第24章

Herecommendedtometokeepajournalofmylife，fullandunreserved。Hesaiditwouldbeaverygoodexercise，andwouldyieldmegreatsatisfactionwhentheparticularswerefadedfrommyremembrance。Iwasuncommonlyfortunateinhavinghadapreviouscoincidenceofopinionwithhimuponthissubject，forIhadkeptsuchajournalforsometime；anditwasnosmallpleasuretometohavethistotellhim，andtoreceivehisapprobation。Hecounselledmetokeepitprivate，andsaidImightsurelyhaveafriendwhowouldburnitincaseofmydeath。FromthishabitI

havebeenenabledtogivetheworldsomanyanecdotes，whichwouldotherwisehavebeenlosttoposterity。ImentionedthatIwasafraidIputintomyjournaltoomanylittleincidents。JOHNSON。

’Thereisnothing，Sir，toolittleforsolittleacreatureasman。

Itisbystudyinglittlethingsthatweattainthegreatartofhavingaslittlemiseryandasmuchhappinessaspossible。’

NextmorningMr。Dempsterhappenedtocallonme，andwassomuchstruckevenwiththeimperfectaccountwhichIgavehimofDr。

Johnson’sconversation，thattohishonourbeitrecorded，whenI

complainedthatdrinkingportandsittinguplatewithhimaffectedmynervesforsometimeafter，hesaid，’Onehadbetterbepalsiedateighteenthannotkeepcompanywithsuchaman。’

OnTuesday，July18，IfoundtallSirThomasRobinsonsittingwithJohnson。SirThomassaid，thatthekingofPrussiavaluedhimselfuponthreethings；——uponbeingahero，amusician，andanauthour。

JOHNSON。’Prettywell，Sir，foroneman。Astohisbeinganauthour，Ihavenotlookedathispoetry；buthisproseispoorstuff。HewritesjustasyoumightsupposeVoltaire’sfootboytodo，whohasbeenhisamanuensis。Hehassuchpartsasthevaletmighthave，andaboutasmuchofthecolouringofthestyleasmightbegotbytranscribinghisworks。’WhenIwasatFerney，I

repeatedthistoVoltaire，inordertoreconcilehimsomewhattoJohnson，whomhe，inaffectingtheEnglishmodeofexpression，hadpreviouslycharacterisedas’asuperstitiousdog；’butafterhearingsuchacriticismonFredericktheGreat，withwhomhewasthenonbadterms，heexclaimed，’Anhonestfellow!’

Mr。LevetthisdayshewedmeDr。Johnson’slibrary，whichwascontainedintwogarretsoverhisChambers，whereLintot，sonofthecelebratedbooksellerofthatname，hadformerlyhiswarehouse。

Ifoundanumberofgoodbooks，butverydustyandingreatconfusion。Thefloorwasstrewedwithmanuscriptleaves，inJohnson’sownhandwriting，whichIbeheldwithadegreeofveneration，supposingtheyperhapsmightcontainportionsofTheRamblerorofRasselas。Iobservedanapparatusforchymicalexperiments，ofwhichJohnsonwasallhislifeveryfond。Theplaceseemedtobeveryfavourableforretirementandmeditation。

Johnsontoldme，thathewentupthitherwithoutmentioningittohisservant，whenhewantedtostudy，securefrominterruption；forhewouldnotallowhisservanttosayhewasnotathomewhenhereallywas。’Aservant’sstrictregardfortruth，(saidhe)mustbeweakenedbysuchapractice。Aphilosophermayknowthatitismerelyaformofdenial；butfewservantsaresuchnicedistinguishers。IfIaccustomaservanttotellalieforME，haveInotreasontoapprehendthathewilltellmanyliesforHIMSELF。’

Mr。Temple，nowvicarofSt。Gluvias，Cornwall，whohadbeenmyintimatefriendformanyyears，hadatthistimechambersinFarrar’s-buildings，atthebottomofInnerTemple-lane，whichhekindlylentmeuponmyquittingmylodgings，hebeingtoreturntoTrinityHall，Cambridge。Ifoundthemparticularlyconvenientforme，astheyweresonearDr。Johnson’s。

OnWednesday，July20，Dr。Johnson，Mr。Dempster，andmyuncleDr。

Boswell，whohappenedtobenowinLondo

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