第69章

OnMonday，September22，whenatbreakfast，IunguardedlysaidtoDr。Johnson，’IwishIsawyouandMrs。Macaulaytogether。’Hegrewveryangry；and，afterapause，whileacloudgatheredonhisbrow，heburstout，’No，Sir；youwouldnotseeusquarrel，tomakeyousport。Don’tyouknowthatitisveryunciviltoPITtwopeopleagainstoneanother？’Then，checkinghimself，andwishingtobemoregentle，headded，’Idonotsayyoushouldbehangedordrownedforthis；butitISveryuncivil。’Dr。Taylorthoughthiminthewrong，andspoketohimprivatelyofit；butIafterwardsacknowledgedtoJohnsonthatIwastoblame，forIcandidlyowned，thatImeanttoexpressadesiretoseeacontestbetweenMrs。

Macaulayandhim；butthenIknewhowthecontestwouldend；sothatIwastoseehimtriumph。JOHNSON。’Sir，youcannotbesurehowacontestwillend；andnomanhasarighttoengagetwopeopleinadisputebywhichtheirpassionsmaybeinflamed，andtheymaypartwithbitterresentmentagainsteachother。IwouldsoonerkeepcompanywithamanfromwhomImustguardmypockets，thanwithamanwhocontrivestobringmeintoadisputewithsomebodythathemayhearit。Thisisthegreatfaultof——，(namingoneofourfriends，)endeavouringtointroduceasubjectuponwhichheknowstwopeopleinthecompanydiffer。’BOSWELL。’Buthetoldme，Sir，hedoesitforinstruction。’JOHNSON。’Whateverthemotivebe，Sir，themanwhodoesso，doesverywrong。Hehasnomorerighttoinstructhimselfatsuchrisk，thanhehastomaketwopeoplefightaduel，thathemaylearnhowtodefendhimself。’

Hefoundgreatfaultwithagentlemanofouracquaintanceforkeepingabadtable。’Sir，(saidhe，)whenamanisinvitedtodinner，heisdisappointedifhedoesnotgetsomethinggood。I

advisedMrs。Thrale，whohasnocard-partiesatherhouse，togivesweet-meats，andsuchgoodthings，inanevening，asarenotcommonlygiven，andshewouldfindcompanyenoughcometoher；foreverybodylovestohavethingswhichpleasethepalateputintheirway，withouttroubleorpreparation。’Suchwashisattentiontotheminutiaeoflifeandmanners。

Mr。Burke’sLettertotheSheriffsofBristol，ontheaffairsofAmerica，beingmentioned，Johnsoncensuredthecompositionmuch，andheridiculedthedefinitionofafreegovernment，viz。’Foranypracticalpurpose，itiswhatthepeoplethinkso。’——’IwilllettheKingofFrancegovernmeonthoseconditions，(saidhe，)foritistobegovernedjustasIplease。’AndwhenDr。Taylortalkedofagirlbeingsenttoaparishworkhouse，andaskedhowmuchshecouldbeobligedtowork，’Why，(saidJohnson，)asmuchasisreasonable：andwhatisthat？asmuchasSHETHINKSreasonable。’

Dr。JohnsonobliginglyproposedtocarrymetoseeIslam，aromantickscene，nowbelongingtoafamilyofthenameofPort，butformerlytheseatoftheCongreves。IsupposeitiswelldescribedinsomeoftheTours。Johnsondescribeditdistinctlyandvividly，atwhichIcouldnotbutexpresstohimmywonder；because，thoughmyeyes，asheobserved，werebetterthanhis，Icouldnotbyanymeansequalhiminrepresentingvisibleobjects。Isaid，thedifferencebetweenusinthisrespectwasasthatbetweenamanwhohasabadinstrument，butplayswellonit，andamanwhohasagoodinstrument，onwhichhecanplayveryimperfectly。

Irecollectaveryfineamphitheatre，surroundedwithhillscoveredwithwoods，andwalksneatlyformedalongthesideofarockysteep，onthequarternextthehousewithrecessesunderprojectionsofrock，overshadowedwithtrees；inoneofwhichrecesses，weweretold，CongrevewrotehisOldBachelor。WeviewedaremarkablenaturalcuriosityatIslam；tworiversburstingneareachotherfromtherock，notfromimmediatesprings，butafte

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