SomebodymentionedtheReverendMr。Mason’sprosecutionofMr。
Murray，thebookseller，forhavinginsertedinacollectionofGray’sPoems，onlyfiftylines，ofwhichMr。Masonhadstilltheexclusiveproperty，underthestatuteofQueenAnne；andthatMr。
Masonhadpersevered，notwithstandinghisbeingrequestedtonamehisowntermsofcompensation。JohnsonsignifiedhisdispleasureatMr。Mason’sconductverystrongly；butadded，bywayofshewingthathewasnotsurprizedatit，’Mason’saWhig。’MRS。KNOWLES。
nothearingdistinctly，’What!aPrig，Sir？’JOHNSON。’Worse，Madam；aWhig!Butheisboth。’
OfJohnWesley，hesaid，’Hecantalkwellonanysubject。’
BOSWELL。’Pray，Sir，whathashemadeofhisstoryofaghost？’
JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，hebelievesit；butnotonsufficientauthority。Hedidnottaketimeenoughtoexaminethegirl。ItwasatNewcastle，wheretheghostwassaidtohaveappearedtoayoungwomanseveraltimes，mentioningsomethingabouttherighttoanoldhouse，advisingapplicationtobemadetoanattorney，whichwasdone；and，atthesametime，sayingtheattorneyswoulddonothing，whichprovedtobethefact。“ThissaysJohn，isaproofthataghostknowsourthoughts。“Nowlaughing，itisnotnecessarytoknowourthoughts，totellthatanattorneywillsometimesdonothing。CharlesWesley，whoisamorestationaryman，doesnotbelievethestory。IamsorrythatJohndidnottakemorepainstoinquireintotheevidenceforit。’MISSSEWARD，withanincreduloussmile，’What，Sir!aboutaghost？’JOHNSON。
withsolemnvehemence，’Yes，Madam：thisisaquestionwhich，afterfivethousandyears，isyetundecided；aquestion，whetherintheologyorphilosophy，oneofthemostimportantthatcancomebeforethehumanunderstanding。’
Mrs。Knowlesmentioned，asaproselytetoQuakerism，Miss——，ayoungladywellknowntoDr。Johnson，forwhomhehadshewnmuchaffection；whilesheeverhad，andstillretained，agreatrespectforhim。Mrs。Knowlesatthesametimetookanopportunityoflettinghimknow’thattheamiableyoungcreaturewassorryatfindingthathewasoffendedatherleavingtheChurchofEnglandandembracingasimplerfaith；’and，inthegentlestandmostpersuasivemanner，solicitedhiskindindulgenceforwhatwassincerelyamatterofconscience。JOHNSON。frowningveryangrily，’Madam，sheisanodiouswench。Shecouldnothaveanyproperconvictionthatitwasherdutytochangeherreligion，whichisthemostimportantofallsubjects，andshouldbestudiedwithallcare，andwithallthehelpswecanget。SheknewnomoreoftheChurchwhichsheleft，andthatwhichsheembraced，thanshedidofthedifferencebetweentheCopernicanandPtolemaicksystems。’MRS。KNOWLES。’ShehadtheNewTestamentbeforeher。’
JOHNSON。’Madam，shecouldnotunderstandtheNewTestament，themostdifficultbookintheworld，forwhichthestudyofalifeisrequired。’MRS。KNOWLES。’Itisclearastoessentials。’
JOHNSON。’Butnotastocontroversialpoints。Theheathenswereeasilyconverted，becausetheyhadnothingtogiveup；butweoughtnot，withoutverystrongconvictionindeed，todesertthereligioninwhichwehavebeeneducated。Thatisthereligiongivenyou，thereligioninwhichitmaybesaidProvidencehasplacedyou。Ifyouliveconscientiouslyinthatreligion，youmaybesafe。Buterrourisdangerousindeed，ifyouerrwhenyouchooseareligionforyourself。’MRS。KNOWLES。’Mustwethengobyimplicitfaith？’
JOHNSON。’Why，Madam，thegreatestpartofourknowledgeisimplicitfaith；andastoreligion，haveweheardallthatadiscipleofConfucius，allthataMahometan，cansayforhimself？’
Hethenroseagainintopassion，andattackedtheyoungproselyteintheseveresttermsofreproach，sothatboththeladiesseemedtobemuchshocked。
Weremainedtogethertillitwasprettylate。Notwithstandingoccasionalexplosionsofviolence，wewerealldelighteduponthewholewithJohnson。IcomparedhimatthistimetoawarmWest-
Indianclimate，whereyouhaveabrightsun，quickvegetation，luxuriantfoliage，lusciousfruits；butwherethesameheatsometimesproducesthunder，lightning，earthquakes，inaterribledegree。
April17，beingGoodFriday，IwaitedonJohnson，asusual。I
observedatbreakfastthatalthoughitwasapartofhisabstemiousdisciplineonthismostsolemnfast，totakenomilkinhistea，yetwhenMrs。Desmoulinsinadvertentlypoureditin，hedidnotrejectit。Italkedofthestrangeindecisionofmind，andimbecilityinthecommonoccurrencesoflife，whichwemayobserveinsomepeople。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，Iaminthehabitofgettingotherstodothingsforme。’BOSWELL。’What，Sir!haveyouthatweakness？’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir。ButIalwaysthinkafterwardsI
shouldhavedonebetterformyself。’
IexpressedsomeinclinationtopublishanaccountofmyTravelsuponthecontinentofEurope，forwhichIhadavarietyofmaterialscollected。JOHNSON。’Idonotsay，Sir，youmaynotpublishyourtravels；butIgiveyoumyopinion，thatyouwouldlessenyourselfbyit。WhatcanyoutellofcountriessowellknownasthoseuponthecontinentofEurope，whichyouhavevisited？’BOSWELL。’ButIcangiveanentertainingnarrative，withmanyincidents，anecdotes，jeuxd’esprit，andremarks，soastomakeverypleasantreading。’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，mostmoderntravellersinEuropewhohavepublishedtheirtravels，havebeenlaughedat：Iwouldnothaveyouaddedtothenumber。Theworldisnownotcontentedtobemerelyentertainedbyatraveller’snarrative；theywanttolearnsomething。Nowsomeofmyfriendsaskedme，whyIdidnotgivesomeaccountofmytravelsinFrance。
Thereasonisplain；intelligentreadershadseenmoreofFrancethanIhad。YOUmighthavelikedmytravelsinFrance，andTHE
CLUBmighthavelikedthem；but，uponthewhole，therewouldhavebeenmoreridiculethangoodproducedbythem。’BOSWELL。’I
cannotagreewithyou，Sir。Peoplewouldliketoreadwhatyousayofanything。Supposeafacehasbeenpaintedbyfiftypaintersbefore；stillwelovetoseeitdonebySirJoshua。’JOHNSON。
’True，Sir，butSirJoshuacannotpaintafacewhenhehasnottimetolookonit。’BOSWELL。’Sir，asketchofanysortbyhimisvaluable。And，Sir，totalktoyouinyourownstyleraisingmyvoice，andshakingmyhead，youSHOULDhavegivenusyourtravelsinFrance。IamSUREIamright，andTHERE’SANENDON’T。’
Isaidtohimthatitwascertainlytrue，asmyfriendDempsterhadobservedinhislettertomeuponthesubject，thatagreatpartofwhatwasinhisJourneytotheWesternIslandsofScotlandhadbeeninhismindbeforeheleftLondon。JOHNSON。’Whyyes，Sir，thetopickswere；andbooksoftravelswillbegoodinproportiontowhatamanhaspreviouslyinhismind；hisknowingwhattoobserve；
hispowerofcontrastingonemodeoflifewithanother。AstheSpanishproverbsays，“He，whowouldbringhomethewealthoftheIndies，mustcarrythewealthoftheIndieswithhim。“Soitisintravelling；amanmustcarryknowledgewithhim，ifhewouldbringhomeknowledge。’BOSWELL。’Theproverb，Isuppose，Sir，means，hemustcarryalargestockwithhimtotradewith。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir。’
Itwasadelightfulday：aswewalkedtoSt。Clement’schurch，I
againremarkedthatFleet-streetwasthemostcheerfulsceneintheworld。’Fleet-streetsaidI，isinmymindmoredelightfulthanTempe。’JOHNSON。’Ay，Sir；butletitbecomparedwithMull。’
Therewasaverynumerouscongregationto-dayatSt。Clement’schurch，whichDr。Johnsonsaidheobservedwithpleasure。
AndnowIamtogiveaprettyfullaccountofoneofthemostcuriousincidentsinJohnson’slife，ofwhichhehimselfhasmadethefollowingminuteonthisday：’Inmyreturnfromchurch，IwasaccostedbyEdwards，anoldfellow-collegian，whohadnotseenmesince1729。Heknewme，andaskedifIrememberedoneEdwards；I
didnotatfirstrecollectthename，butgraduallyaswewalkedalong，recoveredit，andtoldhimaconversationthathadpassedatanale-housebetweenus。Mypurposeistocontinueouracquaintance。’
ItwasinButcher-rowthatthismeetinghappened。Mr。Edwards，whowasadecent-lookingelderlymaningreyclothes，andawigofmanycurls，accostedJohnsonwithfamiliarconfidence，knowingwhohewas，whileJohnsonreturnedhissalutationwithacourteousformality，astoastranger。ButassoonasEdwardshadbroughttohisrecollectiontheirhavingbeenatPembroke-Collegetogethernine-and-fortyyearsago，heseemedmuchpleased，askedwherehelived，andsaidheshouldbegladtoseehiminBolt-court。
EDWARDS。’Ah，Sir!weareoldmennow。’JOHNSON。whoneverlikedtothinkofbeingold，’Don’tletusdiscourageoneanother。’EDWARDS。’Why，Doctor，youlookstoutandhearty，Iamhappytoseeyouso；forthenews-paperstoldusyouwereveryill。’JOHNSON。’Ay，Sir，theyarealwaystellingliesofUSOLD
FELLOWS。’
Wishingtobepresentatmoreofsosingularaconversationasthatbetweentwofellow-collegians，whohadlivedfortyyearsinLondonwithouteverhavingchancedtomeet，IwhisperedtoMr。EdwardsthatDr。Johnsonwasgoinghome，andthathehadbetteraccompanyhimnow。SoEdwardswalkedalongwithus，Ieagerlyassistingtokeepuptheconversation。Mr。EdwardsinformedDr。JohnsonthathehadpractisedlongasasolicitorinChancery，butthathenowlivedinthecountryuponalittlefarm，aboutsixtyacres，justbyStevenageinHertfordshire，andthathecametoLondontoBarnard’sInn，No。6，generallytwiceaweek。Johnsonappearingtomeinareverie，Mr。Edwardsaddressedhimselftome，andexpatiatedonthepleasureoflivinginthecountry。BOSWELL。’I
havenonotionofthis，Sir。Whatyouhavetoentertainyou，is，I
think，exhaustedinhalfanhour。’EDWARDS。’What？don’tyoulovetohavehoperealized？Iseemygrass，andmycorn，andmytreesgrowing。Now，forinstance，Iamcurioustoseeifthisfrosthasnotnippedmyfruit-trees。’JOHNSON。whowedidnotimaginewasattending，’Youfind，Sir，youhavefearsaswellashopes。’——Sowelldidheseethewhole，whenanothersawbutthehalfofasubject。