HetoldmethatBaconwasafavouriteauthourwithhim；buthehadneverreadhisworkstillhewascompilingtheEnglishDictionary，inwhich，hesaid，ImightseeBaconveryoftenquoted。Mr。Sewardrecollectshishavingmentioned，thataDictionaryoftheEnglishLanguagemightbecompiledfromBacon’swritingsalone，andthathehadonceanintentionofgivinganeditionofBacon，atleastofhisEnglishworks，andwritingtheLifeofthatgreatman。Hadheexecutedthisintention，therecanbenodoubtthathewouldhavedoneitinamostmasterlymanner。
WishingtobesatisfiedwhatdegreeoftruththerewasinastorywhichafriendofJohnson’sandminehadtoldmetohisdisadvantage，Imentionedittohimindirectterms；anditwastothiseffect：thatagentlemanwhohadlivedingreatintimacywithhim，shewnhimmuchkindness，andevenrelievedhimfromaspunging-house，havingafterwardsfallenintobadcircumstances，wasoneday，whenJohnsonwasatdinnerwithhim，seizedfordebt，andcarriedtoprison；thatJohnsonsatstillundisturbed，andwentoneatinganddrinking；uponwhichthegentleman’ssister，whowaspresent，couldnotsuppressherindignation：’What，Sir，saidshe，areyousounfeeling，asnoteventooffertogotomybrotherinhisdistress；youwhohavebeensomuchobligedtohim？’
AndthatJohnsonanswered，’Madam，Iowehimnoobligation；whathedidformehewouldhavedoneforadog。’
Johnsonassuredme，thatthestorywasabsolutelyfalse：butlikeamanconsciousofbeingintheright，anddesirousofcompletelyvindicatinghimselffromsuchacharge，hedidnotarrogantlyrestonameredenial，andonhisgeneralcharacter，butproceededthus：——’Sir，Iwasveryintimatewiththatgentleman，andwasoncerelievedbyhimfromanarrest；butIneverwaspresentwhenhewasarrested，neverknewthathewasarrested，andIbelieveheneverwasindifficultiesafterthetimewhenherelievedme。Ilovedhimmuch；yet，intalkingofhisgeneralcharacter，Imayhavesaid，thoughIdonotrememberthatIeverdidsayso，thatashisgenerosityproceededfromnoprinciple，butwasapartofhisprofusion，hewoulddoforadogwhathewoulddoforafriend：butIneverappliedthisremarktoanyparticularinstance，andcertainlynottohiskindnesstome。Ifaprofuseman，whodoesnotvaluehismoney，andgivesalargesumtoawhore，giveshalfasmuch，oranequallylargesumtorelieveafriend，itcannotbeesteemedasvirtue。ThiswasallthatIcouldsayofthatgentleman；and，ifsaidatall，itmusthavebeensaidafterhisdeath。Sir，Iwouldhavegonetotheworld’sendtorelievehim。
Theremarkaboutthedog，ifmadebyme，wassuchasallyasmightescapeonewhenpaintingamanhighly。’
OnTuesday，September23，Johnsonwasremarkablycordialtome。ItbeingnecessaryformetoreturntoScotlandsoon，Ihadfixedonthenextdayformysettingout，andIfeltatenderconcernatthethoughtofpartingwithhim。Hehad，atthistime，franklycommunicatedtomemanyparticulars，whichareinsertedinthisworkintheirproperplaces；andonce，whenIhappenedtomentionthattheexpenceofmyjauntwouldcometomuchmorethanIhadcomputed，hesaid，’Why，Sir，iftheexpenceweretobeaninconvenience，youwouldhavereasontoregretit：but，ifyouhavehadthemoneytospend，Iknownotthatyoucouldhavepurchasedasmuchpleasurewithitinanyotherway。’
Iperceivedthathepronouncedthewordheard，asifspeltwithadoublee，heerd，insteadofsoundingitherd，asismostusuallydone。Hesaid，hisreasonwas，thatifitwaspronouncedherd，therewouldbeasingleexceptionfromtheEnglishpronunciationofthesyllableear，andhethoughtitbetternottohavethatexception。
Intheeveningourgentleman-farmer，andtwoothers，entertainedthemselvesandthecompanywithagreatnumberoftunesonthefiddle。Johnsondesiredtohave’Letambitionfirethymind，’
playedoveragain，andappearedtogiveapatientattentiontoit；
thoughheownedtomethathewasveryinsensibletothepowerofmusick。Itoldhim，thatitaffectedmetosuchadegree，asoftentoagitatemynervespainfully，producinginmymindalternatesensationsofpathetickdejection，sothatIwasreadytoshedtears；andofdaringresolution，sothatIwasinclinedtorushintothethickestpartofthebattle。’Sir，saidhe，Ishouldneverhearit，ifitmademesuchafool。’
Thisevening，whilesomeofthetunesofordinarycompositionwereplayedwithnogreatskill，myframewasagitated，andIwasconsciousofagenerousattachmenttoDr。Johnson，asmypreceptorandfriend，mixedwithanaffectionateregretthathewasanoldman，whomIshouldprobablyloseinashorttime。IthoughtI
coulddefendhimatthepointofmysword。Myreverenceandaffectionforhimwereinfullglow。Isaidtohim，’MydearSir，wemustmeeteveryyear，ifyoudon’tquarrelwithme。’JOHNSON。
’Nay，Sir，youaremorelikelytoquarrelwithme，thanIwithyou。
MyregardforyouisgreateralmostthanIhavewordstoexpress；
butIdonotchoosetobealwaysrepeatingit；writeitdowninthefirstleafofyourpocket-book，andneverdoubtofitagain。’
Italkedtohimofmiserybeing’thedoomofman’inthislife，asdisplayedinhisVanityofHumanWishes。YetIobservedthatthingsweredoneuponthesuppositionofhappiness；grandhouseswerebuilt，finegardensweremade，splendidplacesofpublickamusementwerecontrived，andcrowdedwithcompany。JOHNSON。
’Alas，Sir，theseareallonlystrugglesforhappiness。WhenI
firstenteredRanelagh，itgaveanexpansionandgaysensationtomymind，suchasIneverexperiencedanywhereelse。But，asXerxesweptwhenheviewedhisimmensearmy，andconsideredthatnotoneofthatgreatmultitudewouldbealiveahundredyearsafterwards，soitwenttomyhearttoconsiderthattherewasnotoneinallthatbrilliantcircle，thatwasnotafraidtogohomeandthink；butthatthethoughtsofeachindividualthere，wouldbedistressingwhenalone。’
Isuggested，thatbeinginlove，andflatteredwithhopesofsuccess；orhavingsomefavouriteschemeinviewforthenextday，mightpreventthatwretchednessofwhichwehadbeentalking。
JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，itmaysometimesbesoasyousuppose；butmyconclusionisingeneralbuttootrue。’
WhileJohnsonandIstoodincalmconferencebyourselvesinDr。
Taylor’sgarden，ataprettylatehourinasereneautumnnight，lookinguptotheheavens，Idirectedthediscoursetothesubjectofafuturestate。Myfriendwasinaplacidandmostbenignantframe。’Sir，saidhe，Idonotimaginethatallthingswillbemadecleartousimmediatelyafterdeath，butthatthewaysofProvidencewillbeexplainedtousverygradually。’Hetalkedtomeuponthisawefulanddelicatequestioninagentletone，andasifafraidtobedecisive。
AftersupperIaccompaniedhimtohisapartment，andatmyrequesthedictatedtomeanargumentinfavourofthenegrowhowasthenclaiminghisliberty，inanactionintheCourtofSessioninScotland。Hehadalwaysbeenveryzealousagainstslaveryineveryform，inwhichI，withalldeference，thoughtthathediscovered’azealwithoutknowledge。’Upononeoccasion，whenincompanywithsomeverygravemenatOxford，histoastwas，’Here’stothenextinsurrectionofthenegroesintheWestIndies。’HisviolentprejudiceagainstourWestIndianandAmericansettlersappearedwhenevertherewasanopportunity。TowardstheconclusionofhisTaxationnoTyranny，hesays，’howisitthatweheartheloudestYELPSforlibertyamongthedriversofnegroes？’
WhenIsaidnowtoJohnson，thatIwasafraidIkepthimtoolateup。’No，Sir，saidhe，Idon’tcarethoughIsitallnightwithyou。’Thiswasananimatedspeechfromamaninhissixty-ninthyear。
HadIbeenasattentivenottodispleasehimasIoughttohavebeen，Iknownotbutthisvigilmighthavebeenfulfilled；butI
unluckilyentereduponthecontroversyconcerningtherightofGreat-BritaintotaxAmerica，andattemptedtoargueinfavourofourfellow-subjectsontheothersideoftheAtlantick。IinsistedthatAmericamightbeverywellgoverned，andmadetoyieldsufficientrevenuebythemeansofINFLUENCE，asexemplifiedinIreland，whilethepeoplemightbepleasedwiththeimaginationoftheirparticipatingoftheBritishconstitution，byhavingabodyofrepresentatives，withoutwhoseconsentmoneycouldnotbeexactedfromthem。Johnsoncouldnotbearmythusopposinghisavowedopinion，whichhehadexertedhimselfwithanextremedegreeofheattoenforce；andtheviolentagitationintowhichhewasthrown，whileanswering，orratherreprimandingme，alarmedmeso，thatIheartilyrepentedofmyhavingunthinkinglyintroducedthesubject。Imyself，however，grewwarm，andthechangewasgreat，fromthecalmstateofphilosophicaldiscussioninwhichwehadalittlebeforebeenpleasinglyemployed。
Wewerefatiguedbythecontest，whichwasproducedbymywantofcaution；andhewasnottheninthehumourtoslideintoeasyandcheerfultalk。Itthereforesohappened，thatwewereafteranhourortwoverywillingtoseparateandgotobed。
OnWednesday，September24，IwentintoDr。Johnson’sroombeforehegotup，andfindingthatthestormoftheprecedingnightwasquitelaid，Isatdownuponhisbed-side，andhetalkedwithasmuchreadinessandgood-humourasever。HerecommendedtometoplantaconsiderablepartofalargemoorishfarmwhichIhadpurchased，andhemadeseveralcalculationsoftheexpenceandprofit：forhedelightedinexercisinghismindonthescienceofnumbers。Hepresseduponmetheimportanceofplantingatthefirstinaverysufficientmanner，quotingthesaying’Inbellononlicetbiserrare：’andadding，’thisisequallytrueinplanting。’
IspokewithgratitudeofDr。Taylor’shospitality；and，asevidencethatitwasnotonaccountofhisgoodtablealonethatJohnsonvisitedhimoften，Imentionedalittleanecdotewhichhadescapedmyfriend’srecollection，andathearingwhichrepeated，hesmiled。Oneevening，whenIwassittingwithhim，Frankdeliveredthismessage：’Sir，Dr。Taylorsendshiscomplimentstoyou，andbegsyouwilldinewithhimto-morrow。Hehasgotahare。’——’MycomplimentssaidJohnson，andI’lldinewithhim——hareorrabbit。’
AfterbreakfastIdeparted，andpursuedmyjourneynorthwards。I
tookmypost-chaisefromtheGreenMan，averygoodinnatAshbourne，themistressofwhich，amightycivilgentlewoman，courtseyingverylow，presentedmewithanengravingofthesignofherhouse；towhichshehadsubjoined，inherownhand-writing，anaddressinsuchsingularsimplicityofstyle，thatIhavepreserveditpastedupononeoftheboardsofmyoriginalJournalatthistime，andshallhereinsertitfortheamusementofmyreaders：——
’M。KILLINGLEY’sdutywaitsuponMr。Boswell，isexceedinglyobligedtohimforthisfavour；wheneverhecomesthisway，hopesforacontinuanceofthesame。WouldMr。Boswellnamethehousetohisextensiveacquaintance，itwouldbeasingularfavourconferr’dononewhohasitnotinherpowertomakeanyotherreturnbuthermostgratefulthanks，andsincerestprayersforhishappinessintime，andinablessedeternity——Tuesdaymorn。’