第64章

AETAT。68。]——In1777，itappearsfromhisPrayersandMeditations，thatJohnsonsufferedmuchfromastateofmind’unsettledandperplexed，’andfromthatconstitutionalgloom，which，togetherwithhisextremehumilityandanxietywithregardtohisreligiousstate，madehimcontemplatehimselfthroughtoodarkandunfavourableamedium。Itmaybesaidofhim，thathe’sawGODinclouds。’Certainwemaybeofhisinjusticetohimselfinthefollowinglamentableparagraph，whichitispainfultothinkcamefromthecontriteheartofthisgreatman，towhoselabourstheworldissomuchindebted：’WhenIsurveymypastlife，I

discovernothingbutabarrenwasteoftimewithsomedisordersofbody，anddisturbancesofthemind，veryneartomadness，whichI

hopeHethatmademewillsuffertoextenuatemanyfaults，andexcusemanydeficiencies。’Butwefindhisdevotionsinthisyeareminentlyfervent；andwearecomfortedbyobservingintervalsofquiet，composure，andgladness。

OnEaster-daywefindthefollowingemphatickprayer：

’AlmightyandmostmercifulFather，whoseestallourmiseries，andknowestallournecessities，lookdownuponme，andpityme。

Defendmefromtheviolentincursion[incursions]ofevilthoughts，andenablemetoformandkeepsuchresolutionsasmayconducetothedischargeofthedutieswhichthyprovidenceshallappointme；

andsohelpme，bythyHolySpirit，thatmyheartmaysurelytherebefixed，wheretruejoysaretobefound，andthatImayservetheewithpureaffectionandacheerfulmind。Havemercyuponme，OGOD，havemercyuponme；yearsandinfirmitiesoppressme，terrourandanxietybesetme。Havemercyuponme，myCreatorandmyJudge。[Inalldangersprotectme。]Inallperplexitiesrelieveandfreeme；andsohelpmebythyHolySpirit，thatImaynowsocommemoratethedeathofthySonourSaviourJESUSCHRIST，asthatwhenthisshortandpainfullifeshallhaveanend，Imay，forhissake，bereceivedtoeverlastinghappiness。Amen。’

’SIRALEXANDERDICKTODR。SAMUELJOHNSON。

’Prestonfield，Feb。17，1777。

’SIR，IhadyesterdaythehonourofreceivingyourbookofyourJourneytotheWesternIslandsofScotland，whichyouwassogoodastosendme，bythehandsofourmutualfriend，Mr。Boswell，ofAuchinleck；forwhichIreturnyoumymostheartythanks；andaftercarefullyreadingitoveragain，shalldepositinmylittlecollectionofchoicebooks，nextourworthyfriend’sJourneytoCorsica。Astherearemanythingstoadmireinbothperformances，IhaveoftenwishedthatnoTravelsorJourneysshouldbepublishedbutthoseundertakenbypersonsofintegrityandcapacitytojudgewell，anddescribefaithfully，andingoodlanguage，thesituation，condition，andmannersofthecountriespastthrough。IndeedourcountryofScotland，inspiteoftheunionofthecrowns，isstillinmostplacessodevoidofclothing，orcoverfromhedgesandplantations，thatitwaswellyougaveyourreadersasoundMonitoirewithrespecttothatcircumstance。Thetruthsyouhavetold，andthepurityofthelanguageinwhichtheyareexpressed，asyourJourneyisuniversallyread，may，andalreadyappeartohaveaverygoodeffect。Foramanofmyacquaintance，whohasthelargestnurseryfortreesandhedgesinthiscountry，t

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