第23章

OnWednesday，July6，hewasengagedtosupwithmeatmylodgingsinDowning-street，Westminster。Butontheprecedingnightmylandlordhavingbehavedveryrudelytomeandsomecompanywhowerewithme，Ihadresolvednottoremainanothernightinhishouse。

IwasexceedinglyuneasyattheaukwardappearanceIsupposedI

shouldmaketoJohnsonandtheothergentlemenwhomIhadinvited，notbeingabletoreceivethemathome，andbeingobligedtoordersupperattheMitre。IwenttoJohnsoninthemorning，andtalkedofitasaseriousdistress。Helaughed，andsaid，’Consider，Sir，howinsignificantthiswillappearatwelvemonthhence。’——Werethisconsiderationtobeappliedtomostofthelittlevexatiousincidentsoflife，bywhichourquietistoooftendisturbed，itwouldpreventmanypainfulsensations。Ihavetrieditfrequently，withgoodeffect。’Thereisnothing(continuedhe)inthismightymisfortune；nay，weshallbebetterattheMitre。’

IhadasmygueststhiseveningattheMitretavern，Dr。Johnson，Dr。Goldsmith，Mr。ThomasDavies，Mr。Eccles，anIrishgentleman，forwhoseagreeablecompanyIwasobligedtoMr。Davies，andtheReverendMr。JohnOgilvie，whowasdesirousofbeingincompanywithmyillustriousfriend，whileI，inmyturn，wasproudtohavethehonourofshewingoneofmycountrymenuponwhateasytermsJohnsonpermittedmetolivewithhim。

Goldsmith，asusual，endeavoured，withtoomucheagerness，toSHINE，anddisputedverywarmlywithJohnsonagainstthewell-knownmaximoftheBritishconstitution，’theKingcandonowrong；’

affirming，that’whatwasmorallyfalsecouldnotbepoliticallytrue；andastheKingmight，intheexerciseofhisregalpower，commandandcausethedoingofwhatwaswrong，itcertainlymightbesaid，insenseandinreason，thathecoulddowrong。’JOHNSON。

’Sir，youaretoconsider，thatinourconstitution，accordingtoitstrueprinciples，theKingisthehead；heissupreme；heisaboveeverything，andthereisnopowerbywhichhecanbetried。

Therefore，itis，Sir，thatweholdtheKingcandonowrong；thatwhatevermayhappentobewrongingovernmentmaynotbeaboveourreach，bybeingascribedtoMajesty。Redressisalwaystobehadagainstoppression，bypunishingtheimmediateagents。TheKing，thoughheshouldcommand，cannotforceaJudgetocondemnamanunjustly；thereforeitistheJudgewhomweprosecuteandpunish。

Politicalinstitutionsareformedupontheconsiderationofwhatwillmostfrequentlytendtothegoodofthewhole，althoughnowandthenexceptionsmayoccur。Thusitisbetteringeneralthatanationshouldhaveasupremelegislativepower，althoughitmayattimesbeabused。Andthen，Sir，thereisthisconsideration，thatiftheabusebeenormous，Naturewillriseup，andclaimingheroriginalrights，overturnacorruptpoliticalsystem。’Imarkthisanimatedsentencewithpeculiarpleasure，asanobleinstanceofthattrulydignifiedspiritoffreedomwhicheverglowedinhisheart，thoughhewaschargedwithslavishtenetsbysuperficialobservers；becausehewasatalltimesindignantagainstthatfalsepatriotism，thatpretendedloveoffreedom，thatunrulyrestlessness，whichisinconsistentwiththestableauthorityofanygoodgovernment。

’Bayle’sDictionaryisaveryusefulworkforthosetoconsultwholovethebiographicalpartofliterature，whichiswhatIlovemost。’

TalkingoftheeminentwritersinQueenAnne’sreign，heobserved，’IthinkDr。Arbuthnotthefirstmanamongthem。Hewasthemostuniversalgenius，beinganexcellentphysician，amanofdeeplearning，andamanofmuchhumour。Mr。Addisonwas，tobesure，agreatman；hislearningwasnotprofound；buthismorality，

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