’Whilethiswasthetalkofthetown，saysDr。Adams，inalettertomeIhappenedtovisitDr。Warburton，whofindingthatIwasacquaintedwithJohnson，desiredmeearnestlytocarryhiscomplimentstohim，andtotellhimthathehonouredhimforhismanlybehaviourinrejectingthesecondescensionsofLordChesterfield，andforresentingthetreatmenthehadreceivedfromhim，withaproperspirit。Johnsonwasvisiblypleasedwiththiscompliment，forhehadalwaysahighopinionofWarburton。Indeed，theforceofmindwhichappearedinthisletter，wascongenialwiththatwhichWarburtonhimselfamplypossessed。’
Thereisacuriousminutecircumstancewhichstruckme，incomparingthevariouseditionsofJohnson’simitationsofJuvenal。
InthetenthSatire，oneofthecoupletsuponthevanityofwishesevenforliterarydistinctionstoodthus：
’Yetthinkwhatillsthescholar’slifeassail，Pride，envy，want，theGARRET，andthejail。’
ButafterexperiencingtheuneasinesswhichLordChesterfield’sfallaciouspatronagemadehimfeel，hedismissedthewordgarretfromthesadgroup，andinallthesubsequenteditionsthelinestands’Pride，envy，want，thePATRON，andthejail。’
ThatLordChesterfieldmusthavebeenmortifiedbytheloftycontempt，andpolite，yetkeensatirewithwhichJohnsonexhibitedhimtohimselfinthisletter，itisimpossibletodoubt。He，however，withthatglossyduplicitywhichwashisconstantstudy，affectedtohequiteunconcerned。Dr。AdamsmentionedtoMr。
RobertDodsleythathewassorryJohnsonhadwrittenhislettertoLordChesterfield。Dodsley，withthetruefeelingsoftrade，said’hewasverysorrytoo；forthathehadapropertyintheDictionary，towhichhisLordship’spatronagemighthavebeenofconsequence。’HethentoldDr。Adams，thatLordChesterfieldhadshewnhimtheletter。’IshouldhaveimaginedrepliedDr。Adams
thatLordChesterfieldwouldhaveconcealedit。’’Poh!saidDodsleydoyouthinkaletterfromJohnsoncouldhurtLordChesterfield？Notatall，Sir。Itlayuponhistable；whereanybodymightseeit。Hereadittome；said，“thismanhasgreatpowers，“pointedouttheseverestpassages，andobservedhowwelltheywereexpressed。’Thisairofindifference，whichimposedupontheworthyDodsley，wascertainlynothingbutaspecimenofthatdissimulationwhichLordChesterfieldinculcatedasoneofthemostessentiallessonsfortheconductoflife。HisLordshipendeavouredtojustifyhimselftoDodsleyfromthechargesbroughtagainsthimbyJohnson；butwemayjudgeoftheflimsinessofhisdefence，fromhishavingexcusedhisneglectofJohnson，bysayingthat’hehadheardhehadchangedhislodgings，anddidnotknowwherehelived；’asiftherecouldhavebeenthesmallestdifficultytoinformhimselfofthatcircumstance，byinquiringintheliterarycirclewithwhichhisLordshipwaswellacquainted，andwas，indeed，himselfoneofitsornaments。
Dr。AdamsexpostulatedwithJohnson，andsuggested，thathisnotbeingadmittedwhenhecalledonhim，was，probably，nottobeimputedtoLordChesterfield；forhisLordshiphaddeclaredtoDodsley，that’hewouldhaveturnedoffthebestservantheeverhad，ifhehadknownthathedeniedhimtoamanwhowouldhavebeenalwaysmorethanwelcome；’and，inconfirmationofthis，heinsistedonLordChesterfield’sgeneralaffabilityandeasinessofaccess，especiallytoliterarymen。’SirsaidJohnsonthatisnotLordChesterfield；heistheproudestmanthisdayexisting。’
’No，saidDr。Adamsthereisoneperson，atleast，asproud；I
think，byyourownaccount，youaretheproudermanofthetwo。’
’ButminerepliedJohnson，instantlywasDEFENSIVEpride。’This，asDr。Adamswellobserved，wasoneofthosehappyturnsforwhichhewassoremarkablyready。
JohnsonhavingnowexplicitlyavowedhisopinionofLordChesterfield，didnotrefrainfromexpressinghimselfconcerningthatnoblemanwithpointedfreedom：’ThismansaidheIthoughthadbeenaLordamongwits；but，Ifind，heisonlyawitamongLords!’AndwhenhisLetterstohisnaturalsonwerepublished，heobserved，that’theyteachthemoralsofawhore，andthemannersofadancingmaster。’
Onthe6thofMarchcameoutLordBolingbroke’sworks，publishedbyMr。DavidMallet。Thewildandperniciousravings，underthenameofPhilosophy，whichwerethususheredintotheworld，gavegreatoffencetoallwell-principledmen。Johnson，hearingoftheirtendency，whichnobodydisputed，wasrousedwithajustindignation，andpronouncedthismemorablesentenceuponthenobleauthourandhiseditor。’Sir，hewasascoundrel，andacoward：ascoundrel，forchargingablunderbussagainstreligionandmorality；acoward，becausehehadnotresolutiontofireitoffhimself，butlefthalfacrowntoabeggarlyScotchman，todrawthetriggerafterhisdeath!’
JohnsonthisyearfoundanintervalofleisuretomakeanexcursiontoOxford，forthepurposeofconsultingthelibrariesthere。
OfhisconversationwhileatOxfordatthistime，Mr。Wartonpreservedandcommunicatedtomethefollowingmemorial，which，thoughnotwrittenwithallthecareandattentionwhichthatlearnedandelegantwriterbestowedonthosecompositionswhichheintendedforthepublickeye，issohappilyexpressedinaneasystyle，thatIshouldinjureitbyanyalteration：
’WhenJohnsoncametoOxfordin1754，thelongvacationwasbeginning，andmostpeoplewereleavingtheplace。Thiswasthefirsttimeofhisbeingthere，afterquittingtheUniversity。Thenextmorningafterhisarrival，hewishedtoseehisoldCollege，Pembroke。Iwentwithhim。HewashighlypleasedtofindalltheCollege-servantswhichhehadlefttherestillremaining，particularlyaveryoldbutler；andexpressedgreatsatisfactionatbeingrecognisedbythem，andconversedwiththemfamiliarly。Hewaitedonthemaster，Dr。Radcliffe，whoreceivedhimverycoldly。
Johnsonatleastexpected，thatthemasterwouldorderacopyofhisDictionary，nownearpublication：butthemasterdidnotchoosetotalkonthesubject，neveraskedJohnsontodine，noreventovisithim，whilehestayedatOxford。Afterwehadleftthelodgings，Johnsonsaidtome，“THERElivesaman，wholivesbytherevenuesofliterature，andwillnotmoveafingertosupportit。
IfIcometoliveatOxford，IshalltakeupmyabodeatTrinity。“
WethencalledontheReverendMr。Meeke，oneofthefellows，andofJohnson’sstanding。Herewasamostcordialgreetingonbothsides。Onleavinghim，Johnsonsaid，“IusedtothinkMeekehadexcellentparts，whenwewereboystogetherattheCollege：but，alas!
’Lostinaconvent’ssolitarygloom!’
Iremember，attheclassicallectureintheHall，IcouldnotbearMeeke’ssuperiority，andItriedtositasfarfromhimasIcould，thatImightnothearhimconstrue。“
’AswewereleavingtheCollege，hesaid，“HereItranslatedPope’sMessiah。Whichdoyouthinkisthebestlineinit？——Myownfavouriteis，’VallisaromaticasfunditSaronicanubes。’“
Itoldhim，Ithoughtitaverysonoroushexameter。Ididnottellhim，itwasnotintheVirgilianstyle。HemuchregrettedthathisFIRSTtutorwasdead；forwhomheseemedtoretainthegreatestregard。Hesaid，“IoncehadbeenawholemorningslidinginChrist-ChurchMeadow，andmissedhislectureinlogick。Afterdinner，hesentformetohisroom。Iexpectedasharprebukeformyidleness，andwentwithabeatingheart。Whenwewereseated，hetoldmehehadsentformetodrinkaglassofwinewithhim，andtotellme，hewasNOTangrywithmeformissinghislecture。
Thiswas，infact，amostseverereprimand。Somemoreoftheboyswerethensentfor，andwespentaverypleasantafternoon。“
BesidesMr。Meeke，therewasonlyoneotherFellowofPembrokenowresident：frombothofwhomJohnsonreceivedthegreatestcivilitiesduringthisvisit，andtheypressedhimverymuchtohavearoomintheCollege。
’Inthecourseofthisvisit1754，JohnsonandIwalked，threeorfourtimes，toEllsfield，avillagebeautifullysituatedaboutthreemilesfromOxford，toseeMr。Wise，Radclivianlibrarian，withwhomJohnsonwasmuchpleased。Atthisplace，Mr。Wisehadfittedupahouseandgardens，inasingularmanner，butwithgreattaste。Herewasanexcellentlibrary；particularly，avaluablecollectionofbooksinNorthernliterature，withwhichJohnsonwasoftenverybusy。OnedayMr。Wisereadtousadissertationwhichhewaspreparingforthepress，intitled，“AHistoryandChronologyofthefabulousAges。“SomeolddivinitiesofThrace，relatedtotheTitans，andcalledtheCABIRI，madeaveryimportantpartofthetheoryofthispiece；andinconversationafterwards，Mr。WisetalkedmuchofhisCABIRI。AswereturnedtoOxfordintheevening，Iout-walkedJohnson，andhecriedoutSufflamina，aLatinwordwhichcamefromhismouthwithpeculiargrace，andwasasmuchastosay，Putonyourdragchain。Beforewegothome，Iagainwalkedtoofastforhim；andhenowcriedout，“Why，youwalkasifyouwerepursuedbyalltheCABIRIinabody。
“Inanevening，wefrequentlytooklongwalksfromOxfordintothecountry，returningtosupper。Once，inourwayhome，weviewedtheruinsoftheabbiesofOseneyandRewley，nearOxford。Afteratleasthalfanhour’ssilence，Johnsonsaid，“Iviewedthemwithindignation!“WehadthenalongconversationonGothickbuildings；andintalkingoftheformofoldhalls，hesaid，“Inthesehalls，thefireplacewasancientlyalwaysinthemiddleoftheroom，tilltheWhigsremoveditononeside。“——AboutthistimetherehadbeenanexecutionoftwoorthreecriminalsatOxfordonaMonday。Soonafterwards，onedayatdinner，IwassayingthatMr。Swintonthechaplainofthegaol，andalsoafrequentpreacherbeforetheUniversity，alearnedman，butoftenthoughtlessandabsent，preachedthecondemnation-sermononrepentance，beforetheconvicts，ontheprecedingday，Sunday；andthatintheclosehetoldhisaudience，thatheshouldgivethemtheremainderofwhathehadtosayonthesubject，thenextLord’sDay。Uponwhich，oneofourcompany，aDoctorofDivinity，andaplainmatter-of-factman，bywayofofferinganapologyforMr。Swinton，gravelyremarked，thathehadprobablypreachedthesamesermonbeforetheUniversity：“Yes，Sir，saysJohnsonbuttheUniversitywerenottobehangedthenextmorning。“
’Iforgottoobservebefore，thatwhenheleftMr。Meeke，asI
havetoldaboveheadded，“Aboutthesametimeoflife，MeekewasleftbehindatOxfordtofeedonaFellowship，andIwenttoLondontogetmyliving：now，Sir，seethedifferenceofourliterarycharacters!“’
ThedegreeofMasterofArts，which，ithasbeenobserved，couldnotbeobtainedforhimatanearlyperiodofhislife，wasnowconsideredasanhonourofconsiderableimportance，inordertogracethetitle-pageofhisDictionary；andhischaracterintheliteraryworldbeingbythistimedeservedlyhigh，hisfriendsthoughtthat，ifproperexertionsweremade，theUniversityofOxfordwouldpayhimthecompliment。
ToTHEREVERENDTHOMASWARTON。
’DEARSIR，——Iamextremelysensibleofthefavourdoneme，bothbyMr。Wiseandyourself。Thebook*cannot，Ithink，beprintedinlessthansixweeks，norprobablysosoon；andIwillkeepbackthetitle-page，forsuchaninsertionasyouseemtopromiseme……
’Ihadlatelythefavourofaletterfromyourbrother，withsomeaccountofpoorCollins，forwhomIammuchconcerned。Ihaveanotion，thatbyverygreattemperance，ormoreproperlyabstinence，hemayyetrecover……
’YouknowpoorMr。Dodsleyhaslosthiswife；Ibelieveheismuchaffected。IhopehewillnotsuffersomuchasIyetsufferforthelossofmine。
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Ihaveeversinceseemedtomyselfbrokenofffrommankind；akindofsolitarywandererinthewildoflife，withoutanydirection，orfixedpointofview：agloomygazeronaworldtowhichIhavelittlerelation。YetIwouldendeavour，bythehelpofyouandyourbrother，tosupplythewantofcloserunion，byfriendship：
andhopetohavelongthepleasureofbeing，dearSir，mostaffectionatelyyour’s，’[London。]Dec。21，1754。’