WetalkedofourworthyfriendMr。Langton。Hesaid，’IknownotwhowillgotoHeavenifLangtondoesnot。Sir，Icouldalmostsay，SitanimameacumLangtono。’Imentionedaveryeminentfriendasavirtuousman。JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir；but——hasnottheevangelicalvirtueofLangton——，Iamafraid，wouldnotscrupletopickupawench。’
　　HehoweverchargedMr。Langtonwithwhathethoughtwantofjudgmentuponaninterestingoccasion。’WhenIwasill，saidhe，
　　Idesiredhewouldtellmesincerelyinwhathethoughtmylifewasfaulty。Sir，hebroughtmeasheetofpaper，onwhichhehadwrittendownseveraltextsofScripture，recommendingchristiancharity。AndwhenIquestionedhimwhatoccasionIhadgivenforsuchananimadversion，allthathecouldsayamountedtothis，——
　　thatIsometimescontradictedpeopleinconversation。Nowwhatharmdoesitdotoanymantobecontradicted？’BOSWELL。’I
　　supposehemeanttheMANNERofdoingit；roughly，——andharshly。’
　　JOHNSON。’Andwhoistheworseforthat？’BOSWELL。’Ithurtspeopleofweaknerves。’JOHNSON。’Iknownosuchweak-nervedpeople。’Mr。Burke，towhomIrelatedthisconference，said，’Itiswell，ifwhenamancomestodie，hehasnothingheavieruponhisconsciencethanhavingbeenalittleroughinconversation。’
　　Johnson，atthetimewhenthepaperwaspresentedtohim，thoughatfirstpleasedwiththeattentionofhisfriend，whomhethankedinanearnestmanner，soonexclaimed，inaloudandangrytone，’Whatisyourdrift，Sir？’SirJoshuaReynoldspleasantlyobserved，thatitwasasceneforacomedy，toseeapenitentgetintoaviolentpassionandbelabourhisconfessor。
　　HehaddinedthatdayatMr。Hoole’s，andMissHelenMariaWilliamsbeingexpectedintheevening，Mr。HooleputintohishandsherbeautifulOdeonthePeace：Johnsonreaditover，andwhenthiselegantandaccomplishedyoungladywaspresentedtohim，hetookherbythehandinthemostcourteousmanner，andrepeatedthefineststanzaofherpoem；thiswasthemostdelicateandpleasingcomplimenthecouldpay。Herrespectablefriend，Dr。Kippis，fromwhomIhadthisanecdote，wasstandingby，andwasnotalittlegratified。
　　MissWilliamstoldme，thattheonlyothertimeshewasfortunateenoughtobeinDr。Johnson’scompany，heaskedhertositdownbyhim，whichshedid，anduponherinquiringhowhewas，heanswered，’Iamveryillindeed，Madam。Iamveryillevenwhenyouarenearme；whatshouldIbewereyouatadistance？’
　　HehadnowagreatdesiretogotoOxford，ashisfirstjauntafterhisillness；wetalkedofitforsomedays，andIhadpromisedtoaccompanyhim。Hewasimpatientandfretfulto-night，becauseI
　　didnotatonceagreetogowithhimonThursday。WhenI
　　consideredhowillhehadbeen，andwhatallowanceshouldbemadefortheinfluenceofsicknessuponhistemper，Iresolvedtoindulgehim，thoughwithsomeinconveniencetomyself，asIwishedtoattendthemusicalmeetinginhonourofHandel，inWestminster-
　　Abbey，onthefollowingSaturday。
　　Inthemidstofhisowndiseasesandpains，hewasevercompassionatetothedistressesofothers，andactivelyearnestinprocuringthemaid，asappearsfromanotetoSirJoshuaReynolds，ofJune，inthesewords：——’Iamashamedtoaskforsomereliefforapoorman，towhom，Ihope，IhavegivenwhatIcanbeexpectedtospare。Themanimportunesme，andtheblowgoesround。IamgoingtotryanotheraironThursday。’
　　OnThursday，June3，theOxfordpost-coachtookusupinthemorningatBolt-court。TheothertwopassengerswereMrs。
　　Beresfordandherdaughter，twoveryagreeableladiesfromAmerica；
　　theyweregoingtoWorcestershire，wheretheythenresided。Frankhadbeensentbyhismasterthedaybeforetotakeplacesforus；
　　andIfound，fromthewaybill，thatDr。Johnsonhadmadeournamesbeputdown。Mrs。Beresford，whohadreadit，whisperedme，’IsthisthegreatDr。Johnson？’Itoldheritwas；soshewasthenpreparedtolisten。AsshesoonhappenedtomentioninavoicesolowthatJohnsondidnothearit，thatherhusbandhadbeenamemberoftheAmericanCongress，Icautionedhertobewareofintroducingthatsubject，asshemustknowhowveryviolentJohnsonwasagainstthepeopleofthatcountry。Hetalkedagreatdeal，butIamsorryIhavepreservedlittleoftheconversation。MissBeresfordwassomuchcharmed，thatshesaidtomeaside，’Howhedoestalk!Everysentenceisanessay。’Sheamusedherselfinthecoachwithknotting；hewouldscarcelyallowthisspeciesofemploymentanymerit。’Nexttomereidlenesssaidhe，Ithinkknottingistobereckonedinthescaleofinsignificance；thoughI
　　onceattemptedtolearnknotting。Dempster’ssisterlookingtome，endeavouredtoteachmeit；butImadenoprogress。’
　　Iwassurprisedathistalkingwithoutreserveinthepublickpost-
　　coachofthestateofhisaffairs；’Ihavesaidhe，abouttheworldIthinkaboveathousandpounds，whichIintendshallaffordFrankanannuityofseventypoundsayear。’Indeedhisopennesswithpeopleatafirstinterviewwasremarkable。HesaidoncetoMr。Langton，’IthinkIamlikeSquireRichardinTheJourneytoLondon，“I’mneverstrangeinastrangeplace。“’HewastrulySOCIAL。HestronglycensuredwhatismuchtoocommoninEnglandamongpersonsofcondition，——maintaininganabsolutesilence，whenunknowntoeachother；asforinstance，whenoccasionallybroughttogetherinaroombeforethemasterormistressofthehousehasappeared。’Sir，thatisbeingsouncivilisedasnottounderstandthecommonrightsofhumanity。’
　　Attheinnwherewestoppedhewasexceedinglydissatisfiedwithsomeroastmuttonwhichwehadfordinner。TheladiesIsawwonderedtoseethegreatphilosopher，whosewisdomandwittheyhadbeenadmiringalltheway，getintoill-humourfromsuchacause。Hescoldedthewaiter，saying，’Itisasbadasbadcanbe：
　　itisill-fed，ill-killed，ill-kept，andill-drest。’
　　Heborethejourneyverywell，andseemedtofeelhimselfelevatedasheapproachedOxford，thatmagnificentandvenerableseatoflearning，Orthodoxy，andToryism。Frankcameintheheavycoach，inreadinesstoattendhim；andwewerereceivedwiththemostpolitehospitalityatthehouseofhisoldfriendDr。Adams，MasterofPembrokeCollege，whohadgivenusakindinvitation。Beforeweweresetdown，IcommunicatedtoJohnson，myhavingengagedtoreturntoLondondirectly，forthereasonIhavementioned，butthatIwouldhastenbacktohimagain。HewaspleasedthatIhadmadethisjourneymerelytokeephimcompany。HewaseasyandplacidwithDr。Adams，Mrs。andMissAdams，andMrs。Kennicot，widowofthelearnedHebraean，whowashereonavisit。Hesoondispatchedtheinquirieswhichweremadeabouthisillnessandrecovery，byashortanddistinctnarrative；andthenassumingagayair，repeatedfromSwift，——
　　’Northinkonourapproachingills，Andtalkofspectaclesandpills。’
　　IfulfilledmyintentionbygoingtoLondon，andreturnedtoOxfordonWednesdaythe9thofJune，whenIwashappytofindmyselfagaininthesameagreeablecircleatPembrokeCollege，withthecomfortableprospectofmakingsomestay。Johnsonwelcomedmyreturnwithmorethanordinaryglee。
　　Nextmorningatbreakfast，hepointedoutapassageinSavage’sWanderer，saying，’Thesearefineverses。’’Ifsaidhe，IhadwrittenwithhostilityofWarburtoninmyShahspeare，Ishouldhavequotedthiscouplet：——
　　“HereLearning，blindedfirstandthenbeguil’d，LooksdarkasIgnorance，asFancywild。“
　　Youseethey’dhavefittedhimtoaT，’smiling。Dr。ADAMS。’ButyoudidnotwriteagainstWarburton。’JOHNSON。No，Sir，ItreatedhimwithgreatrespectbothinmyPrefaceandinmyNotes。’
　　Afterdinner，whenoneofustalkedoftherebeingagreatenmitybetweenWhigandTory；——Johnson。’Whynotsomuch，Ithink，unlesswhentheycomeintocompetitionwitheachother。Thereisnonewhentheyareonlycommonacquaintance，nonewhentheyareofdifferentsexes。ATorywillmarryintoaWhigfamily，andaWhigintoaToryfamily，withoutanyreluctance。Butindeed，inamatterofmuchmoreconcernthanpoliticaltenets，andthatisreligion，menandwomendonotconcernthemselvesmuchaboutdifferenceofopinion；andladiessetnovalueonthemoralcharacterofmenwhopaytheiraddressestothem；thegreatestprofligatewillbeaswellreceivedasthemanofthegreatestvirtue，andthisbyaverygoodwoman，byawomanwhosaysherprayersthreetimesaday。’Ourladiesendeavouredtodefendtheirsexfromthischarge；butheroaredthemdown!’No，no，aladywilltakeJonathanWildasreadilyasSt。Austin，ifhehasthreepencemore；and，whatisworse，herparentswillgivehertohim。Womenhaveaperpetualenvyofourvices；theyarelessviciousthanwe，notfromchoice，butbecausewerestrictthem；
　　theyaretheslavesoforderandfashion；theirvirtueisofmoreconsequencetousthanourown，sofarasconcernsthisworld。’
　　MissAdamsmentionedagentlemanoflicentiouscharacter，andsaid，’SupposeIhadamindtomarrythatgentleman，wouldmyparentsconsent？’JOHNSON。’Yes，they’dconsent，andyou’dgo。You’dgothoughtheydidnotconsent。’MissADAMS。’Perhapstheiropposingmightmakemego。’JOHNSON。’O，verywell；you’dtakeonewhomyouthinkabadman，tohavethepleasureofvexingyourparents。
　　YouputmeinmindofDr。Barrowby，thephysician，whowasveryfondofswine’sflesh。Oneday，whenhewaseatingit，hesaid，“I
　　wishIwasaJew。““Whyso？saidsomebody；theJewsarenotallowedtoeatyourfavouritemeat。““Because，saidhe，Ishouldthenhavethegustofeatingit，withthepleasureofsinning。“’
　　Johnsonthenproceededinhisdeclamation。
　　MissAdamssoonafterwardsmadeanobservationthatIdonotrecollect，whichpleasedhimmuch：hesaidwithagood-humouredsmile，’ThatthereshouldbesomuchexcellenceunitedwithsomuchDEPRAVITY，isstrange。’
　　Indeed，thislady’sgoodqualities，merit，andaccomplishments，andherconstantattentiontoDr。Johnson，werenotlostuponhim。Shehappenedtotellhimthatalittlecoffeepot，inwhichshehadmadehiscoffee，wastheonlythingshecouldcallherown。Heturnedtoherwithacomplacentgallantry，’Don’tsayso，mydear；Ihopeyoudon’treckonmyheartasnothing。’
　　OnFriday，June11，wetalkedatbreakfast，offormsofprayer。
　　JOHNSON。’IknowofnogoodprayersbutthoseintheBookofCommonPrayer。’DR。ADAMS。inaveryearnestmanner：’Iwish，Sir，youwouldcomposesomefamilyprayers。’JOHNSON。’Iwillnotcomposeprayersforyou，Sir，becauseyoucandoitforyourself。
　　ButIhavethoughtofgettingtogetherallthebooksofprayerswhichIcould，selectingthosewhichshouldappeartomethebest，puttingoutsome，insertingothers，addingsomeprayersofmyown，andprefixingadiscourseonprayer。’Weallnowgatheredabouthim，andtwoorthreeofusatatimejoinedinpressinghimtoexecutethisplan。Heseemedtobealittledispleasedatthemannerofourimportunity，andingreatagitationcalledout，’Donottalkthusofwhatissoaweful。IknownotwhattimeGODwillallowmeinthisworld。TherearemanythingswhichIwishtodo。’
　　Someofuspersisted，andDr。Adamssaid，’Ineverwasmoreseriousaboutanythinginmylife。’JOHNSON。’Letmealone，letmealone；Iamoverpowered。’Andthenheputhishandsbeforehisface，andreclinedforsometimeuponthetable。
　　Dr。JohnsonandIwentinDr。Adams’scoachtodinewithDr。
　　Nowell，PrincipalofSt。MaryHall，athisbeautifulvillaatIffley，onthebanksoftheIsis，abouttwomilesfromOxford。
　　Whilewewereupontheroad，IhadtheresolutiontoaskJohnsonwhetherhethoughtthattheroughnessofhismannerhadbeenanadvantageornot，andifhewouldnothavedonemoregoodifhehadbeenmoregentle。Iproceededtoanswermyselfthus：’Perhapsithasbeenofadvantage，asithasgivenweighttowhatyousaid：youcouldnot，perhaps，havetalkedwithsuchauthoritywithoutit。’
　　JOHNSON。’No，Sir；IhavedonemoregoodasIam。ObscenityandImpietyhavealwaysbeenrepressedinmycompany。’BOSWELL。
　　’True，Sir；andthatismorethancanbesaidofeveryBishop。