第34章

AfterdinnerourconversationfirstturneduponPope。Johnsonsaid，hischaractersofmenwereadmirablydrawn，thoseofwomennotsowell。Herepeatedtous，inhisforciblemelodiousmanner，theconcludinglinesoftheDunciad。Whilehewastalkingloudlyinpraiseofthoselines，oneofthecompany*venturedtosay，’Toofineforsuchapoem：——apoemonwhat？’JOHNSON，(withadisdainfullook，)’Why，onDUNCES。Itwasworthwhilebeingaduncethen。Ah，Sir，hadstTHOUlivedinthosedays!Itisnotworthwhile’beingaduncenow，whentherearenowits。’

Bickerstaffobserved，asapeculiarcircumstance，thatPope’sfamewashigherwhenhewasalivethanitwasthen。Johnsonsaid，hisPastoralswerepoorthings，thoughtheversificationwasfine。Hetoldus，withhighsatisfaction，theanecdoteofPope’sinquiringwhowastheauthourofhisLondon，andsaying，hewillbesoondeterre。Heobserved，thatinDryden’spoetrytherewerepassagesdrawnfromaprofunditywhichPopecouldneverreach。Herepeatedsomefinelinesonlove，bytheformer，(whichIhavenowforgotten，)andgavegreatapplausetothecharacterofZimri。

Goldsmithsaid，thatPope’scharacterofAddisonshewedadeepknowledgeofthehumanheart。Johnsonsaid，thatthedescriptionofthetemple，inTheMourningBride，wasthefinestpoeticalpassagehehadeverread；herecollectednoneinShakspeareequaltoit。’But，(saidGarrick，allalarmedforthe’Godofhisidolatry，’)weknownottheextentandvarietyofhispowers。Wearetosupposetherearesuchpassagesinhisworks。Shakspearemustnotsufferfromthebadnessofourmemories。’Johnson，divertedbythisenthusiastickjealousy，wentonwithgreaterardour：’No，Sir；CongrevehasNATURE；’(smilingonthetragickeagernessofGarrick；)butcomposinghimself，headded，’Sir，thisisnotcomparingCongreveonthewhole，withShakspeareonthewhole；butonlymaintainingthatCongrevehasonefinerpassagethananythatcanbefoundinShakspeare。Sir，amanmayhavenomorethantenguineasintheworld，buthemayhavethosetenguineasinonepiece；andsomayhaveafinerpiecethanamanwhohastenthousandpounds：butthenhehasonlyoneten-guineapiece。

WhatImeanis，thatyoucanshewmenopassagewherethereissimplyadescriptionofmaterialobjects，withoutanyintermixtureofmoralnotions，whichproducessuchaneffect。’Mr。MurphymentionedShakspeare’sdescriptionofthenightbeforethebattleofAgincourt；butitwasobserved，ithadMENinit。Mr。DaviessuggestedthespeechofJuliet，inwhichshefiguresherselfawakinginthetombofherancestors。SomeonementionedthedescriptionofDoverCliff。JOHNSON。’No，Sir；itshouldbeallprecipice，——allvacuum。Thecrowsimpedeyourfall。Thediminishedappearanceoftheboats，andothercircumstances，areallverygooddescriptions；butdonotimpressthemindatoncewiththehorribleideaofimmenseheight。Theimpressionisdivided；youpassonbycomputation，fromonestageofthetremendousspacetoanother。HadthegirlinTheMourningBridesaid，shecouldnotcasthershoetothetopofoneofthepillarsinthetemple，itwouldnothaveaidedtheidea，butweakenedit。’

*Everyoneguessesthat’oneofthecompany’wasBoswell——HILL。

TalkingofaBarristerwhohadabadutterance，someone，(torouseJohnson，)wickedlysaid，thathewasunfortunateinnothavingbeentaughtoratorybySheridan。JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，ifhehadbeentaughtbySheridan，hewouldhaveclearedtheroom。’GARRICK。

’Sheridanhastoomuchvanitytobeagoodman。’WeshallnowseeJohnson’smodeofDEFENDINGaman；takinghimintohisownhands，anddiscriminating。JOHNSON。’No，Sir。Thereis，tobesure，inSheridan，somethingtoreprehend，andeverythingtolaughat；but，Sir，h

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