’But，Sir，doesnotRousseautalksuchnonsense？’JOHNSON。’True，Sir，butRousseauKNOWSheistalkingnonsense，andlaughsattheworldforstaringathim。’BOSWELL。’Howso，Sir？’JOHNSON。
’Why，Sir，amanwhotalksnonsensesowell，mustknowthatheistalkingnonsense。ButIamAFRAID，chucklingandlaughing，
MonboddodoesNOTknowthatheistalkingnonsense。’BOSWELL。’Isitwrongthen，Sir，toaffectsingularity，inordertomakepeoplestare？’JOHNSON。’Yes，ifyoudoitbypropagatingerrour：and，indeed，itiswronginanyway。Thereisinhumannatureageneralinclinationtomakepeoplestare；andeverywisemanhashimselftocureofit，anddoescurehimself。Ifyouwishtomakepeoplestarebydoingbetterthanothers，why，makethemstaretilltheystaretheireyesout。Butconsiderhoweasyitistomakepeoplestarebybeingabsurd。Imaydoitbygoingintoadrawing-roomwithoutmyshoes。YourememberthegentlemaninTheSpectator，whohadacommissionoflunacytakenoutagainsthimforhisextremesingularity，suchasneverwearingawig，butanight-cap。Now，Sir，abstractedly，thenight-capwasbest；but，relatively，theadvantagewasoverbalancedbyhismakingtheboysrunafterhim。’
TalkingofaLondonlife，hesaid，’ThehappinessofLondonisnottobeconceivedbutbythosewhohavebeeninit。Iwillventuretosay，thereismorelearningandsciencewithinthecircumferenceoftenmilesfromwherewenowsit，thaninalltherestofthekingdom。’BOSWELL。’Theonlydisadvantageisthegreatdistanceatwhichpeoplelivefromoneanother。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir；butthatisoccasionedbythelargenessofit，whichisthecauseofalltheotheradvantages。’BOSWELL。’SometimesIhavebeeninthehumourofwishingtoretiretoadesart。’JOHNSON。’Sir，youhavedesartenoughinScotland。’
AlthoughIhadpromisedmyselfagreatdealofinstructiveconversationwithhimontheconductofthemarriedstate，ofwhichIhadthenanearprospect，hedidnotsaymuchuponthattopick。