feelaninclinationtodisdainandtreatwithsilentcontemptsofoolishanotionconcerningmyillustriousfriend，yetasIfindithasgainedground，itisnecessarytorefuteit。Therealfactthenis，thatJohnsonhadaveryphilosophicalmind，andsucharationalrespectfortestimony，astomakehimsubmithisunderstandingtowhatwasauthenticallyproved，thoughhecouldnotcomprehendwhyitwasso。Beingthusdisposed，hewaswillingtoinquireintothetruthofanyrelationofsupernaturalagency，ageneralbeliefofwhichhasprevailedinallnationsandages。Butsofarwashefrombeingthedupeofimplicitfaith，thatheexaminedthematterwithajealousattention，andnomanwasmorereadytorefuteitsfalsehoodwhenhehaddiscoveredit。
Churchill，inhispoementitledTheGhost，availedhimselfoftheabsurdcredulityimputedtoJohnson，anddrewacaricatureofhimunderthenameof’POMPOSO，’representinghimasoneofthebelieversofthestoryofaGhostinCock-lane，which，intheyear1762，hadgainedverygeneralcreditinLondon。Manyofmyreaders，Iamconvinced，aretothishourunderanimpressionthatJohnsonwasthusfoolishlydeceived。Itwillthereforesurprizethemagooddealwhentheyareinformeduponundoubtedauthority，thatJohnsonwasoneofthosebywhomtheimposturewasdetected。
Thestoryhadbecomesopopular，thathethoughtitshouldbeinvestigated；andinthisresearchhewasassistedbytheReverendDr。Douglas，nowBishopofSalisbury，thegreatdetectorofimpostures；whoinformsme，thatafterthegentlemenwhowentandexaminedintotheevidenceweresatisfiedofitsfalsity，Johnsonwroteintheirpresenceanaccountofit，whichwaspublishedinthenewspapersandGentleman’sMagazine，andundeceivedtheworld。
Ourconversationproceeded。’Sir，saidheIamafriendtosubordination，asmostconducivetothehappinessofsociety。
Thereisareciprocalpleasureingoverningandbeinggoverned。’