Acuriousincidenthappenedto-day，whileMr。ThraleandIsatwithhim。Francisannouncedthatalargepacketwasbroughttohimfromthepost-office，saidtohavecomefromLisbon，anditwaschargedSEVENPOUNDSTENSHILLINGS。Hewouldnotreceiveit，supposingittobesometrick，nordidheevenlookatit。Butuponenquiryafterwardshefoundthatitwasarealpacketforhim，fromthatveryfriendintheEastIndiesofwhomhehadbeenspeaking；andtheshipwhichcarriedithavingcometoPortugal，thispacket，withothers，hadbeenputintothepost-officeatLisbon。
　　Imentionedanewgaming-club，ofwhichMr。Beauclerkhadgivenmeanaccount，wherethemembersplayedtoadesperateextent。
　　JOHNSON。’Dependuponit，Sir，thisismeretalk。WHOisruinedbygaming？Youwillnotfindsixinstancesinanage。Thereisastrangeroutmadeaboutdeepplay：whereasyouhavemanymorepeopleruinedbyadventuroustrade，andyetwedonothearsuchanoutcryagainstit。’THRALE。’Theremaybefewpeopleabsolutelyruinedbydeepplay；butverymanyaremuchhurtintheircircumstancesbyit。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir，andsoareverymanybyotherkindsofexpence。’Ihadheardhimtalkoncebeforeinthesamemanner；andatOxfordhesaid，’hewishedhehadlearnttoplayatcards。’Thetruth，however，is，thathelovedtodisplayhisingenuityinargument；andthereforewouldsometimesinconversationmaintainopinionswhichhewassensiblewerewrong，butinsupportingwhich，hisreasoningandwitwouldbemostconspicuous。Hewouldbeginthus：’Why，Sir，astothegoodorevilofcard-playing——’’Now，saidGarrick，heisthinkingwhichsideheshalltake。’Heappearedtohaveapleasureincontradiction，especiallywhenanyopinionwhateverwasdeliveredwithanairofconfidence；sothattherewashardlyanytopick，ifnotoneofthegreattruthsofReligionandMorality，thathemightnothavebeenincitedtoargue，eitherfororagainst。LordElibankhadthehighestadmirationofhispowers。Heonceobservedtome，’WhateveropinionJohnsonmaintains，Iwillnotsaythatheconvincesme；butheneverfailstoshewme，thathehasgoodreasonsforit。’IhaveheardJohnsonpayhisLordshipthishighcompliment：’IneverwasinLordElibank’scompanywithoutlearningsomething。’
　　Wesattogethertillitwastoolatefortheafternoonservice。
　　Thralesaidhehadcomewithintentiontogotochurchwithus。WewentatseventoeveningprayersatSt。Clement’schurch，afterhavingdrankcoffee；anindulgence，whichIunderstoodJohnsonyieldedtoonthisoccasion，incomplimenttoThrale。
　　OnSunday，April7，Easter-day，afterhavingbeenatSt。Paul’sCathedral，IcametoDr。Johnson，accordingtomyusualcustom。Itseemedtome，thattherewasalwayssomethingpeculiarlymildandplacidinhismanneruponthisholyfestival，thecommemorationofthemostjoyfuleventinthehistoryofourworld，theresurrectionofourLORDandSAVIOUR，who，havingtriumphedoverdeathandthegrave，proclaimedimmortalitytomankind。
　　Irepeatedtohimanargumentofaladyofmyacquaintance，whomaintained，thatherhusband’shavingbeenguiltyofnumberlessinfidelities，releasedherfromconjugalobligations，becausetheywerereciprocal。JOHNSON。’Thisismiserablestuff，Sir。Tothecontractofmarriage，besidesthemanandwife，thereisathirdparty——Society；andifitbeconsideredasavow——GOD：and，therefore，itcannotbedissolvedbytheirconsentalone。Lawsarenotmadeforparticularcases，butformeningeneral。Awomanmaybeunhappywithherhusband；butshecannotbefreedfromhimwithouttheapprobationofthecivilandecclesiasticalpower。A
　　manmaybeunhappy，becauseheisnotsorichasanother；butheisnottoseizeuponanother’spropertywithhisownhand。’BOSWELL。
　　’But，Sir，thisladydoesnotwantthatthecontractshouldbedissolved；sheonlyarguesthatshemayindulgeherselfingallantrieswithequalfreedomasherhusbanddoes，providedshetakescarenottointroduceaspuriousissueintohisfamily。Youknow，Sir，whatMacrobiushastoldusofJulia。’JOHNSON。’Thisladyofyours，Sir，Ithink，isveryfitforabrothel。’
　　Mr。Macbean，authouroftheDictionaryofancientGeography，camein。HementionedthathehadbeenfortyyearsabsentfromScotland。’Ah，Boswell!saidJohnson，smiling，whatwouldyougivetobefortyyearsfromScotland？’Isaid，’Ishouldnotliketobesolongabsentfromtheseatofmyancestors。’Thisgentleman，Mrs。Williams，andMr。Levet，dinedwithus。
　　Mrs。Williamswasverypeevish；andIwonderedatJohnson’spatiencewithhernow，asIhadoftendoneonsimilaroccasions。
　　Thetruthis，thathishumaneconsiderationoftheforlornandindigentstateinwhichthisladywasleftbyherfather，inducedhimtotreatherwiththeutmosttenderness，andeventobedesirousofprocuringheramusement，soassometimestoincommodemanyofhisfriends，bycarryingherwithhimtotheirhouses，where，fromhermannerofeating，inconsequenceofherblindness，shecouldnotbutoffendthedelicacyofpersonsofnicesensations。
　　Aftercoffee，wewenttoafternoonserviceinSt。Clement’schurch。
　　Observingsomebeggarsinthestreetaswewalkedalong，IsaidtohimIsupposedtherewasnocivilizedcountryintheworld，wherethemiseryofwantinthelowestclassesofthepeoplewasprevented。JOHNSON。’Ibelieve，Sir，thereisnot；butitisbetterthatsomeshouldbeunhappy，thanthatnoneshouldbehappy，whichwouldbethecaseinageneralstateofequality。’
　　Whentheservicewasended，Iwenthomewithhim，andwesatquietlybyourselves。
　　Uponthequestionwhetheramanwhohadbeenguiltyofviciousactionswoulddowelltoforcehimselfintosolitudeandsadness；
　　JOHNSON。’No，Sir，unlessitpreventhimfrombeingviciousagain。
　　Withsomepeople，gloomypenitenceisonlymadnessturnedupsidedown。Amanmaybegloomy，till，inordertoberelievedfromgloom，hehasrecourseagaintocriminalindulgencies。’
　　OnWednesday，April10，IdinedwithhimatMr。Thrale’s，wherewereMr。Murphyandsomeothercompany。Beforedinner，Dr。JohnsonandIpassedsometimebyourselves。IwassorrytofinditwasnowresolvedthattheproposedjourneytoItalyshouldnottakeplacethisyear。Hesaid，’Iamdisappointed，tobesure；butitisnotagreatdisappointment。’Iwonderedtoseehimbear，withaphilosophicalcalmness，whatwouldhavemademostpeoplepeevishandfretful。Iperceived，however，thathehadsowarmlycherishedthehopeofenjoyingclassicalscenes，thathecouldnoteasilypartwiththescheme；forhesaid：’IshallprobablycontrivetogettoItalysomeotherway。ButIwon’tmentionittoMr。andMrs。Thrale，asitmightvexthem。’Isuggested，thatgoingtoItalymighthavedoneMr。andMrs。Thralegood。JOHNSON。’I
　　ratherbelievenot，Sir。Whilegriefisfresh，everyattempttodivertonlyirritates。YoumustwaittillgriefbeDIGESTED，andthenamusementwilldissipatetheremainsofit。’
　　Isaid，Idislikedthecustomwhichsomepeoplehadofbringingtheirchildrenintocompany，becauseitinamannerforcedustopayfoolishcomplimentstopleasetheirparents。JOHNSON。’Youareright，Sir。Wemaybeexcusedfornotcaringmuchaboutotherpeople’schildren，fortherearemanywhocareverylittleabouttheirownchildren。Itmaybeobserved，thatmen，whofrombeingengagedinbusiness，orfromtheircourseoflifeinwhateverway，seldomseetheirchildren，donotcaremuchaboutthem。Imyselfshouldnothavehadmuchfondnessforachildofmyown。’MRS。
　　THRALE。’Nay，Sir，howcanyoutalkso？’JOHNSON。’Atleast，I
　　neverwishedtohaveachild。’
　　HetalkedofLordLyttelton’sextremeanxietyasanauthour；
　　observing，that’hewasthirtyyearsinpreparinghisHistory，andthatheemployedamantopointitforhim；asiflaughing
　　anothermancouldpointhissensebetterthanhimself。’Mr。Murphysaid，heunderstoodhishistorywaskeptbackseveralyearsforfearofSmollet。JOHNSON。’ThisseemsstrangetoMurphyandme，whoneverfeltthatanxiety，butsentwhatwewrotetothepress，andletittakeitschance。’MRS。THRALE。’Thetimehasbeen，Sir，whenyoufeltit。’JOHNSON。’Why，really，Madam，Idonotrecollectatimewhenthatwasthecase。’
　　OnThursday，April11，IdinedwithhimatGeneralPaoli’s，inwhosehouseInowresided，andwhereIhadeverafterwardsthehonourofbeingentertainedwiththekindestattentionashisconstantguest，whileIwasinLondon，tillIhadahouseofmyownthere。ImentionedmyhavingthatmorningintroducedtoMr。
　　Garrick，CountNeni，aFlemishNoblemanofgreatrankandfortune，towhomGarricktalkedofAbelDruggerasASMALLPART；andrelated，withpleasantvanity，thataFrenchmanwhohadseenhiminoneofhislowcharacters，exclaimed，’Comment!jenelecroispas。
　　Cen’estpasMonsieurGarrick，ceGrandHomme!’Garrickadded，withanappearanceofgraverecollection，’IfIweretobeginlifeagain，IthinkIshouldnotplaythoselowcharacters。’UponwhichIobserved，’Sir，youwouldbeinthewrong；foryourgreatexcellenceisyourvarietyofplaying，yourrepresentingsowell，characterssoverydifferent。’JOHNSON。’Garrick，Sir，wasnotinearnestinwhathesaid；for，tobesure，hispeculiarexcellenceishisvariety；and，perhaps，thereisnotanyonecharacterwhichhasnotbeenaswellactedbysomebodyelse，ashecoulddoit。’
　　BOSWELL。’Whythen，Sir，didhetalkso？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，tomakeyouanswerasyoudid。’BOSWELL。’Idon’tknow，Sir；heseemedtodipdeepintohismindforthereflection。’JOHNSON。
　　’Hehadnotfartodip，Sir：hesaidthesamething，probably，twentytimesbefore。’
　　Ofanoblemanraisedataveryearlyperiodtohighoffice，hesaid，’Hisparts，Sir，areprettywellforaLord；butwouldnotbedistinguishedinamanwhohadnothingelsebuthisparts。’
　　AjourneytoItalywasstillinhisthoughts。Hesaid，’AmanwhohasnotbeeninItaly，isalwaysconsciousofaninferiority，fromhisnothavingseenwhatitisexpectedamanshouldsee。ThegrandobjectoftravellingistoseetheshoresoftheMediterranean。OnthoseshoreswerethefourgreatEmpiresoftheworld；theAssyrian，thePersian，theGrecian，andtheRoman——Allourreligion，almostallourlaw，almostallourarts，almostallthatsetsusabovesavages，hascometousfromtheshoresoftheMediterranean。’TheGeneralobserved，that’THEMEDITERRANEAN
　　wouldbeanoblesubjectforapoem。’
　　Wetalkedoftranslation。Isaid，Icouldnotdefineit，norcouldIthinkofasimilitudetoillustrateit；butthatitappearedtomethetranslationofpoetrycouldbeonlyimitation。JOHNSON。