wouldvisitmyneighbours，andreceivetheirvisits；butIwouldnotbeinhastetoreturnvisits。Ifagentlemancomestoseeme，Itellhimhedoesmeagreatdealofhonour。Idonotgotoseehimperhapsfortenweeks；thenweareverycomplaisanttoeachother。No，Sir，youwillhavemuchmoreinfluencebygivingorlendingmoneywhereitiswanted，thanbyhospitality。’
OnSaturday，May17，Isawhimforashorttime。HavingmentionedthatIhadthatmorningbeenwitholdMr。Sheridan，herememberedtheirformerintimacywithacordialwarmth，andsaidtome，’TellMr。Sheridan，Ishallbegladtoseehim，andshakehandswithhim。’BOSWELL。’Itistomeverywonderfulthatresentmentshouldbekeptupsolong。’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，itisnotaltogetherresentmentthathedoesnotvisitme；itispartlyfallingoutofthehabit，——partlydisgust，asonehasatadrugthathasmadehimsick。Besides，heknowsthatIlaughathisoratory。’
AnotherdayIspokeofoneofourfriends，ofwhomhe，aswellasI，hadaveryhighopinion。Heexpatiatedinhispraise；butadded，’Sir，heisacursedWhig，aBOTTOMLESSWhig，astheyallarenow。’
OnMonday，May26，Ifoundhimattea，andthecelebratedMissBurney，theauthourofEvelinaandCecilia，withhim。IaskediftherewouldbeanyspeakersinParliament，iftherewerenoplacestobeobtained。JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir。Whydoyouspeakhere？
Eithertoinstructandentertain，whichisabenevolentmotive；orfordistinction，whichisaselfishmotive。’ImentionedCecilia。
JOHNSON。withanairofanimatedsatisfaction，’Sir，ifyoutalkofCecilia，talkon。’
WetalkedofMr。Barry’sexhibitionofhispictures。JOHNSON。
’Whateverthehandmayhavedone，themindhasdoneitspart。
Thereisagraspofmindtherewhichyoufindnowhereelse。’
Iaskedwhetheramannaturallyvirtuous，oronewhohasovercomewickedinclinations，isthebest。JOHNSON。’Sir，toYOU，themanwhohasovercomewickedinclinationsisnotthebest。HehasmoremerittoHIMSELF：Iwouldrathertrustmymoneytoamanwhohasnohands，andsoaphysicalimpossibilitytosteal，thantoamanofthemosthonestprinciples。ThereisawittysatiricalstoryofFoote。HehadasmallbustofGarrickplaceduponhisbureau。
“Youmaybesurprizedsaidhe，thatIallowhimtobesonearmygold；——butyouwillobservehehasnohands。“’
OnFriday，May29，beingtosetoutforScotlandnextmorning，I
passedapartofthedaywithhiminmorethanusualearnestness；
ashishealthwasinamoreprecariousstatethanatanytimewhenIhadpartedfromhim。He，however，wasquickandlively，andcriticalasusual。Imentionedonewhowasaverylearnedman。
JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir，hehasagreatdealoflearning；butitneverliesstraight。Thereisneveroneideabythesideofanother；
’tisallentangled：andtheirhedrivesitsoaukwardlyuponconversation。’
Hesaid，’Getasmuchforceofmindasyoucan。Livewithinyourincome。Alwayshavesomethingsavedattheendoftheyear。Letyourimportsbemorethanyourexports，andyou’llnevergofarwrong。
Iassuredhim，thatintheextensiveandvariousrangeofhisacquaintancethereneverhadbeenanyonewhohadamoresincererespectandaffectionforhimthanIhad。Hesaid，’Ibelieveit，Sir。WereIindistress，thereisnomantowhomIshouldsoonercomethantoyou。Ishouldliketocomeandhaveacottageinyourpark，toddleabout，livemostlyonmilk，andbetakencareofbyMrs。Boswell。SheandIaregoodfriendsnow；arewenot？’
Heembracedme，andgavemehisblessing，asusualwhenIwasleavinghimforanylengthoftime。Iwalkedfromhisdoorto-day，withafearfulapprehensionofwhatmighthappenbeforeIreturned。
Myanxiousapprehensionsatpartingwithhimthisyear，provedtobebuttoowellfounded；fornotlongafterwardshehadadreadfulstrokeofthepalsy，ofwhichthereareveryfullandaccurateaccountsinletterswrittenbyhimself，toshewwithwhatcomposureofmind，andresignationtotheDivineWill，hissteadypietyenabledhimtobehave。
’TOMR。EDMUNDALLEN。
’DEARSIR，——IthaspleasedGOD，thismorning，todeprivemeofthepowersofspeech；andasIdonotknowbutthatitmaybehisfurthergoodpleasuretodeprivemesoonofmysenses，Irequestyouwillonthereceiptofthisnote，cometome，andactforme，astheexigenciesofmycasemayrequire。Iam，sincerelyyours，’June17，1783。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
TwodaysafterhewrotethustoMrs。Thrale：——
’OnMonday，the16th，Isatformypicture，andwalkedaconsiderablewaywithlittleinconvenience。IntheafternoonandeveningIfeltmyselflightandeasy，andbegantoplanschemesoflife。ThusIwenttobed，andinashorttimewakedandsatup，ashasbeenlongmycustom，whenIfeltaconfusionandindistinctnessinmyhead，whichlasted，Isuppose，abouthalfaminute。Iwasalarmed，andprayedGod，thathoweverhemightafflictmybody，hewouldsparemyunderstanding。Thisprayer，thatImighttrytheintegrityofmyfaculties，ImadeinLatinverse。Thelineswerenotverygood，butIknewthemnottobeverygood：Imadethemeasily，andconcludedmyselftobeunimpairedinmyfaculties。
’SoonafterIperceivedthatIhadsufferedaparalytickstroke，andthatmyspeechwastakenfromme。Ihadnopain，andsolittledejectioninthisdreadfulstate，thatIwonderedatmyownapathy，andconsideredthatperhapsdeathitself，whenitshouldcome，wouldexcitelesshorrourthanseemsnowtoattendit。
’Inordertorousethevocalorgans，Itooktwodrams。Winehasbeencelebratedfortheproductionofeloquence。Iputmyselfintoviolentmotion，andIthinkrepeatedit；butallwasvain。Ithenwenttobed，andstrangeasitmayseem，Ithinkslept。WhenIsawlight，itwastimetocontrivewhatIshoulddo。ThoughGodstoppedmyspeech，heleftmemyhand；IenjoyedamercywhichwasnotgrantedtomydearfriendLawrence，whonowperhapsoverlooksmeasIamwriting，andrejoicesthatIhavewhathewanted。Myfirstnotewasnecessarilytomyservant，whocameintalking，andcouldnotimmediatelycomprehendwhyheshouldreadwhatIputintohishands。
’IthenwroteacardtoMr。Allen，thatImighthaveadiscreetfriendathand，toactasoccasionshouldrequire。Inpenningthisnote，Ihadsomedifficulty；myhand，Iknewnothownorwhy，madewrongletters。IthenwrotetoDr。Taylortocometome，andbringDr。Heberden；andIsenttoDr。Brocklesby，whoismyneighbour。
Myphysiciansareveryfriendly，andgivemegreathopes；butyoumayimaginemysituation。Ihavesofarrecoveredmyvocalpowers，astorepeattheLord’sPrayerwithnoveryimperfectarticulation。
Mymemory，Ihope，yetremainsasitwas；butsuchanattackproducessolicitudeforthesafetyofeveryfaculty。’
’TOMR。THOMASDAVIES。
’DEARSIR，——Ihavehad，indeed，averyheavyblow；butGOD，whoyetsparesmylife，Ihumblyhopewillsparemyunderstanding，andrestoremyspeech。AsIamnotatallhelpless，Iwantnoparticularassistance，butamstronglyaffectedbyMrs。Davies’stenderness；andwhenIthinkshecandomegood，shallbeverygladtocalluponher。Ihadorderedfriendstobeshutout；butoneortwohavefoundthewayin；andifyoucomeyoushallbeadmitted：
forIknownotwhomIcansee，thatwillbringmoreamusementonhistongue，ormorekindnessinhisheart。Iam，&c。
’June18，1783。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
ItgivesmegreatpleasuretopreservesuchamemorialofJohnson’sregardforMr。Davies，towhomIwasindebtedformyintroductiontohim。HeindeedlovedDaviescordially，ofwhichIshallgivethefollowinglittleevidence。Onedaywhenhehadtreatedhimwithtoomuchasperity，Tom，whowasnotwithoutprideandspirit，wentoffinapassion；buthehadhardlyreachedhomewhenFrank，whohadbeensentafterhim，deliveredthisnote：——’Come，come，dearDavies，Iamalwayssorrywhenwequarrel；sendmewordthatwearefriends。’
Suchwasthegeneralvigourofhisconstitution，thatherecoveredfromthisalarmingandsevereattackwithwonderfulquickness；sothatinJulyhewasabletomakeavisittoMr。LangtonatRochester，wherehepassedaboutafortnight，andmadelittleexcursionsaseasilyasatanytimeofhislife。InAugusthewentasfarastheneighbourhoodofSalisbury，toHeale，theseatofWilliamBowles，Esq。，agentlemanwhomIhaveheardhimpraiseforexemplaryreligiousorderinhisfamily。InhisdiaryIfindashortbuthonourablementionofthisvisit：——’August28，IcametoHealewithoutfatigue。30，Iamentertainedquitetomymind。’
WhilehewasherehehadaletterfromDr。Brocklesby，acquaintinghimofthedeathofMrs。Williams，whichaffectedhimagooddeal。
Thoughforseveralyearshertemperhadnotbeencomplacent，shehadvaluablequalities，andherdepartureleftablankinhishouse。Uponthisoccasionhe，accordingtohishabitualcourseofpiety，composedaprayer。
Ishallhereinsertafewparticularsconcerninghim，withwhichI
havebeenfavouredbyoneofhisfriends。
’HespokeofteninpraiseofFrenchliterature。“TheFrenchareexcellentinthis，hewouldsay，theyhaveabookoneverysubject。“Fromwhathehadseenofthemhedeniedthemthepraiseofsuperiourpoliteness，andmentioned，withveryvisibledisgust，thecustomtheyhaveofspittingonthefloorsoftheirapartments。
“This，saidtheDoctor，isasgrossathingascanwellbedone；
andonewondershowanyman，orsetofmen，canpersistinsooffensiveapracticeforawholedaytogether；oneshouldexpectthatthefirstefforttowardscivilizationwouldremoveitevenamongsavages。“
’ChymistrywasalwaysaninterestingpursuitwithDr。Johnson。
WhilsthewasinWiltshire，heattendedsomeexperimentsthatweremadebyaphysicianatSalisbury，onthenewkindsofair。InthecourseoftheexperimentsfrequentmentionbeingmadeofDr。
Priestley，Dr。Johnsonknithisbrows，andinasternmannerinquired，“WhydowehearsomuchofDr。Priestley？“Hewasveryproperlyanswered，“Sir，becauseweareindebtedtohimfortheseimportantdiscoveries。“OnthisDr。Johnsonappearedwellcontent；
andreplied，“Well，well，Ibelieveweare；andleteverymanhavethehonourhehasmerited。“’
’Afriendwasoneday，abouttwoyearsbeforehisdeath，struckwithsomeinstanceofDr。Johnson’sgreatcandour。“Well，Sir，saidhe，Iwillalwayssaythatyouareaverycandidman。“
“Willyou，repliedtheDoctor，Idoubtthenyouwillbeverysingular。But，indeed，Sir，continuedhe，Ilookuponmyselftobeamanverymuchmisunderstood。Iamnotanuncandid，noramIasevereman。IsometimessaymorethanImean，injest；andpeopleareapttobelievemeserious：however，IammorecandidthanIwaswhenIwasyounger。AsIknowmoreofmankindIexpectlessofthem，andamreadynowtocallamanAGOODMAN，uponeasiertermsthanIwasformerly。“’
OnhisreturnfromHealehewrotetoDr。Burney：——
’Icamehomeonthe18thatnoontoaverydisconsolatehouse。YouandIhavelostourfriends；butyouhavemorefriendsathome。Mydomestickcompanionistakenfromme。Sheismuchmissed，forheracquisitionsweremany，andhercuriosityuniversal；sothatshepartookofeveryconversation。Iamnotwellenoughtogomuchout；andtosit，andeat，orfastalone，isverywearisome。I