GeneralPaoli，talkingofGoldsmith’snewplay，said，’Ilafaituncomplimenttresgracieuxaunecertainegrandedame；’meaningaDuchessofthefirstrank。
IexpressedadoubtwhetherGoldsmithintendedit，inorderthatI
mighthearthetruthfromhimself。It，perhaps，wasnotquitefairtoendeavourtobringhimtoaconfession，ashemightnotwishtoavowpositivelyhistakingpartagainsttheCourt。Hesmiledandhesitated。TheGeneralatoncerelievedhim，bythisbeautifulimage：’MonsieurGoldsmithestcommelamer，quijettedesperlesetbeaucoupd’autresbelleschoses，sanss’enappercevoir。’
GOLDSMITH。’Tresbienditettreselegamment。’
Apersonwasmentioned，whoitwassaidcouldtakedowninshorthandthespeechesinparliamentwithperfectexactness。JOHNSON。
’Sir，itisimpossible。Irememberone，Angel，whocametometowriteforhimaPrefaceorDedicationtoabookuponshorthand，andheprofessedtowriteasfastasamancouldspeak。Inordertotryhim，Itookdownabook，andreadwhilehewrote；andI
favouredhim，forIreadmoredeliberatelythanusual。Ihadproceededbutaverylittleway，whenhebeggedIwoulddesist，forhecouldnotfollowme。’HearingnowforthefirsttimeofthisPrefaceorDedication，Isaid，’Whatanexpense，Sir，doyouputustoinbuyingbooks，towhichyouhavewrittenPrefacesorDedications。’JOHNSON。’Why，IhavededicatedtotheRoyalfamilyallround；thatistosay，tothelastgenerationoftheRoyalfamily。’GOLDSMITH。’Andperhaps，Sir，notonesentenceofwitinawholeDedication。’JOHNSON。’Perhapsnot，Sir。’BOSWELL。
’Whatthenisthereasonforapplyingtoaparticularpersontodothatwhichanyonemaydoaswell？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，onemanhasgreaterreadinessatdoingitthananother。’
IspokeofMr。Harris，ofSalisbury，asbeingaverylearnedman，andinparticularaneminentGrecian。JOHNSON。’Iamnotsureofthat。Hisfriendsgivehimoutassuch，butIknownotwhoofhisfriendsareabletojudgeofit。’GOLDSMITH。’Heiswhatismuchbetter：heisaworthyhumaneman。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，thatisnottothepurposeofourargument：thatwillasmuchprovethathecanplayuponthefiddleaswellasGiardini，asthatheisaneminentGrecian。’GOLDSMITH。’Thegreatestmusicalperformershavebutsmallemoluments。Giardini，Iamtold，doesnotgetabovesevenhundredayear。’JOHNSON。’Thatisindeedbutlittleforamantoget，whodoesbestthatwhichsomanyendeavourtodo。
Thereisnothing，Ithink，inwhichthepowerofartisshownsomuchasinplayingonthefiddle。Inallotherthingswecandosomethingatfirst。Anymanwillforgeabarofiron，ifyougivehimahammer；notsowellasasmith，buttolerably。Amanwillsawapieceofwood，andmakeabox，thoughaclumsyone；butgivehimafiddleandafiddle-stick，andhecandonothing。’
OnMonday，April19，hecalledonmewithMrs。Williams，inMr。
Strahan’scoach，andcarriedmeouttodinewithMr。Elphinston，athisacademyatKensington。Aprinterhavingacquiredafortunesufficienttokeephiscoach，wasagoodtopickforthecreditofliterature。Mrs。Williamssaid，thatanotherprinter，Mr。
Hamilton，hadnotwaitedsolongasMr。Strahan，buthadkepthiscoachseveralyearssooner。JOHNSON。’Hewasintheright。Lifeisshort。Thesoonerthatamanbeginstoenjoyhiswealththebetter。’
Mr。Elphinstontalkedofanewbookthatwasmuchadmired，andaskedDr。Johnsonifhehadreadit。JOHNSON。’Ihavelookedintoit。’’What，saidElphinston，haveyounotreaditthrough？’
Johnson，offendedatbeingthuspressed，andsoobligedtoownhiscursorymodeofreading，answeredtartly，’No，Sir，doYOUreadbooksTHROUGH？’
OnWednesday，April21，IdinedwithhimatMr。Thrale’s。A
gentlemanattackedGarrickforbeingvain。JOHNSON。’Nowonder，Sir，thatheisvain；amanwhoisperpetuallyflatteredineverymodethatcanbeconceived。Somanybellowshaveblownthefire，thatonewondersheisnotbythistimebecomeacinder。’BOSWELL。
’Andsuchbellowstoo。LordMansfieldwithhischeeksliketoburst：LordChathamlikeanAeolus。Ihavereadsuchnotesfromthemtohim，aswereenoughtoturnhishead。’JOHNSON。’True。
Whenhewhomeverybodyelseflatters，flattersme，Ithenamtrulyhappy。’Mrs。THRALE。’ThesentimentisinCongreve，Ithink。’
JOHNSON。’Yes，Madam，inTheWayoftheWorld：
“Ifthere’sdelightinlove，’tiswhenIseeThatheartwhichothersbleedfor，bleedforme。“
No，Sir，IshouldnotbesurprizedthoughGarrickchainedtheocean，andlashedthewinds。’BOSWELL。’Shoulditnotbe，Sir，lashedtheoceanandchainedthewinds？’JOHNSON。’No，Sir，recollecttheoriginal：
“InCorumatqueEurumsolitussaevireflagellisBarbarus，Aeolianunquamhocincarcerepassos，IpsumcompedibusquivinxeratEnnosigaeum。“
Themodesoflivingindifferentcountries，andthevariousviewswithwhichmentravelinquestofnewscenes，havingbeentalkedof，alearnedgentlemanwhoholdsaconsiderableofficeinthelaw，expatiatedonthehappinessofasavagelife；andmentionedaninstanceofanofficerwhohadactuallylivedforsometimeinthewildsofAmerica，ofwhom，wheninthatstate，hequotedthisreflectionwithanairofadmiration，asifithadbeendeeplyphilosophical：’HereamI，freeandunrestrained，amidsttherudemagnificenceofNature，withthisIndianwomanbymyside，andthisgunwithwhichIcanprocurefoodwhenIwantit；whatmorecanbedesiredforhumanhappiness？’Itdidnotrequiremuchsagacitytoforeseethatsuchasentimentwouldnotbepermittedtopasswithoutdueanimadversion。JOHNSON。’Donotallowyourself，Sir，tobeimposeduponbysuchgrossabsurdity。Itissadstuff；itisbrutish。Ifabullcouldspeak，hemightaswellexclaim，——HereamIwiththiscowandthisgrass；whatbeingcanenjoygreaterfelicity？’
Wetalkedofthemelancholyendofagentlemanwhohaddestroyedhimself。JOHNSON。’Itwasowingtoimaginarydifficultiesinhisaffairs，which，hadhetalkedwithanyfriend，wouldsoonhavevanished。’BOSWELL。’Doyouthink，Sir，thatallwhocommitsuicidearemad？’JOHNSON。’Sir，theyareoftennotuniversallydisorderedintheirintellects，butonepassionpressessouponthem，thattheyyieldtoit，andcommitsuicide，asapassionatemanwillstabanother。’Headded，’Ihaveoftenthought，thatafteramanhastakentheresolutiontokillhimself，itisnotcourageinhimtodoanything，howeverdesperate，becausehehasnothingtofear。’GOLDSMITH。’Idon’tseethat。’JOHNSON。’Nay，butmydearSir，whyshouldnotyouseewhateveryoneelsesees？’
GOLDSMITH。’Itisforfearofsomethingthathehasresolvedtokillhimself；andwillnotthattimiddispositionrestrainhim？’
JOHNSON。’Itdoesnotsignifythatthefearofsomethingmadehimresolve；itisuponthestateofhismind，aftertheresolutionistaken，thatIargue。Supposeaman，eitherfromfear，orpride，orconscience，orwhatevermotive，hasresolvedtokillhimself；whenoncetheresolutionistaken，hehasnothingtofear。HemaythengoandtaketheKingofPrussiabythenose，attheheadofhisarmy。Hecannotfeartherack，whoisresolvedtokillhimself。
WhenEustaceBudgelwaswalkingdowntotheThames，determinedtodrownhimself，hemight，ifhepleased，withoutanyapprehensionofdanger，haveturnedaside，andfirstsetfiretoSt。James’spalace。’
OnTuesday，April27，Mr。BeauclerkandIcalledonhiminthemorning。AswewalkedupJohnson’s-court，Isaid，’Ihaveavenerationforthiscourt；’andwasgladtofindthatBeauclerkhadthesamereverentialenthusiasm。Wefoundhimalone。WetalkedofMr。AndrewStuart’selegantandplausibleLetterstoLordMansfield：acopyofwhichhadbeensentbytheauthourtoDr。
Johnson。JOHNSON。’Theyhavenotansweredtheend。Theyhavenotbeentalkedof；Ihaveneverheardofthem。Thisisowingtotheirnotbeingsold。Peopleseldomreadabookwhichisgiventothem；
andfewaregiven。Thewaytospreadaworkistosellitatalowprice。Nomanwillsendtobuyathingthatcostsevensixpence，withoutanintentiontoreadit。’
Hesaid，’Goldsmithshouldnotbeforeverattemptingtoshineinconversation：hehasnottemperforit，heissomuchmortifiedwhenhefails。Sir，agameofjokesiscomposedpartlyofskill，partlyofchance，amanmaybebeatattimesbyonewhohasnotthetenthpartofhiswit。NowGoldsmith’sputtinghimselfagainstanother，islikeamanlayingahundredtoonewhocannotsparethehundred。Itisnotworthaman’swhile。Amanshouldnotlayahundredtoone，unlesshecaneasilyspareit，thoughhehasahundredchancesforhim：hecangetbutaguinea，andhemayloseahundred。Goldsmithisinthisstate。Whenhecontends，ifhegetsthebetter，itisaverylittleadditiontoamanofhisliteraryreputation：ifhedoesnotgetthebetter，heismiserablyvexed。’
Johnson’sownsuperlativepowersofwitsethimaboveanyriskofsuchuneasiness。Garrickhadremarkedtomeofhim，afewdaysbefore，’Rabelaisandallotherwitsarenothingcomparedwithhim。
Youmaybedivertedbythem；butJohnsongivesyouaforciblehug，andshakeslaughteroutofyou，whetheryouwillorno。’
Goldsmith，however，wasoftenveryfortunateinhiswittycontests，evenwhenheenteredthelistswithJohnsonhimself。SirJoshuaReynoldswasincompanywiththemoneday，whenGoldsmithsaid，thathethoughthecouldwriteagoodfable，mentionedthesimplicitywhichthatkindofcompositionrequires，andobserved，thatinmostfablestheanimalsintroducedseldomtalkincharacter。’Forinstance，saidhe，thefableofthelittlefishes，whosawbirdsflyovertheirheads，andenvyingthem，petitionedJupitertobechangedintobirds。Theskillcontinuedhe，consistsinmakingthemtalklikelittlefishes。’Whileheindulgedhimselfinthisfancifulreverie，heobservedJohnsonshakinghissides，andlaughing。Uponwhichhesmartlyproceeded，’Why，Dr。Johnson，thisisnotsoeasyasyouseemtothink；forifyouweretomakelittlefishestalk，theywouldtalklikeWHALES。’
OnThursday，April29，IdinedwithhimatGeneralOglethorpe’s，wherewereSirJoshuaReynolds，Mr。Langton，Dr。Goldsmith，andMr。
Thrale。IwasverydesiroustogetDr。JohnsonabsolutelyfixedinhisresolutiontogowithmetotheHebridesthisyear；andItoldhimthatIhadreceivedaletterfromDr。Robertsonthehistorian，uponthesubject，withwhichhewasmuchpleased；andnowtalkedinsuchamannerofhislong-intendedtour，thatIwassatisfiedhemeanttofulfilhisengagement。