第55章

enterthedoorofatavern，Iexperienceanoblivionofcare，andafreedomfromsolicitude：whenIamseated，Ifindthemastercourteous，andtheservantsobsequioustomycall；anxioustoknowandreadytosupplymywants：winethereexhilaratesmyspirits，andpromptsmetofreeconversationandaninterchangeofdiscoursewiththosewhomImostlove：Idogmatiseandamcontradicted，andinthisconflictofopinionsandsentimentsIfinddelight。“’——

BOSWELL。

Intheafternoon，asweweredrivenrapidlyalonginthepost-

chaise，hesaidtome’Lifehasnotmanythingsbetterthanthis。’

WestoppedatStratford-upon-Avon，anddrankteaandcoffee；anditpleasedmetobewithhimupontheclassickgroundofShakspeare’snativeplace。

HespokeslightinglyofDyer’sFleece——’Thesubject，Sir，cannotbemadepoetical。Howcanamanwritepoeticallyofsergesanddruggets？Yetyouwillhearmanypeopletalktoyougravelyofthatexcellentpoem，TheFleece。’HavingtalkedofGrainger’sSugar-Cane，ImentionedtohimMr。Langton’shavingtoldme，thatthispoem，whenreadinmanuscriptatSirJoshuaReynolds’s，hadmadealltheassembledwitsburstintoalaugh，when，aftermuchblank-versepomp，thepoetbegananewparagraphthus：——

’Now，Muse，let’ssingofrats。’

Andwhatincreasedtheridiculewas，thatoneofthecompany，whoslilyoverlookedthereader，perceivedthatthewordhadbeenoriginallyMICE，andhadbeenalteredtoRATS，asmoredignified。

Johnsonsaid，thatDr。Graingerwasanagreeableman；amanwhowoulddoanygoodthatwasinhispower。HistranslationofTibullus，hethought，wasverywelldone；butTheSugar-Cane，apoem，didnotpleasehim；for，heexclaimed，’Whatcouldhemakeofasugar-cane？Onemightaswellwritethe“Parsley-bed，aPoem；“

or“TheCabbage-garden，aPoem。“’BOSWELL。’Youmustthenpickleyourcabbagewiththesalatticum。’JOHNSON。’YouknowthereisalreadyTheHop-Garden，aPoem：and，Ithink，onecouldsayagreatdealaboutcabbage。Thepoemmightbeginwiththeadvantagesofcivilizedsocietyoverarudestate，exemplifiedbytheScotch，whohadnocabbagestillOliverCromwell’ssoldiersintroducedthem；

andonemightthusshewhowartsarepropagatedbyconquest，astheywerebytheRomanarms。’Heseemedtobemuchdivertedwiththefertilityofhisownfancy。

Itoldhim，thatIheardDr。PercywaswritingthehistoryofthewolfinGreat-Britain。JOHNSON。’Thewolf，Sir!whythewolf？whydoeshenotwriteofthebear，whichwehadformerly？Nay，itissaidwehadthebeaver。Orwhydoeshenotwriteofthegreyrat，theHanoverrat，asitiscalled，becauseitissaidtohavecomeintothiscountryaboutthetimethatthefamilyofHanovercame？

IshouldliketoseeTheHistoryoftheGreyRat，byThomasPercy，D。D。，ChaplaininOrdinarytohisMajesty，’(laughingimmoderately)。BOSWELL。’Iamafraidacourtchaplaincouldnotdecentlywriteofthegreyrat。’JOHNSON。’Sir，heneednotgiveitthenameoftheHanoverrat。’Thuscouldheindulgealuxuriantsportiveimagination，whentalkingofafriendwhomhelovedandesteemed。

OnFriday，March22，havingsetoutearlyfromHenley，wherewehadlaintheprecedingnight，wearrivedatBirminghamaboutnineo’clock，and，afterbreakfast，wenttocallonhisoldschoolfellowMr。Hector。Averystupidmaid，whoopenedthedoor，toldus，that’hermasterwasgoneout；hewasgonetothecountry；shecouldnottellwhenhewouldreturn。’Inshort，shegaveusamiserablereception；andJohnsonobserved，’Shewouldhavebehavednobettertopeoplewhowantedhiminthewayofhisprofession。’Hesaidtoher，’MynameisJohnson；tellhimIcalled。Willyourem

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