wouldnotargueanyfarther；butIwasconfidentthatIwasintheright。Iwould，induetime，beaNestor，anelderofthepeople；
andthereSHOULDbesomedifferencebetweentheconversationoftwenty-eightandsixty-eight。Agravepictureshouldnotbegay。
Thereisaserene，solemn，placidoldage。JOHNSON。’Mrs。
Thrale’smothersaidofmewhatflatteredmemuch。Aclergymanwascomplainingofwantofsocietyinthecountrywherehelived；andsaid，“TheytalkofRUNTS；“thatis，youngcows。“Sir，saidMrs。Salusbury，Mr。Johnsonwouldlearntotalkofrunts：“meaningthatIwasamanwhowouldmakethemostofmysituation，whateveritwas。’Headded，’Ithinkmyselfaverypoliteman。’
OnSaturday，May2，IdinedwithhimatSirJoshuaReynolds’s，wheretherewasaverylargecompany，andagreatdealofconversation；butowingtosomecircumstancewhichIcannotnowrecollect，Ihavenorecordofanypartofit，exceptthattherewereseveralpeopletherebynomeansoftheJohnsonianschool；sothatlessattentionwaspaidtohimthanusual，whichputhimoutofhumour；anduponsomeimaginaryoffencefromme，heattackedmewithsuchrudeness，thatIwasvexedandangry，becauseitgavethosepersonsanopportunityofenlarginguponhissupposedferocity，andilltreatmentofhisbestfriends。Iwassomuchhurt，andhadmypridesomuchroused，thatIkeptawayfromhimforaweek；and，perhaps，mighthavekeptawaymuchlonger，nay，gonetoScotlandwithoutseeinghimagain，hadnotwefortunatelymetandbeenreconciled。Tosuchunhappychancesarehumanfriendshipsliable。
OnFriday，May8，IdinedwithhimatMr。Langton’s。Iwasreservedandsilent，whichIsupposeheperceived，andmightrecollectthecause。AfterdinnerwhenMr。Langtonwascalledoutoftheroom，andwewerebyourselves，hedrewhischairneartomine，andsaid，inatoneofconciliatingcourtesy，’Well，howhaveyoudone？’Boswell。’Sir，youhavemademeveryuneasybyyourbehaviourtomewhenwewerelastatSirJoshuaReynolds’s。Youknow，mydearSir，nomanhasagreaterrespectandaffectionforyou，orwouldsoonergototheendoftheworldtoserveyou。Nowtotreatmeso。’HeinsistedthatIhadinterruptedhim，whichI
assuredhimwasnotthecase；andproceeded——’Butwhytreatmesobeforepeoplewhoneitherloveyounorme？’JOHNSON。’Well，Iamsorryforit。I’llmakeituptoyoutwentydifferentways，asyouplease。’BOSWELL。’Isaidto-daytoSirJoshua，whenheobservedthatyouTOSSEDmesometimes——Idon’tcarehowoften，orhowhighhetossesme，whenonlyfriendsarepresent，forthenIfalluponsoftground：butIdonotlikefallingonstones，whichisthecasewhenenemiesarepresent——Ithinkthisaprettygoodimage，Sir。’
JOHNSON。’Sir，itisoneofthehappiestIhaveeverheard。’
Thetruthis，therewasnovenominthewoundswhichheinflictedatanytime，unlesstheywereirritatedbysomemalignantinfusionbyotherhands。Wewereinstantlyascordialagainasever，andjoinedinheartylaughatsomeludicrousbutinnocentpeculiaritiesofoneofourfriends。BOSWELL。’Doyouthink，Sir，itisalwaysculpabletolaughatamantohisface？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，thatdependsuponthemanandthething。Ifitisaslightman，andaslightthing，youmay；foryoutakenothingvaluablefromhim。’
WhenMr。Langtonreturnedtous，the’flowoftalk’wenton。Aneminentauthourbeingmentioned；——JOHNSON。’Heisnotapleasantman。Hisconversationisneitherinstructivenorbrilliant。Hedoesnottalkasifimpelledbyanyfulnessofknowledgeorvivacityofimagination。Hisconversationislikethatofanyothersensibleman。Hetalkswithnowisheithertoinformortohear，butonlybecausehethinksitdoesnotbecome
tositinacompanyandsaynothing。’
Mr。LangtonhavingrepeatedtheanecdoteofAddisonhavingdistinguishedbetweenhispowersinconversationandinwriting，bysaying’Ihaveonlynine-penceinmypocket；butIcandrawforathousandpounds；’——JOHNSON。’Hehadnotthatretortready，Sir；hehadprepareditbefore-hand。’LANGTON。turningtome，’Afinesurmise。Setathieftocatchathief。’
JOHNSON。’Ishallbeathometo-morrow。’BOSWELL。’ThenletusdinebyourselvesattheMitre，tokeepuptheoldcustom，“thecustomofthemanor，“thecustomofthemitre。’JOHNSON。’Sir，soitshallbe。’
OnSaturday，May9，wefulfilledourpurposeofdiningbyourselvesattheMitre，accordingtooldcustom。Therewas，ontheseoccasions，alittlecircumstanceofkindattentiontoMrs。
Williams，whichmustnotbeomitted。Beforecomingout，andleavinghertodinealone，hegaveherherchoiceofachicken，asweetbread，oranyotherlittlenicething，whichwascarefullysenttoherfromthetavern，ready-drest。
OnTuesday，May12，IwaitedontheEarlofMarchmont，toknowifhisLordshipwouldfavourDr。JohnsonwithinformationconcerningPope，whoseLifehewasabouttowrite。Johnsonhadnotflatteredhimselfwiththehopesofreceivinganycivilityfromthisnobleman；forhesaidtome，whenImentionedLordMarchmontasonewhocouldtellhimagreatdealaboutPope，——’Sir，hewilltellME
nothing。’IhadthehonourofbeingknowntohisLordship，andappliedtohimofmyself，withoutbeingcommissionedbyJohnson。
HisLordshipbehavedinthemostpoliteandobligingmanner，promisedtotellallherecollectedaboutPope，andwassoverycourteousastosay，’TellDr。JohnsonIhaveagreatrespectforhim，andamreadytoshewitinanywayIcan。Iamtobeinthecityto-morrow，andwillcallathishouseasIreturn。’HisLordshiphoweverasked，’WillhewritetheLivesofthePoetsimpartially？HewasthefirstthatbroughtWhigandToryintoaDictionary。AndwhatdoyouthinkofhisdefinitionofExcise？Doyouknowthehistoryofhisaversiontothewordtranspire？’ThentakingdownthefolioDictionary，hesheweditwiththiscensureonitssecondarysense：’“Toescapefromsecrecytonotice；asenselatelyinnovatedfromFrance，withoutnecessity。“ThetruthwasLordBolingbroke，wholefttheJacobites，firstusedit；therefore，itwastobecondemned。Heshouldhaveshewnwhatwordwoulddoforit，ifitwasunnecessary。’IafterwardsputthequestiontoJohnson：’Why，Sir，saidhe，GETABROAD。’BOSWELL。’That，Sir，isusingtwowords。’JOHNSON。’Sir，thereisnoendofthis。Youmayaswellinsisttohaveawordforoldage。’BOSWELL。’Well，Sir，Senectus。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，toinsistalwaysthatthereshouldbeonewordtoexpressathinginEnglish，becausethereisoneinanotherlanguage，istochangethelanguage。’
IproposedtoLordMarchmontthatheshouldreviseJohnson’sLifeofPope：’SosaidhisLordship，youwouldputmeinadangeroussituation。YouknowheknockeddownOsbornethebookseller。’
ElatedwiththesuccessofmyspontaneousexertiontoprocurematerialandrespectableaidtoJohnsonforhisveryfavouritework，TheLivesofthePoets，IhasteneddowntoMr。Thrale’satStreatham，wherehenowwas，thatImightinsurehisbeingathomenextday；andafterdinner，whenIthoughthewouldreceivethegoodnewsinthebesthumour，Iannouncediteagerly：’Ihavebeenatworkforyouto-day，Sir。IhavebeenwithLordMarchmont。Hebademetellyouhehasagreatrespectforyou，andwillcallonyouto-morrowatoneo’clock，andcommunicateallheknowsaboutPope。’——HereIpaused，infullexpectationthathewouldbepleasedwiththisintelligence，wouldpraisemyactivemerit，andwouldbealerttoembracesuchanofferfromanobleman。ButwhetherIhadshewnanover-exultation，whichprovokedhisspleen；orwhetherhewasseizedwithasuspicionthatIhadobtrudedhimonLordMarchmont，andhumbledhimtoomuch；orwhethertherewasanythingmorethananunluckyfitofill-humour，Iknownot；but，tomysurprize，theresultwas，——JOHNSON。’Ishallnotbeintownto-
morrow。Idon’tcaretoknowaboutPope。’MRS。THRALE。
surprizedasIwas，andalittleangry，’Isuppose，Sir，Mr。
Boswellthought，thatasyouaretowritePope’sLife，youwouldwishtoknowabouthim。’JOHNSON。’Wish!whyyes。IfitrainedknowledgeI’dholdoutmyhand；butIwouldnotgivemyselfthetroubletogoinquestofit。’Therewasnoarguingwithhimatthemoment。Sometimeafterwardshesaid，’LordMarchmontwillcallonme，andthenIshallcallonLordMarchmont。’Mr。Thralewasuneasyathisunaccountablecaprice；andtoldme，thatifIdidnottakecaretobringaboutameetingbetweenLordMarchmontandhim，itwouldnevertakeplace，whichwouldbeagreatpity。I
sentacardtohisLordship，tobeleftatJohnson’shouse，acquaintinghim，thatDr。Johnsoncouldnotbeintownnextday，butwoulddohimselfthehonourofwaitingonhimatanothertime。
Igivethisaccountfairly，asaspecimenofthatunhappytemperwithwhichthisgreatandgoodmanhadoccasionallytostruggle，fromsomethingmorbidinhisconstitution。Letthemostcensoriousofmyreaderssupposehimselftohaveaviolentfitofthetooth-
ach，ortohavereceivedaseverestrokeontheshin-bone，andwheninsuchastatetobeaskedaquestion；andifhehasanycandour，hewillnotbesurprizedattheanswerswhichJohnsonsometimesgaveinmomentsofirritation，which，letmeassurethem，isexquisitelypainful。Butitmustnotbeerroneouslysupposedthathewas，inthesmallestdegree，carelessconcerninganyworkwhichheundertook，orthathewasgenerallythuspeevish。Itwillbeseen，thatinthefollowingyearhehadaveryagreeableinterviewwithLordMarchmont，athisLordship’shouse；andthisveryafternoonhesoonforgotanyfretfulness，andfellintoconversationasusual。
JOHNSON。’HowfoolishwasitinPopetogiveallhisfriendshiptoLords，whothoughttheyhonouredhimbybeingwithhim；andtochoosesuchLordsasBurlington，andCobham，andBolingbroke!
Bathurstwasnegative，apleasingman；andIhaveheardnoillofMarchmont；andthenalwayssaying，“IdonotvalueyouforbeingaLord；“whichwasasureproofthathedid。Ineversay，IdonotvalueBoswellmoreforbeingborntoanestate，becauseIdonotcare。’BOSWELL。’NorforbeingaScotchman？’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，IdovalueyoumoreforbeingaScotchman。YouareaScotchmanwithoutthefaultsofaScotchman。Youwouldnothavebeensovaluableasyouare，hadyounotbeenaScotchman。’
Amongstthenumerousprintspastedonthewallsofthedining-roomatStreatham，wasHogarth’s’ModernMidnightConversation。’I
askedhimwhatheknewofParsonFord，whomakesaconspicuousfigureintheriotousgroup。JOHNSON。’Sir，hewasmyacquaintanceandrelation，mymother’snephew。Hehadpurchasedalivinginthecountry，butnotsimoniacally。Ineversawhimbutinthecountry。Ihavebeentoldhewasamanofgreatparts；veryprofligate，butIneverheardhewasimpious。’BOSWELL。’Wastherenotastoryofhisghosthavingappeared？’JOHNSON。’Sir，itwasbelieved。AwaiterattheHummums，inwhichhouseForddied，hadbeenabsentforsometime，andreturned，notknowingthatFordwasdead。Goingdowntothecellar，accordingtothestory，hemethim；goingdownagainhemethimasecondtime。Whenhecameup，heaskedsomeofthepeopleofthehousewhatFordcouldbedoingthere。TheytoldhimFordwasdead。Thewaitertookafever，inwhichhelayforsometime。Whenherecovered，hesaidhehadamessagetodelivertosomewomenfromFord；buthewasnottotellwhat，ortowhom。Hewalkedout；hewasfollowed；butsomewhereaboutSt。Paul’stheylosthim。Hecameback，andsaidhehaddeliveredthemessage，andthewomenexclaimed，“Thenweareallundone!“Dr。Pellet，whowasnotacredulousman，inquiredintothetruthofthisstory，andhesaid，theevidencewasirresistible。MywifewenttotheHummums；itisaplacewherepeoplegetthemselvescupped。IbelieveshewentwithintentiontohearaboutthisstoryofFord。Atfirsttheywereunwillingtotellher；but，aftertheyhadtalkedtoher，shecameawaysatisfiedthatitwastrue。Tobesurethemanhadafever；andthisvisionmayhavebeenthebeginningofit。Butifthemessagetothewomen，andtheirbehaviouruponit，weretrueasrelated，therewassomethingsupernatural。Thatrestsuponhisword；andthereitremains。’