第54章

GwynatlastwasluckyenoughtomakeonereplytoDr。Johnson，whichheallowedtobeexcellent。Johnsoncensuredhimfortakingdownachurchwhichmighthavestoodmanyyears，andbuildinganewoneatadifferentplace，fornootherreasonbutthattheremightbeadirectroadtoanewbridge；andhisexpressionwas，’Youaretakingachurchoutoftheway，thatthepeoplemaygoinastraightlinetothebridge。’——’No，Sir，(saidGwyn，)IamputtingthechurchINtheway，thatthepeoplemaynotGOOUTOFTHEWAY。’

JOHNSON。(withaheartyloudlaughofapprobation，)’Speaknomore。Restyourcolloquialfameuponthis。’

UponourarrivalatOxford，Dr。JohnsonandIwentdirectlytoUniversityCollege，butweredisappointedonfindingthatoneofthefellows，hisfriendMr。Scott，whoaccompaniedhimfromNewcastletoEdinburgh，wasgonetothecountry。WeputupattheAngelinn，andpassedtheeveningbyourselvesineasyandfamiliarconversation。Talkingofconstitutionalmelancholy，heobserved，’Amansoafflicted，Sir，mustdivertdistressingthoughts，andnotcombatwiththem。’BOSWELL。’Maynothethinkthemdown，Sir？’

JOHNSON。’No，Sir。ToattempttoTHINKTHEMDOWNismadness。Heshouldhavealampconstantlyburninginhisbed-chamberduringthenight，andifwakefullydisturbed，takeabook，andread，andcomposehimselftorest。Tohavethemanagementofthemindisagreatart，anditmaybeattainedinaconsiderabledegreebyexperienceandhabitualexercise。’BOSWELL。’Shouldnotheprovideamusementsforhimself？Woulditnot，forinstance，berightforhimtotakeacourseofchymistry？’JOHNSON。’Lethimtakeacourseofchymistry，oracourseofrope-dancing，oracourseofanythingtowhichheisinclinedatthetime。Lethimcontrivetohaveasmanyretreatsforhismindashecan，asmanythingstowhichitcanflyfromitself。Burton’sAnatomyofMelancholyisavaluablework。Itis，perhaps，overloadedwithquotation。ButthereisgreatspiritandgreatpowerinwhatBurtonsays，whenhewritesfromhisownmind。’

NextmorningwevisitedDr。Wetherell，MasterofUniversityCollege，withwhomDr。JohnsonconferredonthemostadvantageousmodeofdisposingofthebooksprintedattheClarendonpress。I

oftenhadoccasiontoremark，Johnsonlovedbusiness，lovedtohavehiswisdomactuallyoperateonreallife。

WethenwenttoPembrokeCollege，andwaitedonhisoldfriendDr。

Adams，themasterofit，whomIfoundtobeamostpolite，pleasing，communicativeman。Beforehisadvancementtotheheadshipofhiscollege，IhadintendedtogoandvisithimatShrewsbury，wherehewasrectorofSt。Chad’s，inordertogetfromhimwhatparticularshecouldrecollectofJohnson’sacademicallife。Henowobliginglygavemepartofthatauthentickinformation，which，withwhatIafterwardsowedtohiskindness，willbefoundincorporatedinitsproperplaceinthiswork。

Dr。Adamstoldus，thatinsomeoftheCollegesatOxford，thefellowshadexcludedthestudentsfromsocialintercoursewiththeminthecommonroom。JOHNSON。’Theyareintheright，Sir：therecanbenorealconversation，nofairexertionofmindamongstthem，iftheyoungmenareby；foramanwhohasacharacterdoesnotchoosetostakeitintheirpresence。’BOSWELL。’But，Sir，maytherenotbeverygoodconversationwithoutacontestforsuperiority？’JOHNSON。’Noanimatedconversation，Sir，foritcannotbebutoneorotherwillcomeoffsuperiour。Idonotmeanthatthevictormusthavethebetteroftheargument，forhemaytaketheweakside；buthissuperiorityofpartsandknowledgewillnecessarilyappear：andhetowhomhethusshewsh

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