第29章

Dr。Johnsonwasverykindthisevening，andsaidtome’Youhavenowlivedfive-and-twentyyears，andyouhaveemployedthemwell。’

’Alas，Sir，(saidI，)Ifearnot。DoIknowhistory？DoIknowmathematicks？DoIknowlaw？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，thoughyoumayknownosciencesowellastobeabletoteachit，andnoprofessionsowellastobeabletofollowit，yourgeneralmassofknowledgeofbooksandmenrendersyouverycapabletomakeyourselfmasterofanyscience，orfityourselfforanyprofession。’Imentionedthatagayfriendhadadvisedmeagainstbeingalawyer，becauseIshouldbeexcelledbyploddingblock-

heads。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，intheformularyandstatutorypartoflaw，aploddingblock-headmayexcel；butintheingeniousandrationalpartofitaploddingblock-headcanneverexcel。’

Italkedofthemodeadoptedbysometoriseintheworld，bycourtinggreatmen，andaskedhimwhetherhehadeversubmittedtoit。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，Ineverwasnearenoughtogreatmen，tocourtthem。Youmaybeprudentlyattachedtogreatmenandyetindependent。Youarenottodowhatyouthinkwrong；and，Sir，youaretocalculate，andnotpaytoodearforwhatyouget。Youmustnotgiveashilling’sworthofcourtforsix-penceworthofgood。

Butifyoucangetashilling’sworthofgoodforsix-penceworthofcourt，youareafoolifyoudonotpaycourt。’

ItalkedtohimagreatdealofwhatIhadseeninCorsica，andofmyintentiontopublishanaccountofit。Heencouragedmebysaying，’Youcannotgotothebottomofthesubject；butallthatyoutelluswillbenewtous。Giveusasmanyanecdotesasyoucan。’

OurnextmeetingattheMitrewasonSaturdaythe15thofFebruary，whenIpresentedtohimmyoldandmostintimatefriend，theReverendMr。Temple，thenofCambridge。IhavingmentionedthatI

hadpassedsometimewithRousseauinhiswildretreat，andhavingquotedsomeremarkmadebyMr。Wilkes，withwhomIhadspentmanypleasanthoursinItaly，Johnsonsaid(sarcastically，)’Itseems，Sir，youhavekeptverygoodcompanyabroad，RousseauandWilkes!’

Thinkingitenoughtodefendoneatatime，Isaidnothingastomygayfriend，butansweredwithasmile，’MydearSir，youdon’tcallRousseaubadcompany。DoyoureallythinkHIMabadman？’

JOHNSON。’Sir，ifyouaretalkingjestinglyofthis，Idon’ttalkwithyou。Ifyoumeantobeserious，Ithinkhimoneoftheworstofmen；arascalwhooughttobehuntedoutofsociety，ashehasbeen。Threeorfournationshaveexpelledhim；anditisashamethatheisprotectedinthiscountry。’BOSWELL。’Idon’tdeny，Sir，butthathisnovelmay，perhaps，doharm；butIcannotthinkhisintentionwasbad。’JOHNSON。’Sir，thatwillnotdo。Wecannotproveanyman’sintentiontobebad。Youmayshootamanthroughthehead，andsayyouintendedtomisshim；buttheJudgewillorderyoutobehanged。Anallegedwantofintention，wheneviliscommitted，willnotbeallowedinacourtofjustice。

Rousseau，Sir，isaverybadman。Iwouldsoonersignasentenceforhistransportation，thanthatofanyfelonwhohasgonefromtheOldBaileythesemanyyears。Yes，Ishouldliketohavehimworkintheplantations。’BOSWELL。’Sir，doyouthinkhimasbadamanasVoltaire？’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，itisdifficulttosettletheproportionofiniquitybetweenthem。’

Onhisfavouritesubjectofsubordination，Johnsonsaid，’Sofarisitfr

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