第21章

havenopassionforit。’——Johnsoncontinued。’Mankindhaveagreataversiontointellectuallabour；butevensupposingknowledgetobeeasilyattainable，morepeoplewouldbecontenttobeignorantthanwouldtakeevenalittletroubletoacquireit。’

TalkingofGarrick，hesaid，’Heisthefirstmanintheworldforsprightlyconversation。’

WhenIroseasecondtimeheagainpressedmetostay，whichIdid。

Hetoldme，thathegenerallywentabroadatfourintheafternoon，andseldomcamehometilltwointhemorning。Itookthelibertytoaskifhedidnotthinkitwrongtolivethus，andnotmakemoreuseofhisgreattalents。Heowneditwasabadhabit。Onreviewing，atthedistanceofmanyyears，myjournalofthisperiod，Iwonderhow，atmyfirstvisit，Iventuredtotalktohimsofreely，andthatheboreitwithsomuchindulgence。

Beforeweparted，hewassogoodastopromisetofavourmewithhiscompanyoneeveningatmylodgings；and，asItookmyleave，shookmecordiallybythehand。Itisalmostneedlesstoadd，thatIfeltnolittleelationathavingnowsohappilyestablishedanacquaintanceofwhichIhadbeensolongambitious。

IdidnotvisithimagaintillMonday，June13，atwhichtimeI

recollectnopartofhisconversation，exceptthatwhenItoldhimIhadbeentoseeJohnsonrideuponthreehorses，hesaid，’Suchaman，Sir，shouldbeencouraged；forhisperformancesshewtheextentofthehumanpowersinoneinstance，andthustendtoraiseouropinionofthefacultiesofman。Heshewswhatmaybeattainedbyperseveringapplication；sothateverymanmayhope，thatbygivingasmuchapplication，althoughperhapshemayneverridethreehorsesatatime，ordanceuponawire，yethemaybeequallyexpertinwhateverprofessionhehaschosentopursue。’

Heagainshookmebythehandatparting，andaskedmewhyIdidnotcomeoftenertohim。TrustingthatIwasnowinhisgoodgraces，Ianswered，thathehadnotgivenmemuchencouragement，andremindedhimofthecheckIhadreceivedfromhimatourfirstinterview。’Poh，poh!(saidhe，withacomplacentsmile，)nevermindthesethings。Cometomeasoftenasyoucan。Ishallbegladtoseeyou。’

IhadlearntthathisplaceoffrequentresortwastheMitretaverninFleet-street，wherehelovedtosituplate，andIbeggedI

mightbeallowedtopassaneveningwithhimtheresoon，whichhepromisedIshould。AfewdaysafterwardsImethimnearTemple-

bar，aboutoneo’clockinthemorning，andaskedifhewouldthengototheMitre。’Sir，(saidhe)itistoolate；theywon’tletusin。ButI’llgowithyouanothernightwithallmyheart。’

Arevolutionofsomeimportanceinmyplanoflifehadjusttakenplace；forinsteadofprocuringacommissioninthefoot-guards，whichwasmyowninclination，Ihad，incompliancewithmyfather’swishes，agreedtostudythelaw，andwassoontosetoutforUtrecht，tohearthelecturesofanexcellentCivilianinthatUniversity，andthentoproceedonmytravels。ThoughverydesirousofobtainingDr。Johnson’sadviceandinstructionsonthemodeofpursuingmystudies，Iwasatthistimesooccupied，shallIcallit？orsodissipated，bytheamusementsofLondon，thatournextmeetingwasnottillSaturday，June25，whenhappeningtodineatClifton’seating-house，inButcher-rowIwassurprizedtoperceiveJohnsoncomeinandtakehisseatatanothertable。Themodeofdining，orratherbeingfed，atsuchhousesinLondon，iswellknowntomanytobeparticularlyunsocial，asthereisnoOrdinary，oru

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