第72章

Bailey，totakeawayhislife，afterhehasrobbedme。IamsurerIamrightintheonecasethanintheother。Imaybemistakenastotheman，whenIswear：Icannotbemistaken，ifIshoothimintheact。Besides，wefeellessreluctancetotakeawayaman’slife，whenweareheatedbytheinjury，thantodoitatadistanceoftimebyanoath，afterwehavecooled。’BOSWELL。’So，Sir，youwouldratheractfromthemotiveofprivatepassion，thanthatofpublickadvantage。’JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，whenIshootthehighwaymanIactfromboth。’BOSWELL。’Verywell，verywell——

Thereisnocatchinghim。’JOHNSON。’Atthesametimeonedoesnotknowwhattosay。Forperhapsonemay，ayearafter，hanghimselffromuneasinessforhavingshotaman。Fewmindsarefittobetrustedwithsogreatathing。’BOSWELL。’Then，Sir，youwouldnotshoothim？’JOHNSON。’ButImightbevexedafterwardsforthattoo。’

Thrale’scarriagenothavingcomeforhim，asheexpected，I

accompaniedhimsomepartofthewayhometohisownhouse。Itoldhim，thatIhadtalkedofhimtoMr。Dunningafewdaysbefore，andhadsaid，thatinhiscompanywedidnotsomuchinterchangeconversation，aslistentohim；andthatDunningobserved，uponthis，’OneisalwayswillingtolistentoDr。Johnson：’towhichI

answered，’Thatisagreatdealfromyou，Sir。’——’Yes，Sir，(saidJohnson，)agreatdealindeed。Hereisamanwillingtolisten，towhomtheworldislisteningalltherestoftheyear。’BOSWELL。

’Ithink，Sir，itisrighttotellonemanofsuchahandsomething，whichhasbeensaidofhimbyanother。Ittendstoincreasebenevolence。’JOHNSON。’Undoubtedlyitisright，Sir。’

OnTuesday，April7，Ibreakfastedwithhimathishouse。Hesaid，’nobodywascontent。’ImentionedtohimarespectablepersoninScotlandwhomheknew；andIasserted，thatIreallybelievedhewasalwayscontent。JOHNSON。’No，Sir，heisnotcontentwiththepresent；hehasalwayssomenewscheme，somenewplantation，somethingwhichisfuture。Youknowhewasnotcontentasawidower；forhemarriedagain。’BOSWELL。’Butheisnotrestless。’JOHNSON。’Sir，heisonlylocallyatrest。Achymistislocallyatrest；buthismindishardatwork。Thisgentlemanhasdonewithexternalexertions。Itistoolateforhimtoengageindistantprojects。’BOSWELL。’Heseemstoamusehimselfquitewell；tohavehisattentionfixed，andhistranquillitypreservedbyverysmallmatters。Ihavetriedthis；butitwouldnotdowithme。’JOHNSON。(laughing，)’No，Sir；itmustbebornwithamantobecontentedtotakeupwithlittlethings。Womenhaveagreatadvantagethattheymaytakeupwithlittlethings，withoutdisgracingthemselves：amancannot，exceptwithfiddling。HadI

learnttofiddle，Ishouldhavedonenothingelse。’BOSWELL。

’Pray，Sir，didyoueverplayonanymusicalinstrument？’JOHNSON。

’No，Sir。Ionceboughtmeaflagelet；butInevermadeoutatune。’BOSWELL。’Aflagelet，Sir!——sosmallaninstrument？I

shouldhavelikedtohearyouplayonthevioloncello。THATshouldhavebeenYOURinstrument。’JOHNSON。’Sir，Imightaswellhaveplayedonthevioloncelloasanother；butIshouldhavedonenothingelse。No，Sir；amanwouldneverundertakegreatthings，couldhebeamusedwithsmall。Ioncetriedknotting。Dempster’ssisterundertooktoteachme；butIcouldnotlearnit。’BOSWELL。

’So，Sir；itwillberelatedinpompousnarrative，“Onceforhisamusementhetriedknotting；nordidthisHerculesdisdainthedistaff。“’JOHNSON。’Knittingofstocking

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