Itiswonderfulthathehasbeenabletowritesuchvarietyofthem。’
AtMr。Beauclerk’s，whereIsupped，wasMr。Garrick，whomImadehappywithJohnson’spraiseofhisprologues；andIsuppose，ingratitudetohim，hetookuponeofhisfavouritetopicks，thenationalityoftheScotch，whichhemaintainedinapleasantmanner，withtheaidofalittlepoeticalfiction。’Come，come，don’tdenyit：theyarereallynational。Why，now，theAdamsareasliberal-mindedmenasanyintheworld：but，Idon’tknowhowitis，alltheirworkmenareScotch。Youare，tobesure，wonderfullyfreefromthatnationality：butsoithappens，thatyouemploytheonlyScotchshoe-blackinLondon。’Heimitatedthemannerofhisoldmasterwithludicrousexaggeration；repeating，withpausesandhalf-whistlingsinterjected，’Oshominisublimededit，——caelumquetueriJussit，——eterectosadsidera——tollerevultus’；
lookingdownwardsallthetime，and，whilepronouncingthefourlastwords，absolutelytouchingthegroundwithakindofcontortedgesticulation。
Garrick，however，whenhepleased，couldimitateJohnsonveryexactly；forthatgreatactor，withhisdistinguishedpowersofexpressionwhichweresouniversallyadmired，possessedalsoanadmirabletalentofmimickry。HewasalwaysjealousthatJohnsonspokelightlyofhim。Irecollecthisexhibitinghimtomeoneday，asifsaying，’Davyhassomeconvivialpleasantryabouthim，but’tisafutilefellow；’whichheutteredperfectlywiththetoneandairofJohnson。
Icannottoofrequentlyrequestofmyreaders，whiletheyperusemyaccountofJohnson’sconversation，toendeavourtokeepinmindhisdeliberateandstrongutterance。Hismodeofspeakingwasindeedveryimpressive；andIwishitcouldbepreservedasmusickiswritten，accordingtotheveryingeniousmethodofMr。Steele，whohasshewnhowtherecitationofMr。Garrick，andothereminentspeakers，mightbetransmittedtoposterityINSCORE。
NextdayIdinedwithJohnsonatMr。Thrale’s。HeattackedGray，callinghim’adullfellow。’BOSWELL。’Iunderstandhewasreserved，andmightappeardullincompany；butsurelyhewasnotdullinpoetry。’JOHNSON。’Sir，hewasdullincompany，dullinhiscloset，dulleverywhere。Hewasdullinanewway，andthatmademanypeoplethinkhimGREAT。Hewasamechanicalpoet。’Hethenrepeatedsomeludicrouslines，whichhaveescapedmymemory，andsaid，’IsnotthatGREAT，likehisOdes？’Mrs。ThralemaintainedthathisOdesweremelodious；uponwhichheexclaimed，’Weavethewarp，andweavethewoof；’——
Iadded，inasolemntone，’Thewinding-sheetofEdward’srace。’
’THEREisagoodline。’’Ay，saidhe，andthenextlineisagoodone，’pronouncingitcontemptuously；
’Giveamplevergeandroomenough。’——
’No，Sir，therearebuttwogoodstanzasinGray’spoetry，whichareinhisElegyinaCountryChurch-yard。’Hethenrepeatedthestanza，’Forwhotodumbforgetfulnessaprey，’&c。
mistakingoneword；forinsteadofprecinctshesaidconfines。Headded，’TheotherstanzaIforget。’
Ayoungladywhohadmarriedamanmuchherinferiourinrankbeingmentioned，aquestionarosehowawoman’srelationsshouldbehavetoherinsuchasituation；and，whileIrecapitulatethedebate，andrecollectwhathassincehappened，Icannotbutbestruckinamannerthatdelicacyforbidsmetoexpress。WhileIcontendedthatsheoughttobetreatedwithaninflexiblesteadinessofdispleasure，Mrs。Thralewasallformildnessandforgiveness，and，accordingtothevulgarphrase，’makingthebestofabadbargain。’
JOHNSON。Madam，wemustdistinguish。WereIamanofrank，I
wouldnotletadaughterstarvewhohadmadeameanmarriage；buthavingvoluntarilydegradedherselffromthestationwhichshewasoriginallyentitledtohold，Iwouldsupportheronlyinthatwhichsheherselfhadchosen；andwouldnotputheronalevelwithmyotherdaughters。Youaretoconsider，Madam，thatitisourdutytomaintainthesubordinationofcivilizedsociety；andwhenthereisagrossandshamefuldeviationfromrank，itshouldbepunishedsoastodeterothersfromthesameperversion。’
OnFriday，March31，Isuppedwithhimandsomefriendsatatavern。Oneofthecompany*attempted，withtoomuchforwardness，torallyhimonhislateappearanceatthetheatre；buthadreasontorepentofhistemerity。’Why，Sir，didyougotoMrs。
Abington’sbenefit？Didyousee？’JOHNSON。’No，Sir。’’Didyouhear？’JOHNSON。’No，Sir。’’Whythen，Sir，didyougo？’
JOHNSON。’Because，Sir，sheisafavouriteofthepublick；andwhenthepublickcaresthethousandthpartforyouthatitdoesforher，Iwillgotoyourbenefittoo。’
*VerylikelyBoswell——HILL。
NextmorningIwonasmallbetfromLadyDianaBeauclerk，byaskinghimastooneofhisparticularities，whichherLadyshiplaidI
durstnotdo。ItseemshehadbeenfrequentlyobservedattheClubtoputintohispockettheSevilleoranges，afterhehadsqueezedthejuiceofthemintothedrinkwhichhemadeforhimself。
BeauclerkandGarricktalkedofittome，andseemedtothinkthathehadastrangeunwillingnesstobediscovered。Wecouldnotdivinewhathedidwiththem；andthiswastheboldquestiontobeput。Isawonhistablethespoilsoftheprecedingnight，somefreshpeelsnicelyscrapedandcutintopieces。’O，Sir，saidI，
InowpartlyseewhatyoudowiththesqueezedorangeswhichyouputintoyourpocketattheClub。’JOHNSON。’Ihaveagreatloveforthem。’BOSWELL。’Andpray，Sir，whatdoyoudowiththem？
Youscrapethem，itseems，veryneatly，andwhatnext？’JOHNSON。
’Letthemdry，Sir。’BOSWELL。’Andwhatnext？’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，youshallknowtheirfatenofurther。’BOSWELL。’Thentheworldmustbeleftinthedark。Itmustbesaidassumingamocksolemnity，hescrapedthem，andletthemdry，butwhathedidwiththemnext，henevercouldbeprevailedupontotell。’JOHNSON。
’Nay，Sir，youshouldsayitmoreemphatically：——hecouldnotbeprevailedupon，evenbyhisdearestfriends，totell。’
HehadthismorningreceivedhisDiplomaasDoctorofLawsfromtheUniversityofOxford。Hedidnotvauntofhisnewdignity，butI
understoodhewashighlypleasedwithit。
IobservedtohimthattherewereveryfewofhisfriendssoaccurateasthatIcouldventuretoputdowninwritingwhattheytoldmeashissayings。JOHNSON。’WhyshouldyouwritedownMY
sayings？’BOSWELL。’Iwritethemwhentheyaregood。’JOHNSON。
’Nay，youmayaswellwritedownthesayingsofanyoneelsethataregood。’ButWHERE，Imightwithgreatproprietyhaveadded，canIfindsuch？
Nextday，Sunday，April2，IdinedwithhimatMr。Hoole’s。WetalkedofPope。JOHNSON。’Hewrote，hisDunciadforfame。Thatwashisprimarymotive。Haditnotbeenforthat，theduncesmighthaverailedagainsthimtilltheywereweary，withouthistroublinghimselfaboutthem。Hedelightedtovexthem，nodoubt；buthehadmoredelightinseeinghowwellhecouldvexthem。’
HisTaxationnoTyrannybeingmentioned，hesaid，’IthinkIhavenotbeenattackedenoughforit。Attackisthere-action；IneverthinkIhavehithard，unlessitrebounds。’BOSWELL。’Idon’tknow，Sir，whatyouwouldbeat。Fiveorsixshotsofsmallarmsineverynewspaper，andrepeatedcannonadinginpamphlets，might，I
think，satisfyyou。But，Sir，you’llnevermakeoutthismatch，ofwhichwehavetalked，withacertainpoliticallady，*sinceyouaresosevereagainstherprinciples。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，Ihavethebetterchanceforthat。SheisliketheAmazonsofold；shemustbecourtedbythesword。ButIhavenotbeensevereuponher。’
BOSWELL。’Yes，Sir，youhavemadeherridiculous。’JOHNSON。
’Thatwasalreadydone，Sir。ToendeavourtomakeHERridiculous，islikeblackingthechimney。’
*CrokeridentifiesherasMrs。Macaulay。Seep。119——ED。
ItalkedofthecheerfulnessofFleet-street，owingtotheconstantquicksuccessionofpeoplewhichweperceivepassingthroughit。
JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，Fleet-streethasaveryanimatedappearance；
butIthinkthefulltideofhumanexistenceisatCharing-cross。’
Hemadethecommonremarkontheunhappinesswhichmenwhohaveledabusylifeexperience，whentheyretireinexpectationofenjoyingthemselvesatease，andthattheygenerallylanguishforwantoftheirhabitualoccupation，andwishtoreturntoit。Hementionedasstronganinstanceofthisascanwellbeimagined。’Aneminenttallow-chandlerinLondon，whohadacquiredaconsiderablefortune，gaveupthetradeinfavourofhisforeman，andwenttoliveatacountry-houseneartown。Hesoongrewweary，andpaidfrequentvisitstohisoldshop，wherehedesiredtheymightlethimknowtheirmelting-days，andhewouldcomeandassistthem；whichheaccordinglydid。Here，Sir，wasaman，towhomthemostdisgustingcircumstanceinthebusinesstowhichhehadbeenusedwasarelieffromidleness。’
OnWednesday，April5，IdinedwithhimatMessieursDilly’s，withMr。JohnScottofAmwell，theQuaker，Mr。Langton，Mr。Miller，nowSirJohn，andDr。ThomasCampbell，anIrishclergyman，whomItookthelibertyofinvitingtoMr。Dilly’stable，havingseenhimatMr。Thrale’s，andbeentoldthathehadcometoEnglandchieflywithaviewtoseeDr。Johnson，forwhomheentertainedthehighestveneration。HehassincepublishedAPhilosophicalSurveyoftheSouthofIreland，averyentertainingbook，whichhas，however，onefault；——thatitassumesthefictitiouscharacterofanEnglishman。
Wetalkedofpublickspeaking——JOHNSON。’Wemustnotestimateaman’spowersbyhisbeingable，ornotabletodeliverhissentimentsinpublick。IsaacHawkinsBrowne，oneofthefirstwitsofthiscountry，gotintoParliament，andneveropenedhismouth。
Formyownpart，Ithinkitismoredisgracefulnevertotrytospeak，thantotryitandfail；asitismoredisgracefulnottofight，thantofightandbebeaten。’Thisargumentappearedtomefallacious；forifamanhasnotspoken，itmaybesaidthathewouldhavedoneverywellithehadtried；whereas，ifhehastriedandfailed，thereisnothingtobesaidforhim。’Whythen，I