第67章

Icannothelpthinkingthefirststanzaverygoodsolemnpoetry，asalsothethreefirstlinesofthesecond。Itslastlineisanexcellentburlesquesurpriseongloomysentimentalenquirers。And，perhaps，theadviceisasgoodascanbegiventoalow-spiriteddissatisfiedbeing：——’Don’ttroubleyourheadwithsicklythinking：

takeacup，andbemerry。’

Friday，September19，afterbreakfastDr。JohnsonandIsetoutinDr。Taylor’schaisetogotoDerby。Thedaywasfine，andweresolvedtogobyKeddlestone，theseatofLordScarsdale，thatI

mightseehisLordship’sfinehouse。Iwasstruckwiththemagnificenceofthebuilding；andtheextensivepark，withthefinestverdure，coveredwithdeer，andcattle，andsheep，delightedme。Thenumberofoldoaks，ofanimmensesize，filledmewithasortofrespectfuladmiration：foroneofthemsixtypoundswasoffered。Theexcellentsmoothgravelroads；thelargepieceofwaterformedbyhisLordshipfromsomesmallbrooks，withahandsomebargeuponit；thevenerableGothickchurch，nowthefamilychapel，justbythehouse；inshort，thegrandgroupofobjectsagitatedanddistendedmymindinamostagreeablemanner。

’Oneshouldthink(saidI，)thattheproprietorofallthisMUSTbehappy。’——’Nay，Sir，(saidJohnson，)allthisexcludesbutoneevil——

poverty。’

Ournamesweresentup，andawell-drestelderlyhousekeeper，amostdistinctarticulator，shewedusthehouse；whichIneednotdescribe，asthereisanaccountofitpublishedinAdam’sWorksinArchitecture。Dr。Johnsonthoughtbetterofitto-daythanwhenhesawitbefore；forhehadlatelyattackeditviolently，saying，’Itwoulddoexcellentlyforatown-hall。Thelargeroomwiththepillars(saidhe，)woulddofortheJudgestositinattheassizes；thecircularroomforajury-chamber；andtheroomaboveforprisoners。’Stillhethoughtthelargeroomilllighted，andofnousebutfordancingin；andthebed-chambersbutindifferentrooms；andthattheimmensesumwhichitcostwasinjudiciouslylaidout。Dr。TaylorhadputhiminmindofhisAPPEARINGpleasedwiththehouse。’But(saidhe，)thatwaswhenLordScarsdalewaspresent。Politenessobligesustoappearpleasedwithaman’sworkswhenheispresent。Nomanwillbesoillbredastoquestionyou。Youmaythereforepaycomplimentswithoutsayingwhatisnottrue。IshouldsaytoLordScarsdaleofhislargeroom，“MyLord，thisisthemostCOSTLYroomthatIeversaw；“

whichistrue。’

Dr。Manningham，physicianinLondon，whowasvisitingatLordScarsdale’s，accompanyedusthroughmanyoftherooms，andsoonafterwardsmyLordhimself，towhomDr。Johnsonwasknown，appeared，anddidthehonoursofthehouse。WetalkedofMr。

Langton。Johnson，withawarmvehemenceofaffectionateregard，exclaimed，’TheearthdoesnotbearaworthiermanthanBennetLangton。’Wesawagoodmanyfinepictures，whichIthinkaredescribedinoneofYoung’sTours。Thereisaprintedcatalogueofthemwhichthehousekeeperputintomyhand；Ishouldliketoviewthematleisure。IwasmuchstruckwithDanielinterpretingNebuchadnezzar’sdreambyRembrandt。Wewereshownaprettylargelibrary。InhisLordship’sdressing-roomlayJohnson’ssmallDictionary：heshewedittome，withsomeeagerness，saying，’Look’ye!Quaeterranostrinonplenalaboris。’Heobserved，also，Goldsmith’sAnimatedNature；andsaid，’Here’sourfriend!

ThepoorDoctorwouldhavebeenhappytohearofthis。’

Inourway，Johnsonstronglyexpressedhisloveofdrivingfastinapost-chaise。’If(saidhe，)Ihadnoduties，andnoreferencetofuturity，

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