IcannotomitacuriouscircumstancewhichoccurredatEdensor-inn，closebyChatsworth，tosurveythemagnificenceofwhichIhadgoneaconsiderablewayoutofmyroadtoScotland。Theinnwasthenkeptbyaveryjollylandlord，whosename，Ithink，wasMalton。Hehappenedtomentionthat’thecelebratedDr。Johnsonhadbeeninhishouse。’IinquiredWHOthisDr。Johnsonwas，thatImighthearminehost’snotionofhim。’Sir，saidhe，Johnson，thegreatwriter；ODDITY，astheycallhim。He’sthegreatestwriterinEngland；hewritesfortheministry；hehasacorrespondenceabroad，andletsthemknowwhat’sgoingon。’
Myfriend，whohadathoroughdependanceupontheauthenticityofmyrelationwithoutanyEMBELLISHMENT，asFALSEHOODorFICTIONistoogentlycalled，laughedagooddealatthisrepresentationofhimself。
OnWednesday，March18，*IarrivedinLondon，andwasinformedbygoodMr。Francisthathismasterwasbetter，andwasgonetoMr。
Thrale’satStreatham，towhichplaceIwrotetohim，beggingtoknowwhenhewouldbeintown。Hewasnotexpectedforsometime；
butnextdayhavingcalledonDr。Taylor，inDean’s-yard，Westminster，Ifoundhimthere，andwastoldhehadcometotownforafewhours。Hemetmewithhisusualkindness，butinstantlyreturnedtothewritingofsomethingonwhichhewasemployedwhenIcamein，andonwhichheseemedmuchintent。Findinghimthusengaged，Imademyvisitveryshort。
OnFriday，March20，Ifoundhimathisownhouse，sittingwithMrs。Williams，andwasinformedthattheroomformerlyallottedtomewasnowappropriatedtoacharitablepurpose；Mrs。Desmoulins，andIthinkherdaughter，andaMissCarmichael，beingalllodgedinit。Suchwashishumanity，andsuchhisgenerosity，thatMrs。
Desmoulinsherselftoldme，heallowedherhalf-a-guineaaweek。
Letitberemembered，thatthiswasaboveatwelfthpartofhispension。
Hisliberality，indeed，wasatallperiodsofhislifeveryremarkable。Mr。Howard，ofLichfield，atwhosefather’shouseJohnsonhadinhisearlyyearsbeenkindlyreceived，toldme，thatwhenhewasaboyattheCharter-House，hisfatherwrotetohimtogoandpayavisittoMr。SamuelJohnson，whichheaccordinglydid，andfoundhiminanupperroom，ofpoorappearance。Johnsonreceivedhimwithmuchcourteousness，andtalkedagreatdealtohim，astoaschool-boy，ofthecourseofhiseducation，andotherparticulars。Whenheafterwardscametoknowandunderstandthehighcharacterofthisgreatman，herecollectedhiscondescensionwithwonder。Headded，thatwhenhewasgoingaway，Mr。Johnsonpresentedhimwithhalf-a-guinea；andthis，saidMr。Howard，wasatatimewhenheprobablyhadnotanother。
WeretiredfromMrs。Williamstoanotherroom。TomDaviessoonafterjoinedus。Hehadnowunfortunatelyfailedinhiscircumstances，andwasmuchindebtedtoDr。Johnson’skindnessforobtainingforhimmanyalleviationsofhisdistress。Afterhewentaway，Johnsonblamedhisfollyinquittingthestage，bywhichheandhiswifegotfivehundredpoundsayear。Isaid，IbelieveditwasowingtoChurchill’sattackuponhim，’Hemouthsasentence，ascursmouthabone。’
JOHNSON。’Ibelievesotoo，Sir。Butwhatamanishe，whoistobedrivenfromthestagebyaline？Anotherlinewouldhavedrivenhimfromhisshop。’
HereturnednextdaytoStreatham，toMr。Thrale’s；where，asMr。
Strahanoncecomplainedtome，’hewasinagreatmeasureabsorbedfromthesocietyofhisoldfriends。’IwaskeptinLondonbybusiness，andwrotetohimonthe27th，thataseparationfromhimforaweek，whenweweresonear，wasequaltoaseparationforayear，whenwewereatfourhundredmilesdistance。IwenttoStreathamonMonday，March30。Beforeheappeared，Mrs。Thralemadeaverycharacteristicalremark：——’IdonotknowforcertainwhatwillpleaseDr。Johnson：butIknowforcertainthatitwilldispleasehimtopraiseanything，evenwhathelikes，extravagantly。’
Atdinnerhelaughedatquerulousdeclamationsagainsttheage，onaccountofluxury，——increaseofLondon，——scarcityofprovisions，——
andothersuchtopicks。’Housessaidhe，willbebuilttillrentsfall：andcornismoreplentifulnowthaneveritwas。’
Ihadbeforedinnerrepeatedaridiculousstorytoldmebyanoldmanwhohadbeenapassengerwithmeinthestage-coachto-day。
Mrs。Thrale，havingtakenoccasiontoalludetoitintalkingtome，calledit’ThestorytoldyoubytheoldWOMAN。’——’Now，Madam，saidI，givemeleavetocatchyouinthefact；itwasnotanoldWOMAN，butanoldMAN，whomImentionedashavingtoldmethis。’I
presumedtotakeanopportunity，inpresenceofJohnson，ofshewingthislivelyladyhowreadyshewas，unintentionally，todeviatefromexactauthenticityofnarration。
Nextmorning，whilewewereatbreakfast，Johnsongaveaveryearnestrecommendationofwhathehimselfpractisedwiththeutmostconscientiousness：Imeanastrictattentiontotruth，eveninthemostminuteparticulars。’Accustomyourchildrensaidhe，
constantlytothis；ifathinghappenedatonewindow，andthey，whenrelatingit，saythatithappenedatanother，donotletitpass，butinstantlycheckthem；youdonotknowwheredeviationfromtruthwillend。’BOSWELL。’Itmaycometothedoor：andwhenonceanaccountisatallvariedinonecircumstance，itmaybydegreesbevariedsoastobetotallydifferentfromwhatreallyhappened。’Ourlivelyhostess，whosefancywasimpatientoftherein，fidgetedatthis，andventuredtosay，’Nay，thisistoomuch。IfMr。Johnsonshouldforbidmetodrinktea，Iwouldcomply，asIshouldfeeltherestraintonlytwiceaday；butlittlevariationsinnarrativemusthappenathousandtimesaday，ifoneisnotperpetuallywatching。’JOHNSON。’Well，Madam，andyouOUGHTtobeperpetuallywatching。Itismorefromcarelessnessabouttruththanfromintentionallying，thatthereissomuchfalsehoodintheworld。’
Hewasindeedsomuchimpressedwiththeprevalenceoffalsehood，voluntaryorunintentional，thatIneverknewanypersonwhouponhearinganextraordinarycircumstancetold，discoveredmoreoftheincredulusodi。Hewouldsay，withasignificantlookanddecisivetone，’Itisnotso。Donottellthisagain。’Heinculcateduponallhisfriendstheimportanceofperpetualvigilanceagainsttheslightestdegreesoffalsehood；theeffectofwhich，asSirJoshuaReynoldsobservedtome，hasbeen，thatallwhowereofhisSCHOOL
aredistinguishedforaloveoftruthandaccuracy，whichtheywouldnothavepossessedinthesamedegree，iftheyhadnotbeenacquaintedwithJohnson。
Talkingofghosts，hesaid，’Itiswonderfulthatfivethousandyearshavenowelapsedsincethecreationoftheworld，andstillitisundecidedwhetherornottherehaseverbeenaninstanceofthespiritofanypersonappearingafterdeath。Allargumentisagainstit；butallbeliefisforit。’
Hesaid，’JohnWesley’sconversationisgood，butheisneveratleisure。Heisalwaysobligedtogoatacertainhour。Thisisverydisagreeabletoamanwholovestofoldhislegsandhaveouthistalk，asIdo。’
OnFriday，April3，IdinedwithhiminLondon，inacompany*wherewerepresentseveraleminentmen，whomIshallnotname，butdistinguishtheirpartsintheconversationbydifferentletters。
*TheClub。HillidentifiesE。asBurkeandJ。asSirJoshuaReynolds——ED。
E。’Wehearprodigiouscomplaintsatpresentofemigration。Iamconvincedthatemigrationmakesacountrymorepopulous。’J。
’Thatsoundsverymuchlikeaparadox。’E。’Exportationofmen，likeexportationofallothercommodities，makesmorebeproduced。’
JOHNSON。’Buttherewouldbemorepeopleweretherenotemigration，providedtherewerefoodformore。’E。’No；leaveafewbreeders，andyou’llhavemorepeoplethaniftherewerenoemigration。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，itisplaintherewillbemorepeople，iftherearemorebreeders。Thirtycowsingoodpasturewillproducemorecalvesthantencows，providedtheyhavegoodbulls。’E。’TherearebullsenoughinIreland。’JOHNSON。
smiling，’So，Sir，Ishouldthinkfromyourargument。’
E。’Ibelieve，inanybodyofmeninEngland，IshouldhavebeenintheMinority；IhavealwaysbeenintheMinority。’P。’TheHouseofCommonsresemblesaprivatecompany。Howseldomisanymanconvincedbyanother’sargument；passionandprideriseagainstit。’R。’Whatwouldbetheconsequence，ifaMinister，sureofamajorityintheHouseofCommons，shouldresolvethatthereshouldbenospeakingatalluponhisside。’E。’Hemustsoongoout。
Thathasbeentried；butitwasfounditwouldnotdo。’……
JOHNSON。’IhavebeenreadingThicknesse’sTravels，whichIthinkareentertaining。’BOSWELL。’What，Sir，agoodbook？’JOHNSON。
’Yes，Sir，toreadonce；Idonotsayyouaretomakeastudyofit，anddigestit；andIbelieveittobeatruebookinhisintention。’
E。’FromtheexperiencewhichIhavehad，——andIhavehadagreatdeal，——IhavelearnttothinkBETTERofmankind。’JOHNSON。’FrommyexperienceIhavefoundthemworseincommercialdealings，moredisposedtocheat，thanIhadanynotionof；butmoredisposedtodooneanothergoodthanIhadconceived。’J。’Lessjustandmorebeneficent。’JOHNSON。’Andreallyitiswonderful，consideringhowmuchattentionisnecessaryformentotakecareofthemselves，andwardoffimmediateevilswhichpressuponthem，itiswonderfulhowmuchtheydoforothers。Asitissaidofthegreatestliar，thathetellsmoretruththanfalsehood；soitmaybesaidoftheworstman，thathedoesmoregoodthanevil。’BOSWELL。’PerhapsfromexperiencemenmaybefoundHAPPIERthanwesuppose。’
JOHNSON。’No，Sir；themoreweenquire，weshallfindmenthelesshappy。’
E。’Iunderstandthehogsheadofclaret，whichthissocietywasfavouredwithbyourfriendtheDean，isnearlyout；Ithinkheshouldbewrittento，tosendanotherofthesamekind。Lettherequestbemadewithahappyambiguityofexpression，sothatwemayhavethechanceofhissendingITalsoasapresent。’JOHNSON。
’Iamwillingtooffermyservicesassecretaryonthisoccasion。’
P。’AsmanyasareforDr。Johnsonbeingsecretaryholdupyourhands——Carriedunanimously。’BOSWELL。’HewillbeourDictator。’
JOHNSON。’No，thecompanyistodictatetome。Iamonlytowriteforwine；andIamquitedisinterested，asIdrinknone；Ishallnotbesuspectedofhavingforgedtheapplication。IamnomorethanhumbleSCRIBE。’E。’ThenyoushallPREscribe。’BOSWELL。
’Verywell。Thefirstplayofwordsto-day。’J。’No，no；theBULLSinIreland。’JOHNSON。’WereIyourDictatoryoushouldhavenowine。ItwouldbemybusinesscaverenequiddetrimentiRespublicacaperet，andwineisdangerous。Romewasruinedbyluxury，’smiling。E。’IfyouallownowineasDictator，youshallnothavemeforyourmasterofhorse。’
OnSaturday，April4，IdrankteawithJohnsonatDr。Taylor’s，wherehehaddined。
Hewasverysilentthisevening；andreadinavarietyofbooks：
suddenlythrowingdownone，andtakingupanother。
HetalkedofgoingtoStreathamthatnight。TAYLOR。’You’llberobbedifyoudo：oryoumustshootahighwayman。NowIwouldratherberobbedthandothat；Iwouldnotshootahighwayman。’
JOHNSON。’ButIwouldrathershoothimintheinstantwhenheisattemptingtorobme，thanafterwardsswearagainsthimattheOld-