Hisdisorderlyhabits，when’makingprovisionforthedaythatwaspassingoverhim，’appearfromthefollowinganecdote，communicatedtomebyMr。JohnNichols：——’Intheyear1763，ayoungbookseller，whowasanapprenticetoMr。Whiston，waitedonhimwithasubscriptiontohisShakspeare：andobservingthattheDoctormadenoentryinanybookofthesubscriber’sname，ventureddiffidentlytoask，whetherhewouldpleasetohavethegentleman’saddress，thatitmightbeproperlyinsertedintheprintedlistofsubscribers。“Ishallprintnolistofsubscribers；“saidJohnson，withgreatabruptness：butalmostimmediatelyrecollectinghimself，added，verycomplacently，“Sir，Ihavetwoverycogentreasonsfornotprintinganylistofsubscribers；——one，thatIhavelostallthenames，——theother，thatIhavespentallthemoney。“
Johnsoncouldnotbrookappearingtobeworstedinargument，evenwhenhehadtakenthewrongside，toshewtheforceanddexterityofhistalents。When，therefore，heperceivedthathisopponentgainedground，hehadrecoursetosomesuddenmodeofrobustsophistry。OncewhenIwaspressinguponhimwithvisibleadvantage，hestoppedmethus：——’MydearBoswell，let’shavenomoreofthis；you’llmakenothingofit。I’dratherhaveyouwhistleaScotchtune。’
Care，however，mustbetakentodistinguishbetweenJohnsonwhenhe’talkedforvictory，’andJohnsonwhenhehadnodesirebuttoinformandillustrate。’OneofJohnsonsprincipaltalentssaysaneminentfriendofhiswasshewninmaintainingthewrongsideofanargument，andinasplendidperversionofthetruth。Ifyoucouldcontrivetohavehisfairopiniononasubject，andwithoutanybiasfrompersonalprejudice，orfromawishtobevictoriousinargument，itwaswisdomitself，notonlyconvincing，butoverpowering。’
Hehad，however，allhislifehabituatedhimselftoconsiderconversationasatrialofintellectualvigourandskill；andtothis，Ithink，wemayventuretoascribethatunexampledrichnessandbrilliancywhichappearedinhisown。Asaproofatonceofhiseagernessforcolloquialdistinction，andhishighnotionofthiseminentfriend，heonceaddressedhimthus：——’——，wenowhavebeenseveralhourstogether；andyouhavesaidbutonethingforwhichIenviedyou。’
Goldsmithcouldsometimestakeadventurouslibertieswithhim，andescapeunpunished。BeauclerktoldmethatwhenGoldsmithtalkedofaprojectforhavingathirdTheatreinLondon，solelyfortheexhibitionofnewplays，inordertodeliverauthoursfromthesupposedtyrannyofmanagers，Johnsontreateditslightingly；uponwhichGoldsmithsaid，’Ay，ay，thismaybenothingtoyou，whocannowshelteryourselfbehindthecornerofapension；’andthatJohnsonborethiswithgood-humour。