HereIshallrecordsomefragmentsofmyfriend’sconversationduringthisjaunt。
’Marriage，Sir，ismuchmorenecessarytoamanthantoawoman；
forheismuchlessabletosupplyhimselfwithdomestickcomforts。
Youwillrecollectmysayingtosomeladiestheotherday，thatI
hadoftenwonderedwhyyoungwomenshouldmarry，astheyhavesomuchmorefreedom，andsomuchmoreattentionpaidtothemwhileunmarried，thanwhenmarried。IindeeddidnotmentiontheSTRONG
reasonfortheirmarrying——theMECHANICALreason。’BOSWELL。’Why，thatISastrongone。Butdoesnotimaginationmakeitmuchmoreimportantthanitisinreality？Isitnot，toacertaindegree，adelusioninusaswellasinwomen？’JOHNSON。’Whyyes，Sir；butitisadelusionthatisalwaysbeginningagain。’BOSWELL。’I
don’tknowbutthereisuponthewholemoremiserythanhappinessproducedbythatpassion。’JOHNSON。’Idon’tthinkso，Sir。’
’Neverspeakofamaninhisownpresence。Itisalwaysindelicate，andmaybeoffensive。’
’Questioningisnotthemodeofconversationamonggentlemen。Itisassumingasuperiority，anditisparticularlywrongtoquestionamanconcerninghimself。Theremaybepartsofhisformerlifewhichhemaynotwishtobemadeknowntootherpersons，orevenbroughttohisownrecollection。’
’Amanshouldbecarefulnevertotelltalesofhimselftohisowndisadvantage。Peoplemaybeamusedandlaughatthetime，buttheywillberemembered，andbroughtoutagainsthimuponsomesubsequentoccasion。’
’Muchmaybedoneifamanputshiswholemindtoaparticularobject。Bydoingso，Nortonhasmadehimselfthegreatlawyerthatheisallowedtobe。’
OnTuesday，March26，therecameforusanequipageproperlysuitedtoawealthywell-beneficedclergyman；——Dr。Taylor’slargeroomypost-chaise，drawnbyfourstoutplumphorses，anddrivenbytwosteadyjollypostillions，whichconveyedustoAshbourne；whereI
foundmyfriend’sschoolfellowlivinguponanestablishmentperfectlycorrespondingwithhissubstantialcreditableequipage：
hishouse，garden，pleasure-grounds，table，inshorteverythinggood，andnoscantinessappearing。Everymanshouldformsuchaplanoflivingashecanexecutecompletely。Lethimnotdrawanoutlinewiderthanhecanfillup。Ihaveseenmanyskeletonsofshewandmagnificencewhichexciteatonceridiculeandpity。Dr。
Taylorhadagoodestateofhisown，andgoodprefermentinthechurch，beingaprebendaryofWestminster，andrectorofBosworth。
Hewasadiligentjusticeofthepeace，andpresidedoverthetownofAshbourne，totheinhabitantsofwhichIwastoldhewasveryliberal；andasaproofofthisitwasmentionedtome，hehadtheprecedingwinterdistributedtwohundredpoundsamongsuchofthemasstoodinneedofhisassistance。HehadconsequentlyaconsiderablepoliticalinterestinthecountyofDerby，whichheemployedtosupporttheDevonshirefamily；forthoughtheschoolfellowandfriendofJohnson，hewasaWhig。IcouldnotperceiveinhischaractermuchcongenialityofanysortwiththatofJohnson，who，however，saidtome，’Sir，hehasaverystrongunderstanding。’Hissize，andfigure，andcountenance，andmanner，werethatofaheartyEnglish’Squire，withtheparsonsuper-
induced：andItookparticularnoticeofhisupperservant，Mr。
Peters，adecentgraveman，inpurpleclothes，andalargewhitewig，likethebutlerormajordomoofaBishop。
Dr。JohnsonandDr。Taylormetwithgreatcordiality；andJohnsonsoongavehimthesamesadaccountoftheirschool-fellow，Congreve，thathehadgiventoMr。Hector；addingaremarkofsuchmomenttotherationalconductofamaninthedeclineoflife，thatitdeservestobeimprinteduponeverymind：’Thereisnothingagainstwhichanoldmanshouldbesomuchuponhisguardasputtinghimselftonurse。Innumerablehavebeenthemelancholyinstancesofmenoncedistinguishedforfirmness，resolution，andspirit，whointheirlatterdayshavebeengovernedlikechildren，byinterestedfemaleartifice。
Dr。TaylorcommendedaphysicianwhowasknowntohimandDr。
Johnson，andsaid，’Ifightmanybattlesforhim，asmanypeopleinthecountrydislikehim。’JOHNSON。’Butyoushouldconsider，Sir，thatbyeveryoneofyourvictoriesheisaloser；for，everymanofwhomyougetthebetter，willbeveryangry，andresolvenottoemployhim；whereasifpeoplegetthebetterofyouinargumentabouthim，they’llthink，“We’llsendforDr。******
nevertheless。“’Thiswasanobservationdeepandsureinhumannature。
Nextday，asDr。JohnsonhadacquaintedDr。TaylorofthereasonforhisreturningspeedilytoLondon，itwasresolvedthatweshouldsetoutafterdinner。AfewofDr。Taylor’sneighbourswerehisgueststhatday。
Dr。Johnsontalkedwithapprobationofonewhohadattainedtothestateofthephilosophicalwiseman，thatistohavenowantofanything。’Then，Sir，saidI，thesavageisawiseman。’’Sir，saidhe，Idonotmeansimplybeingwithout，——butnothavingawant。’Imaintained，againstthisproposition，thatitwasbettertohavefineclothes，forinstance，thannottofeelthewantofthem。JOHNSON。’No，Sir；fineclothesaregoodonlyastheysupplythewantofothermeansofprocuringrespect。WasCharlestheTwelfth，thinkyou，lessrespectedforhiscoarsebluecoatandblackstock？AndyoufindtheKingofPrussiadressesplain，becausethedignityofhischaracterissufficient。’Iherebroughtmyselfintoascrape，forIheedlesslysaid，’WouldnotYOU，Sir，bethebetterforvelvetandembroidery？’JOHNSON。
’Sir，youputanendtoallargumentwhenyouintroduceyouropponenthimself。Haveyounobettermanners？ThereisYOUR
WANT。’Iapologisedbysaying，Ihadmentionedhimasaninstanceofonewhowantedaslittleasanymanintheworld，andyet，perhaps，mightreceivesomeadditionallustrefromdress。
HavingleftAshbourneintheevening，westoppedtochangehorsesatDerby，andavailedourselvesofamomenttoenjoytheconversationofmycountryman，Dr。Butter，thenphysicianthere。
HewasingreatindignationbecauseLordMountstuart’sbillforaScotchmilitiahadbeenlost。Dr。Johnsonwasasviolentagainstit。’Iamglad，saidhe，thatParliamenthashadthespirittothrowitout。Youwantedtotakeadvantageofthetimidityofourscoundrels；’meaning，Isuppose，theministry。Itmaybeobserved，thatheusedtheepithetscoundrelverycommonlynotquiteinthesenseinwhichitisgenerallyunderstood，butasastrongtermofdisapprobation；aswhenheabruptlyansweredMrs。
Thrale，whohadaskedhimhowhedid，’Readytobecomeascoundrel，Madam；withalittlemorespoilingyouwill，Ithink，makemeacompleterascal：’hemeant，easytobecomeacapriciousandself-
indulgentvaletudinarian；acharacterforwhichIhaveheardhimexpressgreatdisgust。WelaythisnightatLoughborough。
OnThursday，March28，wepursuedourjourney。Hesaid，’Itiscommonlyaweakmanwhomarriesforlove。’Wethentalkedofmarryingwomenoffortune；andImentionedacommonremark，thatamanmaybe，uponthewhole，richerbymarryingawomanwithaverysmallportion，becauseawomanoffortunewillbeproportionallyexpensive；whereasawomanwhobringsnonewillbeverymoderateinexpenses。JOHNSON。’Dependuponit，Sir，thisisnottrue。A
womanoffortunebeingusedtothehandlingofmoney，spendsitjudiciously：butawomanwhogetsthecommandofmoneyforthefirsttimeuponhermarriage，hassuchagustinspendingit，thatshethrowsitawaywithgreatprofusion。’
Hepraisedtheladiesofthepresentage，insistingthattheyweremorefaithfultotheirhusbands，andmorevirtuousineveryrespect，thaninformertimes，becausetheirunderstandingswerebettercultivated。
AtLeicesterwereadinthenews-paperthatDr。Jameswasdead。I
thoughtthatthedeathofanoldschool-fellow，andonewithwhomhehadlivedagooddealinLondon，wouldhaveaffectedmyfellow-
travellermuch：butheonlysaid，Ah!poorJamy。’Afterwards，however，whenwewereinthechaise，hesaid，withmoretenderness，’SinceIsetoutonthisjaunt，Ihavelostanoldfriendandayoungone；——Dr。James，andpoorHarry。’MeaningMr。Thrale’sson。
IenjoyedtheluxuryofourapproachtoLondon，thatmetropoliswhichwebothlovedsomuch，forthehighandvariedintellectualpleasurewhichitfurnishes。Iexperiencedimmediatehappinesswhilewhirledalongwithsuchacompanion，andsaidtohim，’Sir，youobservedonedayatGeneralOglethorpe’s，thatamanisneverhappyforthepresent，butwhenheisdrunk。Willyounotadd，——orwhendrivingrapidlyinapost-chaise？’JOHNSON。’No，Sir，youaredrivingrapidlyFROMsomething，orTOsomething。’
Talkingofmelancholy，hesaid，’Somemen，andverythinkingmentoo，havenotthosevexingthoughts。SirJoshuaReynoldsisthesamealltheyearround。Beauclerk，exceptwhenillandinpain，isthesame。ButIbelievemostmenhavetheminthedegreeinwhichtheyarecapableofhavingthem。IfIwereinthecountry，andweredistressedbythatmalady，Iwouldforcemyselftotakeabook；andeverytimeIdiditIshouldfindittheeasier。
Melancholy，indeed，shouldbedivertedbyeverymeansbutdrinking。’
WestoppedatMessieursDillys，booksellersinthePoultry；fromwhencehehurriedaway，inahackneycoach，toMr。Thrale’s，intheBorough。Icalledathishouseintheevening，havingpromisedtoacquaintMrs。Williamsofhissafereturn；when，tomysurprize，I
foundhimsittingwithherattea，and，asIthought，notinaverygoodhumour：for，itseems，whenhehadgottoMr。Thrale’s，hefoundthecoachwasatthedoorwaitingtocarryMrs。andMissThrale，andSignorBaretti，theirItalianmaster，toBath。Thiswasnotshewingtheattentionwhichmighthavebeenexpectedtothe’Guide，Philosopher，andFriend，’theImlacwhohadhastenedfromthecountrytoconsoleadistressedmother，whoheunderstoodwasveryanxiousforhisreturn。Theyhad，Ifound，withoutceremony，proceededontheirintendedjourney。IwasgladtounderstandfromhimthatitwasstillresolvedthathistourtoItalywithMr。andMrs。Thraleshouldtakeplace，ofwhichhehadentertainedsomedoubt，onaccountofthelosswhichtheyhadsuffered；andhisdoubtsafterwardsprovedtobewell-founded。Heobserved，indeedveryjustly，that’theirlosswasanadditionalreasonfortheirgoingabroad；andifithadnotbeenfixedthatheshouldhavebeenoneoftheparty，hewouldforcethemout；buthewouldnotadvisethemunlesshisadvicewasasked，lesttheymightsuspectthatherecommendedwhathewishedonhisownaccount。’IwasnotpleasedthathisintimacywithMr。Thrale’sfamily，thoughitnodoubtcontributedmuchtohiscomfortandenjoyment，wasnotwithoutsomedegreeofrestraint：not，ashasbeengrosslysuggested，thatitwasrequiredofhimasatasktotalkfortheentertainmentofthemandtheircompany；butthathewasnotquiteathisease；which，however，mightpartlybeowingtohisownhonestpride——thatdignityofmindwhichisalwaysjealousofappearingtoocompliant。