Bailey，totakeawayhislife，afterhehasrobbedme。IamsurerIamrightintheonecasethanintheother。Imaybemistakenastotheman，whenIswear：Icannotbemistaken，ifIshoothimintheact。Besides，wefeellessreluctancetotakeawayaman’slife，whenweareheatedbytheinjury，thantodoitatadistanceoftimebyanoath，afterwehavecooled。’BOSWELL。’So，Sir，youwouldratheractfromthemotiveofprivatepassion，thanthatofpublickadvantage。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，whenIshootthehighwaymanIactfromboth。’BOSWELL。’Verywell，verywell——
Thereisnocatchinghim。’JOHNSON。’Atthesametimeonedoesnotknowwhattosay。Forperhapsonemay，ayearafter，hanghimselffromuneasinessforhavingshotaman。Fewmindsarefittobetrustedwithsogreatathing。’BOSWELL。’Then，Sir，youwouldnotshoothim？’JOHNSON。’ButImightbevexedafterwardsforthattoo。’
Thrale’scarriagenothavingcomeforhim，asheexpected，I
accompaniedhimsomepartofthewayhometohisownhouse。Itoldhim，thatIhadtalkedofhimtoMr。Dunningafewdaysbefore，andhadsaid，thatinhiscompanywedidnotsomuchinterchangeconversation，aslistentohim；andthatDunningobserved，uponthis，’OneisalwayswillingtolistentoDr。Johnson：’towhichI
answered，’Thatisagreatdealfromyou，Sir。’——’Yes，Sir，saidJohnson，agreatdealindeed。Hereisamanwillingtolisten，towhomtheworldislisteningalltherestoftheyear。’BOSWELL。