredit，youwouldthinkitugly。’BOSWELL。
　　’Soyouwouldthink，Sir，wereabeautifultunetobeutteredbyoneofthoseanimals。’JOHNSON。’No，Sir，itwouldbeadmired。
　　Wehaveseenfinefiddlerswhomwelikedaslittleastoads。’
　　laughing。
　　WhileIremainedinLondonthisspring，Iwaswithhimatseveralothertimes，bothbyhimselfandincompany。IdinedwithhimonedayattheCrownandAnchortavern，intheStrand，withLordElibank，Mr。Langton，andDr。VansittartofOxford。Withoutspecifyingeachparticularday，Ihavepreservedthefollowingmemorablethings。
　　IregrettedthereflectioninhisPrefacetoShakspeareagainstGarrick，towhomwecannotbutapplythefollowingpassage：’I
　　collatedsuchcopiesasIcouldprocure，andwishedformore，buthavenotfoundthecollectorsoftheseraritiesverycommunicative。’Itoldhim，thatGarrickhadcomplainedtomeofit，andhadvindicatedhimselfbyassuringme，thatJohnsonwasmadewelcometothefulluseofhiscollection，andthatheleftthekeyofitwithaservant，withorderstohaveafireandeveryconvenienceforhim。IfoundJohnson’snotionwas，thatGarrickwantedtobecourtedforthem，andthat，onthecontrary，Garrickshouldhavecourtedhim，andsenthimtheplaysofhisownaccord。