Sheshallhaveallthat’sfineandfair，Andthebestofsilkandsatinshallwear；
　　Andrideinacoachtotaketheair，AndhaveahouseinSt。James’s-square。“
　　Tohearaman，oftheweightanddignityofJohnson，repeatingsuchhumbleattemptsatpoetry，hadaveryamusingeffect。He，however，seriouslyobservedofthelaststanzarepeatedbyhim，thatitnearlycomprizedalltheadvantagesthatwealthcangive。
　　’Aneminentforeigner，whenhewasshewntheBritishMuseum，wasverytroublesomewithmanyabsurdinquiries。“Nowthere，Sir，saidhe，isthedifferencebetweenanEnglishmanandaFrenchman。
　　AFrenchmanmustbealwaystalking，whetherheknowsanythingofthematterornot；anEnglishmaniscontenttosaynothing，whenhehasnothingtosay。“
　　’Hisunjustcontemptforforeignerswas，indeed，extreme。Oneevening，atoldSlaughter’scoffee-house，whenanumberofthemweretalkingloudaboutlittlematters，hesaid，“DoesnotthisconfirmoldMeynell’sobservation——ForanythingIsee，foreignersarefools。“’
　　’Hesaid，thatonce，whenhehadaviolenttooth-ache，aFrenchmanaccostedhimthus：——“Ah，Monsieurvousetudieztrop。“’
　　’Colman，inanoteonhistranslationofTerence，talkingofShakspeare’slearning，asks，“WhatsaysFarmertothis？WhatsaysJohnson？“Uponthisheobserved，“Sir，letFarmeranswerforhimself：Ineverengagedinthiscontroversy。Ialwayssaid，ShakspearehadLatinenoughtogrammaticisehisEnglish。“’
　　’Aclergyman，whomhecharacterisedasonewholovedtosaylittleoddities，wasaffectingoneday，ataBishop’stable，asortofslynessandfreedomnotincharacter，andrepeated，asifpartofTheOldMan’sWish，asongbyDr。WalterPope，averseborderingonlicentiousness。Johnsonrebukedhiminthefinestmanner，byfirstshewinghimthathedidnotknowthepassagehewasaimingat，andthushumblinghim：
　　“Sir，thatisnotthesong：itisthus。“Andhegaveitright。
　　Thenlookingstedfastlyonhim，“Sir，thereisapartofthatsongwhichIshouldwishtoexemplifyinmyownlife：——
　　“MayIgovernmypassionswithabsolutesway!“’
　　’Heusedfrequentlytoobserve，thatmenmightbeveryeminentinaprofession，withoutourperceivinganyparticularpowerofmindintheminconversation。“Itseemsstrangesaidhe，thatamanshouldseesofartotheright，whoseessoshortawaytotheleft。Burkeistheonlymanwhosecommonconversationcorrespondswiththegeneralfamewhichhehasintheworld。Takeupwhatevertopickyouplease，heisreadytomeetyou。“’
　　’Mr。Langton，whenaveryyoungman，readDodsley’sCleone，aTragedy，tohim，notawareofhisextremeimpatiencetobereadto。
　　Asitwentonheturnedhisfacetothebackofhischair，andputhimselfintovariousattitudes，whichmarkedhisuneasiness。Attheendofanact，however，hesaid，“Comelet’shavesomemore，let’sgointotheslaughter-houseagain，Lanky。ButIamafraidthereismorebloodthanbrains。“
　　’Snatchesofreadingsaidhe，willnotmakeaBentleyoraClarke。Theyare，however，inacertaindegreeadvantageous。I
　　wouldputachildintoalibrarywherenounfitbooksareandlethimreadathischoice。Achildshouldnotbediscouragedfromreadinganythingthathetakesalikingto，fromanotionthatitisabovehisreach。Ifthatbetheease，thechildwillsoonfinditoutanddesist；ifnot，heofcoursegainstheinstruction；
　　whichissomuchthemorelikelytocome，fromtheinclinationwithwhichhetakesupthestudy。’
　　’AgentlemanwhointroducedhisbrothertoDr。JohnsonwasearnesttorecommendhimtotheDoctor’snotice，whichhedidbysaying，“Whenwehavesattogethersometime，you’llfindmybrothergrowveryentertaining。“——“Sir，saidJohnson，Icanwait。“’
　　’Inthelatterpartofhislife，inordertosatisfyhimselfwhetherhismentalfacultieswereimpaired，heresolvedthathewouldtrytolearnanewlanguage，andfixedupontheLowDutch，forthatpurpose，andthishecontinuedtillhehadreadaboutonehalfofThomasaKempis；andfindingthatthereappearednoabatementofhispowerofacquisition，hethendesisted，asthinkingtheexperimenthadbeendulytried。’
　　’Mr。LangtonandhehavinggonetoseeaFreemason’sfuneralprocession，whentheywereatRochester，andsomesolemnmusickbeingplayedonFrenchhorns，hesaid，“ThisisthefirsttimethatIhaveeverbeenaffectedbymusicalsounds；“adding，“thattheimpressionmadeuponhimwasofamelancholykind。“Mr。Langtonsaying，thatthiseffectwasafineone，——JOHNSON。“Yes，ifitsoftensthemind，soastoprepareitforthereceptionofsalutaryfeelings，itmaybegood：butinasmuchasitismelancholyperse，itisbad。“’
　　’Goldsmithhadlongavisionaryproject，thatsometimeorotherwhenhiscircumstancesshouldbeeasier，hewouldgotoAleppo，inordertoacquireaknowledgeasfarasmightbeofanyartspeculiartotheEast，andintroducethemintoBritain。WhenthiswastalkedofinDr。Johnson’scompany，hesaid，“OfallmenGoldsmithisthemostunfittogooutuponsuchaninquiry；forheisutterlyignorantofsuchartsaswealreadypossess，andconsequentlycouldnotknowwhatwouldbeaccessionstoourpresentstockofmechanicalknowledge。Sir，hewouldbringhomeagrindingbarrow，whichyouseeineverystreetinLondon，andthinkthathehadfurnishedawonderfulimprovement。“’
　　’Greek，Sir，saidhe，islikelace；everymangetsasmuchofitashecan。’
　　’JohnsononedaygavehighpraisetoDr。Bentley’sversesinDodsley’sCollection，whichherecitedwithhisusualenergy。Dr。
　　AdamSmith，whowaspresent，observedinhisdecisiveprofessorialmanner，“Verywell——Verywell。“Johnsonhoweveradded，“Yes，theyAREverywell，Sir；butyoumayobserveinwhatmannertheyarewell。Theyaretheforcibleversesofamanofastrongmind，butnotaccustomedtowriteverse；forthereissomeuncouthnessintheexpression。“’
　　’DrinkingteaonedayatGarrick’swithMr。Langton，hewasquestionedifhewasnotsomewhatofaheretickastoShakspeare；
　　saidGarrick，“Idoubtheisalittleofaninfidel。“——“Sir，saidJohnson，IwillstandbythelinesIhavewrittenonShakspeareinmyPrologueattheopeningofyourTheatre。“Mr。Langtonsuggested，thatintheline“AndpantingTimetoil’dafterhiminvain，“
　　JohnsonmighthavehadinhiseyethepassageinTheTempest，whereProsperosaysofMiranda，“——Shewilloutstripallpraise，Andmakeithaltbehindher。“
　　Johnsonsaidnothing。Garrickthenventuredtoobserve，“IdonotthinkthatthehappiestlineinthepraiseofShakspeare。“Johnsonexclaimedsmiling，“Prosaicalrogues!nexttimeIwrite，I’llmakebothtimeandspacepant。“’
　　’ItiswellknownthattherewasformerlyarudecustomforthosewhoweresailingupontheThames，toaccosteachotherastheypassed，inthemostabusivelanguagetheycouldinvent，generally，however，withasmuchsatiricalhumourastheywerecapableofproducing。Addisongivesaspecimenofthisribaldry，inNumber383ofTheSpectator，whenSirRogerdeCoverlyandhearegoingtoSpring-garden。Johnsonwasonceeminentlysuccessfulinthisspeciesofcontest；afellowhavingattackedhimwithsomecoarseraillery，Johnsonansweredhimthus，“Sir，yourwife，underpretenceofkeepingabawdy-house，isareceiverofstolengoods。“
　　OneeveningwhenheandMr。BurkeandMr。Langtonwereincompanytogether，andtheadmirablescoldingofTimonofAthenswasmentioned，thisinstanceofJohnson’swasquoted，andthoughttohaveatleastequalexcellence。’
　　’AsJohnsonalwaysallowedtheextraordinarytalentsofMr。Burke，soMr。BurkewasfullysensibleofthewonderfulpowersofJohnson。
　　Mr。Langtonrecollectshavingpassedaneveningwithbothofthem，whenMr。Burkerepeatedlyenteredupontopickswhichitwasevidenthewouldhaveillustratedwithextensiveknowledgeandrichnessofexpression；butJohnsonalwaysseizedupontheconversation，inwhich，however，heacquittedhimselfinamostmasterlymanner。AsMr。BurkeandMr。Langtonwerewalkinghome，Mr。BurkeobservedthatJohnsonhadbeenverygreatthatnight；Mr。Langtonjoinedinthis，butadded，hecouldhavewishedtohearmorefromanotherperson；plainlyintimatingthathemeantMr。Burke。“O，nosaidMr。Burke，itisenoughformetohaverungthebelltohim。“’
　　’Beauclerkhavingobservedtohimofoneoftheirfriends，thathewasaukwardatcountingmoney，“Why，Sir，saidJohnson，Iamlikewiseaukwardatcountingmoney。Butthen，Sir，thereasonisplain；Ihavehadverylittlemoneytocount。“’
　　’Goldsmith，uponbeingvisitedbyJohnsononedayintheTemple，saidtohimwithalittlejealousyoftheappearanceofhisaccommodation，“Ishallsoonbeinbetterchambersthanthese。“
　　Johnsonatthesametimecheckedhimandpaidhimahandsomecompliment，implyingthatamanofhistalentsshouldbeaboveattentiontosuchdistinctions，——“Nay，Sir，nevermindthat。Niltequaesiverisextra。“’
　　’WhenMr。VeseywasproposedasamemberofTheLITERARYCLUB，Mr。
　　Burkebeganbysayingthathewasamanofgentlemanners。“Sir，saidJohnson，youneedsaynomore。Whenyouhavesaidamanofgentlemanners；youhavesaidenough。“’
　　’ThelateMr。FitzherberttoldMr。LangtonthatJohnsonsaidtohim，“Sir，amanhasnomorerighttoSAYanuncivilthing，thantoACTone；nomorerighttosayarudethingtoanotherthantoknockhimdown“’
　　’Richardsonhadlittleconversation，exceptabouthisownworks，ofwhichSirJoshuaReynoldssaidhewasalwayswillingtotalk，andgladtohavethemintroduced。JohnsonwhenhecarriedMr。Langtontoseehim，professedthathecouldbringhimoutintoconversation，andusedthisallusiveexpression，“Sir，IcanmakehimREAR。“Buthefailed；forinthatinterviewRichardsonsaidlittleelsethanthattherelayintheroomatranslationofhisClarissaintoGerman。’
　　’OncewhensomebodyproducedanewspaperinwhichtherewasaletterofstupidabuseofSirJoshuaReynolds，ofwhichJohnsonhimselfcameinforashare，——“Pray，“saidhe，“letushaveitreadaloudfrombeginningtoend；“whichbeingdone，hewithaludicrousearnestness，andnotdirectinghislooktoanyparticularperson，calledout，“Arewealiveafterallthissatire!“’
　　’OfDr。Goldsmithhesaid，“Nomanwasmorefoolishwhenhehadnotapeninhishand，ormorewisewhenhehad。“’
　　’AnobservationofBathurst’smaybementioned，whichJohnsonrepeated，appearingtoacknowledgeittobewellfounded，namely，itwassomewhatremarkablehowseldom，onoccasionofcomingintothecompanyofanynewperson，onefeltanywishorinclinationtoseehimagain。’
　　1781：AETAT。72。]——In1781JohnsonatlastcompletedhisLivesofthePoets，ofwhichhegivesthisaccount：’SometimeinMarchI
　　finishedtheLivesofthePoets，whichIwroteinmyusualway，dilatorilyandhastily，unwillingtowork，andworkingwithvigourandhaste。’Inamemorandumprevioustothis，hesaysofthem：
　　’Written，Ihope，insuchamannerasmaytendtothepromotionofpiety。’
　　Thebooksellers，justlysensibleofthegreatadditionalvalueofthecopy-right，presentedhimwithanotherhundredpounds，overandabovetwohundred，forwhichhisagreementwastofurnishsuchprefacesashethoughtfit。
　　Ashewassogoodastomakemeapresentofthegreatestpartoftheoriginalandindeedonlymanuscriptofthisadmirablework，I
　　haveanopportunityofobservingwithwonder，thecorrectnesswithwhichherapidlystruckoffsuchglowingcomposition。
　　TheLifeofCOWLEYhehimselfconsideredasthebestofthewhole，onaccountofthedissertationwhichitcontainsontheMetaphysicalPoets。