GwynatlastwasluckyenoughtomakeonereplytoDr。Johnson，whichheallowedtobeexcellent。Johnsoncensuredhimfortakingdownachurchwhichmighthavestoodmanyyears，andbuildinganewoneatadifferentplace，fornootherreasonbutthattheremightbeadirectroadtoanewbridge；andhisexpressionwas，’Youaretakingachurchoutoftheway，thatthepeoplemaygoinastraightlinetothebridge。’——’No，Sir，saidGwyn，IamputtingthechurchINtheway，thatthepeoplemaynotGOOUTOFTHEWAY。’
JOHNSON。withaheartyloudlaughofapprobation，’Speaknomore。Restyourcolloquialfameuponthis。’
UponourarrivalatOxford，Dr。JohnsonandIwentdirectlytoUniversityCollege，butweredisappointedonfindingthatoneofthefellows，hisfriendMr。Scott，whoaccompaniedhimfromNewcastletoEdinburgh，wasgonetothecountry。WeputupattheAngelinn，andpassedtheeveningbyourselvesineasyandfamiliarconversation。Talkingofconstitutionalmelancholy，heobserved，’Amansoafflicted，Sir，mustdivertdistressingthoughts，andnotcombatwiththem。’BOSWELL。’Maynothethinkthemdown，Sir？’
JOHNSON。’No，Sir。ToattempttoTHINKTHEMDOWNismadness。Heshouldhavealampconstantlyburninginhisbed-chamberduringthenight，andifwakefullydisturbed，takeabook，andread，andcomposehimselftorest。Tohavethemanagementofthemindisagreatart，anditmaybeattainedinaconsiderabledegreebyexperienceandhabitualexercise。’BOSWELL。’Shouldnotheprovideamusementsforhimself？Woulditnot，forinstance，berightforhimtotakeacourseofchymistry？’JOHNSON。’Lethimtakeacourseofchymistry，oracourseofrope-dancing，oracourseofanythingtowhichheisinclinedatthetime。Lethimcontrivetohaveasmanyretreatsforhismindashecan，asmanythingstowhichitcanflyfromitself。Burton’sAnatomyofMelancholyisavaluablework。Itis，perhaps，overloadedwithquotation。ButthereisgreatspiritandgreatpowerinwhatBurtonsays，whenhewritesfromhisownmind。’
NextmorningwevisitedDr。Wetherell，MasterofUniversityCollege，withwhomDr。JohnsonconferredonthemostadvantageousmodeofdisposingofthebooksprintedattheClarendonpress。I
oftenhadoccasiontoremark，Johnsonlovedbusiness，lovedtohavehiswisdomactuallyoperateonreallife。
WethenwenttoPembrokeCollege，andwaitedonhisoldfriendDr。
Adams，themasterofit，whomIfoundtobeamostpolite，pleasing，communicativeman。Beforehisadvancementtotheheadshipofhiscollege，IhadintendedtogoandvisithimatShrewsbury，wherehewasrectorofSt。Chad’s，inordertogetfromhimwhatparticularshecouldrecollectofJohnson’sacademicallife。Henowobliginglygavemepartofthatauthentickinformation，which，withwhatIafterwardsowedtohiskindness，willbefoundincorporatedinitsproperplaceinthiswork。
Dr。Adamstoldus，thatinsomeoftheCollegesatOxford，thefellowshadexcludedthestudentsfromsocialintercoursewiththeminthecommonroom。JOHNSON。’Theyareintheright，Sir：therecanbenorealconversation，nofairexertionofmindamongstthem，iftheyoungmenareby；foramanwhohasacharacterdoesnotchoosetostakeitintheirpresence。’BOSWELL。’But，Sir，maytherenotbeverygoodconversationwithoutacontestforsuperiority？’JOHNSON。’Noanimatedconversation，Sir，foritcannotbebutoneorotherwillcomeoffsuperiour。Idonotmeanthatthevictormusthavethebetteroftheargument，forhemaytaketheweakside；buthissuperiorityofpartsandknowledgewillnecessarilyappear：andhetowhomhethusshewshimselfsuperiourislessenedintheeyesoftheyoungmen。’
WewalkedwithDr。Adamsintothemaster’sgarden，andintothecommonroom。JOHNSON。afterareverieofmeditation，’Ay!HereIusedtoplayatdraughtswithPhil。JonesandFludyer。Joneslovedbeer，anddidnotgetveryforwardinthechurch。Fludyerturnedoutascoundrel，aWhig，andsaidhewasashamedofhavingbeenbredatOxford。HehadalivingatPutney，andgotundertheeyeofsomeretainerstothecourtatthattime，andsobecameaviolentWhig：buthehadbeenascoundrelallalongtobesure。’
BOSWELL。’Washeascoundrel，Sir，inanyotherwaythanthatofbeingapoliticalscoundrel？Didhecheatatdraughts？’JOHNSON。
’Sir，weneverplayedforMONEY。’
HethencarriedmetovisitDr。Bentham，CanonofChrist-Church，andDivinityProfessor，withwhoselearnedandlivelyconversationweweremuchpleased。Hegaveusaninvitationtodinner，whichDr。Johnsontoldmewasahighhonour。’Sir，itisagreatthingtodinewiththeCanonsofChrist-Church。’Wecouldnotaccepthisinvitation，aswewereengagedtodineatUniversityCollege。Wehadanexcellentdinnerthere，withtheMasterandFellows，itbeingSt。Cuthbert’sday，whichiskeptbythemasafestival，ashewasasaintofDurham，withwhichthiscollegeismuchconnected。
WedrankteawithDr。Horne，latePresidentofMagdalenCollege，andBishopofNorwich，ofwhoseabilities，indifferentrespects，thepublickhashademinentproofs，andtheesteemannexedtowhosecharacterwasincreasedbyknowinghimpersonally。
WethenwenttoTrinityCollege，whereheintroducedmetoMr。
ThomasWarton，withwhomwepassedapartoftheevening。Wetalkedofbiography——JOHNSON。’Itisrarelywellexecuted。Theyonlywholivewithamancanwritehislifewithanygenuineexactnessanddiscrimination；andfewpeoplewhohavelivedwithamanknowwhattoremarkabouthim。ThechaplainofalateBishop，whomIwastoassistinwritingsomememoirsofhisLordship，couldtellmescarcelyanything。’
Isaid，Mr。RobertDodsley’slifeshouldbewritten，ashehadbeensomuchconnectedwiththewitsofhistime，andbyhisliterarymerithadraisedhimselffromthestationofafootman。Mr。Wartonsaid，hehadpublishedalittlevolumeunderthetitleofTheMuseinLivery。JOHNSON。’IdoubtwhetherDodsley’sbrotherwouldthankamanwhoshouldwritehislife：yetDodsleyhimselfwasnotunwillingthathisoriginallowconditionshouldberecollected。
WhenLordLyttelton’sDialoguesoftheDeadcameout，oneofwhichisbetweenApicius，anancientepicure，andDartineuf，amodernepicure，Dodsleysaidtome，“IknewDartineufwell，forIwasoncehisfootman。“’
ImentionedSirRichardSteelehavingpublishedhisChristianHero，withtheavowedpurposeofobliginghimselftoleadareligiouslife；yet，thathisconductwasbynomeansstrictlysuitable。
JOHNSON。’Steele，Ibelieve，practisedthelightervices。’
Mr。Warton，beingengaged，couldnotsupwithusatourinn；wehadthereforeanothereveningbyourselves。IaskedJohnson，whetheraman’sbeingforwardtomakehimselfknowntoeminentpeople，andseeingasmuchoflife，andgettingasmuchinformationashecouldineveryway，wasnotyetlesseninghimselfbyhisforwardness。
JOHNSON。’No，Sir，amanalwaysmakeshimselfgreaterasheincreaseshisknowledge。
Icensuredsomeludicrousfantastickdialoguesbetweentwocoach-
horsesandothersuchstuff，whichBarettihadlatelypublished。
Hejoinedwithme，andsaid，’Nothingoddwilldolong。TristramShandydidnotlast。’Iexpressedadesiretobeacquaintedwithaladywhohadbeenmuchtalkedof，anduniversallycelebratedforextraordinaryaddressandinsinuation。JOHNSON。’Neverbelieveextraordinarycharacterswhichyouhearofpeople。Dependuponit，Sir，theyareexaggerated。Youdonotseeonemanshootagreatdealhigherthananother。’ImentionedMr。Burke。JOHNSON。’Yes；
Burkeisanextraordinaryman。Hisstreamofmindisperpetual。’
Itisverypleasingtometorecord，thatJohnson’shighestimationofthetalentsofthisgentlemanwasuniformfromtheirearlyacquaintance。SirJoshuaReynoldsinformsme，thatwhenMr。BurkewasfirstelectedamemberofParliament，andSirJohnHawkinsexpressedawonderathisattainingaseat，Johnsonsaid，’NowwewhoknowMr。Burke，know，thathewillbeoneofthefirstmeninthiscountry。’Andonce，whenJohnsonwasill，andunabletoexerthimselfasmuchasusualwithoutfatigue，Mr。Burkehavingbeenmentioned，hesaid，’Thatfellowcallsforthallmypowers。WereI
toseeBurkenowitwouldkillme。’Somuchwasheaccustomedtoconsiderconversationasacontest，andsuchwashisnotionofBurkeasanopponent。
Nextmorning，Thursday，March21，wesetoutinapost-chaisetopursueourramble。Itwasadelightfulday，andwerodethroughBlenheimpark。WhenIlookedatthemagnificentbridgebuiltbyJohnDukeofMarlborough，overasmallrivulet，andrecollectedtheEpigrammadeuponit——
’Theloftyarchhishighambitionshows，Thestream，anemblemofhisbountyflows：’
andsawthatnow，bythegeniusofBrown，amagnificentbodyofwaterwascollected，Isaid，’TheyhaveDROWNEDtheEpigram。’I
observedtohim，whileinthemidstofthenoblescenearoundus，’YouandI，Sir，have，Ithink，seentogethertheextremesofwhatcanbeseeninBritain：——thewildroughislandofMull，andBlenheimpark。’
WedinedatanexcellentinnatChapel-house，whereheexpatiatedonthefelicityofEnglandinitstavernsandinns，andtriumphedovertheFrenchfornothaving，inanyperfection，thetavernlife。
’Thereisnoprivatehouse，saidhe，inwhichpeoplecanenjoythemselvessowell，asatacapitaltavern。Lettherebeeversogreatplentyofgoodthings，eversomuchgrandeur，eversomuchelegance，eversomuchdesirethateverybodyshouldbeeasy；inthenatureofthingsitcannotbe：theremustalwaysbesomedegreeofcareandanxiety。Themasterofthehouseisanxioustoentertainhisguests；theguestsareanxioustobeagreeabletohim：andnoman，butaveryimpudentdogindeed，canasfreelycommandwhatisinanotherman’shouse，asifitwerehisown。
Whereas，atatavern，thereisageneralfreedomfromanxiety。Youaresureyouarewelcome：andthemorenoiseyoumake，themoretroubleyougive，themoregoodthingsyoucallfor，thewelcomeryouare。Noservantswillattendyouwiththealacritywhichwaitersdo，whoareincitedbytheprospectofanimmediatereward，inproportionastheyplease。No，Sir；thereisnothingwhichhasyetbeencontrivedbyman，bywhichsomuchhappinessisproducedasbyagoodtavernorinn。’*Hethenrepeated，withgreatemotion，Shenstone’slines：——
’Whoe’erhastravell’dlife’sdullround，Where’erhisstagesmayhavebeen，MaysightothinkhestillhasfoundThewarmestwelcomeataninn。’
*SirJohnHawkinshaspreservedveryfewMemorabiliaofJohnson。
Thereis，however，tobefound，inhisbulkytome[p。87]，averyexcellentoneuponthissubject：——’Incontradictiontothose，who，havingawifeandchildren，preferdomestickenjoymentstothosewhichatavernaffords，Ihaveheardhimassert，thatatavernchairwasthethroneofhumanfelicity——“Assoon，“saidhe，“asI