Hisdisorderlyhabits，when’makingprovisionforthedaythatwaspassingoverhim，’appearfromthefollowinganecdote，communicatedtomebyMr。JohnNichols：——’Intheyear1763，ayoungbookseller，whowasanapprenticetoMr。Whiston，waitedonhimwithasubscriptiontohisShakspeare：andobservingthattheDoctormadenoentryinanybookofthesubscriber’sname，ventureddiffidentlytoask，whetherhewouldpleasetohavethegentleman’saddress，thatitmightbeproperlyinsertedintheprintedlistofsubscribers。“Ishallprintnolistofsubscribers；“saidJohnson，withgreatabruptness：butalmostimmediatelyrecollectinghimself，added，verycomplacently，“Sir，Ihavetwoverycogentreasonsfornotprintinganylistofsubscribers；——one，thatIhavelostallthenames，——theother，thatIhavespentallthemoney。“
Johnsoncouldnotbrookappearingtobeworstedinargument，evenwhenhehadtakenthewrongside，toshewtheforceanddexterityofhistalents。When，therefore，heperceivedthathisopponentgainedground，hehadrecoursetosomesuddenmodeofrobustsophistry。OncewhenIwaspressinguponhimwithvisibleadvantage，hestoppedmethus：——’MydearBoswell，let’shavenomoreofthis；you’llmakenothingofit。I’dratherhaveyouwhistleaScotchtune。’
Care，however，mustbetakentodistinguishbetweenJohnsonwhenhe’talkedforvictory，’andJohnsonwhenhehadnodesirebuttoinformandillustrate。’OneofJohnsonsprincipaltalentssaysaneminentfriendofhiswasshewninmaintainingthewrongsideofanargument，andinasplendidperversionofthetruth。Ifyoucouldcontrivetohavehisfairopiniononasubject，andwithoutanybiasfrompersonalprejudice，orfromawishtobevictoriousinargument，itwaswisdomitself，notonlyconvincing，butoverpowering。’
Hehad，however，allhislifehabituatedhimselftoconsiderconversationasatrialofintellectualvigourandskill；andtothis，Ithink，wemayventuretoascribethatunexampledrichnessandbrilliancywhichappearedinhisown。Asaproofatonceofhiseagernessforcolloquialdistinction，andhishighnotionofthiseminentfriend，heonceaddressedhimthus：——’——，wenowhavebeenseveralhourstogether；andyouhavesaidbutonethingforwhichIenviedyou。’
Goldsmithcouldsometimestakeadventurouslibertieswithhim，andescapeunpunished。BeauclerktoldmethatwhenGoldsmithtalkedofaprojectforhavingathirdTheatreinLondon，solelyfortheexhibitionofnewplays，inordertodeliverauthoursfromthesupposedtyrannyofmanagers，Johnsontreateditslightingly；uponwhichGoldsmithsaid，’Ay，ay，thismaybenothingtoyou，whocannowshelteryourselfbehindthecornerofapension；’andthatJohnsonborethiswithgood-humour。
JohnsonhadcalledtwiceontheBishopofKillaloebeforehisLordshipsetoutforIreland，havingmissedhimthefirsttime。Hesaid，’ItwouldhavehungheavyonmyheartifIhadnotseenhim。
Nomaneverpaidmoreattentiontoanotherthanhehasdonetome；
andIhaveneglectedhim，notwilfully，butfrombeingotherwiseoccupied。Always，Sir，setahighvalueonspontaneouskindness。
Hewhoseinclinationpromptshimtocultivateyourfriendshipofhisownaccord，willloveyoumorethanonewhomyouhavebeenatpainstoattachtoyou。’
Iaskedhimifhewasnotdissatisfiedwithhavingsosmallashareofwealth，andnoneofthosedistinctionsinthestatewhicharetheobjectsofambition。Hehadonlyapensionofthreehundredayear。Whywashenotinsuchcircumstancesastokeephiscoach？
Whyhadhenotsomeconsiderableoffice？JOHNSON。’Sir，Ihavenevercomplainedoftheworld；nordoIthinkthatIhavereasontocomplain。ItisrathertobewonderedatthatIhavesomuch。MypensionismoreoutoftheusualcourseofthingsthananyinstancethatIhaveknown。Here，Sir，wasamanavowedlynofriendtoGovernmentatthetime，whogotapensionwithoutaskingforit。I
nevercourtedthegreat；theysentforme；butIthinktheynowgivemeup。Theyaresatisfied；theyhaveseenenoughofme。’
Strange，however，itis，toconsiderhowfewofthegreatsoughthissociety；sothatifoneweredisposedtotakeoccasionforsatireonthataccount，veryconspicuousobjectspresentthemselves。Hisnoblefriend，LordElibank，wellobserved，thatifagreatmanprocuredaninterviewwithJohnson，anddidnotwishtoseehimmore，itshewedamereidlecuriosity，andawretchedwantofrelishforextraordinarypowersofmind。Mrs。Thralejustlyandwittilyaccountedforsuchconductbysaying，thatJohnson’sconversationwasbymuchtoostrongforapersonaccustomedtoobsequiousnessandflattery；itwasmustardinayoungchild’smouth!
OnSaturday，June2，IsetoutforScotland，andhadpromisedtopayavisitinmyway，asIsometimesdid，atSouthill，inBedfordshire，atthehospitablemansionof’SquireDilly，theelderbrotherofmyworthyfriends，thebooksellers，inthePoultry。Dr。
Johnsonagreedtobeofthepartythisyear，withMr。CharlesDillyandme，andtogoandseeLordBute’sseatatLutonHoe。Hetalkedlittletousinthecarriage，beingchieflyoccupiedinreadingDr。
Watson’ssecondvolumeofChemicalEssays，whichhelikedverywell，andhisownPrinceofAbyssinia，onwhichheseemedtobeintenselyfixed；havingtoldus，thathehadnotlookedatitsinceitwasfirstpublished。Ihappenedtotakeitoutofmypocketthisday，andheseizeduponitwithavidity。
WestoppedatWelwyn，whereIwishedmuchtosee，incompanywithDr。Johnson，theresidenceoftheauthourofNightThoughts，whichwasthenpossessedbyhisson，Mr。Young。Heresomeaddresswasrequisite，forIwasnotacquaintedwithMr。Young，andhadI
proposedtoDr。Johnsonthatweshouldsendtohim，hewouldhavecheckedmywish，andperhapsbeenoffended。IthereforeconcertedwithMr。Dilly，thatIshouldstealawayfromDr。Johnsonandhim，andtrywhatreceptionIcouldprocurefromMr。Young；ifunfavourable，nothingwastobesaid；butifagreeable，Ishouldreturnandnotifyittothem。IhastenedtoMr。Young’s，foundhewasathome，sentinwordthatagentlemandesiredtowaituponhim，andwasshewnintoaparlour，whereheandayounglady，hisdaughter，weresitting。Heappearedtobeaplain，civil，countrygentleman；andwhenIbeggedpardonforpresumingtotroublehim，butthatIwishedmuchtoseehisplace，ifhewouldgivemeleave；
hebehavedverycourteously，andanswered，’Byallmeans，Sir；wearejustgoingtodrinktea；willyousitdown？’Ithankedhim，butsaid，thatDr。JohnsonhadcomewithmefromLondon，andImustreturntotheinnanddrinkteawithhim；thatmynamewasBoswell，IhadtravelledwithhimintheHebrides。’Sir，saidhe，I
shouldthinkitagreathonourtoseeDr。Johnsonhere。Willyouallowmetosendforhim？’Availingmyselfofthisopening，Isaidthat’Iwouldgomyselfandbringhim，whenhehaddrunktea；heknewnothingofmycallinghere。’Havingbeenthussuccessful，I
hastenedbacktotheinn，andinformedDr。Johnsonthat’Mr。Young，sonofDr。Young，theauthourofNightThoughts，whomIhadjustleft，desiredtohavethehonourofseeinghimatthehousewherehisfatherlived。’Dr。Johnsonluckilymadenoinquiryhowthisinvitationhadarisen，butagreedtogo，andwhenweenteredMr。
Young’sparlour，headdressedhimwithaverypolitebow，’Sir，I
hadacuriositytocomeandseethisplace。Ihadthehonourtoknowthatgreatman，yourfather。’Wewentintothegarden，wherewefoundagravelwalk，oneachsideofwhichwasarowoftrees，plantedbyDr。Young，whichformedahandsomeGothickarch；Dr。
Johnsoncalleditafinegrove。Ibehelditwithreverence。
Wesatsometimeinthesummer-house，ontheoutsidewallofwhichwasinscribed，’AmbulantesinhortoaudiebantvocemDei；’andinreferencetoabrookbywhichitissituated，’Vivendirectequiprorogathoram，’&c。IsaidtoMr。Young，thatIhadbeentoldhisfatherwascheerful。’Sir，saidhe，hewastoowell-bredamannottobecheerfulincompany；buthewasgloomywhenalone。Heneverwascheerfulaftermymother’sdeath，andhehadmetwithmanydisappointments。’Dr。Johnsonobservedtomeafterwards，’ThatthiswasnofavourableaccountofDr。Young；foritisnotbecominginamantohavesolittleacquiescenceinthewaysofProvidence，astobegloomybecausehehasnotobtainedasmuchprefermentasheexpected；nortocontinuegloomyforthelossofhiswife。Griefhasitstime。’Thelastpartofthiscensurewastheoreticallymade。Practically，weknowthatgriefforthelossofawifemaybecontinuedverylong，inproportionasaffectionhasbeensincere。NomanknewthisbetterthanDr。Johnson。
Upontheroadwetalkedoftheuncertaintyofprofitwithwhichauthoursandbooksellersengageinthepublicationofliteraryworks。JOHNSON。’MyjudgementIhavefoundisnocertainruleastothesaleofabook。’BOSWELL。’Pray，Sir，haveyoubeenmuchplaguedwithauthourssendingyoutheirworkstorevise？’JOHNSON。
’No，Sir；Ihavebeenthoughtasour，surlyfellow。’BOSWELL。
’Verylucky。foryou，Sir，——inthatrespect。’Imusthoweverobserve，thatnotwithstandingwhathenowsaid，whichhenodoubtimaginedatthetimetobethefact，therewas，perhaps，nomanwhomorefrequentlyyieldedtothesolicitationsevenofveryobscureauthours，toreadtheirmanuscripts，ormoreliberallyassistedthemwithadviceandcorrection。
Hefoundhimselfveryhappyat’SquireDilly’s，wherethereisalwaysabundanceofexcellentfare，andheartywelcome。
OnSunday，June3，weallwenttoSouthillchurch，whichisveryneartoMr。Dilly’shouse。ItbeingthefirstSundayofthemonth，theholysacramentwasadministered，andIstaidtopartakeofit。
WhenIcameafterwardsintoDr。Johnson’sroom，hesaid，’Youdidrighttostayandreceivethecommunion；Ihadnotthoughtofit。’
Thisseemedtoimplythathedidnotchoosetoapproachthealtarwithoutapreviouspreparation，astowhichgoodmenentertaindifferentopinions，someholdingthatitisirreverenttopartakeofthatordinancewithoutconsiderablepremeditation。
AlthoughuponmostoccasionsIneverheardamorestrenuousadvocatefortheadvantagesofwealth，thanDr。Johnson：hethisday，Iknownotfromwhatcaprice，tooktheotherside。’Ihavenotobservedsaidhe，thatmenofverylargefortunesenjoyanythingextraordinarythatmakeshappiness。WhathastheDukeofBedford？WhathastheDukeofDevonshire？TheonlygreatinstancethatIhaveeverknownoftheenjoymentofwealthwas，thatofJamaicaDawkins，who，goingtovisitPalmyra，andhearingthatthewaywasinfestedbyrobbers，hiredatroopofTurkishhorsetoguardhim。’
Dr。Gibbons，theDissentingminister，beingmentioned，hesaid，’I
tooktoDr。Gibbons。’AndaddressinghimselftoMr。CharlesDilly，added，’Ishallbegladtoseehim。Tellhim，ifhe’llcallonme，anddawdleoveradishofteainanafternoon，Ishalltakeitkind。’
TheReverendMr。Smith，VicarofSouthill，averyrespectableman，withaveryagreeablefamily，sentaninvitationtoustodrinktea。IremarkedDr。Johnson’sveryrespectfulpoliteness。Thoughalwaysfondofchangingthescene，hesaid，’WemusthaveMr。
Dilly’sleave。Wecannotgofromyourhouse，Sir，withoutyourpermission。’Weallwent，andwerewellsatisfiedwithourvisit。
WhenIobservedthatahousebreakerwasingeneralverytimorous；
JOHNSON。’Nowonder，Sir；heisafraidofbeingshotgettingINTO
ahouse，orhangedwhenhehasgotOUTofit。’
Hetoldus，thathehadinonedaywrittensixsheetsofatranslationfromtheFrench，adding，’Ishouldbegladtoseeitnow。IwishthatIhadcopiesofallthepamphletswrittenagainstme，asitissaidPopehad。HadIknownthatIshouldmakesomuchnoiseintheworld，Ishouldhavebeenatpainstocollectthem。I
believethereishardlyadayinwhichthereisnotsomethingaboutmeinthenewspapers。’
OnMonday，June4，weallwenttoLuton-Hoe，toseeLordBute’smagnificentseat，forwhichIhadobtainedaticket。Asweenteredthepark，ItalkedinahighstyleofmyoldfriendshipwithLordMountstuart，andsaid，’Ishallprobablybemuchatthisplace。’
TheSage，awareofhumanvicissitudes，gentlycheckedme：’Don’tyoubetoosureofthat。’Hemadetwoorthreepeculiarobservations；aswhenshewnthebotanicalgarden，’IsnotEVERY