第32章

HeremainedatOxfordaconsiderabletime；IwasobligedtogotoLondon，whereIreceivedhisletter，whichhadbeenreturnedfromScotland。

’TOJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。

’MYDEARBOSWELL，——Ihaveomittedalongtimetowritetoyou，withoutknowingverywellwhy。IcouldnowtellwhyIshouldnotwrite；forwhowouldwritetomenwhopublishthelettersoftheirfriends，withouttheirleave？YetIwritetoyouinspiteofmycaution，totellyouthatIshallbegladtoseeyou，andthatI

wishyouwouldemptyyourheadofCorsica，whichIthinkhasfilleditrathertoolong。But，atallevents，Ishallbeglad，verygladtoseeyou。Iam，Sir，yoursaffectionately，’SAM。JOHNSON。’

’Oxford，March23，1768。’

UponhisarrivalinLondoninMay，hesurprizedmeonemorningwithavisitatmylodgingsinHalf-Moon-street，wasquitesatisfiedwithmyexplanation，andwasinthekindestandmostagreeableframeofmind。Ashehadobjectedtoapartofoneofhislettersbeingpublished，Ithoughtitrighttotakethisopportunityofaskinghimexplicitlywhetheritwouldbeimpropertopublishhislettersafterhisdeath。Hisanswerwas，’Nay，Sir，whenIamdead，youmaydoasyouwill。’

Hetalkedinhisusualstylewitharoughcontemptofpopularliberty。’TheymakearoutaboutUNIVERSALliberty，withoutconsideringthatallthatistobevalued，orindeedcanbeenjoyedbyindividuals，isPRIVATEliberty。Politicallibertyisgoodonlysofarasitproducesprivateliberty。Now，Sir，thereisthelibertyofthepress，whichyouknowisaconstanttopick。SupposeyouandIandtwohundredmorewererestrainedfromprintingourthoughts：whatthen？Whatproportionwouldthatrestraintuponusbeartotheprivatehappinessofthenation？’

Thismodeofrepresentingtheinconveniencesofrestraintaslightandinsignificant，wasakindofsophistryinwhichhedelightedtoindulgehimself，inoppositiontotheextremelaxityforwhichithasbeenfashionablefortoomanytoargue，whenitisevident，uponreflection，thattheveryessenceofgovernmentisrestraint；

andcertainitis，thatasgovernmentproducesrationalhappiness，toomuchrestraintisbetterthantoolittle。Butwhenrestraintisunnecessary，andsocloseastogallthosewhoaresubjecttoit，thepeoplemayandoughttoremonstrate；and，ifreliefisnotgranted，toresist。Ofthismanlyandspiritedprinciple，nomanwasmoreconvincedthanJohnsonhimself。

HissincereregardforFrancisBarber，hisfaithfulnegroservant，madehimsodesirousofhisfurtherimprovement，thathenowplacedhimataschoolatBishopStortford，inHertfordshire。ThishumaneattentiondoesJohnson’sheartmuchhonour。OutofmanyletterswhichMr。Barberreceivedfromhismaster，hehaspreservedthree，whichhekindlygaveme，andwhichIshallinsertaccordingtotheirdates。

’TOMR。FRANCISBARBER。

’DEARFRANCIS，——Ihavebeenverymuchoutoforder。Iamgladtohearthatyouarewell，anddesigntocomesoontoseeyou。I

wouldhaveyoustayatMrs。Clapp’sforthepresent，tillIcandeterminewhatweshalldo。Beagoodboy。

’MycomplimentstoMrs。ClappandtoMr。Fowler。Iam，your’saffectionately，SAM。JOHNSON。’

’May28，1768。’

Soonafterwards，hesuppedattheCrownandAnchortavern，intheStrand，withacompanywhomIcollectedtomeethim。TheywereDr。

Percy，nowBishopofDromore，Dr。Douglas，nowBishopofSalisbury，Mr。Langton，Dr。RobertsontheHistorian，Dr。Hug

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