Mr。MetcalfecouldnotbutbehighlypleasedthathiscompanywasthusvaluedbyJohnson，andhefrequentlyattendedhiminairings。
TheyalsowenttogethertoChichester，andtheyvisitedPetworth，andCowdry，thevenerableseatoftheLordsMontacute。’Sir，saidJohnson，Ishouldliketostayherefour-and-twentyhours。Weseeherehowourancestorslived。’
’TOSIRJOSHUAREYNOLDS。
’DEARSIR，——Iheardyesterdayofyourlatedisorder，andshouldthinkillofmyselfifIhadheardofitwithoutalarm。Iheardlikewiseofyourrecovery，whichIsincerelywishtobecompleteandpermanent。Yourcountryhasbeenindangeroflosingoneofitsbrightestornaments，andIoflosingoneofmyoldestandkindestfriends：butIhopeyouwillstilllivelong，forthehonourofthenation：andthatmoreenjoymentofyourelegance，yourintelligence，andyourbenevolence，isstillreservedfor，dearSir，yourmostaffectionate，&c。
’Brighthelmston，Nov。14，1782。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
1783：AETAT。74。]——In1783，hewasmoreseverelyafflictedthanever，aswillappearinthecourseofhiscorrespondence；butstillthesameardourforliterature，thesameconstantpiety，thesamekindnessforhisfriends，andthesamevivacitybothinconversationandwriting，distinguishedhim。
OnFriday，March21，havingarrivedinLondonthenightbefore，I
wasgladtofindhimatMrs。Thrale’shouse，inArgyll-street，appearancesoffriendshipbetweenthembeingstillkeptup。Iwasshewnintohisroom，andafterthefirstsalutationhesaid，’Iamgladyouarecome。Iamveryill。’Helookedpale，andwasdistressedwithadifficultyofbreathing；butafterthecommoninquiriesheassumedhisusualstronganimatedstyleofconversation。SeeingmenowforthefirsttimeasaLaird，orproprietorofland，hebeganthus：’Sir，thesuperiorityofacountry-gentlemanoverthepeopleuponhisestateisveryagreeable；andhewhosayshedoesnotfeelittobeagreeable，lies；foritmustbeagreeabletohaveacasualsuperiorityoverthosewhoarebynatureequalwithus。’BOSWELL。’Yet，Sir，weseegreatproprietorsoflandwhopreferlivinginLondon。’
JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，thepleasureoflivinginLondon，theintellectualsuperioritythatisenjoyedthere，maycounterbalancetheother。Besides，Sir，amanmaypreferthestateofthecountry-gentlemanuponthewhole，andyettheremayneverbeamomentwhenheiswillingtomakethechangetoquitLondonforit。’
HetalkedwithregretandindignationofthefactiousoppositiontoGovernmentatthistime，andimputeditinagreatmeasuretotheRevolution。’Sir，saidhe，inalowvoice，havingcomenearertome，whilehisoldprejudicesseemedtobefermentinginhismind，
thisHanoverianfamilyisisoleehere。Theyhavenofriends。NowtheStuartshadfriendswhostuckbythemsolateas1745。WhentherightoftheKingisnotreverenced，therewillnotbereverenceforthoseappointedbytheKing。’
HerepeatedtomehisversesonMr。Levett，withanemotionwhichgavethemfulleffect；andthenhewaspleasedtosay，’Youmustbeasmuchwithmeasyoucan。Youhavedonemegood。YoucannotthinkhowmuchbetterIamsinceyoucamein。
HesentamessagetoacquaintMrs。ThralethatIwasarrived。I
hadnotseenhersinceherhusband’sdeath。Shesoonappeared，andfavouredmewithaninvitationtostaytodinner，whichIaccepted。
Therewasnoothercompanybutherselfandthreeofherdaughters，Dr。Johnson，andI。Shetoosaid，shewasverygladIwascome，forshewasgoingtoBath，andshouldhavebeensorrytoleaveDr。
JohnsonbeforeIcame。Thisseemedtobeattentiveandkind；andI
whohadnotbeeninformedofanychange，imaginedalltobeaswellasformerly。Hewaslittleinclinedtotalkatdinner，andwenttosleepafterit；butwhenhejoinedusinthedrawing-room，heseemedrevived，andwasagainhimself。
Talkingofconversation，hesaid，’Theremust，inthefirstplace，beknowledge，theremustbematerials；inthesecondplace，theremustbeacommandofwords；inthethirdplace，theremustbeimagination，toplacethingsinsuchviewsastheyarenotcommonlyseenin；andinthefourthplace，theremustbepresenceofmind，andaresolutionthatisnottobeovercomebyfailures：thislastisanessentialrequisite；forwantofitmanypeopledonotexcelinconversation。NowIwantit：Ithrowupthegameuponlosingatrick。’Iwonderedtohearhimtalkthusofhimself，andsaid，’I
don’tknow，Sir，howthismaybe；butIamsureyoubeatotherpeople’scardsoutoftheirhands。’Idoubtwhetherheheardthisremark。Whilehewentontalkingtriumphantly，Iwasfixedinadmiration，andsaidtoMrs。Thrale，’O，forshort-handtotakethisdown!’’You’llcarryitallinyourhead，saidshe；alongheadisasgoodasshort-hand。’
Ithasbeenobservedandwonderedat，thatMr。CharlesFoxnevertalkedwithanyfreedominthepresenceofDr。Johnson，thoughitiswellknown，andImyselfcanwitness，thathisconversationisvarious，fluent，andexceedinglyagreeable。Johnson’sownexperience，however，ofthatgentleman’sreservewasasufficientreasonforhisgoingonthus：’Foxnevertalksinprivatecompany；
notfromanydeterminationnottotalk，butbecausehehasnotthefirstmotion。AmanwhoisusedtotheapplauseoftheHouseofCommons，hasnowishforthatofaprivatecompany。Amanaccustomedtothrowforathousandpounds，ifsetdowntothrowforsixpence，wouldnotbeatthepainstocounthisdice。Burke’stalkistheebullitionofhismind；hedoesnottalkfromadesireofdistinction，butbecausehismindisfull。’
Aftermusingforsometime，hesaid，’IwonderhowIshouldhaveanyenemies；forIdoharmtonobody。’BOSWELL。’Inthefirstplace，Sir，youwillbepleasedtorecollect，thatyousetoutwithattackingtheScotch；soyougotawholenationforyourenemies。’
JOHNSON。’Why，Iown，thatbymydefinitionofOATSImeanttovexthem。’BOSWELL。’Pray，Sir，canyoutracethecauseofyourantipathytotheScotch？’JOHNSON。’Icannot，Sir。’BOSWELL。
’OldMr。Sheridansays，itwasbecausetheysoldCharlestheFirst。’JOHNSON。’Then，Sir，oldMr。Sheridanhasfoundoutaverygoodreason。’
IhadpaidavisittoGeneralOglethorpeinthemorning，*andwastoldbyhimthatDr。JohnsonsawcompanyonSaturdayevenings，andhewouldmeetmeatJohnson’sthatnight。WhenImentionedthistoJohnson，notdoubtingthatitwouldpleasehim，ashehadagreatvalueforOglethorpe，thefretfulnessofhisdiseaseunexpectedlysheweditself；hisangersuddenlykindled，andhesaid，withvehemence，’Didnotyoutellhimnottocome？AmItobeHUNTEDinthismanner？’IsatisfiedhimthatIcouldnotdivinethatthevisitwouldnotbeconvenient，andthatIcertainlycouldnottakeituponmeofmyownaccordtoforbidtheGeneral。
*March22——Ed。
IfoundDr。JohnsonintheeveninginMrs。Williams’sroom，atteaandcoffeewithherandMrs。Desmoulins，whowerealsobothill；itwasasadscene，andhewasnotinverygoodhumour。Hesaidofaperformancethathadlatelycomeout，’Sir，ifyoushouldsearchallthemadhousesinEngland，youwouldnotfindtenmenwhowouldwriteso，andthinkitsense。’
IwasgladwhenGeneralOglethorpe’sarrivalwasannounced，andwelefttheladies。Dr。Johnsonattendedhimintheparlour，andwasascourteousasever。
OnSunday，March23，IbreakfastedwithDr。Johnson，whoseemedmuchrelieved，havingtakenopiumthenightbefore。Hehoweverprotestedagainstit，asaremedythatshouldbegivenwiththeutmostreluctance，andonlyinextremenecessity。ImentionedhowcommonlyitwasusedinTurkey，andthatthereforeitcouldnotbesoperniciousasheapprehended。Hegrewwarmandsaid，’Turkstakeopium，andChristianstakeopium；butRussel，inhisAccountofAleppo，tellsus，thatitisasdisgracefulinTurkeytotaketoomuchopium，asitiswithustogetdrunk。Sir，itisamazinghowthingsareexaggerated。AgentlemanwaslatelytellinginacompanywhereIwaspresent，thatinFranceassoonasamanoffashionmarries，hetakesanoperagirlintokeeping；andthishementionedasageneralcustom。“Pray，Sir，saidI，howmanyoperagirlsmaytherebe？“Heanswered，“Aboutfourscore。““Wellthen，Sir，saidI，youseetherecanbenomorethanfourscoremenoffashionwhocandothis。“’
Mrs。Desmoulinsmadetea；andsheandItalkedbeforehimuponatopickwhichhehadoncebornepatientlyfrommewhenwewerebyourselves，——hisnotcomplainingoftheworld，becausehewasnotcalledtosomegreatoffice，norhadattainedtogreatwealth。Heflewintoaviolentpassion，Iconfesswithsomejustice，andcommandedustohavedone。’Nobody，saidhe，hasarighttotalkinthismanner，tobringbeforeamanhisowncharacter，andtheeventsofhislife，whenhedoesnotchooseitshouldbedone。I
neverhavesoughttheworld；theworldwasnottoseekme。Itisratherwonderfulthatsomuchhasbeendoneforme。Allthecomplaintswhicharemadeoftheworldareunjust。Ineverknewamanofmeritneglected：itwasgenerallybyhisownfaultthathefailedofsuccess。Amanmayhidehisheadinahole：hemaygointothecountry，andpublishabooknowandthen，whichnobodyreads，andthencomplainheisneglected。Thereisnoreasonwhyanypersonshouldexerthimselfforamanwhohaswrittenagoodbook：hehasnotwrittenitforanyindividual。Imayaswellmakeapresenttothepostmanwhobringsmealetter。Whenpatronagewaslimited，anauthourexpectedtofindaMaecenas，andcomplainedifhedidnotfindone。Whyshouldhecomplain？ThisMaecenashasothersasgoodashe，orotherswhohavegotthestartofhim。’
Onthesubjectoftherightemploymentofwealth，Johnsonobserved，’Amancannotmakeabaduseofhismoney，sofarasregardsSociety，ifhedoesnothoardit；forifheeitherspendsitorlendsitout，Societyhasthebenefit。Itisingeneralbettertospendmoneythantogiveitaway；forindustryismorepromotedbyspendingmoneythanbygivingitaway。Amanwhospendshismoneyissureheisdoinggoodwithit：heisnotsosurewhenhegivesitaway。Amanwhospendstenthousandayearwilldomoregoodthanamanwhospendstwothousandandgivesawayeight。’
IntheeveningIcametohimagain。Hewassomewhatfretfulfromhisillness。Agentlemanaskedhim，whetherhehadbeenabroadto-
day。’Don’ttalksochildishly，saidhe。YoumayaswellaskifIhangedmyselfto-day。’Imentionedpoliticks。JOHNSON。’Sir，I’dassoonhaveamantobreakmybonesastalktomeofpublickaffairs，internalorexternal。Ihavelivedtoseethingsallasbadastheycanbe。’
Hesaid，’Goldsmith’sblunderingspeechtoLordShelburne，whichhasbeensooftenmentioned，andwhichhereallydidmaketohim，wasonlyablunderinemphasis：“IwondertheyshouldcallyourLordshipMalagrida，forMalagridawasaverygoodman；“meant，I
wondertheyshoulduseMalagridaasatermofreproach。’
SoonafterthistimeIhadanopportunityofseeing，bymeansofoneofhisfriends，aproofthathistalents，aswellashisobligingservicetoauthours，werereadyasever。HehadrevisedTheVillage，anadmirablepoem，bytheReverendMr。Crabbe。Itssentimentsastothefalsenotionsofrustickhappinessandrustickvirtuewerequitecongenialwithhisown；andhehadtakenthetroublenotonlytosuggestslightcorrectionsandvariations，buttofurnishsomelines，whenhethoughthecouldgivethewriter’smeaningbetterthaninthewordsofthemanuscript。
OnSunday，March30，Ifoundhimathomeintheevening，andhadthepleasuretomeetwithDr。Brocklesby，whosereading，andknowledgeoflife，andgoodspirits，supplyhimwithanever-
failingsourceofconversation。
IshallhereinsertafewofJohnson’ssayings，withouttheformalityofdates，astheyhavenoreferencetoanyparticulartimeorplace。
’Themoreamanextendsandvarieshisacquaintancethebetter。’
This，however，wasmeantwithajustrestriction；for，heonanotheroccasionsaidtome，’Sir，amanmaybesomuchofeverything，thatheisnothingofanything。’
’Itisaverygoodcustomtokeepajournalforaman’sownuse；hemaywriteuponacardadayallthatisnecessarytobewritten，afterhehashadexperienceoflife。Atfirstthereisagreatdealtobewritten，becausethereisagreatdealofnovelty；butwhenonceamanhassettledhisopinions，thereisseldommuchtobesetdown。’