Isawhere，forthefirsttime，oatale；andoatcakesnothardasinScotland，butsoftlikeaYorkshirecake，wereservedatbreakfast。Itwaspleasanttometofind，thatOats，thefoodofhorses，weresomuchusedasthefoodofthepeopleinDr。
Johnson’sowntown。HeexpatiatedinpraiseofLichfieldanditsinhabitants，who，hesaid，were’themostsober，decentpeopleinEngland，thegenteelestinproportiontotheirwealth，andspokethepurestEnglish。’Idoubtedastothelastarticleofthiseulogy：fortheyhadseveralprovincialsounds；asTHERE，pronouncedlikeFEAR，insteadoflikeFAIR；ONCEpronouncedWOONSE，insteadofWUNSE，orWONSE。Johnsonhimselfnevergotentirelyfreeofthoseprovincialaccents。Garricksometimesusedtotakehimoff，squeezingalemonintoapunch-bowl，withuncouthgesticulations，lookingroundthecompany，andcallingout，’Who’sforPOONSH？’
VerylittlebusinessappearedtobegoingforwardinLichfield。I
foundhowevertwostrangemanufacturesforsoinlandaplace，sail-
clothandstreamersforships；andIobservedthemmakingsomesaddle-cloths，anddressingsheepskins：butuponthewhole，thebusyhandofindustryseemedtobequiteslackened。’Surely，Sir，saidI，youareanidlesetofpeople。’’Sir，saidJohnson，weareacityofphilosophers，weworkwithourheads，andmaketheboobiesofBirminghamworkforuswiththeirhands。’
TherewasatthistimeacompanyofplayersperformingatLichfield，Themanager，Mr。Stanton，senthiscompliments，andbeggedleavetowaitonDr。Johnson。Johnsonreceivedhimverycourteously，andhedrankaglassofwinewithus。Hewasaplaindecentwell-behavedman，andexpressedhisgratitudetoDr。JohnsonforhavingoncegothimpermissionfromDr。TayloratAshbournetoplaythereuponmoderateterms。Garrick’snamewassoonintroduced。JOHNSON。’Garrick’sconversationisgayandgrotesque。Itisadishofallsorts，butallgoodthings。Thereisnosolidmeatinit：thereisawantofsentimentinit。Notbutthathehassentimentsometimes，andsentiment，too，verypowerfulandverypleasing：butithasnotitsfullproportioninhisconversation。’
Whenwewerebyourselveshetoldme，’Fortyyearsago，Sir，Iwasinlovewithanactresshere，Mrs。Emmet，whoactedFlora，inHobintheWell。’Whatmeritthisladyhadasanactress，orwhatwasherfigure，orhermanner，Ihavenotbeeninformed：but，ifwemaybelieveMr。Garrick，hisoldmaster’stasteintheatricalmeritwasbynomeansrefined；hewasnotanelegansformarumspectator。
Garrickusedtotell，thatJohnsonsaidofanactor，whoplayedSirHarryWildairatLichfield，’Thereisacourtlyvivacityaboutthefellow；’wheninfact，accordingtoGarrick’saccount，’hewasthemostvulgarruffianthateverwentuponboards。’
WehadpromisedMr。StantontobeathistheatreonMonday。Dr。
JohnsonjocularlyproposedmetowriteaProloguefortheoccasion：
’APrologue，byJamesBoswell，Esq。fromtheHebrides。’Iwasreallyinclinedtotakethehint。Methought，’Prologue，spokenbeforeDr。SamuelJohnson，atLichfield，1776；’wouldhavesoundedaswellas，’Prologue，spokenbeforetheDukeofYork，atOxford，’
inCharlestheSecond’stime。MuchmighthavebeensaidofwhatLichfieldhaddoneforShakspeare，byproducingJohnsonandGarrick。ButIfoundhewasaversetoit。
WewentandviewedthemuseumofMr。RichardGreen，apothecaryhere，whotoldmehewasproudofbeingarelationofDr。
Johnson’s。Itwas，truely，awonderfulcollection，bothofantiquitiesandnaturalcuriosities，andingeniousworksofart。
Hehadallthearticlesaccuratelyarranged，withtheirnamesuponlabels，printedathisownlittlepress；andonthestaircaseleadingtoitwasaboard，withthenamesofcontributorsmarkedingoldletters。Aprintedcatalogueofthecollectionwastobehadatabookseller’s。JohnsonexpressedhisadmirationoftheactivityanddiligenceandgoodfortuneofMr。Green，ingettingtogether，inhissituation，sogreatavarietyofthings；andMr。
GreentoldmethatJohnsononcesaidtohim，’Sir，Ishouldassoonhavethoughtofbuildingamanofwar，asofcollectingsuchamuseum。’Mr。Green’sobligingalacrityinshewingitwasverypleasing。
WedrankteaandcoffeeatMr。PeterGarrick’s，wherewasMrs。
Aston，oneofthemaidensistersofMrs。Walmsley，wifeofJohnson’sfirstfriend，andsisteralsooftheladyofwhomJohnsonusedtospeakwiththewarmestadmiration，bythenameofMollyAston，whowasafterwardsmarriedtoCaptainBrodieofthenavy。
OnSunday，March24，webreakfastedwithMrs。Cobb，awidowlady，wholivedinanagreeablesequesteredplaceclosebythetown，calledtheFriary，ithavingbeenformerlyareligioushouse。Sheandherniece，MissAdey，weregreatadmirersofDr。Johnson；andhebehavedtothemwithakindnessandeasypleasantry，suchasweseebetweenoldandintimateacquaintance。HeaccompaniedMrs。
CobbtoSt。Mary’schurch，andIwenttothecathedral，whereIwasverymuchdelightedwiththemusick，findingittobepeculiarlysolemnandaccordantwiththewordsoftheservice。
WedinedatMr。PeterGarrick’s，whowasinaverylivelyhumour，andverifiedJohnson’ssaying，thatifhehadcultivatedgaietyasmuchashisbrotherDavid，hemighthaveequallyexcelledinit。
Hewasto-dayquiteaLondonnarrator，tellingusavarietyofanecdoteswiththatearnestnessandattemptatmimicrywhichweusuallyfindinthewitsofthemetropolis。Dr。Johnsonwentwithmetothecathedralintheafternoon。Itwasgrandandpleasingtocontemplatethisillustriouswriter，nowfulloffame，worshippinginthe’solemntemple’ofhisnativecity。
IreturnedtoteaandcoffeeatMr。PeterGarrick’s，andthenfoundDr。JohnsonattheReverendMr。Seward’s，CanonResidentiary，whoinhabitedtheBishop’spalace，inwhichMr。Walmsleylived，andwhichhadbeenthesceneofmanyhappyhoursinJohnson’searlylife。
Onmonday，March25，webreakfastedatMrs。LucyPorter’s。JohnsonhadsentanexpresstoDr。Taylor’s，acquaintinghimofourbeingatLichfield，andTaylorhadreturnedananswerthathispostchaiseshouldcomeforusthisday。Whilewesatatbreakfast，Dr。
Johnsonreceivedaletterbythepost，whichseemedtoagitatehimverymuch。Whenhehadreadit，heexclaimed，’Oneofthemostdreadfulthingsthathashappenedinmytime。’Thephrasemytime，likethewordage，isusuallyunderstoodtorefertoaneventofapublickorgeneralnature。IimaginedsomethinglikeanassassinationoftheKing——likeagunpowderplotcarriedintoexecution——orlikeanotherfireofLondon。Whenasked，’Whatisit，Sir？’heanswered，’Mr。Thralehaslosthisonlyson!’Thiswas，nodoubt，averygreatafflictiontoMr。andMrs。Thrale，whichtheirfriendswouldconsideraccordingly；butfromthemannerinwhichtheintelligenceofitwascommunicatedbyJohnson，itappearedforthemomenttobecomparativelysmall。I，however，soonfeltasincereconcern，andwascurioustoobserve，howDr。
Johnsonwouldbeaffected。Hesaid，’Thisisatotalextinctiontotheirfamily，asmuchasiftheyweresoldintocaptivity。’UponmymentioningthatMr。Thralehaddaughters，whomightinherithiswealth；——’Daughters，saidJohnson，warmly，he’llnomorevaluehisdaughtersthan——’Iwasgoingtospeak——’Sir，saidhe，
don’tyouknowhowyouyourselfthink？Sir，hewishestopropagatehisname。’Inshort，Isawmalesuccessionstronginhismind，evenwheretherewasnoname，nofamilyofanylongstanding。I
said，itwasluckyhewasnotpresentwhenthismisfortunehappened。JOHNSON。’ItisluckyforME。Peopleindistressneverthinkthatyoufeelenough。’BOSWELL。’AndSir，theywillhavethehopeofseeingyou，whichwillbeareliefinthemeantime；
andwhenyougettothem，thepainwillbesofarabated，thattheywillbecapableofbeingconsoledbyyou，which，inthefirstviolenceofit，Ibelieve，wouldnotbethecase。’JOHNSON。’No，Sir；violentpainofmind，likeviolentpainofbody，MUSTbeseverelyfelt。’BOSWELL。’Iown，Sir，Ihavenotsomuchfeelingforthedistressofothers，assomepeoplehave，orpretendtohave：butIknowthis，thatIwoulddoallinmypowertorelievethem。’JOHNSON。’Siritisaffectationtopretendtofeelthedistressofothers，asmuchastheydothemselves。Itisequallyso，asifoneshouldpretendtofeelasmuchpainwhileafriend’slegiscuttingoff，ashedoes。No，Sir；youhaveexpressedtherationalandjustnatureofsympathy。Iwouldhavegonetotheextremityoftheearthtohavepreservedthisboy。’
Hewassoonquitecalm。TheletterwasfromMr。Thrale’sclerk，andconcluded，’IneednotsayhowmuchtheywishtoseeyouinLondon。’Hesaid，’WeshallhastenbackfromTaylor’s。’
Mrs。LucyPorterandsomeotherladiesoftheplacetalkedagreatdealofhimwhenhewasoutoftheroom，notonlywithvenerationbutaffection。ItpleasedmetofindthathewassomuchBELOVED
inhisnativecity。
Mrs。Aston，whomIhadseentheprecedingnight，andhersister，Mrs。Gastrel，awidowlady，hadeachahouseandgarden，andpleasure-ground，prettilysituateduponStowhill，agentleeminence，adjoiningtoLichfield。Johnsonwalkedawaytodinnerthere，leavingmebymyselfwithoutanyapology；Iwonderedatthiswantofthatfacilityofmanners，fromwhichamanhasnodifficultyincarryingafriendtoahousewhereheisintimate；I
feltitveryunpleasanttobethusleftinsolitudeinacountrytown，whereIwasanentirestranger，andbegantothinkmyselfunkindlydeserted；butIwassoonrelieved，andconvincedthatmyfriend，insteadofbeingdeficientindelicacy，hadconductedthematterwithperfectpropriety，forIreceivedthefollowingnoteinhishandwriting：’Mrs。Gastrel，atthelowerhouseonStowhill，desiresMr。Boswell’scompanytodinnerattwo。’Iacceptedoftheinvitation，andhadhereanotherproofhowamiablehischaracterwasintheopinionofthosewhoknewhimbest。Iwasnotinformed，tillafterwards，thatMrs。Gastrel’shusbandwastheclergymanwho，whilehelivedatStratforduponAvon，wherehewasproprietorofShakspeare’sgarden，withGothickbarbaritycutdownhismulberry-
tree，and，asDr。Johnsontoldme，didittovexhisneighbours。
Hislady，Ihavereasontobelieve，onthesameauthority，participatedintheguiltofwhattheenthusiastsforourimmortalbarddeemalmostaspeciesofsacrilege。
AfterdinnerDr。JohnsonwrotealettertoMrs。Thraleonthedeathofherson。IsaiditwouldbeverydistressingtoThrale，butshewouldsoonforgetit，asshehadsomanythingstothinkof。
JOHNSON。’No，Sir，Thralewillforgetitfirst。SHEhasmanythingsthatsheMAYthinkof。HEhasmanythingsthatheMUST
thinkof。’Thiswasaveryjustremarkuponthedifferenteffectofthoselightpursuitswhichoccupyavacantandeasymind，andthoseseriousengagementswhicharrestattention，andkeepusfrombroodingovergrief。
IntheeveningwewenttotheTown-hall，whichwasconvertedintoatemporarytheatre，andsawTheodosius，withTheStratfordJubilee。
IwashappytoseeDr。Johnsonsittinginaconspicuouspartofthepit，andreceivingaffectionatehomagefromallhisacquaintance。
Wewerequitegayandmerry。IafterwardsmentionedtohimthatI
condemnedmyselfforbeingso，whenpoorMr。andMrs。Thralewereinsuchdistress。JOHNSON。’Youarewrong，Sir；twentyyearshenceMr。andMrs。Thralewillnotsuffermuchpainfromthedeathoftheirson。Now，Sir，youaretoconsider，thatdistanceofplace，aswellasdistanceoftime，operatesuponthehumanfeelings。Iwouldnothaveyoubegayinthepresenceofthedistressed，becauseitwouldshockthem；butyoumaybegayatadistance。Painforthelossofafriend，orofarelationwhomwelove，isoccasionedbythewantwhichwefeel。Intimethevacuityisfilledwithsomethingelse；orsometimesthevacuityclosesupofitself。’
Mr。SewardandMr。Pearson，anotherclergymanhere，suptwithusatourinn，andaftertheyleftus，wesatuplateasweusedtodoinLondon。