Isawhere，forthefirsttime，oatale；andoatcakesnothardasinScotland，butsoftlikeaYorkshirecake，wereservedatbreakfast。Itwaspleasanttometofind，thatOats，thefoodofhorses，weresomuchusedasthefoodofthepeopleinDr。
　　Johnson’sowntown。HeexpatiatedinpraiseofLichfieldanditsinhabitants，who，hesaid，were’themostsober，decentpeopleinEngland，thegenteelestinproportiontotheirwealth，andspokethepurestEnglish。’Idoubtedastothelastarticleofthiseulogy：fortheyhadseveralprovincialsounds；asTHERE，pronouncedlikeFEAR，insteadoflikeFAIR；ONCEpronouncedWOONSE，insteadofWUNSE，orWONSE。Johnsonhimselfnevergotentirelyfreeofthoseprovincialaccents。Garricksometimesusedtotakehimoff，squeezingalemonintoapunch-bowl，withuncouthgesticulations，lookingroundthecompany，andcallingout，’Who’sforPOONSH？’
　　VerylittlebusinessappearedtobegoingforwardinLichfield。I
　　foundhowevertwostrangemanufacturesforsoinlandaplace，sail-
　　clothandstreamersforships；andIobservedthemmakingsomesaddle-cloths，anddressingsheepskins：butuponthewhole，thebusyhandofindustryseemedtobequiteslackened。’Surely，Sir，saidI，youareanidlesetofpeople。’’Sir，saidJohnson，weareacityofphilosophers，weworkwithourheads，andmaketheboobiesofBirminghamworkforuswiththeirhands。’
　　TherewasatthistimeacompanyofplayersperformingatLichfield，Themanager，Mr。Stanton，senthiscompliments，andbeggedleavetowaitonDr。Johnson。Johnsonreceivedhimverycourteously，andhedrankaglassofwinewithus。Hewasaplaindecentwell-behavedman，andexpressedhisgratitudetoDr。JohnsonforhavingoncegothimpermissionfromDr。TayloratAshbournetoplaythereuponmoderateterms。Garrick’snamewassoonintroduced。JOHNSON。’Garrick’sconversationisgayandgrotesque。Itisadishofallsorts，butallgoodthings。Thereisnosolidmeatinit：thereisawantofsentimentinit。Notbutthathehassentimentsometimes，andsentiment，too，verypowerfulandverypleasing：butithasnotitsfullproportioninhisconversation。’
　　Whenwewerebyourselveshetoldme，’Fortyyearsago，Sir，Iwasinlovewithanactresshere，Mrs。Emmet，whoactedFlora，inHobintheWell。’Whatmeritthisladyhadasanactress，orwhatwasherfigure，orhermanner，Ihavenotbeeninformed：but，ifwemaybelieveMr。Garrick，hisoldmaster’stasteintheatricalmeritwasbynomeansrefined；hewasnotanelegansformarumspectator。
　　Garrickusedtotell，thatJohnsonsaidofanactor，whoplayedSirHarryWildairatLichfield，’Thereisacourtlyvivacityaboutthefellow；’wheninfact，accordingtoGarrick’saccount，’hewasthemostvulgarruffianthateverwentuponboards。’
　　WehadpromisedMr。StantontobeathistheatreonMonday。Dr。
　　JohnsonjocularlyproposedmetowriteaProloguefortheoccasion：
　　’APrologue，byJamesBoswell，Esq。fromtheHebrides。’Iwasreallyinclinedtotakethehint。Methought，’Prologue，spokenbeforeDr。SamuelJohnson，atLichfield，1776；’wouldhavesoundedaswellas，’Prologue，spokenbeforetheDukeofYork，atOxford，’
　　inCharlestheSecond’stime。MuchmighthavebeensaidofwhatLichfieldhaddoneforShakspeare，byproducingJohnsonandGarrick。ButIfoundhewasaversetoit。
　　WewentandviewedthemuseumofMr。RichardGreen，apothecaryhere，whotoldmehewasproudofbeingarelationofDr。
　　Johnson’s。Itwas，truely，awonderfulcollection，bothofantiquitiesandnaturalcuriosities，andingeniousworksofart。
　　Hehadallthearticlesaccuratelyarranged，withtheirnamesuponlabels，printedathisownlittlepress；andonthestaircaseleadingtoitwasaboard，withthenamesofcontributorsmarkedingoldletters。Aprintedcatalogueofthecollectionwastobehadatabookseller’s。JohnsonexpressedhisadmirationoftheactivityanddiligenceandgoodfortuneofMr。Green，ingettingtogether，inhissituation，sogreatavarietyofthings；andMr。
　　GreentoldmethatJohnsononcesaidtohim，’Sir，Ishouldassoonhavethoughtofbuildingamanofwar，asofcollectingsuchamuseum。’Mr。Green’sobligingalacrityinshewingitwasverypleasing。
　　WedrankteaandcoffeeatMr。PeterGarrick’s，wherewasMrs。
　　Aston，oneofthemaidensistersofMrs。Walmsley，wifeofJohnson’sfirstfriend，andsisteralsooftheladyofwhomJohnsonusedtospeakwiththewarmestadmiration，bythenameofMollyAston，whowasafterwardsmarriedtoCaptainBrodieofthenavy。
　　OnSunday，March24，webreakfastedwithMrs。Cobb，awidowlady，wholivedinanagreeablesequesteredplaceclosebythetown，calledtheFriary，ithavingbeenformerlyareligioushouse。Sheandherniece，MissAdey，weregreatadmirersofDr。Johnson；andhebehavedtothemwithakindnessandeasypleasantry，suchasweseebetweenoldandintimateacquaintance。HeaccompaniedMrs。
　　CobbtoSt。Mary’schurch，andIwenttothecathedral，whereIwasverymuchdelightedwiththemusick，findingittobepeculiarlysolemnandaccordantwiththewordsoftheservice。
　　WedinedatMr。PeterGarrick’s，whowasinaverylivelyhumour，andverifiedJohnson’ssaying，thatifhehadcultivatedgaietyasmuchashisbrotherDavid，hemighthaveequallyexcelledinit。
　　Hewasto-dayquiteaLondonnarrator，tellingusavarietyofanecdoteswiththatearnestnessandattemptatmimicrywhichweusuallyfindinthewitsofthemetropolis。Dr。Johnsonwentwithmetothecathedralintheafternoon。Itwasgrandandpleasingtocontemplatethisillustriouswriter，nowfulloffame，worshippinginthe’solemntemple’ofhisnativecity。
　　IreturnedtoteaandcoffeeatMr。PeterGarrick’s，andthenfoundDr。JohnsonattheReverendMr。Seward’s，CanonResidentiary，whoinhabitedtheBishop’spalace，inwhichMr。Walmsleylived，andwhichhadbeenthesceneofmanyhappyhoursinJohnson’searlylife。
　　Onmonday，March25，webreakfastedatMrs。LucyPorter’s。JohnsonhadsentanexpresstoDr。Taylor’s，acquaintinghimofourbeingatLichfield，andTaylorhadreturnedananswerthathispostchaiseshouldcomeforusthisday。Whilewesatatbreakfast，Dr。
　　Johnsonreceivedaletterbythepost，whichseemedtoagitatehimverymuch。Whenhehadreadit，heexclaimed，’Oneofthemostdreadfulthingsthathashappenedinmytime。’Thephrasemytime，likethewordage，isusuallyunderstoodtorefertoaneventofapublickorgeneralnature。IimaginedsomethinglikeanassassinationoftheKing——likeagunpowderplotcarriedintoexecution——orlikeanotherfireofLondon。Whenasked，’Whatisit，Sir？’heanswered，’Mr。Thralehaslosthisonlyson!’Thiswas，nodoubt，averygreatafflictiontoMr。andMrs。Thrale，whichtheirfriendswouldconsideraccordingly；butfromthemannerinwhichtheintelligenceofitwascommunicatedbyJohnson，itappearedforthemomenttobecomparativelysmall。I，however，soonfeltasincereconcern，andwascurioustoobserve，howDr。
　　Johnsonwouldbeaffected。Hesaid，’Thisisatotalextinctiontotheirfamily，asmuchasiftheyweresoldintocaptivity。’UponmymentioningthatMr。Thralehaddaughters，whomightinherithiswealth；——’Daughters，saidJohnson，warmly，he’llnomorevaluehisdaughtersthan——’Iwasgoingtospeak——’Sir，saidhe，
　　don’tyouknowhowyouyourselfthink？Sir，hewishestopropagatehisname。’Inshort，Isawmalesuccessionstronginhismind，evenwheretherewasnoname，nofamilyofanylongstanding。I
　　said，itwasluckyhewasnotpresentwhenthismisfortunehappened。JOHNSON。’ItisluckyforME。Peopleindistressneverthinkthatyoufeelenough。’BOSWELL。’AndSir，theywillhavethehopeofseeingyou，whichwillbeareliefinthemeantime；
　　andwhenyougettothem，thepainwillbesofarabated，thattheywillbecapableofbeingconsoledbyyou，which，inthefirstviolenceofit，Ibelieve，wouldnotbethecase。’JOHNSON。’No，Sir；violentpainofmind，likeviolentpainofbody，MUSTbeseverelyfelt。’BOSWELL。’Iown，Sir，Ihavenotsomuchfeelingforthedistressofothers，assomepeoplehave，orpretendtohave：butIknowthis，thatIwoulddoallinmypowertorelievethem。’JOHNSON。’Siritisaffectationtopretendtofeelthedistressofothers，asmuchastheydothemselves。Itisequallyso，asifoneshouldpretendtofeelasmuchpainwhileafriend’slegiscuttingoff，ashedoes。No，Sir；youhaveexpressedtherationalandjustnatureofsympathy。Iwouldhavegonetotheextremityoftheearthtohavepreservedthisboy。’
　　Hewassoonquitecalm。TheletterwasfromMr。Thrale’sclerk，andconcluded，’IneednotsayhowmuchtheywishtoseeyouinLondon。’Hesaid，’WeshallhastenbackfromTaylor’s。’
　　Mrs。LucyPorterandsomeotherladiesoftheplacetalkedagreatdealofhimwhenhewasoutoftheroom，notonlywithvenerationbutaffection。ItpleasedmetofindthathewassomuchBELOVED
　　inhisnativecity。
　　Mrs。Aston，whomIhadseentheprecedingnight，andhersister，Mrs。Gastrel，awidowlady，hadeachahouseandgarden，andpleasure-ground，prettilysituateduponStowhill，agentleeminence，adjoiningtoLichfield。Johnsonwalkedawaytodinnerthere，leavingmebymyselfwithoutanyapology；Iwonderedatthiswantofthatfacilityofmanners，fromwhichamanhasnodifficultyincarryingafriendtoahousewhereheisintimate；I
　　feltitveryunpleasanttobethusleftinsolitudeinacountrytown，whereIwasanentirestranger，andbegantothinkmyselfunkindlydeserted；butIwassoonrelieved，andconvincedthatmyfriend，insteadofbeingdeficientindelicacy，hadconductedthematterwithperfectpropriety，forIreceivedthefollowingnoteinhishandwriting：’Mrs。Gastrel，atthelowerhouseonStowhill，desiresMr。Boswell’scompanytodinnerattwo。’Iacceptedoftheinvitation，andhadhereanotherproofhowamiablehischaracterwasintheopinionofthosewhoknewhimbest。Iwasnotinformed，tillafterwards，thatMrs。Gastrel’shusbandwastheclergymanwho，whilehelivedatStratforduponAvon，wherehewasproprietorofShakspeare’sgarden，withGothickbarbaritycutdownhismulberry-
　　tree，and，asDr。Johnsontoldme，didittovexhisneighbours。
　　Hislady，Ihavereasontobelieve，onthesameauthority，participatedintheguiltofwhattheenthusiastsforourimmortalbarddeemalmostaspeciesofsacrilege。
　　AfterdinnerDr。JohnsonwrotealettertoMrs。Thraleonthedeathofherson。IsaiditwouldbeverydistressingtoThrale，butshewouldsoonforgetit，asshehadsomanythingstothinkof。
　　JOHNSON。’No，Sir，Thralewillforgetitfirst。SHEhasmanythingsthatsheMAYthinkof。HEhasmanythingsthatheMUST
　　thinkof。’Thiswasaveryjustremarkuponthedifferenteffectofthoselightpursuitswhichoccupyavacantandeasymind，andthoseseriousengagementswhicharrestattention，andkeepusfrombroodingovergrief。
　　IntheeveningwewenttotheTown-hall，whichwasconvertedintoatemporarytheatre，andsawTheodosius，withTheStratfordJubilee。
　　IwashappytoseeDr。Johnsonsittinginaconspicuouspartofthepit，andreceivingaffectionatehomagefromallhisacquaintance。
　　Wewerequitegayandmerry。IafterwardsmentionedtohimthatI
　　condemnedmyselfforbeingso，whenpoorMr。andMrs。Thralewereinsuchdistress。JOHNSON。’Youarewrong，Sir；twentyyearshenceMr。andMrs。Thralewillnotsuffermuchpainfromthedeathoftheirson。Now，Sir，youaretoconsider，thatdistanceofplace，aswellasdistanceoftime，operatesuponthehumanfeelings。Iwouldnothaveyoubegayinthepresenceofthedistressed，becauseitwouldshockthem；butyoumaybegayatadistance。Painforthelossofafriend，orofarelationwhomwelove，isoccasionedbythewantwhichwefeel。Intimethevacuityisfilledwithsomethingelse；orsometimesthevacuityclosesupofitself。’
　　Mr。SewardandMr。Pearson，anotherclergymanhere，suptwithusatourinn，andaftertheyleftus，wesatuplateasweusedtodoinLondon。