第71章

IcannotomitacuriouscircumstancewhichoccurredatEdensor-inn，closebyChatsworth，tosurveythemagnificenceofwhichIhadgoneaconsiderablewayoutofmyroadtoScotland。Theinnwasthenkeptbyaveryjollylandlord，whosename，Ithink，wasMalton。Hehappenedtomentionthat’thecelebratedDr。Johnsonhadbeeninhishouse。’IinquiredWHOthisDr。Johnsonwas，thatImighthearminehost’snotionofhim。’Sir，(saidhe，)Johnson，thegreatwriter；ODDITY，astheycallhim。He’sthegreatestwriterinEngland；hewritesfortheministry；hehasacorrespondenceabroad，andletsthemknowwhat’sgoingon。’

Myfriend，whohadathoroughdependanceupontheauthenticityofmyrelationwithoutanyEMBELLISHMENT，asFALSEHOODorFICTIONistoogentlycalled，laughedagooddealatthisrepresentationofhimself。

OnWednesday，March18，*IarrivedinLondon，andwasinformedbygoodMr。Francisthathismasterwasbetter，andwasgonetoMr。

Thrale’satStreatham，towhichplaceIwrotetohim，beggingtoknowwhenhewouldbeintown。Hewasnotexpectedforsometime；

butnextdayhavingcalledonDr。Taylor，inDean’s-yard，Westminster，Ifoundhimthere，andwastoldhehadcometotownforafewhours。Hemetmewithhisusualkindness，butinstantlyreturnedtothewritingofsomethingonwhichhewasemployedwhenIcamein，andonwhichheseemedmuchintent。Findinghimthusengaged，Imademyvisitveryshort。

OnFriday，March20，Ifoundhimathisownhouse，sittingwithMrs。Williams，andwasinformedthattheroomformerlyallottedtomewasnowappropriatedtoacharitablepurpose；Mrs。Desmoulins，andIthinkherdaughter，andaMissCarmichael，beingalllodgedinit。Suchwashishumanity，andsuchhisgenerosity，thatMrs。

Desmoulinsherselftoldme，heallowedherhalf-a-guineaaweek。

Letitberemembered，thatthiswasaboveatwelfthpartofhispension。

Hisliberality，indeed，wasatallperiodsofhislifeveryremarkable。Mr。Howard，ofLichfield，atwhosefather’shouseJohnsonhadinhisearlyyearsbeenkindlyreceived，toldme，thatwhenhewasaboyattheCharter-House，hisfatherwrotetohimtogoandpayavisittoMr。SamuelJohnson，whichheaccordinglydid，andfoundhiminanupperroom，ofpoorappearance。Johnsonreceivedhimwithmuchcourteousness，andtalkedagreatdealtohim，astoaschool-boy，ofthecourseofhiseducation，andotherparticulars。Whenheafterwardscametoknowandunderstandthehighcharacterofthisgreatman，herecollectedhiscondescensionwithwonder。Headded，thatwhenhewasgoingaway，Mr。Johnsonpresentedhimwithhalf-a-guinea；andthis，saidMr。Howard，wasatatimewhenheprobablyhadnotanother。

WeretiredfromMrs。Williamstoanotherroom。TomDaviessoonafterjoinedus。Hehadnowunfortunatelyfailedinhiscircumstances，andwasmuchindebtedtoDr。Johnson’skindnessforobtainingforhimmanyalleviationsofhisdistress。Afterhewentaway，Johnsonblamedhisfollyinquittingthestage，bywhichheandhiswifegotfivehundredpoundsayear。Isaid，IbelieveditwasowingtoChurchill’sattackuponhim，’Hemouthsasentence，ascursmouthabone。’

JOHNSON。’Ibelievesotoo，Sir。Butwhatamanishe，whoistobedrivenfromthestagebyaline？Anotherlinewouldhavedrivenhimfromhisshop。’

HereturnednextdaytoStreatham，toMr。Thrale’s；where，asMr。

Strahanoncecomplainedtome，’hewasinagreatmeasureabsorbedfromthesocietyofhisoldfriends。’IwaskeptinLondonbybusiness，andwrotetohimonthe27th，thataseparationfromhimforaweek，whenweweresonear，wasequaltoaseparationforayear，whenwewereatfourhundredmilesdistance。IwenttoStreathamonMonday，March30。Beforeheappeared，Mrs。Thralemadeaverycharacteristicalremark：—

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节