第57章

HereIshallrecordsomefragmentsofmyfriend’sconversationduringthisjaunt。

’Marriage，Sir，ismuchmorenecessarytoamanthantoawoman；

forheismuchlessabletosupplyhimselfwithdomestickcomforts。

Youwillrecollectmysayingtosomeladiestheotherday，thatI

hadoftenwonderedwhyyoungwomenshouldmarry，astheyhavesomuchmorefreedom，andsomuchmoreattentionpaidtothemwhileunmarried，thanwhenmarried。IindeeddidnotmentiontheSTRONG

reasonfortheirmarrying——theMECHANICALreason。’BOSWELL。’Why，thatISastrongone。Butdoesnotimaginationmakeitmuchmoreimportantthanitisinreality？Isitnot，toacertaindegree，adelusioninusaswellasinwomen？’JOHNSON。’Whyyes，Sir；butitisadelusionthatisalwaysbeginningagain。’BOSWELL。’I

don’tknowbutthereisuponthewholemoremiserythanhappinessproducedbythatpassion。’JOHNSON。’Idon’tthinkso，Sir。’

’Neverspeakofamaninhisownpresence。Itisalwaysindelicate，andmaybeoffensive。’

’Questioningisnotthemodeofconversationamonggentlemen。Itisassumingasuperiority，anditisparticularlywrongtoquestionamanconcerninghimself。Theremaybepartsofhisformerlifewhichhemaynotwishtobemadeknowntootherpersons，orevenbroughttohisownrecollection。’

’Amanshouldbecarefulnevertotelltalesofhimselftohisowndisadvantage。Peoplemaybeamusedandlaughatthetime，buttheywillberemembered，andbroughtoutagainsthimuponsomesubsequentoccasion。’

’Muchmaybedoneifamanputshiswholemindtoaparticularobject。Bydoingso，Nortonhasmadehimselfthegreatlawyerthatheisallowedtobe。’

OnTuesday，March26，therecameforusanequipageproperlysuitedtoawealthywell-beneficedclergyman；——Dr。Taylor’slargeroomypost-chaise，drawnbyfourstoutplumphorses，anddrivenbytwosteadyjollypostillions，whichconveyedustoAshbourne；whereI

foundmyfriend’sschoolfellowlivinguponanestablishmentperfectlycorrespondingwithhissubstantialcreditableequipage：

hishouse，garden，pleasure-grounds，table，inshorteverythinggood，andnoscantinessappearing。Everymanshouldformsuchaplanoflivingashecanexecutecompletely。Lethimnotdrawanoutlinewiderthanhecanfillup。Ihaveseenmanyskeletonsofshewandmagnificencewhichexciteatonceridiculeandpity。Dr。

Taylorhadagoodestateofhisown，andgoodprefermentinthechurch，beingaprebendaryofWestminster，andrectorofBosworth。

Hewasadiligentjusticeofthepeace，andpresidedoverthetownofAshbourne，totheinhabitantsofwhichIwastoldhewasveryliberal；andasaproofofthisitwasmentionedtome，hehadtheprecedingwinterdistributedtwohundredpoundsamongsuchofthemasstoodinneedofhisassistance。HehadconsequentlyaconsiderablepoliticalinterestinthecountyofDerby，whichheemployedtosupporttheDevonshirefamily；forthoughtheschoolfellowandfriendofJohnson，hewasaWhig。IcouldnotperceiveinhischaractermuchcongenialityofanysortwiththatofJohnson，who，however，saidtome，’Sir，hehasaverystrongunderstanding。’Hissize，andfigure，andcountenance，andmanner，werethatofaheartyEnglish’Squire，withtheparsonsuper-

induced：andItookparticularnoticeofhisupperservant，Mr。

Peters，adecentgraveman，inpurpleclothes，andalargewhitewig，likethebutlerormajordomoofaBishop。

Dr。JohnsonandDr。Taylormetwithgreatcordiality；andJohnsonsoongavehimthesamesadaccountoftheirschool-fellow，Congreve，thathehadgiventoMr。Hector；addingaremarkofsuchmomenttotherationalconductofamaninthedeclineoflife，thatitde

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