DuringallthetimeinwhichDr。JohnsonwasemployedinrelatingtothecircleatSirJoshuaReynolds’stheparticularsofwhatpassedbetweentheKingandhim，Dr。Goldsmithremainedunmoveduponasophaatsomedistance，affectingnottojoinintheleastintheeagercuriosityofthecompany。Heassignedasareasonforhisgloomandseeminginattention，thatheapprehendedJohnsonhadrelinquishedhispurposeoffurnishinghimwithaProloguetohisplay，withthehopesofwhichhehadbeenflattered；butitwasstronglysuspectedthathewasfrettingwithchagrinandenvyatthesingularhonourDr。Johnsonhadlatelyenjoyed。Atlength，thefranknessandsimplicityofhisnaturalcharacterprevailed。Hesprungfromthesopha，advancedtoJohnson，andinakindofflutter，fromimagininghimselfinthesituationwhichhehadjustbeenhearingdescribed，exclaimed，’Well，youacquittedyourselfinthisconversationbetterthanIshouldhavedone；forIshouldhavebowedandstammeredthroughthewholeofit。’
Hisdiaryaffordsnolightastohisemploymentatthistime。HepassedthreemonthsatLichfield；andIcannotomitanaffectingandsolemnscenethere，asrelatedbyhimself：——
’Sunday，Oct。18，1767。Yesterday，Oct。17，ataboutteninthemorning，Itookmyleaveforeverofmydearoldfriend，CatharineChambers，whocametolivewithmymotherabout1724，andhasbeenbutlittlepartedfromussince。Sheburiedmyfather，mybrother，andmymother。Sheisnowfifty-eightyearsold。
’Idesiredalltowithdraw，thentoldherthatweweretopartforever；thatasChristians，weshouldpartwithprayer；andthatI
would，ifshewaswilling，sayashortprayerbesideher。Sheexpressedgreatdesiretohearme；andheldupherpoorhands，asshelayinbed，withgreatfervour，whileIprayed，kneelingbyher，nearlyinthefollowingwords：
’AlmightyandmostmercifulFather，whoselovingkindnessisoverallthyworks，behold，visit，andrelievethisthyservant，whoisgrievedwithsickness。Grantthatthesenseofherweaknessmayaddstrengthtoherfaith，andseriousnesstoherrepentance。AndgrantthatbythehelpofthyHolySpirit，afterthepainsandlaboursofthisshortlife，wemayallobtaineverlastinghappiness，throughJESUSCHRISTourLord；forwhosesakehearourprayers。Amen。OurFather，&c。
’Ithenkissedher。Shetoldme，thattopartwasthegreatestpainthatshehadeverfelt，andthatshehopedweshouldmeetagaininabetterplace。Iexpressed，withswelledeyes，andgreatemotionoftenderness，thesamehopes。Wekissed，andparted。I
humblyhopetomeetagain，andtopartnomore。’
1768：AETAT。59]——Itappearsfromhisnotesofthestateofhismind，thathesufferedgreatperturbationanddistractionin1768。
Nothingofhiswritingwasgiventothepublickthisyear，excepttheProloguetohisfriendGoldsmith’scomedyofTheGood-naturedMan。ThefirstlinesofthisProloguearestronglycharacteristicalofthedismalgloomofhismind；whichinhiscase，asinthecaseofallwhoaredistressedwiththesamemaladyofimagination，transferstoothersitsownfeelings。Whocouldsupposeitwastointroduceacomedy，whenMr。Bensleysolemnlybegan，’Press’dwiththeloadoflife，thewearymindSurveysthegeneraltoilofhumankind。’
ButthisdarkgroundmightmakeGoldsmith’shumourshinethemore。
Inthespringofthisyear，havingpublishedmyAccountofCorsica，withtheJournalofaTourtothatIsland，IreturnedtoLondon，verydesiroustoseeDr。Johnson，andhearhimuponthesubject。I
foundhewasatOxford，withhisfriendMr。Chambers，whowasnowVinerianProfessor，andlivedinNewInnHall。HavinghadnoletterfromhimsincethatinwhichhecriticisedtheLatinityofmyThesis，andhavingbeentoldbysomebodythathewasoffendedatmyhavingputintomyBookanextractofhislettertomeatParis，Iwasimpatienttobewithhim，andthereforefollowedhimtoOxford，whereIwasentertainedbyMr。Chambers，withacivilitywhichIshallevergratefullyremember。IfoundthatDr。JohnsonhadsentalettertometoScotland，andthatIhadnothingtocomplainofbuthisbeingmoreindifferenttomyanxietythanI
wishedhimtobe。Insteadofgiving，withthecircumstancesoftimeandplace，suchfragmentsofhisconversationasIpreservedduringthisvisittoOxford，Ishallthrowthemtogetherincontinuation。
Talkingofsomeofthemodernplays，hesaidFalseDelicacywastotallyvoidofcharacter。HepraisedGoldsmith’sGood-naturedMan；said，itwasthebestcomedythathadappearedsinceTheProvokedHusband，andthattherehadnotbeenoflateanysuchcharacterexhibitedonthestageasthatofCroaker。IobserveditwastheSuspiriusofhisRambler。Hesaid，Goldsmithhadownedhehadborroweditfromthence。’Sir，continuedhe，thereisallthedifferenceintheworldbetweencharactersofnatureandcharactersofmanners；andTHEREisthedifferencebetweenthecharactersofFieldingandthoseofRichardson。Charactersofmannersareveryentertaining；buttheyaretobeunderstoodbyamoresuperficialobserverthancharactersofnature，whereamanmustdiveintotherecessesofthehumanheart。’
ItalwaysappearedtomethatheestimatedthecompositionsofRichardsontoohighly，andthathehadanunreasonableprejudiceagainstFielding。Incomparingthosetwowriters，heusedthisexpression：’thattherewasasgreatadifferencebetweenthemasbetweenamanwhoknewhowawatchwasmade，andamanwhocouldtellthehourbylookingonthedial-plate。’
’Ihavenotbeentroubledforalongtimewithauthoursdesiringmyopinionoftheirworks。Iusedoncetobesadlyplaguedwithamanwhowroteverses，butwholiterallyhadnoothernotionofaverse，butthatitconsistedoftensyllables。Layyourknifeandyourfork，acrossyourplate，wastohimaverse：
Layyourknifeandyourfork，acrossyourplate。
Ashewroteagreatnumberofverses，hesometimesbychancemadegoodones，thoughhedidnotknowit。’
JohnsonexpatiatedontheadvantagesofOxfordforlearning。
’Thereishere，Sir，saidhe，suchaprogressiveemulation。Thestudentsareanxioustoappearwelltotheirtutors；thetutorsareanxioustohavetheirpupilsappearwellinthecollege；thecollegesareanxioustohavetheirstudentsappearwellintheUniversity；andthereareexcellentrulesofdisciplineineverycollege。Thattherulesaresometimesillobserved，maybetrue；
butisnothingagainstthesystem。ThemembersofanUniversitymay，foraseason，beunmindfuloftheirduty。Iamarguingfortheexcellencyoftheinstitution。’
HesaidhehadlatelybeenalongwhileatLichfield，buthadgrownverywearybeforeheleftit。BOSWELL。’Iwonderatthat，Sir；itisyournativeplace。’JOHNSON。’Why，soisScotlandYOURnativeplace。’
HisprejudiceagainstScotlandappearedremarkablystrongatthistime。WhenItalkedofouradvancementinliterature，’Sir，saidhe，youhavelearntalittlefromus，andyouthinkyourselvesverygreatmen。HumewouldneverhavewrittenHistory，hadnotVoltairewrittenitbeforehim。HeisanechoofVoltaire。’
BOSWELL。’But，Sir，wehaveLordKames。’JOHNSON。’YouHAVELordKames。Keephim；ha，ha，ha!Wedon’tenvyyouhim。DoyoueverseeDr。Robertson？’BOSWELL。’Yes，Sir。’JOHNSON。’Doesthedogtalkofme？’BOSWELL。’Indeed，Sir，hedoes，andlovesyou。’
ThinkingthatInowhadhiminacorner，andbeingsolicitousfortheliteraryfameofmycountry，IpressedhimforhisopiniononthemeritofDr。Robertson’sHistoryofScotland。But，tomysurprize，heescaped——’Sir，IloveRobertson，andIwon’ttalkofhisbook。’
Anessay，writtenbyMr。Deane，adivineoftheChurchofEngland，maintainingthefuturelifeofbrutes，byanexplicationofcertainpartsofthescriptures，wasmentioned，andthedoctrineinsistedonbyagentlemanwhoseemedfondofcuriousspeculation。Johnson，whodidnotliketohearofanythingconcerningafuturestatewhichwasnotauthorisedbytheregularcanonsoforthodoxy，discouragedthistalk；andbeingoffendedatitscontinuation，hewatchedanopportunitytogivethegentlemanablowofreprehension。So，whenthepoorspeculatist，withaseriousmetaphysicalpensiveface，addressedhim，’Butreally，Sir，whenweseeaverysensibledog，wedon’tknowwhattothinkofhim；’
Johnson，rollingwithjoyatthethoughtwhichbeamedinhiseye，turnedquicklyround，andreplied，’True，Sir：andwhenweseeaveryfoolishFELLOW，wedon’tknowwhattothinkofHIM。’Hethenroseup，stridedtothefire，andstoodforsometimelaughingandexulting。
Iaskedhimifitwasnothardthatonedeviationfromchastityshouldsoabsolutelyruinayoungwoman。Johnson。’Why，no，Sir；
itisthegreatprinciplewhichsheistaught。Whenshehasgivenupthatprinciple，shehasgivenupeverynotionoffemalehonourandvirtue，whichareallincludedinchastity。’
Agentlemantalkedtohimofaladywhomhegreatlyadmiredandwishedtomarry，butwasafraidofhersuperiorityoftalents。
’Sir，saidhe，youneednotbeafraid；marryher。Beforeayeargoesabout，you’llfindthatreasonmuchweaker，andthatwitnotsobright。’YetthegentlemanmaybejustifiedinhisapprehensionbyoneofDr。Johnson’sadmirablesentencesinhislifeofWaller：
’Hedoubtlesspraisedmanywhomhewouldhavebeenafraidtomarry；
and，perhaps，marriedonewhomhewouldhavebeenashamedtopraise。Manyqualitiescontributetodomestichappiness，uponwhichpoetryhasnocolourstobestow；andmanyairsandsalliesmaydelightimagination，whichhewhoflattersthemnevercanapprove。’
HepraisedSignorBaretti。’HisaccountofItalyisaveryentertainingbook；and，Sir，IknownomanwhocarrieshisheadhigherinconversationthanBaretti。Therearestrongpowersinhismind。Hehasnot，indeed，manyhooks；butwithwhathookshehas，hegrapplesveryforcibly。’
AtthistimeIobserveduponthedial-plateofhiswatchashortGreekinscription，takenfromtheNewTestament，[Greektextomitted]，beingthefirstwordsofourSAVIOUR’Ssolemnadmonitiontotheimprovementofthattimewhichisallowedustoprepareforeternity：
’thenightcomethwhennomancanwork。’Hesometimeafterwardslaidasidethisdial-plate；andwhenIaskedhimthereason，hesaid，’Itmightdoverywelluponaclockwhichamankeepsinhiscloset；buttohaveituponhiswatchwhichhecarriesaboutwithhim，andwhichisoftenlookedatbyothers，mightbecensuredasostentatious。’Mr。Steevensisnowpossessedofthedial-plateinscribedasabove。