第35章

feltthisasnotciviltome；butsatverypatientlytillhehadexhaustedhismerrimentonthatsubject；andthenobserved，thatsurelyJohnsonmustbeallowedtohavesomesterlingwit，andthatIhadheardhimsayaverygoodthingofMr。Footehimself。’Ah，myoldfriendSam(criedFoote，)nomansaysbetterthings；doletushaveit。’UponwhichItoldtheabovestory，whichproducedaveryloudlaughfromthecompany。ButIneversawFootesodisconcerted——BOSWELL。

BOSWELL。’WhatdoyouthinkofDr。Young’sNightThoughts，Sir？’

JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，thereareveryfinethingsinthem。’BOSWELL。

’Istherenotlessreligioninthenationnow，Sir，thantherewasformerly？’JOHNSON。’Idon’tknow，Sir，thatthereis。’BOSWELL。

’Forinstance，thereusedtobeachaplainineverygreatfamily，whichwedonotfindnow。’JOHNSON。’Neitherdoyoufindanyofthestateservants，whichgreatfamiliesusedformerlytohave。

Thereisachangeofmodesinthewholedepartmentoflife。’

Nextday，October20，heappeared，fortheonlytimeIsupposeinhislife，asawitnessinaCourtofJustice，beingcalledtogiveevidencetothecharacterofMr。Baretti，whohavingstabbedamaninthestreet，wasarraignedattheOldBaileyformurder。NeverdidsuchaconstellationofgeniusenlightentheawefulSessions-

House，emphaticallycalledJUSTICEHALL；Mr。Burke，Mr。Garrick，Mr。Beauclerk，andDr。Johnson：andundoubtedlytheirfavourabletestimonyhaddueweightwiththeCourtandJury。Johnsongavehisevidenceinaslow，deliberate，anddistinctmanner，whichwasuncommonlyimpressive。ItiswellknownthatMr。Barettiwasacquitted。

Onthe26thofOctober，wedinedtogetherattheMitretavern。I

foundfaultwithFooteforindulginghistalentofridiculeattheexpenceofhisvisitors，whichIcolloquiallytermedmakingfoolsofhiscompany。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，whenyougotoseeFoote，youdonotgotoseeasaint：yougotoseeamanwhowillbeentertainedatyourhouse，andthenbringyouonapublickstage；

whowillentertainyouathishouse，fortheverypurposeofbringingyouonapublickstage。Sir，hedoesnotmakefoolsofhiscompany；theywhomheexposesarefoolsalready：heonlybringsthemintoaction。’

Wewenthometohishousetotea。Mrs。Williamsmadeitwithsufficientdexterity，notwithstandingherblindness，thoughhermannerofsatisfyingherselfthatthecupswerefullenoughappearedtomealittleaukward；forIfanciedsheputherfingerdownacertainway，tillshefelttheteatouchit。*InmyfirstelationatbeingallowedtheprivilegeofattendingDr。Johnsonathislatevisitstothislady，whichwaslikebeingesecretioribusconsiliis，Iwillinglydrankcupaftercup，asifithadbeentheHeliconianspring。Butasthecharmofnoveltywentoff，Igrewmorefastidious；andbesides，Idiscoveredthatshewasofapeevishtemper。

*Boswellafterwardslearnedthatshefelttherisingteaontheoutsideofthecup——ED。

Therewasaprettylargecirclethisevening。Dr。Johnsonwasinverygoodhumour，lively，andreadytotalkuponallsubjects。Mr。

Fergusson，theself-taughtphilosopher，toldhimofanew-inventedmachinewhichwentwithouthorses：amanwhosatinitturnedahandle，whichworkedaspringthatdroveitforward。’Then，Sir，(saidJohnson，)whatisgainedis，themanhashischoicewhetherhewillmovehimselfalone，orhimselfandthemachinetoo。’

Dominicettibeingmentioned，hewouldnotallowhimanymerit。

’Thereisnothinginallthisboastedsystem。No，Sir；medicatedbathscanbenobetterthanwarmwater：theironlyeffectcanbethatoftepidmoisture。’Oneoft

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