Wetalkedoflivinginthecountry。JOHNSON。’Nowisemanwillgotoliveinthecountry，unlesshehassomethingtodowhichcanbebetterdoneinthecountry。Forinstance：ifheistoshuthimselfupforayeartostudyascience，itisbettertolookouttothefields，thantoanoppositewall。Then，ifamanwalksoutinthecountry，thereisnobodytokeephimfromwalkinginagain：butifamanwalksoutinLondon，heisnotsurewhenheshallwalkinagain。Agreatcityis，tobesure，theschoolforstudyinglife；
and“Theproperstudyofmankindisman，“asPopeobserves。’
BOSWELL。’IfancyLondonisthebestplaceforsociety；thoughI
haveheardthattheveryfirstsocietyofParisisstillbeyondanythingthatwehavehere。’JOHNSON。’Sir，IquestionifinParissuchacompanyasissittingroundthistablecouldbegottogetherinlessthanhalfayear。TheytalkinFranceofthefelicityofmenandwomenlivingtogether：thetruthis，thattherethemenarenothigherthanthewomen，theyknownomorethanthewomendo，andtheyarenothelddownintheirconversationbythepresenceofwomen。’
Wetalkedofoldage。Johnsonnowinhisseventiethyear，said，’Itisaman’sownfault，itisfromwantofuse，ifhismindgrowstorpidinoldage。’TheBishopasked，ifanoldmandoesnotlosefasterthanhegets。JOHNSON。’Ithinknot，myLord，ifheexertshimself。’Oneofthecompanyrashlyobserved，thathethoughtitwashappyforanoldmanthatinsensibilitycomesuponhim。