tavernchairisthethroneofhumanfelicity。’
Personalwordsareoftenuponhislips，suchas’love’and’hate，’
andvastisthenumber，range，andvarietyofpeoplewhoatonetimeoranotherhadbeeninsomedegreepersonallyrelatedwithhim，fromBetFlintandhisblackservantFrancis，totheadoredDuchessofDevonshireandtheKinghimself。Tonoonewhopassedawordwithhimwashepersonallyindifferent。Evenfoolsreceivedhispersonalattention。Saidone：’ButIdon’tunderstandyou，Sir。’’Sir，Ihavefoundyouanargument。Iamnotobligedtofindyouanunderstanding。’’Sir，youareirascible，’saidBoswell；’youhavenopatiencewithfollyorabsurdity。’
ButitisinJohnson’scapacityforfriendshipthathisgreatnessisspeciallyrevealed。’Keepyourfriendshipsingoodrepair。’Astheoldfriendsdisappeared，newonescametohim。ForJohnsonseemsnevertohavesoughtoutfriends。Hewasnotacommon’mixer。’Hestoopedtonodevicesforthesakeofpopularity。Hepoursonlyscornuponthelackofmindandconvictionwhichisnecessarytohimwhoiseverybody’sfriend。
Hisfriendshipsincludedallclassesandallages。Hewasagreatfavoritewithchildren，andknewhowtomeetthem，fromlittlefour-months-oldVeronicaBoswelltohisgodchildJaneLangton。
’Sir，’saidhe，’Ilovetheacquaintanceofyoungpeople，……
youngmenhavemorevirtuethanoldmen；theyhavemoregeneroussentimentsineveryrespect。’Atsixty-eighthesaid：’Ivaluemyselfuponthis，thatthereisnothingoftheoldmaninmyconversation。’Uponwomenofallclassesandagesheexertswithouttryingacharmtheconsciousnessofwhichwouldhaveturnedanyheadlessconstantthanhisown，andwiththeirfulsomeadorationhewaspleasednonethelessforperceivingitsrealvalue。
ButthemostimportantofhisfriendshipsdevelopedbetweenhimandsuchmenofgeniusasBoswell，DavidGarrick，OliverGoldsmith，SirJoshuaReynolds，andEdmundBurke。Johnson’sgeniusleftnofittestimonyofitselffromhisownhand。Withallthegreatnessofhismindhehadnotalentinsufficientmeasurebywhichfullytoexpresshimself。Hehadnoearformusicandnoeyeforpainting，andthefinestqualitiesinthecreationsofGoldsmithwerelostuponhim。Buthisgeniusfounditstalentsinothers，andthroughthetalentsofhispersonalfriendsexpresseditselfasitwerebyproxy。Theyrubbedtheirmindsuponhis，andhesetinmotionforthemideaswhichtheymightuse。Buttheintelligenceofgeniusisprofounderandmorepersonalthanmereideas。Ithaswithinitsomethingenergic，expansive，propulsivefrommindtomind，perennial，yetsteadyandcontrolled；anditwaswithsuchforcethatJohnson’salmostsuperhumanpersonalityinspiredtheartofhisfriends。Ofthistheywereinsomedegreeaware。ReynoldsconfessedthatJohnsonformedhismind，and’brushedfromitagreatdealofrubbish。’GibboncalledJohnson’Reynolds’oracle。’
InoneofhisDiscoursesSirJoshua，mindfulnodoubtofhisownexperience，recommendsthatyoungartistsseekthecompanionshipofsuchamanmerelyasatonictotheirart。BoswelloftentestifiestothestimulatingeffectofJohnson’spresence。Oncehespeaksof’ananimatingblazeofeloquence，whichrousedeveryintellectualpowerinmetothehighestpitch’；andagainofthe’fullglow’ofJohnson’sconversation，inwhichhefelthimself’elevatedasifbroughtintoanotherstateofbeing。’HesaysthatallmembersofJohnson’s’school’’aredistinguishedforaloveoftruthandaccuracywhichtheywouldnothavepossessedinthesamedegreeiftheyhadnotbeenacquaintedwithJohnson。’HequotesJohnsonatlengthandrepeatedlyastheauthorofhisownlargeconceptionofbiography。HewasGoldsmith’s’greatmaster，’Garrickfearedhiscriticism，andonecannotbutrecognizethepowerofJohnson’spersonalityintheincreasingintelligenceandconsistencyofGarrick’sinterpretations，inthegrowingvigorandfirmnessofGoldsmith’sstroke，inthecharm，finality，andexuberantlifeofSirJoshua’sportraits；andaboveallintheskill，truth，brilliance，andlifelikespontaneityofBoswell’sart。ItisinsuchworksasthesethatweshallfindtherealJohnson，andthroughthemthathewillexerttheforceofhispersonalityuponus。
Biographyistheliteratureofrealizedpersonality，oflifeasithasbeenlived，ofactualachievementsorshortcomings，ofsuccessorfailure；itisnotimaginaryandembellished，notwhatmightbeormighthavebeen，notreducedtoprescribedorartificialforms，butitistheunvarnishedstoryofthatwhichwasdelightful，disappointing，possible，orimpossible，inalifespentinthisworld。
Inthissenseitispeculiarlytheliteratureoftruthandauthenticity。Elementsofimaginationandspeculationmustenterintoallotherformsofliterature，andaspurelycreativeformstheymayranksuperiortobiography；butineachcaseitwillbefoundthattheirauthenticity，theirrighttoourattentionandcredence，ultimatelyrestsuponthebiographicalelementwhichisbasicinthem，thatis，uponwhattheyhavederivedbyobservationandexperiencefromahumanlifeseriouslylived。Biographycontainsthiselementinitspurity。Forthisreasonitismoreauthenticthanotherkindsofliterature，andmorerelevant。Thethingthatmostconcernsme，theindividual，whetherIwillorno，isthemanagementofmyselfinthisworld。Thefundamentalandessentialconditionsoflifearethesameinanyage，howevertheadventitiouscircumstancesmaychange。Thebeginningandtheendarethesame，theaveragelengththesame，theproblemsandtheprizethesame。How，then，haveothersmanaged，boththosewhofailedandthosewhosucceeded，orthose，infargreatestnumber，whodidboth？Letmeknowtheirambitions，theirodds，theirhandicaps，obstacles，weaknesses，andstruggles，howtheyfinallyfared，andwhattheyhadtosayaboutit。LetmeknowagreatvarietyofsuchinstancesthatImaymarktheirdisagreements，butmoreespeciallytheiragreementaboutit。Howdidtheyplaythegame？HowdidtheyfightthefightthatIamtofight，andhowinanycasedidtheyloseorwin？Tothesequestionsbiographygivesthedirectanswer。Suchisitsimportanceoverotherliterature。
Forsuchreasons，doubtless，Johnson’loved’itmost。Forsuchreasonsthebookwhichhasbeenmostcherishedandreveredforwell-nightwothousandyearsisabiography。
Biography，then，isthechieftext-bookintheartofliving，andpreeminentinitskindistheLifeofJohnson。Hereistheinstanceofamanwhowasbornintoalifestrippedofallornamentandartificiality。HisequipmentinmindandstaturewasOlympian，buttheoddsagainsthimwereproportionatetohispowers。Withoutfearorcomplaint，withoutboastornoise，hefairlyjoinedissuewiththeworldandovercameit。Hescornedcircumstance，andlaidbaretheunvaryingrealitiesofthecontest。Hewasevertheswornenemyofspeciousness，ofnonsense，ofidleandinsincerespeculation，ofthemindthatdoesnottakeseriouslythedutyofmakingitselfup，ofneglectinthegravestconsiderationoflife。
Heinsistedupontherightsanddignityoftheindividualman，andatthesametimeuponthevitalnecessitytohimofreverenceandsubmission，andnomanevermorebeautifullyillustratedtheirinterdependence，andtheirexquisitecombinationinanoblenature。
Boswell’sJohnsonisconsistentlyandprimarilythelifeofoneman。Incidentallyitismore，forthroughitoneiscarriedfromhisownpresentlimitationsintoaspaciousandgenialworld。Thereadertheremeetsavastnumberofpeople，men，women，children，nayevenanimals，fromGeorgetheThirddowntothecatHodge。Bytheauthor’smagiceachisalive，andthereadermingleswiththemaswithhisacquaintances。Itisavariedworld，andincludesthesmokyandswarmingcourtsandhighwaysofLondon，itsstatelydrawing-rooms，itscheerfulinns，itsshopsandmarkets，andbeyondisthehighroadwhichwetravelinlumberingcoachorspeedingpostchaisetovenerableOxfordwithitspoliteandleisurelydons，ortothestaunchlittlecathedralcityofLichfield，welcomingbackitsfamoussontodinnerandtea，ortotheseatofacountrysquire，orducalcastle，orvillagetavern，orthegrimbuthospitablefeudallifeoftheHebrides。AndwhereverwegowithJohnsonthereisthelivelytrafficinideas，lendingvitalityandsignificancetoeverythingabouthim。
Apartofeducationandcultureistheextensionofone’snarrowrangeoflivingtoincludewiderpossibilitiesoractualities，suchasmaybegatheredfromotherfieldsofthought，othertimes，othermen；inshort，touseaJohnsonianphrase，itis’multiplicityofconsciousness。’ThereisnobookmoreeffectivethroughlongfamiliaritytosuchextensionandsuchmultiplicationthanBoswell’sLifeofJohnson。Itaddsanewworldtoone’sown，itincreasesone’sacquaintanceamongpeoplewhothink，itgivesintimatecompanionshipwithagreatandfriendlyman。
TheLifeofJohnsonisnotabookonfirstacquaintancetobereadthroughfromthefirstpagetotheend。’No，Sir，doYOUreadbooksthrough？’askedJohnson。Hiswayisprobablythebestoneofundertakingthisbook。Openatrandom，readhereandthere，forwardandback，whollyaccordingtoinclination；followthepracticeofJohnsonandallgoodreaders，of’tearingtheheart’
outofit。Inthiswayyoumostreadilycomewithinthereachofitscharmandpower。Then，notcontentwithapart，seektheunabridgedwhole，andgrowintotheinfinitepossibilitiesofit。
Butthesupremeendofeducation，wearetold，isexpertdiscernmentinallthings——thepowertotellthegoodfromthebad，thegenuinefromthecounterfeit，andtopreferthegoodandthegenuinetothebadandthecounterfeit。ThisisthesupremeendofthetalkofSocrates，anditisthesupremeendofthetalkofJohnson。’Mydearfriend，’saidhe，’clearyourmindofcant；……
don’tTHINKfoolishly。’TheeffectoflongcompanionshipwithBoswell’sJohnsonisjustthis。AsSirJoshuasaid，’itbrushesawaytherubbish’；itclearsthemindofcant；itinstillsthehabitofsinglingouttheessentialthing；itimpartsdiscernment。
Thus，throughhisfriendshipwithBoswell，Johnsonwillrealizehiswish，stilltobeteachingastheyearsincrease。
THELIFEOFSAMUELJOHNSON，LL。D。
byJamesBoswellHadDr。Johnsonwrittenhisownlife，inconformitywiththeopinionwhichhehasgiven，thateveryman’slifemaybebestwrittenbyhimself；hadheemployedinthepreservationofhisownhistory，thatclearnessofnarrationandeleganceoflanguageinwhichhehasembalmedsomanyeminentpersons，theworldwouldprobablyhavehadthemostperfectexampleofbiographythatwaseverexhibited。Butalthoughheatdifferenttimes，inadesultorymanner，committedtowritingmanyparticularsoftheprogressofhismindandfortunes，heneverhadperseveringdiligenceenoughtoformthemintoaregularcomposition。Ofthesememorialsafewhavebeenpreserved；butthegreaterpartwasconsignedbyhimtotheflames，afewdaysbeforehisdeath。
AsIhadthehonourandhappinessofenjoyinghisfriendshipforupwardsoftwentyyears；asIhadtheschemeofwritinghislifeconstantlyinview；ashewaswellapprisedofthiscircumstance，andfromtimetotimeobliginglysatisfiedmyinquiries，bycommunicatingtometheincidentsofhisearlyyears；asIacquiredafacilityinrecollecting，andwasveryassiduousinrecording，hisconversation，ofwhichtheextraordinaryvigourandvivacityconstitutedoneofthefirstfeaturesofhischaracter；andasI
havesparednopainsinobtainingmaterialsconcerninghim，fromeveryquarterwhereIcoulddiscoverthattheyweretobefound，andhavebeenfavouredwiththemostliberalcommunicationsbyhisfriends；Iflattermyselfthatfewbiographershaveentereduponsuchaworkasthis，withmoreadvantages；independentofliteraryabilities，inwhichIamnotvainenoughtocomparemyselfwithsomegreatnameswhohavegonebeforemeinthiskindofwriting。