第27章

Whilewewereleftbyourselves，aftertheDutchmanhadgonetobed，Dr。Johnsontalkedofthatstudiedbehaviourwhichmanyhaverecommendedandpractised。Hedisapprovedofit；andsaid，’I

neverconsideredwhetherIshouldbeagraveman，oramerryman，butjustletinclination，forthetime，haveitscourse。’

Iteizedhimwithfancifulapprehensionsofunhappiness。Amothhavingflutteredroundthecandle，andburntitself，helaidholdofthislittleincidenttoadmonishme；saying，withaslylook，andinasolemnbutquiettone，’Thatcreaturewasitsowntormentor，andIbelieveitsnamewasBOSWELL。’

NextdaywegottoHarwichtodinner；andmypassageinthepacket-

boattoHelvoetsluysbeingsecured，andmybaggageputonboard，wedinedatourinnbyourselves。IhappenedtosayitwouldbeterribleifheshouldnotfindaspeedyopportunityofreturningtoLondon，andbeconfinedtosodullaplace。JOHNSON。’Don’tSir，accustomyourselftousebigwordsforlittlematters。ItwouldNOTbeTERRIBLE，thoughIWEREtobedetainedsometimehere。’

Wewentandlookedatthechurch，andhavinggoneintoitandwalkeduptothealtar，Johnson，whosepietywasconstantandfervent，sentmetomyknees，saying，’Nowthatyouaregoingtoleaveyournativecountry，recommendyourselftotheprotectionofyourCREATORandREDEEMER。’

Afterwecameoutofthechurch，westoodtalkingforsometimetogetherofBishopBerkeley’singenioussophistrytoprovethenon-

existenceofmatter，andthateverythingintheuniverseismerelyideal。Iobserved，thatthoughwearesatisfiedhisdoctrineisnottrue，itisimpossibletorefuteit。InevershallforgetthealacritywithwhichJohnsonanswered，strikinghisfootwithmightyforceagainstalargestone，tillhereboundedfromit，’IrefuteitTHUS。’

Myreveredfriendwalkeddownwithmetothebeach，whereweembracedandpartedwithtenderness，andengagedtocorrespondbyletters。Isaid，’Ihope，Sir，youwillnotforgetmeinmyahsence。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，itismorelikelyyoushouldforgetme，thanthatIshouldforgetyou。’Asthevesselputouttosea，Ikeptmyeyesuponhimforaconsiderabletime，whileheremainedrollinghismajestickframeinhisusualmanner：andatlastI

perceivedhimwalkhackintothetown，andhedisappeared。

1764：AETAT。55。]——Earlyin1764JohnsonpaidavisittotheLangtonfamily，attheirseatofLangton，inLincolnshire，wherehepassedsometime，muchtohissatisfaction。HisfriendBennetLangton，itwillnothedoubted，dideverythinginhispowertomaketheplaceagreeabletosoillustriousaguest；andtheelderMr。Langtonandhislady，beingfullycapableofunderstandinghisvalue，werenotwantinginattention。

Johnson，duringhisstayatLangton，hadtheadvantageofagoodlibrary，andsawseveralgentlemenoftheneighbourhood。IhaveobtainedfromMr。Langtonthefollowingparticularsofthisperiod。

Hewasnowfullyconvincedthathecouldnothavebeensatisfiedwithacountryliving；for，talkingofarespectableclergymaninLincolnshire，heobserved，’Thisman，Sir，fillsupthedutiesofhislifewell。Iapproveofhim，butcouldnotimitatehim。’

Toaladywhoendeavouredtovindicateherselffromblameforneglectingsocialattentiontoworthyneighbours，bysaying，’I

wouldgotothemifitwoulddothemanygood，’hesaid，’Whatgood，Madam，doyouexpecttohaveinyourpowertodothem？Itisshewingthemrespect，andthatisdoingthemgood。’

Sosociallyaccommodatingwashe，thatoncewhenMr。Langtonandheweredrivingtogetheri

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