OnemaygatherfromthishowhefeltwhenhisIrishfriendGrierson，hearinghimenumeratethequalitiesnecessarytotheformationofapoet，beganacomicalparodyuponhisornamentedharangueinpraiseofacook，concludingwiththisobservation，thathewhodressedagooddinnerwasamoreexcellentandamoreusefulmemberofsocietythanhewhowroteagoodpoem。\"Andinthisopinion，\"saidMr。Johnsoninreply，\"allthedogsinthetownwilljoinyou。\"
OfthisMr。GriersonIhaveheardhimrelatemanydrollstories，muchtohisadvantageasawit，togetherwithsomefactsmoredifficulttobeaccountedfor;asavariceneverwasreckonedamongthevicesofthelaughingworld。ButJohnson’svariouslife，andspiritofvigilancetolearnandtreasureupeverypeculiarityofmanner，sentiment，orgeneralconduct，madehiscompany，whenhechosetorelateanecdotesofpeoplehehadformerlyknown，exquisitelyamusingandcomical。Itisindeedinconceivablewhatstrangeoccurrenceshehadseen，andwhatsurprisingthingshecouldtellwheninacommunicativehumour。Itisbynomeansmybusinesstorelatememoirsofhisacquaintance;butitwillservetoshowthecharacterofJohnsonhimself，whenIinformthosewhoneverknewhimthatnomantoldastorywithsogoodagrace，orknewsowellwhatwouldmakeaneffectuponhisauditors。Whenheraisedcontributionsforsomedistressedauthor，orwitinwant，heoftenmadeusallmorethanamendsbydivertingdescriptionsofthelivestheywerethenpassingincornersunseenbyanybodybuthimself;andthatoddoldsurgeonwhomhekeptinhishousetotendtheout—pensioners，andofwhomhesaidmosttrulyandsublimelythat——
\"Inmisery’sdarkestcavernsknown，Hisusefulcarewasevernigh，Wherehopelessanguishpourshergroan，Andlonelywantretirestodie。\"
Ihaveforgottentheyear，butitcouldscarcelyIthinkbelaterthan1765
or1766，thathewascalledabruptlyfromourhouseafterdinner，andreturninginaboutthreehours，saidhehadbeenwithanenragedauthor，whoselandladypressedhimforpaymentwithindoors，whilethebailiffsbesethimwithout;thathewasdrinkinghimselfdrunkwithMadeiratodrowncare，andfrettingoveranovelwhich，whenfinished，wastobehiswholefortune;buthecouldnotgetitdonefordistraction，norcouldhestepoutofdoorstoofferittosale。Mr。Johnsonthereforesetawaythebottle，andwenttothebookseller，recommendingtheperformance，anddesiringsomeimmediaterelief;whichwhenhebroughtbacktothewriter，hecalledthewomanofthehousedirectlytopartakeofpunch，andpasstheirtimeinmerriment。