第40章

But，indeed，consideringtheslovenlyandcarelessmannerinwhichbooksweretreatedbyJohnson，itcouldnotbeexpectedthatscarceandvaluableeditionsshouldhavebeenlenttohim。

Agentleman*havingtosomeoftheusualargumentsfordrinkingaddedthis：’Youknow，Sir，drinkingdrivesawaycare，andmakesusforgetwhateverisdisagreeable。Wouldnotyouallowamantodrinkforthatreason？’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir，ifhesatnextYOU。’

*ThegentlemanmostlikelyisBoswell——HILL。

Alearnedgentlemanwhointhecourseofconversationwishedtoinformusofthissimplefact，thattheCounseluponthecircuitatShrewsburyweremuchbittenbyfleas，took，Isuppose，sevenoreightminutesinrelatingitcircumstantially。Heinaplenitudeofphrasetoldus，thatlargebalesofwoollenclothwerelodgedinthetown-hall；——thatbyreasonofthis，fleasnestledthereinprodigiousnumbers；thatthelodgingsofthecounselwereneartothetown-hall；——andthatthoselittleanimalsmovedfromplacetoplacewithwonderfulagility。Johnsonsatingreatimpatiencetillthegentlemanhadfinishedhistediousnarrative，andthenburstout(playfullyhowever)，’Itisapity，Sir，thatyouhavenotseenalion；forafleahastakenyousuchatime，thatalionmusthaveservedyouatwelvemonth。’

HewouldnotallowScotlandtoderiveanycreditfromLordMansfield；forhewaseducatedinEngland。’Much(saidhe，)maybemadeofaScotchman，ifhebeCAUGHTyoung。’

Hesaid，’Iamveryunwillingtoreadthemanuscriptsofauthours，andgivethemmyopinion。Iftheauthourswhoapplytomehavemoney，Ibidthemboldlyprintwithoutaname；iftheyhavewritteninordertogetmoney，Itellthemtogotothebooksellers，andmakethebestbargaintheycan。’BOSWELL。’But，Sir，ifabooksellershouldbringyouamanuscripttolookat？’JOHNSON。

’Why，Sir，Iwoulddesirethebooksellertotakeitaway。’

ImentionedafriendofminewhohadresidedlonginSpain，andwasunwillingtoreturntoBritain。JOHNSON。’Sir，heisattachedtosomewoman。’BOSWELL。’Iratherbelieve，Sir，itisthefineclimatewhichkeepshimthere。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，howcanyoutalkso？WhatisCLIMATEtohappiness？PlacemeintheheartofAsia，shouldInotbeexiled？Whatproportiondoesclimatebeartothecomplexsystemofhumanlife？YoumayadvisemetogotoliveatBolognatoeatsausages。Thesausagestherearethebestintheworld；theylosemuchbybeingcarried。’

OnSaturday，May9，Mr。DempsterandIhadagreedtodinebyourselvesattheBritishCoffee-house。Johnson，onwhomIhappenedtocallinthemorning，saidhewouldjoinus，whichhedid，andwespentaveryagreeableday，thoughIrecollectbutlittleofwhatpassed。

Hesaid，’WalpolewasaministergivenbytheKingtothepeople：

PittwasaministergivenbythepeopletotheKing，——asanadjunct。’

’ThemisfortuneofGoldsmithinconversationisthis：hegoesonwithoutknowinghowheistogetoff。Hisgeniusisgreat，buthisknowledgeissmall。Astheysayofagenerousman，itisapityheisnotrich，wemaysayofGoldsmith，itisapityheisnotknowing。Hewouldnotkeephisknowledgetohimself。’

1773：AETAT。64。]——In1773hisonlypublicationwasaneditionofhisfolioDictionary，withadditionsandc

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