alwaysmeantosendmycomplimentstoalltheladies。’
Hisfortitudeandpatiencemetwithseveretrialsduringthisyear。
Thestrokeofthepalsyhasbeenrelatedcircumstantially；buthewasalsoafflictedwiththegout，andwasbesidestroubledwithacomplaintwhichnotonlywasattendedwithimmediateinconvenience，butthreatenedhimwithachirurgicaloperation，fromwhichmostmenwouldshrink。Thecomplaintwasasarcocele，whichJohnsonborewithuncommonfirmness，andwasnotatallfrightenedwhilehelookedforwardtoamputation。HewasattendedbyMr。PottandMr。
Cruikshank。
Happilythecomplaintabatedwithouthisbeingputtothetortureofamputation。Butwemustsurelyadmirethemanlyresolutionwhichhediscoveredwhileithungoverhim。
HethisautumnreceivedavisitfromthecelebratedMrs。Siddons。
HegivesthisaccountofitinoneofhisletterstoMrs。Thrale：——
’Mrs。Siddons，inhervisittome，behavedwithgreatmodestyandpropriety，andleftnothingbehindhertobecensuredordespised。
Neitherpraisenormoney，thetwopowerfulcorruptersofmankind，seemtohavedepravedher。Ishallbegladtoseeheragain。HerbrotherKemblecallsonme，andpleasesmeverywell。Mrs。SiddonsandItalkedofplays；andshetoldmeherintentionofexhibitingthiswinterthecharactersofConstance，Catharine，andIsabella，inShakspeare。’
Mr。Kemblehasfavouredmewiththefollowingminuteofwhatpassedatthisvisit：——
’WhenMrs。Siddonscameintotheroom，therehappenedtobenochairreadyforher，whichheobserving，saidwithasmile，“Madam，youwhosooftenoccasionawantofseatstootherpeople，willthemoreeasilyexcusethewantofoneyourself。“
’Havingplacedhimselfbyher，hewithgreatgood-humourentereduponaconsiderationoftheEnglishdrama；and，amongotherinquiries，particularlyaskedherwhichofShakspeare’scharactersshewasmostpleasedwith。UponheransweringthatshethoughtthecharacterofQueenCatharine，inHenrytheEighth，themostnatural：——“Ithinksotoo，Madam，saidhe；andwheneveryouperformit，Iwilloncemorehobbleouttothetheatremyself。“
Mrs。Siddonspromisedshewoulddoherselfthehonourofactinghisfavouritepartforhim；butmanycircumstanceshappenedtopreventtherepresentationofKingHenrytheEighthduringtheDoctor’slife。
’Inthecourseoftheeveninghethusgavehisopinionuponthemeritsofsomeoftheprincipalperformerswhomherememberedtohaveseenuponthestage。“Mrs。Porterinthevehemenceofrage，andMrs。Cliveinthesprightlinessofhumour，Ihaveneverseenequalled。WhatClivedidbest，shedidbetterthanGarrick；butcouldnotdohalfsomanythingswell；shewasabetterrompthananyIeversawinnature。Pritchard，incommonlife，wasavulgarideot；shewouldtalkofherGOWND：but，whensheappeareduponthestage，seemedtobeinspiredbygentilityandunderstanding。I
oncetalkedwithColleyCibber，andthoughthimignorantoftheprinciplesofhisart。Garrick，Madam；wasnodeclaimer；therewasnotoneofhisownscene-shifterswhocouldnothavespokenTobe，ornottobe，betterthanhedid；yethewastheonlyactorIeversaw，whomIcouldcallamasterbothintragedyandcomedy；thoughIlikedhimbestincomedy。Atrueconceptionofcharacter，andnaturalexpressionofit，werehisdistinguishedexcellencies。“
Havingexpatiated，withhisusualforceandeloquence，onMr。
Garrick’sextraordinaryeminenceasanactor，heconcludedwiththiscomplimenttohissocialtalents：“Andafterall，Madam，I
thoughthimlesstobeenviedonthestagethanattheheadofatable。“’
Johnson，indeed，hadthoughtmoreuponthesubjectofactingthanmightbegenerallysupposed。TalkingofitonedaytoMr。Kemble，hesaid，’Areyou，Sir，oneofthoseenthusiastswhobelieveyourselftransformedintotheverycharacteryourepresent？’UponMr。Kemble’sansweringthathehadneverfeltsostrongapersuasionhimself；’Tobesurenot，Sir，saidJohnson；thethingisimpossible。AndifGarrickreallybelievedhimselftobethatmonster，RichardtheThird，hedeservedtobehangedeverytimeheperformedit。’
Ifindinthis，asinformeryears，noticesofhiskindattentiontoMrs。Gardiner，who，thoughinthehumblestationofatallow-
chandleruponSnow-hill，wasawomanofexcellentgoodsense，pious，andcharitable。Shetoldme，shehadbeenintroducedtohimbyMrs。Masters，thepoetess，whosevolumesherevised，and，itissaid，illuminatedhereandtherewitharayofhisowngenius。
Mrs。GardinerwasveryzealousforthesupportoftheLadies’
charity-school，intheparishofSt。Sepulchre。Itisconfinedtofemales；and，Iamtold，itaffordedahintforthestoryofBettyBroominTheIdler。
ThelateingeniousMr。Mickle，sometimebeforehisdeath，wrotemealetterconcerningDr。Johnson，inwhichhementions，——’Iwasupwardsoftwelveyearsacquaintedwithhim，wasfrequentlyinhiscompany，alwaystalkedwitheasetohim，andcantrulysay，thatI
neverreceivedfromhimoneroughword。’
Mr。Mickleremindsmeinthisletterofaconversation，atdinneronedayatMr。Hoole’swithDr。Johnson，whenMr。NicoltheKing’sbooksellerandIattemptedtocontrovertthemaxim，’betterthattenguiltyshouldescape，thanoneinnocentpersonsuffer；’andwereansweredbyDr。Johnsonwithgreatpowerofreasoningandeloquence。IamverysorrythatIhavenorecordofthatday：butIwellrecollectmyillustriousfriend’shavingablyshewn，thatunlesscivilinstitutionsinsureprotectiontotheinnocent，alltheconfidencewhichmankindshouldhaveinthemwouldbelost。
NotwithstandingthecomplicationofdisordersunderwhichJohnsonnowlaboured，hedidnotresignhimselftodespondencyanddiscontent，butwithwisdomandspiritendeavouredtoconsoleandamusehismindwithasmanyinnocentenjoymentsashecouldprocure。SirJohnHawkinshasmentionedthecordialitywithwhichheinsistedthatsuchofthemembersoftheoldclubinIvy-laneassurvived，shouldmeetagainanddinetogether，whichtheydid，twiceatatavernandonceathishouse：andinordertoinsurehimselfsocietyintheeveningforthreedaysintheweek，heinstitutedaclubattheEssexHead，inEssex-street，thenkeptbySamuelGreaves，anoldservantofMr。Thrale’s。
’TOSIRJOSHUAREYNOLDS。
’DEARSIR，——Itisinconvenienttometocomeout，IshouldelsehavewaitedonyouwithanaccountofalittleeveningClubwhichweareestablishinginEssex-street，intheStrand，andofwhichyouaredesiredtobeone。ItwillbeheldattheEssexHead，nowkeptbyanoldservantofThrale’s。Thecompanyisnumerous，and，asyouwillseebythelist，miscellaneous。Thetermsarelax，andtheexpenceslight。Mr。BarrywasadoptedbyDr。Brocklesby，whojoinedwithmeinformingtheplan。Wemeetthriceaweek，andhewhomissesforfeitstwo-pence。
’Ifyouarewillingtobecomeamember，drawalineunderyourname。Returnthelist。WemeetforthefirsttimeonMondayateight。Iam，&c。
’Dec。4，1783。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
ItdidnotsuitSirJoshuatobeoneofthisClub。ButwhenI
mentiononlyMr。DainesBarrington，Dr。Brocklesby，Mr。Murphy，Mr。
JohnNichols，Mr。Cooke，Mr。Joddrel，Mr。Paradise，Dr。Horsley，Mr。Windham，*IshallsufficientlyobviatethemisrepresentationofitbySirJohnHawkins，asifithadbeenalowale-houseassociation，bywhichJohnsonwasdegraded。Johnsonhimself，likehisnamesakeOldBen，composedtheRulesofhisClub。
*IwasinScotlandwhenthisClubwasfounded，andduringallthewinter。Johnson，however，declaredIshouldbeamember，andinventedawordupontheoccasion：Boswellsaidhe，isaveryCLUBABLEman。’WhenIcametotownIwasproposedbyMr。
Barrington，andchosen。Ibelievetherearefewsocietieswherethereisbetterconversationormoredecorum，severalofusresolvedtocontinueitafterourgreatfounderwasremovedbydeath。Othermemberswereadded；andnow，aboveeightyearssincethatloss，wegoonhappily——BOSWELL。
Intheendofthisyearhewasseizedwithaspasmodickasthmaofsuchviolence，thathewasconfinedtothehouseingreatpain，beingsometimesobligedtositallnightinhischair，arecumbentposturebeingsohurtfultohisrespiration，thathecouldnotendurelyinginbed；andtherecameuponhimatthesametimethatoppressiveandfataldisease，adropsy。Itwasaveryseverewinter，whichprobablyaggravatedhiscomplaints；andthesolitudeinwhichMr。LevettandMrs。Williamshadlefthim，renderedhislifeverygloomy。Mrs。Desmoulins，whostilllived，washerselfsoveryill，thatshecouldcontributeverylittletohisrelief。He，however，hadnoneofthatunsocialshynesswhichwecommonlyseeinpeopleafflictedwithsickness。Hedidnothidehisheadfromtheworld，insolitaryabstraction；hedidnotdenyhimselftothevisitsofhisfriendsandacquaintances；butatalltimes，whenhewasnotovercomebysleep，wasreadyforconversationasinhisbestdays。
’TOMRS。LUCYPORTER，INLICHFIELD。
’DEARMADAM，——YoumayperhapsthinkmenegligentthatIhavenotwrittentoyouagainuponthelossofyourbrother；butcondolencesandconsolationsaresuchcommonandsuchuselessthings，thattheomissionofthemisnogreatcrime：andmyowndiseasesoccupymymind，andengagemycare。Mynightsaremiserablyrestless，andmydays，therefore，areheavy。Itry，however，toholdupmyheadashighasIcan。
’Iamsorrythatyourhealthisimpaired；perhapsthespringandthesummermay，insomedegree，restoreit：butifnot，wemustsubmittotheinconveniencesoftime，astotheotherdispensationsofEternalGoodness。Prayforme，andwritetome，orletMr。
Pearsonwriteforyou。Iam，&c。
’London，Nov。29，1783。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
1784：AETAT。75。]——AndnowIamarrivedatthelastyearofthelifeofSAMUELJOHNSON，ayearinwhich，althoughpassedinsevereindisposition，heneverthelessgavemanyevidencesofthecontinuanceofthosewondrouspowersofmind，whichraisedhimsohighintheintellectualworld。Hisconversationandhislettersofthisyearwereinnorespectinferiourtothoseofformeryears。
InconsequenceofJohnson’srequestthatIshouldaskourphysiciansabouthiscase，anddesireSirAlexanderDicktosendhisopinion，ItransmittedhimaletterfromthatveryamiableBaronet，theninhiseighty-firstyear，withhisfacultiesasentireasever；andmentionedhisexpressionstomeinthenoteaccompanyingit：’WithmymostaffectionatewishesforDr。
Johnson’srecovery，inwhichhisfriends，hiscountry，andallmankindhavesodeepastake：’andatthesametimeafullopinionuponhiscasebyDr。Gillespie，who，likeDr。Cullen，hadtheadvantageofhavingpassedthroughthegradationsofsurgeryandpharmacy，andbystudyandpracticehadattainedtosuchskill，thatmyfathersettledonhimtwohundredpoundsayearforfiveyears，andfiftypoundsayearduringhislife，asanhonorariumtosecurehisparticularattendance。
IalsoappliedtothreeoftheeminentphysicianswhohadchairsinourcelebratedschoolofmedicineatEdinburgh，DoctorsCullen，Hope，andMonro。
Allofthempaidthemostpoliteattentiontomyletter，anditsvenerableobject。Dr。Cullen’swordsconcerninghimwere，’Itwouldgivemethegreatestpleasuretobeofanyservicetoamanwhomthepublickproperlyesteem，andwhomIesteemandrespectasmuchasIdoDr。Johnson。’Dr。Hope’s，’Fewpeoplehaveabetterclaimonmethanyourfriend，ashardlyadaypassesthatIdonotaskhisopinionaboutthisorthatword。’Dr。Monro’s，’Imostsincerelyjoinyouinsympathizingwiththatveryworthyandingeniouscharacter，fromwhomhiscountryhasderivedmuchinstructionandentertainment。’
’TOTHEREVERENDDR。TAYLOR，ASHBOURNE，DERBYSHIRE。