believehehimself，inhiscarelessnessconcerningworldlymatters，knewittobe，hadhetravelledupontheContinent，anaugmentationofhisincomewouldbynomeanshavebeenunnecessary。
OnThursday，June24，IdinedwithhimatMr。Dilly’s，whereweretheRev。Mr。nowDr。Knox，masterofTunbridge-school，Mr。Smith，VicarofSouthill，Dr。Beattie，Mr。Pinkerton，authourofvariousliteraryperformances，andtheRev。Dr。Mayo。AtmydesireoldMr。
Sheridanwasinvited，asIwasearnesttohaveJohnsonandhimbroughttogetheragainbychance，thatareconciliationmightbeeffected。Mr。Sheridanhappenedtocomeearly，andhavinglearnedthatDr。Johnsonwastobethere，wentaway；soIfound，withsincereregret，thatmyfriendlyintentionswerehopeless。I
recollectnothingthatpassedthisday，exceptJohnson’squickness，who，whenDr。Beattieobserved，assomethingremarkablewhichhadhappenedtohim，thathehadchancedtoseebothNo。1，andNo。
1000，ofthehackney-coaches，thefirstandthelast；’Why，Sir，saidJohnson，thereisanequalchanceforone’sseeingthosetwonumbersasanyothertwo。’
OnFriday，June25，IdinedwithhimatGeneralPaoli’s，where，hesaysinoneofhisletterstoMrs。Thrale，’Ilovetodine。’Therewasavarietyofdishesmuchtohistaste，ofallwhichheseemedtometoeatsomuch，thatIwasafraidhemightbehurtbyit；andIwhisperedtotheGeneralmyfear，andbeggedhemightnotpresshim。’Alas!saidtheGeneral，seehowveryillhelooks；hecanlivebutaveryshorttime。Wouldyourefuseanyslightgratificationstoamanundersentenceofdeath？ThereisahumanecustominItaly，bywhichpersonsinthatmelancholysituationareindulgedwithhavingwhatevertheylikebesttoeatanddrink，evenwithexpensivedelicacies。’
OnSunday，June27，Ifoundhimratherbetter。ImentionedtohimayoungmanwhowasgoingtoJamaicawithhiswifeandchildren，inexpectationofbeingprovidedforbytwoofherbrotherssettledinthatisland，oneaclergyman，andtheotheraphysician。JOHNSON。
’Itisawildscheme，Sir，unlesshehasapositiveanddeliberateinvitation。Therewasapoorgirl，whousedtocomeaboutme，whohadacousininBarbadoes，that，inalettertoher，expressedawishsheshouldcomeouttothatIsland，andexpatiatedonthecomfortsandhappinessofhersituation。Thepoorgirlwentout：
hercousinwasmuchsurprised，andaskedherhowshecouldthinkofcoming。“Because，saidshe，youinvitedme。““NotI，“answeredthecousin。Theletterwasthenproduced。“Iseeitistrue，saidshe，thatIdidinviteyou：butIdidnotthinkyouwouldcome。“Theylodgedherinanout-house，whereshepassedhertimemiserably；andassoonasshehadanopportunityshereturnedtoEngland。Alwaystellthis，whenyouhearofpeoplegoingabroadtorelations，uponanotionofbeingwellreceived。Inthecasewhichyoumention，itisprobabletheclergymanspendsallhegets，andthephysiciandoesnotknowhowmuchheistoget。’
WethisdaydinedatSirJoshuaReynolds’s，withGeneralPaoli，LordEliot，formerlyMr。Eliot，ofPortEliot，Dr。Beattie，andsomeothercompany。TalkingofLordChesterfield；——JOHNSON。’Hismannerwasexquisitelyelegant，andhehadmoreknowledgethanI
expected。’BOSWELL。’Didyoufind，Sir，hisconversationtobeofasuperiourstyle？’JOHNSON。’Sir，intheconversationwhichI
hadwithhimIhadthebestrighttosuperiority，foritwasuponphilologyandliterature。’LordEliot，whohadtravelledatthesametimewithMr。Stanhope，LordChesterfield’snaturalson，justlyobserved，thatitwasstrangethatamanwhoshewedhehadsomuchaffectionforhissonasLordChesterfielddid，bywritingsomanylongandanxiousletterstohim，almostallofthemwhenhewasSecretaryofState，whichcertainlywasaproofofgreatgoodnessofdisposition，shouldendeavourtomakehissonarascal。
HisLordshiptoldus，thatFootehadintendedtobringonthestageafatherwhohadthustutoredhisson，andtoshewthesonanhonestmantoeveryoneelse，butpractisinghisfather’smaximsuponhim，andcheatinghim。JOHNSON。’Iammuchpleasedwiththisdesign；butIthinktherewasnooccasiontomakethesonhonestatall。No；heshouldbeaconsummaterogue：thecontrastbetweenhonestyandknaverywouldbethestronger。Itshouldbecontrivedsothatthefathershouldbetheonlysuffererbytheson’svillainy，andthustherewouldbepoeticaljustice。’
Ayounggentlemanpresenttookuptheargumentagainsthim，andmaintainedthatnomaneverthinksoftheNOSEOFTHEMIND，notadvertingthatthoughthatfigurativesenseseemsstrangetous，asveryunusual，itistrulynotmoreforcedthanHamlet’s’InmyMIND’SEYE，Horatio。’Hepersistedmuchtoolong，andappearedtoJohnsonasputtinghimselfforwardashisantagonistwithtoomuchpresumption；uponwhichhecalledtohiminaloudtone，’Whatisityouarecontendingfor，ifyouBEcontending？’Andafterwardsimaginingthatthegentlemanretorteduponhimwithakindofsmartdrollery，hesaid，’Mr。*****itdoesnotbecomeyoutotalksotome。Besides，ridiculeisnotyourtalent；youhaveTHEREneitherintuitionnorsagacity。’Thegentlemanprotestedthathehadintendednoimproperfreedom，buthadthegreatestrespectforDr。
Johnson。Afterashortpause，duringwhichweweresomewhatuneasy，——JOHNSON。’Givemeyourhand，Sir。Youweretootedious，andIwastooshort。’Mr。*****。’Sir，Iamhonouredbyyourattentioninanyway。’JOHNSON。’Come，Sir，let’shavenomoreofit。Weoffendedoneanotherbyourcontention；letusnotoffendthecompanybyourcompliments。’
Henowsaid，’HewishedmuchtogotoItaly，andthathedreadedpassingthewinterinEngland。’Isaidnothing；butenjoyedasecretsatisfactioninthinkingthatIhadtakenthemosteffectualmeasurestomakesuchaschemepracticable。
OnMonday，June28，IhadthehonourtoreceivefromtheLordChancellorthefollowingletter：——
’TOJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。
’SIR，——Ishouldhaveansweredyourletterimmediately，ifbeingmuchengagedwhenIreceiveditIhadnotputitinmypocket，andforgottoopenittillthismorning。
’Iammuchobligedtoyouforthesuggestion；andIwilladoptandpressitasfarasIcan。Thebestargument，Iamsure，andIhopeitisnotlikelytofail，isDr。Johnson’smerit。Butitwillbenecessary，ifIshouldbesounfortunateastomissseeingyou，toconversewithSirJoshuaonthesumitwillbepropertoask，——inshort，uponthemeansofsettinghimout。Itwouldbeareflectiononusall，ifsuchamanshouldperishforwantofthemeanstotakecareofhishealth。Yours，&c。
’THURLOW。’
Thislettergavemeaveryhighsatisfaction；InextdaywentandshewedittoSirJoshuaReynolds，whowasexceedinglypleasedwithit。HethoughtthatIshouldnowcommunicatethenegociationtoDr。Johnson，whomightafterwardscomplainiftheattentionwithwhichhehadbeenhonoured，shouldbetoolongconcealedfromhim。
IintendedtosetoutforScotlandnextmorning；butSirJoshuacordiallyinsistedthatIshouldstayanotherday，thatJohnsonandImightdinewithhim，thatwethreemighttalkofhisItalianTour，and，asSirJoshuaexpressedhimself，’haveitallout。’I
hastenedtoJohnson，andwastoldbyhimthathewasratherbetterto-day。BOSWELL。’Iamveryanxiousaboutyou，Sir，andparticularlythatyoushouldgotoItalyforthewinter，whichI
believeisyourownwish。’JOHNSON。’Itis，Sir。’BOSWELL。’Youhavenoobjection，Ipresume，butthemoneyitwouldrequire。’
JOHNSON。’Why，no，Sir。’UponwhichIgavehimaparticularaccountofwhathadbeendone，andreadtohimtheLordChancellor’sletter。Helistenedwithmuchattention；thenwarmlysaid，’Thisistakingprodigiouspainsaboutaman。’’O!Sir，saidI，withmostsincereaffection，yourfriendswoulddoeverythingforyou。’Hepaused，grewmoreandmoreagitated，tilltearsstartedintohiseyes，andheexclaimedwithferventemotion，’GOD
blessyouall。’IwassoaffectedthatIalsoshedtears。Afterashortsilence，herenewedandextendedhisgratefulbenediction，’GODblessyouall，forJESUSCHRIST’Ssake。’Webothremainedforsometimeunabletospeak。Herosesuddenlyandquittedtheroom，quitemeltedintenderness。Hestaidbutashorttime，tillhehadrecoveredhisfirmness；soonafterhereturnedIlefthim，havingfirstengagedhimtodineatSirJoshuaReynolds’s，nextday。I
neverwasagainunderthatroofwhichIhadsolongreverenced。
OnWednesday，June30，thefriendlyconfidentialdinnerwithSirJoshuaReynoldstookplace，noothercompanybeingpresent。HadI
knownthatthiswasthelasttimethatIshouldenjoyinthisworld，theconversationofafriendwhomIsomuchrespected，andfromwhomIderivedsomuchinstructionandentertainment，Ishouldhavebeendeeplyaffected。WhenInowlookbacktoit，Iamvexedthatasinglewordshouldhavebeenforgotten。
BothSirJoshuaandIweresosanguineinourexpectations，thatweexpatiatedwithconfidenceontheliberalprovisionwhichweweresurewouldbemadeforhim，conjecturingwhethermunificencewouldbedisplayedinonelargedonation，orinanampleincreaseofhispension。Hehimselfcatchedsomuchofourenthusiasm，astoallowhimselftosupposeitnotimpossiblethatourhopesmightinonewayorotherberealised。Hesaidthathewouldratherhavehispensiondoubledthanagrantofathousandpounds；’For，saidhe，
thoughprobablyImaynotlivetoreceiveasmuchasathousandpounds，amanwouldhavetheconsciousnessthatheshouldpasstheremainderofhislifeinsplendour，howlongsoeveritmightbe。’
Consideringwhatamoderateproportionanincomeofsixhundredpoundsayearbearstoinnumerablefortunesinthiscountry，itisworthyofremark，thatamansotrulygreatshouldthinkitsplendour。
Asaninstanceofextraordinaryliberalityoffriendship，hetoldus，thatDr。Brocklesbyhaduponthisoccasionofferedhimahundredayearforhislife。Agratefultearstartedintohiseye，ashespokethisinafaulteringtone。
SirJoshuaandIendeavouredtoflatterhisimaginationwithagreeableprospectsofhappinessinItaly。’Nay，saidhe，Imustnotexpectmuchofthat；whenamangoestoItalymerelytofeelhowhebreathestheair，hecanenjoyverylittle。’
Ourconversationturneduponlivinginthecountry，whichJohnson，whosemelancholymindrequiredthedissipationofquicksuccessivevariety，hadhabituatedhimselftoconsiderasakindofmentalimprisonment。’Yet，Sir，saidI，therearemanypeoplewhoarecontenttoliveinthecountry。’JOHNSON。’Sir，itisintheintellectualworldasinthephysicalworld；wearetoldbynaturalphilosophersthatabodyisatrestintheplacethatisfitforit；theywhoarecontenttoliveinthecountry，areFITforthecountry。’
Talkingofvariousenjoyments，Iarguedthatarefinementoftastewasadisadvantage，astheywhohaveattainedtoitmustbeseldomerpleasedthanthosewhohavenonicediscrimination，andarethereforesatisfiedwitheverythingthatcomesintheirway。
JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir；thatisapaltrynotion。Endeavourtobeasperfectasyoucanineveryrespect。’
IaccompaniedhiminSirJoshuaReynolds’scoach，totheentryofBolt-court。HeaskedmewhetherIwouldnotgowithhimtohishouse；Ideclinedit，fromanapprehensionthatmyspiritswouldsink。Webadeadieutoeachotheraffectionatelyinthecarriage。
Whenhehadgotdownuponthefoot-pavement，hecalledout，’Fareyouwell；’andwithoutlookingback，sprungawaywithakindofpathetickbriskness，ifImayusethatexpression，whichseemedtoindicateastruggletoconcealuneasiness，andimpressedmewithaforebodingofourlong，longseparation。
Iremainedonedaymoreintown，tohavethechanceoftalkingovermynegociationwiththeLordChancellor；butthemultiplicityofhisLordship’simportantengagementsdidnotallowofit；soIleftthemanagementofthebusinessinthehandsofSirJoshuaReynolds。