第33章

’But，Sir，doesnotRousseautalksuchnonsense？’JOHNSON。’True，Sir，butRousseauKNOWSheistalkingnonsense，andlaughsattheworldforstaringathim。’BOSWELL。’Howso，Sir？’JOHNSON。

’Why，Sir，amanwhotalksnonsensesowell，mustknowthatheistalkingnonsense。ButIamAFRAID，(chucklingandlaughing，)

MonboddodoesNOTknowthatheistalkingnonsense。’BOSWELL。’Isitwrongthen，Sir，toaffectsingularity，inordertomakepeoplestare？’JOHNSON。’Yes，ifyoudoitbypropagatingerrour：and，indeed，itiswronginanyway。Thereisinhumannatureageneralinclinationtomakepeoplestare；andeverywisemanhashimselftocureofit，anddoescurehimself。Ifyouwishtomakepeoplestarebydoingbetterthanothers，why，makethemstaretilltheystaretheireyesout。Butconsiderhoweasyitistomakepeoplestarebybeingabsurd。Imaydoitbygoingintoadrawing-roomwithoutmyshoes。YourememberthegentlemaninTheSpectator，whohadacommissionoflunacytakenoutagainsthimforhisextremesingularity，suchasneverwearingawig，butanight-cap。Now，Sir，abstractedly，thenight-capwasbest；but，relatively，theadvantagewasoverbalancedbyhismakingtheboysrunafterhim。’

TalkingofaLondonlife，hesaid，’ThehappinessofLondonisnottobeconceivedbutbythosewhohavebeeninit。Iwillventuretosay，thereismorelearningandsciencewithinthecircumferenceoftenmilesfromwherewenowsit，thaninalltherestofthekingdom。’BOSWELL。’Theonlydisadvantageisthegreatdistanceatwhichpeoplelivefromoneanother。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir；butthatisoccasionedbythelargenessofit，whichisthecauseofalltheotheradvantages。’BOSWELL。’SometimesIhavebeeninthehumourofwishingtoretiretoadesart。’JOHNSON。’Sir，youhavedesartenoughinScotland。’

AlthoughIhadpromisedmyselfagreatdealofinstructiveconversationwithhimontheconductofthemarriedstate，ofwhichIhadthenanearprospect，hedidnotsaymuchuponthattopick。

Mr。Sewardheardhimoncesay，that’amanhasaverybadchanceforhappinessinthatstate，unlesshemarriesawomanofverystrongandfixedprinciplesofreligion。’Hemaintainedtome，contrarytothecommonnotion，thatawomanwouldnotbetheworsewifeforbeinglearned；inwhich，fromallthatIhaveobservedofArtemisias，Ihumblydifferedfromhim。

WhenIcensuredagentlemanofmyacquaintanceformarryingasecondtime，asitshewedadisregardofhisfirstwife，hesaid，’Notatall，Sir。Onthecontrary，werehenottomarryagain，itmightbeconcludedthathisfirstwifehadgivenhimadisgusttomarriage；butbytakingasecondwifehepaysthehighestcomplimenttothefirst，byshewingthatshemadehimsohappyasamarriedman，thathewishestobesoasecondtime。’Soingeniousaturndidhegivetothisdelicatequestion。Andyet，onanotheroccasion，heownedthatheoncehadalmostaskedapromiseofMrs。

Johnsonthatshewouldnotmarryagain，buthadcheckedhimself。

Indeed，Icannothelpthinking，thatinhiscasetherequestwouldhavebeenunreasonable；forifMrs。Johnsonforgot，orthoughtitnoinjurytothememoryofherfirstlove，——thehusbandofheryouthandthefatherofherchildren，——tomakeasecondmarriage，whyshouldshebeprecludedfromathird，shouldshebesoinclined？InJohnson’sperseveringfondappropriationofhisTetty，evenafterherdecease，heseemstotallytohaveoverlookedthepriorclaimofthehonestBirminghamtrader。Ipresumethatherhavingbeenmarriedbeforehad，attimes，givenhimsomeuneasiness；forIrememberhisobservinguponthemarriageofoneofourcommonfriends，’Hehasdoneaveryfoolishthing，Sir；hehasmarriedawidow，whenhemighthavehadamaid。’

WedrankteawithMrs。Williams。IhadlastyearthepleasureofseeingMrs。ThraleatDr。Johnson’sonemorning，andhadconversa

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