Thisboisterousvivacityentertainedus；butthetruthinmyopinionwas，thatthosewhocouldunderstandthebestwereagainsttheAmericanwar，asalmosteverymannowis，whenthequestionhasbeencoollyconsidered。
Mrs。ThralegavehighpraisetoMr。DudleyLong，nowNorth。
JOHNSON。’Nay，mydearlady，don’ttalkso。Mr。Long’scharacterisverySHORT。Itisnothing。Hefillsachair。Heisamanofgenteelappearance，andthatisall。Iknownobodywhoblastsbypraiseasyoudo：forwheneverthereisexaggeratedpraise，everybodyissetagainstacharacter。Theyareprovokedtoattackit。
NowthereisPepys；youpraisedthatmanwithsuchdisproportion，thatIwasincitedtolessenhim，perhapsmorethanhedeserves。
Hisbloodisuponyourhead。Bythesameprinciple，yourmalicedefeatsitself；foryourcensureistooviolent。Andyet，lookingtoherwithaleeringsmile，sheisthefirstwomanintheworld，couldshebutrestrainthatwickedtongueofhers；——shewouldbetheonlywoman，couldshebutcommandthatlittlewhirligig。’
UponthesubjectofexaggeratedpraiseItookthelibertytosay，thatIthoughttheremightbeveryhighpraisegiventoaknowncharacterwhichdeservedit，andthereforeitwouldnotbeexaggerated。Thus，onemightsayofMr。EdmundBurke，Heisaverywonderfulman。JOHNSON。’No，Sir，youwouldnotbesafeifanothermanhadamindperverselytocontradict。Hemightanswer，“Whereisallthewonder？Burkeis，tobesure，amanofuncommonabilities，withagreatquantityofmatterinhismind，andagreatfluencyoflanguageinhismouth。Butwearenottobestunnedandastonishedbyhim。“Soyousee，Sir，evenBurkewouldsuffer，notfromanyfaultofhisown，butfromyourfolly。’
Mrs。Thralementionedagentlemanwhohadacquiredafortuneoffourthousandayearintrade，butwasabsolutelymiserable，becausehecouldnottalkincompany；somiserable，thathewasimpelledtolamenthissituationinthestreetto******，whomhehates，andwhoheknowsdespiseshim。’Iamamostunhappyman，saidhe。Iaminvitedtoconversations。Igotoconversations；
but，alas!Ihavenoconversation。’JOHNSON。’Mancommonlycannotbesuccessfulindifferentways。Thisgentlemanhasspent，ingettingfourthousandpoundsayear，thetimeinwhichhemighthavelearnttotalk；andnowhecannottalk。’Mr。Perkinsmadeashrewdanddrollremark：’Ifhehadgothisfourthousandayearasamountebank，hemighthavelearnttotalkatthesametimethathewasgettinghisfortune。’
Someothergentlemencamein。TheconversationconcerningthepersonwhosecharacterDr。Johnsonhadtreatedsoslightingly，ashedidnotknowhismerit，wasresumed。Mrs。Thralesaid，’Youthinksoofhim，Sir，becauseheisquiet，anddoesnotexerthimselfwithforce。You’llbesayingthesamethingofMr。*****
there，whositsasquiet。’Thiswasnotwell-bred；andJohnsondidnotletitpasswithoutcorrection。’Nay，Madam，whatrighthaveyoutotalkthus？BothMr。*****andIhavereasontotakeitill。YoumaytalksoofMr。*****；butwhydoyoumakemedoit？
HaveIsaidanythingagainstMr。*****？Youhavesethim，thatI
mightshoothim：butIhavenotshothim。’
Oneofthegentlemensaid，hehadseenthreefoliovolumesofDr。
Johnson’ssayingscollectedbyme。’Imustputyouright，Sir，saidI，forIamveryexactinauthenticity。Youcouldnotseefoliovolumes，forIhavenone：youmighthaveseensomeinquartoandoctavo。Thisisinattentionwhichoneshouldguardagainst。’
JOHNSON。’Sir，itisawantofconcernaboutveracity。Hedoesnotknowthathesawanyvolumes。Ifhehadseenthemhecouldhaverememberedtheirsize。’
Mr。Thraleappearedverylethargickto-day。IsawhimagainonMondayevening，atwhichtimehewasnotthoughttobeinimmediatedanger；butearlyinthemorningofWednesday，the4th，heexpired。
Johnsonwasinthehouse，andthusmentionstheevent：’Ifeltalmostthelastflutterofhispulse，andlookedforthelasttimeuponthefacethatforfifteenyearshadneverbeenturneduponmebutwithrespectandbenignity。’UponthatdaytherewasaCallofTheLITERARYCLUB；butJohnsonapologisedforhisabsencebythefollowingnote：——
’MR。JOHNSONknowsthatSirJoshuaReynoldsandtheothergentlemenwillexcusehisincompliancewiththecall，whentheyaretoldthatMr。Thralediedthismorning——Wednesday。’
Mr。Thrale’sdeathwasaveryessentiallosstoJohnson，who，althoughhedidnotforeseeallthatafterwardshappened，wassufficientlyconvincedthatthecomfortswhichMr。Thrale’sfamilyaffordedhim，wouldnowinagreatmeasurecease。He，however，continuedtoshewakindattentiontohiswidowandchildrenaslongasitwasacceptable；andhetookuponhim，withaveryearnestconcern，theofficeofoneofhisexecutors，theimportanceofwhichseemedgreaterthanusualtohim，fromhiscircumstanceshavingbeenalwayssuch，thathehadscarcelyanyshareintherealbusinessoflife。HisfriendsofTHECLUBwereinhopesthatMr。
Thralemighthavemadealiberalprovisionforhimforhislife，which，asMr。Thraleleftnoson，andaverylargefortune，itwouldhavebeenhighlytohishonourtohavedone；and，consideringDr。Johnson’sage，couldnothavebeenoflongduration；buthebequeathedhimonlytwohundredpounds，whichwasthelegacygiventoeachofhisexecutors。IcouldnotbutbesomewhatdivertedbyhearingJohnsontalkinapompousmannerofhisnewoffice，andparticularlyoftheconcernsofthebrewery，whichitwasatlastresolvedshouldbesold。LordLucantellsaverygoodstory，which，ifnotpreciselyexact，iscertainlycharacteristical：thatwhenthesaleofThrale’sbrewerywasgoingforward，Johnsonappearedbustlingabout，withanink-hornandpeninhisbutton-
hole，likeanexcise-man；andonbeingaskedwhathereallyconsideredtobethevalueofthepropertywhichwastobedisposedof，answered，’Wearenotheretosellaparcelofboilersandvats，butthepotentialityofgrowingrich，beyondthedreamsofavarice。’
OnFriday，April6，hecarriedmetodineataclub，which，athisdesire，hadbeenlatelyformedattheQueen’sArms，inSt。Paul’sChurch-yard。HetoldMr。Hoole，thathewishedtohaveaCityClub，andaskedhimtocollectone；but，saidhe，’Don’tletthembePATRIOTS。’Thecompanywereto-dayverysensible，well-behavedmen。
OnFriday，April13，beingGood-Friday，IwenttoSt。Clement’schurchwithhimasusual。ThereIsawagainhisoldfellow-
collegian，Edwards，towhomIsaid，’Ithink，Sir，Dr。JohnsonandyoumeetonlyatChurch。’——’Sir，saidhe，itisthebestplacewecanmeetin，exceptHeaven，andIhopeweshallmeettheretoo。’
Dr。Johnsontoldme，thattherewasverylittlecommunicationbetweenEdwardsandhim，aftertheirunexpectedrenewalofacquaintance。’But，saidhe，smiling，hemetmeonce，andsaid，“IamtoldyouhavewrittenaveryprettybookcalledTheRambler。“
Iwasunwillingthatheshouldleavetheworldintotaldarkness，andsenthimaset。’
Mr。Berrengervisitedhimto-day，andwasverypleasing。Wetalkedofaneveningsocietyforconversationatahouseintown，ofwhichwewereallmembers，butofwhichJohnsonsaid，’Itwillneverdo，Sir。Thereisnothingservedaboutthere，neithertea，norcoffee，norlemonade，noranythingwhatever；anddependuponit，Sir，amandoesnotlovetogotoaplacefromwhencehecomesoutexactlyashewentin。’Iendeavoured，forargument’ssake，tomaintainthatmenoflearningandtalentsmighthaveverygoodintellectualsociety，withouttheaidofanylittlegratificationsofthesenses。BerrengerjoinedwithJohnson，andsaid，thatwithouttheseanymeetingwouldbedullandinsipid。Hewouldthereforehavealltheslightrefreshments；nay，itwouldnotbeamisstohavesomecoldmeat，andabottleofwineuponaside-board。’Sir，saidJohnsontome，withanairoftriumph，Mr。Berrengerknowstheworld。Everybodylovestohavegoodthingsfurnishedtothemwithoutanytrouble。ItoldMrs。Thraleonce，thatasshedidnotchoosetohavecardtables，sheshouldhaveaprofusionofthebestsweetmeats，andshewouldbesuretohavecompanyenoughcometoher。’
OnSunday，April15，beingEaster-day，aftersolemnworshipinSt。
Paul’schurch，Ifoundhimalone；Dr。ScottoftheCommonscamein。
WetalkedofthedifferencebetweenthemodeofeducationatOxford，andthatinthoseCollegeswhereinstructionischieflyconveyedbylectures。JOHNSON。’Lectureswereonceuseful；butnow，whenallcanread，andbooksaresonumerous，lecturesareunnecessary。Ifyourattentionfails，andyoumissapartofalecture，itislost；youcannotgobackasyoudouponabook。’
Dr。Scottagreedwithhim。’ButyetsaidI，Dr。Scott，youyourselfgavelecturesatOxford。’Hesmiled。’YoulaughedthensaidI，atthosewhocametoyou。’
Dr。Scottleftus，andsoonafterwardswewenttodinner。OurcompanyconsistedofMrs。Williams，Mrs。Desmoulins，Mr。Levett，Mr。Allen，theprinter，andMrs。Hall，sisteroftheReverendMr。
JohnWesley，andresemblinghim，asIthought，bothinfigureandmanner。Johnsonproducednow，forthefirsttime，somehandsomesilversalvers，whichhetoldmehehadboughtfourteenyearsago；
soitwasagreatday。IwasnotalittleamusedbyobservingAllenperpetuallystrugglingtotalkinthemannerofJohnson，likethelittlefroginthefableblowinghimselfuptoresemblethestatelyox。
Hementionedathingasnotunfrequent，ofwhichIhadneverheardbefore，——beingCALLED，thatis，hearingone’snamepronouncedbythevoiceofaknownpersonatagreatdistance，farbeyondthepossibilityofbeingreachedbyanysoundutteredbyhumanorgans。
’Anacquaintance，onwhoseveracityIcandepend，toldme，thatwalkinghomeoneeveningtoKilmarnock，heheardhimselfcalledfromawood，bythevoiceofabrotherwhohadgonetoAmerica；andthenextpacketbroughtaccountsofthatbrother’sdeath。’MacbeanassertedthatthisinexplicableCALLINGwasathingverywellknown。Dr。Johnsonsaid，thatonedayatOxford，ashewasturningthekeyofhischamber，heheardhismotherdistinctlycallSAM。
ShewasthenatLichfleld；butnothingensued。Thisphaenomenonis，Ithink，aswonderfulasanyothermysteriousfact，whichmanypeopleareveryslowtobelieve，orrather，indeed，rejectwithanobstinatecontempt。
Sometimeafterthis，uponhismakingaremarkwhichescapedmyattention，Mrs。WilliamsandMrs。Hallwerebothtogetherstrivingtoanswerhim。Hegrewangry，andcalledoutloudly，’Nay，whenyoubothspeakatonce，itisintolerable。’Butcheckinghimself，andsoftening，hesaid，’Thisonemaysay，thoughyouAREladies。’
Thenhebrightenedintogayhumour，andaddressedtheminthewordsofoneofthesongsinTheBeggar’sOpera：——
’Buttwoatatimethere’snomortalcanbear。’
’What，Sir，saidI，areyougoingtoturnCaptainMacheath？’
Therewassomethingaspleasantlyludicrousinthissceneascanbeimagined。ThecontrastbetweenMacheath，Polly，andLucy——andDr。
SamuelJohnson，blind，peevishMrs。Williams，andlean，lank，preachingMrs。Hall，wasexquisite。
OnFriday，April20，IspentwithhimoneofthehappiestdaysthatIremembertohaveenjoyedinthewholecourseofmylife。Mrs。
Garrick，whosegriefforthelossofherhusbandwas，Ibelieve，assincereaswoundedaffectionandadmirationcouldproduce，hadthisday，forthefirsttimesincehisdeath，aselectpartyofhisfriendstodinewithher。ThecompanywasMissHannahMore，wholivedwithher，andwhomshecalledherChaplain；Mrs。Boscawen，Mrs。ElizabethCarter，SirJoshuaReynolds，Dr。Burney，Dr。
Johnson，andmyself。WefoundourselvesveryelegantlyentertainedatherhouseintheAdelphi，whereIhavepassedmanyapleasinghourwithhim’whogladdenedlife。’Shelookedwell，talkedofherhusbandwithcomplacency，andwhileshecasthereyesonhisportrait，whichhungoverthechimney-piece，said，that’deathwasnowthemostagreeableobjecttoher。’TheverysemblanceofDavidGarrickwascheering。