WhenTopladywasgoingtospeak，Johnsonutteredsomesound，whichledGoldsmithtothinkthathewasbeginningagain，andtakingthewordsfromToplady。Uponwhich，heseizedthisopportunityofventinghisownenvyandspleen，underthepretextofsupportinganotherperson：
　　’Sir，saidhetoJohnson，thegentlemanhasheardyoupatientlyforanhour；prayallowusnowtohearhim。’JOHNSON。sternly，
　　’Sir，Iwasnotinterruptingthegentleman。Iwasonlygivinghimasignalofmyattention。Sir，youareimpertinent。’Goldsmithmadenoreply，butcontinuedinthecompanyforsometime。
　　AgentlemanpresentventuredtoaskDr。Johnsoniftherewasnotamaterialdifferenceastotolerationofopinionswhichleadtoaction，andopinionsmerelyspeculative；forinstance，woulditbewronginthemagistratetotoleratethosewhopreachagainstthedoctrineoftheTRINITY？Johnsonwashighlyoffended，andsaid，’I
　　wonder，Sir，howagentlemanofyourpietycanintroducethissubjectinamixedcompany。’Hetoldmeafterwards，thattheimproprietywas，thatperhapssomeofthecompanymighthavetalkedonthesubjectinsuchtermsasmighthaveshockedhim；orhemighthavebeenforcedtoappearintheireyesanarrow-mindedman。Thegentleman，withsubmissivedeference，said，hehadonlyhintedatthequestionfromadesiretohearDr。Johnson’sopinionuponit。
　　JOHNSON。’Whythen，Sir，Ithinkthatpermittingmentopreachanyopinioncontrarytothedoctrineoftheestablishedchurchtends，inacertaindegree，tolessentheauthorityofthechurch，andconsequently，tolessentheinfluenceofreligion。’’Itmaybeconsidered，saidthegentleman，whetheritwouldnotbepoliticktotolerateinsuchacase。’JOHNSON。’Sir，wehavebeentalkingofRIGHT：thisisanotherquestion。IthinkitisNOTpoliticktotolerateinsuchacase。’
　　BOSWELL。’Pray，Mr。Dilly，howdoesDr。Leland’sHistoryofIrelandsell？’JOHNSON。burstingforthwithagenerousindignation，’TheIrishareinamostunnaturalstate；forweseetheretheminorityprevailingoverthemajority。Thereisnoinstance，eveninthetenpersecutions，ofsuchseverityasthatwhichtheprotestantsofIrelandhaveexercisedagainsttheCatholicks。Didwetellthemwehaveconqueredthem，itwouldbeaboveboard：topunishthembyconfiscationandotherpenalties，asrebels，wasmonstrousinjustice。KingWilliamwasnottheirlawfulsovereign：hehadnotbeenacknowledgedbytheParliamentofIreland，whentheyappearedinarmsagainsthim。’
　　HeandMr。LangtonandIwenttogethertoTHECLUB，wherewefoundMr。Burke，Mr。Garrick，andsomeothermembers，andamongstthemourfriendGoldsmith，whosatsilentlybroodingoverJohnson’sreprimandtohimafterdinner。Johnsonperceivedthis，andsaidasidetosomeofus，’I’llmakeGoldsmithforgiveme；’andthencalledtohiminaloudvoice，’Dr。Goldsmith，——somethingpassedto-daywhereyouandIdined；Iaskyourpardon。’Goldsmithansweredplacidly，’Itmustbemuchfromyou，Sir，thatItakeill。’Andsoatoncethedifferencewasover，andtheywereonaseasytermsasever，andGoldsmithrattledawayasusual。
　　Inourwaytotheclubto-night，whenIregrettedthatGoldsmithwould，uponeveryoccasion，endeavourtoshine，bywhichheoftenexposedhimself，Mr。Langtonobserved，thathewasnotlikeAddison，whowascontentwiththefameofhiswritings，anddidnotaimalsoatexcellencyinconversation，forwhichhefoundhimselfunfit；andthathesaidtoaladywhocomplainedofhishavingtalkedlittleincompany，’Madam，Ihavebutninepenceinreadymoney，butIcandrawforathousandpounds。’Iobserved，thatGoldsmithhadagreatdealofgoldinhiscabinet，but，notcontentwiththat，wasalwaystakingouthispurse。JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir，andthatsooftenanemptypurse!’
　　Goldsmith’sincessantdesireofbeingconspicuousincompany，wastheoccasionofhissometimesappearingtosuchdisadvantageasoneshouldhardlyhavesupposedpossibleinamanofhisgenius。Whenhisliteraryreputationhadrisendeservedlyhigh，andhissocietywasmuchcourted，hebecameveryjealousoftheextraordinaryattentionwhichwaseverywherepaidtoJohnson。Oneevening，inacircleofwits，hefoundfaultwithmefortalkingofJohnsonasentitledtothehonourofunquestionablesuperiority。’Sir，saidhe，youareformakingamonarchyofwhatshouldbearepublick。’
　　Hewasstillmoremortified，whentalkinginacompanywithfluentvivacity，and，asheflatteredhimself，totheadmirationofallwhowerepresent；aGermanwhosatnexthim，andperceivedJohnsonrollinghimself，asifabouttospeak，suddenlystoppedhim，saying，’Stay，stay，——ToctorShonsonisgoingtosaysomething。’
　　Thiswas，nodoubt，veryprovoking，especiallytoonesoirritableasGoldsmith，whofrequentlymentioneditwithstrongexpressionsofindignation。
　　Itmayalsobeobserved，thatGoldsmithwassometimescontenttobetreatedwithaneasyfamiliarity，but，uponoccasions，wouldbeconsequentialandimportant。Aninstanceofthisoccurredinasmallparticular。Johnsonhadawayofcontractingthenamesofhisfriends；asBeauclerk，Beau；Boswell，Bozzy；Langton，Lanky；
　　Murphy，Mur；Sheridan，Sherry。Irememberoneday，whenTomDavieswastellingthatDr。Johnsonsaid，’WeareallinlabourforanametoGOLDY’Splay，’Goldsmithseemeddispleasedthatsuchalibertyshouldbetakenwithhisname，andsaid，’IhaveoftendesiredhimnottocallmeGOLDY。’TomwasremarkablyattentivetothemostminutecircumstanceaboutJohnson。Irecollecthistellingmeonce，onmyarrivalinLondon，’Sir，ourgreatfriendhasmadeanimprovementonhisappellationofoldMr。Sheridan。HecallshimnowSherryderry。’
　　OnMonday，May9，asIwastosetoutonmyreturntoScotlandnextmorning，IwasdesiroustoseeasmuchofDr。JohnsonasIcould。
　　ButIfirstcalledonGoldsmithtotakeleaveofhim。Thejealousyandenvywhich，thoughpossessedofmanymostamiablequalities，hefranklyavowed，brokeoutviolentlyatthisinterview。Uponanotheroccasion，whenGoldsmithconfessedhimselftobeofanenviousdisposition，IcontendedwithJohnsonthatweoughtnottobeangrywithhim，hewassocandidinowningit。’Nay，Sir，saidJohnson，wemustbeangrythatamanhassuchasuperabundanceofanodiousquality，thathecannotkeepitwithinhisownbreast，butitboilsover。’Inmyopinion，however，Goldsmithhadnotmoreofitthanotherpeoplehave，butonlytalkedofitfreely。
　　HenowseemedveryangrythatJohnsonwasgoingtobeatraveller；
　　said’hewouldbeadeadweightformetocarry，andthatIshouldneverbeabletolughimalongthroughtheHighlandsandHebrides。’
　　NorwouldhepatientlyallowmetoenlargeuponJohnson’swonderfulabilities；butexclaimed，’IshelikeBurke，whowindsintoasubjectlikeaserpent？’’But，saidI，JohnsonistheHerculeswhostrangledserpentsinhiscradle。’
　　IdinedwithDr。JohnsonatGeneralPaoli’s。Hewasobliged，byindisposition，toleavethecompanyearly；heappointedme，however，tomeethimintheeveningatMr。nowSirRobert
　　Chambers’sintheTemple，whereheaccordinglycame，thoughhecontinuedtobeveryill。Chambers，asiscommononsuchoccasions，prescribedvariousremediestohim。JOHNSON。frettedbypain，’Pr’ytheedon’tteaseme。StaytillIamwell，andthenyoushalltellmehowtocuremyself。’Hegrewbetter，andtalkedwithanobleenthusiasmofkeepinguptherepresentationofrespectablefamilies。Hiszealonthissubjectwasacircumstanceinhischaracterexceedinglyremarkable，whenitisconsideredthathehimselfhadnopretensionstoblood。Iheardhimoncesay，’I
　　havegreatmeritinbeingzealousforsubordinationandthehonoursofbirth；forIcanhardlytellwhowasmygrandfather。’Hemaintainedthedignityandproprietyofmalesuccession，inoppositiontotheopinionofoneofourfriends，whohadthatdayemployedMr。Chamberstodrawhiswill，devisinghisestatetohisthreesisters，inpreferencetoaremoteheirmale。Johnsoncalledthem’threeDOWDIES，’andsaid，withashighaspiritastheboldestBaroninthemostperfectdaysofthefeudalsystem，’Anancientestateshouldalwaysgotomales。Itismightyfoolishtoletastrangerhaveitbecausehemarriesyourdaughter，andtakesyourname。Asforanestatenewlyacquiredbytrade，youmaygiveit，ifyouwill，tothedogTowser，andlethimkeephisOWNname。’
　　Ihaveknownhimattimesexceedinglydivertedatwhatseemedtoothersaverysmallsport。Henowlaughedimmoderately，withoutanyreasonthatwecouldperceive，atourfriend’smakinghiswill；
　　calledhimtheTESTATOR，andadded，’Idaresay，hethinkshehasdoneamightything。Hewon’tstaytillhegetshometohisseatinthecountry，toproducethiswonderfuldeed：he’llcallupthelandlordofthefirstinnontheroad；and，afterasuitableprefaceuponmortalityandtheuncertaintyoflife，willtellhimthatheshouldnotdelaymakinghiswill；andhere，Sir，willhesay，ismywill，whichIhavejustmade，withtheassistanceofoneoftheablestlawyersinthekingdom；andhewillreadittohimlaughingallthetime。Hebelieveshehasmadethiswill；buthedidnotmakeit：you，Chambers，madeitforhim。Itrustyouhavehadmoreconsciencethantomakehimsay，“beingofsoundunderstanding；“ha，ha，ha!Ihopehehasleftmealegacy。I’dhavehiswillturnedintoverse，likeaballad。’
　　Mr。Chambersdidnotbyanymeansrelishthisjocularityuponamatterofwhichparsmagnafuit，andseemedimpatienttillhegotridofus。Johnsoncouldnotstophismerriment，butcontinueditallthewaytillwegotwithouttheTemple-gate。Hethenburstintosuchafitoflaughter，thatheappearedtobealmostinaconvulsion；and，inordertosupporthimself，laidholdofoneofthepostsatthesideofthefootpavement，andsentforthpealssoloud，thatinthesilenceofthenighthisvoiceseemedtoresoundfromTemple-bartoFleet-ditch。
　　Thismostludicrousexhibitionoftheaweful，melancholy，andvenerableJohnson，happenedwelltocounteractthefeelingsofsadnesswhichIusedtoexperiencewhenpartingwithhimforaconsiderabletime。Iaccompaniedhimtohisdoor，wherehegavemehisblessing。
　　’TOJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。
　　’DEARSir，——IshallsetoutfromLondononFridaythesixthofthismonth，andpurposenottoloitermuchbytheway。WhichdayI
　　shallbeatEdinburgh，Icannotexactlytell。IsupposeImustdrivetoaninn，andsendaportertofindyou。
　　’IamafraidBeattiewillnotbeathisCollegesoonenoughforus，andIshallbesorrytomisshim；butthereisnostayingfortheconcurrenceofallconveniences。Wewilldoaswellaswecan。I
　　am，Sir，yourmosthumbleservant，’August3，1773。’
　　’SAM。JOHNSON。’
　　TOJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。
　　’Newcastle，Aug。11，1773。