第20章

JohnsoncomplainedthatamanwhodislikedhimrepeatedhissarcasmtoMr。Sheridan，withouttellinghimwhatfollowed，whichwas，thatafterapauseheadded，’However，IamgladthatMr。Sheridanhasapension，forheisaverygoodman。’Sheridancouldneverforgivethishastycontemptuousexpression。Itrankledinhismind；andthoughIinformedhimofallthatJohnsonsaid，andthathewouldbeverygladtomeethimamicably，hepositivelydeclinedrepeatedofferswhichImade，andoncewentoffabruptlyfromahousewhereheandIwereengagedtodine，becausehewastoldthatDr。Johnsonwastobethere。

ThisrupturewithSheridandeprivedJohnsonofoneofhismostagreeableresourcesforamusementinhislonelyevenings；forSheridan’swell-informed，animated，andbustlingmindneversufferedconversationtostagnate；andMrs。Sheridanwasamostagreeablecompaniontoanintellectualman。Shewassensible，ingenious，unassuming，yetcommunicative。Irecollect，withsatisfaction，manypleasinghourswhichIpassedwithherunderthehospitableroofofherhusband，whowastomeaverykindfriend。

Hernovel，entitledMemoirsofMissSydneyBiddulph，containsanexcellentmoralwhileitinculcatesafuturestateofretribution；

andwhatitteachesisimpresseduponthemindbyaseriesofasdeepdistressascanaffecthumanity，intheamiableandpiousheroinewhogoestohergraveunrelieved，butresigned，andfullofhopeof’heaven’smercy。’Johnsonpaidherthishighcomplimentuponit：’Iknownot，Madam，thatyouhavearight，uponmoralprinciples，tomakeyourreaderssuffersomuch。’

Mr。ThomasDaviestheactor，whothenkeptabookseller’sshopinRussel-street，Covent-garden，toldmethatJohnsonwasverymuchhisfriend，andcamefrequentlytohishouse，wherehemorethanonceinvitedmetomeethim；butbysomeunluckyaccidentorotherhewaspreventedfromcomingtous。

Mr。ThomasDavieswasamanofgoodunderstandingandtalents，withtheadvantageofaliberaleducation。Thoughsomewhatpompous，hewasanentertainingcompanion；andhisliteraryperformanceshavenoinconsiderableshareofmerit。Hewasafriendlyandveryhospitableman。Bothheandhiswife，(whohasbeencelebratedforherbeauty，)thoughuponthestageformanyyears，maintainedanuniformdecencyofcharacter；andJohnsonesteemedthem，andlivedinaseasyanintimacywiththem，aswithanyfamilywhichheusedtovisit。Mr。DaviesrecollectedseveralofJohnson’sremarkablesayings，andwasoneofthebestofthemanyimitatorsofhisvoiceandmanner，whilerelatingthem。HeincreasedmyimpatiencemoreandmoretoseetheextraordinarymanwhoseworksIhighlyvalued，andwhoseconversationwasreportedtobesopeculiarlyexcellent。

Atlast，onMondaythe16thofMay，whenIwassittinginMr。

Davies’sback-parlour，afterhavingdrunkteawithhimandMrs。

Davies，Johnsonunexpectedlycameintotheshop；andMr。Davieshavingperceivedhimthroughtheglass-doorintheroominwhichweweresitting，advancingtowardsus，——heannouncedhisawefulapproachtome，somewhatinthemannerofanactorinthepartofHoratio，whenheaddressesHamletontheappearanceofhisfather’sghost，’Look，myLord，itcomes。’IfoundthatIhadaveryperfectideaofJohnson’sfigure，fromtheportraitofhimpaintedbySirJoshuaReynoldssoonafterhehadpublishedhisDictionary，intheattitudeofsittinginhiseasychairindeepmeditation，whichwasthefirstpicturehisfrienddidforhim，whichSirJoshuaverykindlypresentedtome，andfromwhichanengravinghasbeenmadeforthiswork。Mr。Daviesmentionedmyname，andrespectfullyintroducedmetohim。Iwasmuchagitated；andrecollectinghisprejudiceagainsttheScotch，ofwhichIhadheardmuch，IsaidtoDavies，’Don’ttellwhereIcomefrom。’——’FromScotland，’criedDaviesroguishly。’Mr。Johnson，(saidI)IdoindeedcomefromScotland，butIcannothelpit。’IamwillingtoflattermyselfthatImeantthisaslightpleasantrytosoothandconciliatehim，andnotasanhumiliatingabasementattheexpenceofmycountry。Buthoweverthatmightbe，thisspeechwassomewhatunlucky；forwiththatquicknessofwitforwhichhewassoremarkable，heseizedtheexpression’comefromScotland，’whichI

usedinthesenseofbeingofthatcountry；and，asifIhadsaidthatIhadcomeawayfromit，orleftit，retorted，’That，Sir，I

find，iswhataverygreatmanyofyourcountrymencannothelp。’

Thisstrokestunnedmeagooddeal；andwhenwehadsatdown，I

feltmyselfnotalittleembarrassed，andapprehensiveofwhatmightcomenext。HethenaddressedhimselftoDavies：’WhatdoyouthinkofGarrick？HehasrefusedmeanorderfortheplayforMissWilliams，becauseheknowsthehousewillbefull，andthatanorderwouldbeworththreeshillings。’Eagertotakeanyopeningtogetintoconversationwithhim，Iventuredtosay，’O，Sir，I

cannotthinkMr。Garrickwouldgrudgesuchatrifletoyou。’’Sir，(saidhe，withasternlook，)IhaveknownDavidGarricklongerthanyouhavedone：andIknownorightyouhavetotalktomeonthesubject。’PerhapsIdeservedthischeck；foritwasratherpresumptuousinme，anentirestranger，toexpressanydoubtofthejusticeofhisanimadversionuponhisoldacquaintanceandpupil。*

Inowfeltmyselfmuchmortified，andbegantothinkthatthehopewhichIhadlongindulgedofobtaininghisacquaintancewasblasted。And，intruth，hadnotmyardourbeenuncommonlystrong，andmyresolutionuncommonlypersevering，soroughareceptionmighthavedeterredmeforeverfrommakinganyfurtherattempts。

Fortunately，however，Iremaineduponthefieldnotwhollydiscomfited。

*ThatthiswasamomentarysallyagainstGarricktherecanbenodoubt；foratJohnson’sdesirehehad，someyearsbefore，givenabenefit-nightathistheatretothisveryperson，bywhichshehadgottwohundredpounds。Johnson，indeed，uponallotheroccasions，whenIwasinhiscompanypraisedtheveryliberalcharityofGarrick。Ioncementionedtohim，’Itisobserved，Sir，thatyouattackGarrickyourself，butwillsuffernobodyelsetodoit。’

Johnson，(smiling)’Why，Sir，thatistrue。’——BOSWELL。

Iwashighlypleasedwiththeextraordinaryvigourofhisconversation，andregrettedthatIwasdrawnawayfromitbyanengagementatanotherplace。Ihad，forapartoftheevening，beenleftalonewithhim，andhadventuredtomakeanobservationnowandthen，whichhereceivedverycivilly；sothatIwassatisfiedthatthoughtherewasaroughnessinhismanner，therewasnoill-natureinhisdisposition。Daviesfollowedmetothedoor，andwhenIcomplainedtohimalittleofthehardblowswhichthegreatmanhadgivenme，hekindlytookuponhimtoconsolemebysaying，’Don’tbeuneasy。Icanseehelikesyouverywell。’

(PartTwo)

AfewdaysafterwardsIcalledonDavies，andaskedhimifhethoughtImighttakethelibertyofwaitingonMr。JohnsonathisChambersintheTemple。HesaidIcertainlymight，andthatMr。

Johnsonwouldtakeitasacompliment。SouponTuesdaythe24thofMay，afterhavingbeenenlivenedbythewittysalliesofMessieursThornton，Wilkes，ChurchillandLloyd，withwhomIhadpassedthemorning，IboldlyrepairedtoJohnson。HisChamberswereonthefirstfloorofNo。1，Inner-Temple-lane，andIenteredthemwithanimpressiongivenmebytheReverendDr。Blair，ofEdinburgh，whohadbeenintroducedtohimnotlongbefore，anddescribedhishaving’foundtheGiantinhisden；’anexpression，which，whenI

cametobeprettywellacquaintedwithJohnson，Irepeatedtohim，andhewasdivertedatthispicturesqueaccountofhimself。Dr。

BlairhadbeenpresentedtohimbyDr。JamesFordyce。AtthistimethecontroversyconcerningthepiecespublishedbyMr。JamesMacpherson，astranslationsofOssian，wasatitsheight。Johnsonhadallalongdeniedtheirauthenticity；and，whatwasstillmoreprovokingtotheiradmirers，maintainedthattheyhadnomerit。

ThesubjecthavingbeenintroducedbyDr。Fordyce，Dr。Blair，relyingontheinternalevidenceoftheirantiquity，askedDr。

Johnsonwhetherhethoughtanymanofamodernagecouldhavewrittensuchpoems？Johnsonreplied，’Yes，Sir，manymen，manywomen，andmanychildren。’Johnson，atthistime，didnotknowthatDr。BlairhadjustpublishedaDissertation，notonlydefendingtheirauthenticity，butseriouslyrankingthemwiththepoemsofHomerandVirgil；andwhenhewasafterwardsinformedofthiscircumstance，heexpressedsomedispleasureatDr。Fordyce’shavingsuggestedthetopick，andsaid，’Iamnotsorrythattheygotthusmuchfortheirpains。Sir，itwaslikeleadingonetotalkofabookwhentheauthourisconcealedbehindthedoor。’

Hereceivedmeverycourteously；but，itmustbeconfessed，thathisapartment，andfurniture，andmorningdress，weresufficientlyuncouth。Hisbrownsuitofcloathslookedveryrusty；hehadonalittleoldshrivelledunpowderedwig，whichwastoosmallforhishead；hisshirt-neckandkneesofhisbreecheswereloose；hisblackworstedstockingsilldrawnup；andhehadapairofunbuckledshoesbywayofslippers。Butalltheseslovenlyparticularitieswereforgottenthemomentthathebegantotalk。

Somegentlemen，whomIdonotrecollect，weresittingwithhim；andwhentheywentaway，Ialsorose；buthesaidtome，’Nay，don’tgo。’’Sir，(saidI，)IamafraidthatIintrudeuponyou。Itisbenevolenttoallowmetositandhearyou。’Heseemedpleasedwiththiscompliment，whichIsincerelypaidhim，andanswered，’Sir，Iamobligedtoanymanwhovisitsme。’Ihavepreservedthefollowingshortminuteofwhatpassedthisday：——

’Madnessfrequentlydiscoversitselfmerelybyunnecessarydeviationfromtheusualmodesoftheworld。MypoorfriendSmartshewedthedisturbanceofhismind，byfallinguponhisknees，andsayinghisprayersinthestreet，orinanyotherunusualplace。

Nowalthough，rationallyspeaking，itisgreatermadnessnottoprayatall，thantoprayasSmartdid，Iamafraidtherearesomanywhodonotpray，thattheirunderstandingisnotcalledinquestion。’

Concerningthisunfortunatepoet，ChristopherSmart，whowasconfinedinamad-house，hehad，atanothertime，thefollowingconversationwithDr。Burney：——BURNEY。’HowdoespoorSmartdo，Sir；ishelikelytorecover？’JOHNSON。’Itseemsasifhismindhadceasedtostrugglewiththedisease；forhegrowsfatuponit。’

BURNEY。’Perhaps，Sir，thatmaybefromwantofexercise。’

JOHNSON。’No，Sir；hehaspartlyasmuchexerciseasheusedtohave，forhedigsinthegarden。Indeed，beforehisconfinement，heusedforexercisetowalktotheale-house；buthewasCARRIED

backagain。Ididnotthinkheoughttobeshutup。Hisinfirmitieswerenotnoxioustosociety。Heinsistedonpeopleprayingwithhim；andI’dasliefpraywithKitSmartasanyoneelse。Anotherchargewas，thathedidnotlovecleanlinen；andI