Imust，againandagain，intreatofmyreadersnottosupposethatmyimperfectrecordofconversationcontainsthewholeofwhatwassaidbyJohnson，orothereminentpersonswholivedwithhim。WhatIhavepreserved，however，hasthevalueofthemostperfectauthenticity。
　　HeurgedGeneralOglethorpetogivetheworldhisLife。Hesaid，’IknownomanwhoseLifewouldbemoreinteresting。IfIwerefurnishedwithmaterials，Ishouldbeverygladtowriteit。’
　　Mr。ScottofAmwell’sElegieswerelyingintheroom。Dr。Johnsonobserved，’Theyareverywell；butsuchastwentypeoplemightwrite。’UponthisItookoccasiontocontrovertHorace’smaxim，’——mediocribusessepoetisNonDi，nonhomines，nonconcesserecolumnae。’
　　Forhere，Iobserved，wasaverymiddle-ratepoet，whopleasedmanyreaders，andthereforepoetryofamiddlesortwasentitledtosomeesteem；norcouldIseewhypoetryshouldnot，likeeverythingelse，havedifferentgradationsofexcellence，andconsequentlyofvalue。Johnsonrepeatedthecommonremark，that，’asthereisnonecessityforourhavingpoetryatall，itbeingmerelyaluxury，aninstrumentofpleasure，itcanhavenovalue，unlesswhenexquisiteinitskind。’Ideclaredmyselfnotsatisfied。’Whythen，Sir，saidhe，Horaceandyoumustsettleit。’Hewasnotmuchinthehumouroftalking。
　　Nomoreofhisconversationforsomedaysappearsinmyjournal，exceptthatwhenagentlemantoldhimhehadboughtasuitoflaceforhislady，hesaid，’Well，Sir，youhavedoneagoodthingandawisething。’’Ihavedoneagoodthing，saidthegentleman，butIdonotknowthatIhavedoneawisething。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir；
　　nomoneyisbetterspentthanwhatislaidoutfordomesticksatisfaction。Amanispleasedthathiswifeisdrestaswellasotherpeople；andawifeispleasedthatsheisdrest。’
　　OnFriday，April14，beingGood-Friday，Irepairedtohiminthemorning，accordingtomyusualcustomonthatday，andbreakfastedwithhim。Iobservedthathefastedsoverystrictly，thathedidnoteventastebread，andtooknomilkwithhistea；Isupposebecauseitisakindofanimalfood。
　　ItoldhimthatIhadbeeninformedbyMr。Orme，thatmanypartsoftheEast-IndieswerebettermappedthantheHighlandsofScotland。
　　JOHNSON。’Thatacountrymaybemapped，itmustbetravelledover。’’Nay，saidI，meaningtolaughwithhimatoneofhisprejudices，can’tyousay，itisnotWORTHmapping？’
　　AswewalkedtoSt。Clement’schurch，andsawseveralshopsopenuponthismostsolemnfast-dayoftheChristianworld，Iremarked，thatonedisadvantagearisingfromtheimmensityofLondon，was，thatnobodywasheededbyhisneighbour；therewasnofearofcensurefornotobservingGood-Friday，asitoughttobekept，andasitiskeptincountry-towns。Hesaid，itwas，uponthewhole，verywellobservedeveninLondon。He，however，owned，thatLondonwastoolarge；butadded，’Itisnonsensetosaytheheadistoobigforthebody。Itwouldbeasmuchtoobig，thoughthebodywereeversolarge；thatistosay，thoughthecountrywereeversoextensive。Ithasnosimilaritytoaheadconnectedwithabody。’
　　Dr。Wetherell，MasterofUniversityCollege，Oxford，accompaniedushomefromchurch；andafterhewasgone，therecametwoothergentlemen，oneofwhomutteredthecommonplacecomplaints，thatbytheincreaseoftaxes，labourwouldbedear，othernationswouldundersellus，andourcommercewouldberuined。JOHNSON。
　　smiling，’Neverfear，Sir。Ourcommerceisinaverygoodstate；
　　andsupposewehadnocommerceatall，wecouldliveverywellontheproduceofourowncountry。’Icannotomittomention，thatI
　　neverknewanymanwhowaslessdisposedtobequerulousthanJohnson。Whetherthesubjectwashisownsituation，orthestateofthepublick，orthestateofhumannatureingeneral，thoughhesawtheevils，hismindwasturnedtoresolution，andnevertowhiningorcomplaint。
　　WewentagaintoSt。Clement’sintheafternoon。Hehadfoundfaultwiththepreacherinthemorningfornotchoosingatextadaptedtotheday。Thepreacherintheafternoonhadchosenoneextremelyproper：’Itisfinished。’
　　Aftertheeveningservice，hesaid，’Come，youshallgohomewithme，andsitjustanhour。’Buthewasbetterthanhisword；forafterwehaddrunkteawithMrs。Williams，heaskedmetogouptohisstudywithhim，wherewesatalongwhiletogetherinasereneundisturbedframeofmind，sometimesinsilence，andsometimesconversing，aswefeltourselvesinclined，ormoreproperlyspeaking，asHEwasinclined；forduringallthecourseofmylongintimacywithhim，myrespectfulattentionneverabated，andmywishtohearhimwassuch，thatIconstantlywatchedeverydawningofcommunicationfromthatgreatandilluminatedmind。
　　Heagainadvisedmetokeepajournalfullyandminutely，butnottomentionsuchtriflesas，thatmeatwastoomuchortoolittledone，orthattheweatherwasfairorrainy。Hehad，tillverynearhisdeath，acontemptforthenotionthattheweatheraffectsthehumanframe。
　　ItoldhimthatourfriendGoldsmithhadsaidtome，thathehadcometoolateintotheworld，forthatPopeandotherpoetshadtakenuptheplacesintheTempleofFame；sothat，asbutafewatanyperiodcanpossesspoeticalreputation，amanofgeniuscannowhardlyacquireit。JOHNSON。’ThatisoneofthemostsensiblethingsIhaveeverheardofGoldsmith。Itisdifficulttogetliteraryfame，anditiseverydaygrowingmoredifficult。Ah，Sir，thatshouldmakeamanthinkofsecuringhappinessinanotherworld，whichallwhotrysincerelyforitmayattain。Incomparisonofthat，howlittleareallotherthings!Thebeliefofimmortalityisimpresseduponallmen，andallmenactunderanimpressionofit，howevertheymaytalk，andthough，perhaps，theymaybescarcelysensibleofit。’Isaid，itappearedtomethatsomepeoplehadnottheleastnotionofimmortality；andI
　　mentionedadistinguishedgentlemanofouracquaintance。JOHNSON。
　　’Sir，ifitwerenotforthenotionofimmortality，hewouldcutathroattofillhispockets。’WhenIquotedthistoBeauclerk，whoknewmuchmoreofthegentlemanthanwedid，hesaid，inhisacidmanner，’Hewouldcutathroattofillhispockets，ifitwerenotforfearofbeinghanged。’
　　Hewaspleasedtosay，’Ifyoucometosettlehere，wewillhaveonedayintheweekonwhichwewillmeetbyourselves。Thatisthehappiestconversationwherethereisnocompetition，novanity，butacalmquietinterchangeofsentiments。’Inhisprivateregisterthiseveningisthusmarked，’Boswellsatwithmetillnight；wehadsomeserioustalk。’Italsoappearsfromthesamerecord，thatafterIlefthimhewasoccupiedinreligiousduties，in’givingFrancis，hisservant，somedirectionsforpreparationtocommunicate；inreviewinghislife，andresolvingonbetterconduct。’Thehumilityandpietywhichhediscoversonsuchoccasions，istruelyedifying。Nosaint，however，inthecourseofhisreligiouswarfare，wasmoresensibleoftheunhappyfailureofpiousresolves，thanJohnson。Hesaidoneday，talkingtoanacquaintanceonthissubject，’SirHellispavedwithgoodintentions。’
　　OnSunday，April16，beingEasterDay，afterhavingattendedthesolemnserviceatSt。Paul’s，IdinedwithDr。JohnsonandMrs。
　　Williams。ImaintainedthatHoracewaswronginplacinghappinessinNiladmirari，forthatIthoughtadmirationoneofthemostagreeableofallourfeelings；andIregrettedthatIhadlostmuchofmydispositiontoadmire，whichpeoplegenerallydoastheyadvanceinlife。JOHNSON。’Sir，asamanadvancesinlife，hegetswhatisbetterthanadmiration——judgement，toestimatethingsattheirtruevalue。’Istillinsistedthatadmirationwasmorepleasingthanjudgement，asloveismorepleasingthanfriendship。
　　Thefeelingoffriendshipislikethatofbeingcomfortablyfilledwithroastbeef；love，likebeingenlivenedwithchampagne。
　　JOHNSON。’No，Sir；admirationandlovearelikebeingintoxicatedwithchampagne；judgementandfriendshiplikebeingenlivened。
　　Wallerhashituponthesamethoughtwithyou：butIdon’tbelieveyouhaveborrowedfromWaller。Iwishyouwouldenableyourselftoborrowmore。’
　　Hethentookoccasiontoenlargeontheadvantagesofreading，andcombatedtheidlesuperficialnotion，thatknowledgeenoughmaybeacquiredinconversation。’Thefoundationsaidhe，mustbelaidbyreading。Generalprinciplesmustbehadfrombooks，which，however，mustbebroughttothetestofreallife。Inconversationyounevergetasystem。Whatissaiduponasubjectistobegatheredfromahundredpeople。Thepartsofatruth，whichamangetsthus，areatsuchadistancefromeachotherthatheneverattainstoafullview。’
　　OnTuesday，April15，heandIwereengagedtogowithSirJoshuaReynoldstodinewithMr。Cambridge，athisbeautifulvillaonthebanksoftheThames，nearTwickenham。Dr。Johnson’stardinesswassuch，thatSirJoshua，whohadanappointmentatRichmond，earlyintheday，wasobligedtogobyhimselfonhorseback，leavinghiscoachtoJohnsonandme。Johnsonwasinsuchgoodspirits，thateverythingseemedtopleasehimaswedrovealong。
　　Ourconversationturnedonavarietyofsubjects。Hethoughtportrait-paintinganimproperemploymentforawoman。’Publickpracticeofanyart，heobserved，andstaringinmen’sfaces，isveryindelicateinafemale。’Ihappenedtostartaquestion，whether，whenamanknowsthatsomeofhisintimatefriendsareinvitedtothehouseofanotherfriend，withwhomtheyareallequallyintimate，hemayjointhemwithoutaninvitation。JOHNSON。
　　’No，Sir；heisnottogowhenheisnotinvited。Theymaybeinvitedonpurposetoabusehim’smiling。
　　Asacuriousinstancehowlittleamanknows，orwishestoknow，hisowncharacterintheworld，or，rather，asaconvincingproofthatJohnson’sroughnesswasonlyexternal，anddidnotproceedfromhisheart，Iinsertthefollowingdialogue。JOHNSON。’Itiswonderful，Sir，howrareaqualitygoodhumourisinlife。Wemeetwithveryfewgoodhumouredmen。’Imentionedfourofourfriends，noneofwhomhewouldallowtobegoodhumoured。OnewasACID，anotherwasMUDDY，andtotheothershehadobjectionswhichhaveescapedme。Then，shakinghisheadandstretchinghimselfateaseinthecoach，andsmilingwithmuchcomplacency，heturnedtomeandsaid，’IlookuponMYSELFasagoodhumouredfellow。’TheepithetFELLOW，appliedtothegreatLexicographer，thestatelyMoralist，themasterlycritick，asifhehadbeenSAMJohnson，amerepleasantcompanion，washighlydiverting；andthislightnotionofhimselfstruckmewithwonder。Ianswered，alsosmiling，’No，no，Sir；thatwillNOTdo。Youaregoodnatured，butnotgoodhumoured：youareirascible。Youhavenotpatiencewithfollyandabsurdity。Ibelieveyouwouldpardonthem，ifthereweretimetodeprecateyourvengeance；butpunishmentfollowssoquickaftersentence，thattheycannotescape。
　　IhadbroughtwithmeagreatbundleofScotchmagazinesandnews-
　　papers，inwhichhisJourneytotheWesternIslandswasattackedineverymode；andIreadagreatpartofthemtohim，knowingtheywouldaffordhimentertainment。Iwishthewritersofthemhadbeenpresent：theywouldhavebeensufficientlyvexed。Oneludicrousimitationofhisstyle，byMr。Maclaurin，nowoneoftheScotchJudges，withthetitleofLordDreghorn，wasdistinguishedbyhimfromtherudemass。’Thissaidhe，isthebest。ButI