第75章

’CHAP。LXXII。Concerningsnakes。

’Therearenosnakestobemetwiththroughoutthewholeisland。’

Mr。TophamBeauclerkcameintheevening，andheandDr。JohnsonandIstaidtosupper。ItwasmentionedthatDr。DoddhadoncewishedtobeamemberofTHELITERARYCLUB。JOHNSON。’IshouldbesorryifanyofourClubwerehanged。Iwillnotsaybutsomeofthemdeserveit。’BEAUCLERK。(supposingthistobeaimedatpersonsforwhomhehadatthattimeawonderfulfancy，which，however，didnotlastlong，)wasirritated，andeagerlysaid，’You，Sir，haveafriend，(naminghim)whodeservestobehanged；forhespeaksbehindtheirbacksagainstthosewithwhomhelivesonthebestterms，andattackstheminthenewspapers。HEcertainlyoughttobeKICKED。’JOHNSON。’Sir，wealldothisinsomedegree，“Veniampetimusdamusquevicissim。“Tobesureitmaybedonesomuch，thatamanmaydeservetobekicked。’BEAUCLERK。’Heisverymalignant。’JOHNSON。’No，Sir；heisnotmalignant。Heismischievous，ifyouwill。Hewoulddonomananessentialinjury；

hemay，indeed，lovetomakesportofpeoplebyvexingtheirvanity。I，however，onceknewanoldgentlemanwhowasabsolutelymalignant。Hereallywishedeviltoothers，andrejoicedatit。’

BOSWELL。’Thegentleman，Mr。Beauclerk，againstwhomyouaresoviolent，is，Iknow，amanofgoodprinciples。’BEAUCLERK。’Thenhedoesnotwearthemoutinpractice。’

Dr。Johnson，who，asIhaveobservedbefore，delightedindiscriminationofcharacter，andhavingamasterlyknowledgeofhumannature，waswillingtotakemenastheyare，imperfectandwithamixtureofgoodandbadqualities，Isupposethoughhehadsaidenoughindefenceofhisfriend，ofwhosemerits，notwithstandinghisexceptionalpoints，hehadajustvalue；andaddednomoreonthesubject。

OnWednesday，April15，IdinedwithDr。JohnsonatMr。Dilly’s，andwasinhighspirits，forIhadbeenagoodpartofthemorningwithMr。Orme，theableandeloquenthistorianofHindostan，whoexpressedagreatadmirationofJohnson。’Idonotcare(saidhe，)

onwhatsubjectJohnsontalks；butIlovebettertohearhimtalkthananybody。Heeithergivesyounewthoughts，oranewcolouring。Itisashametothenationthathehasnotbeenmoreliberallyrewarded。HadIbeenGeorgetheThird，andthoughtashedidaboutAmerica，IwouldhavegivenJohnsonthreehundredayearforhisTaxationnoTyrannyalone。’Irepeatedthis，andJohnsonwasmuchpleasedwithsuchpraisefromsuchamanasOrme。

AtMr。Dilly’sto-daywereMrs。Knowles，theingeniousQuakerlady，MissSeward，thepoetessofLichfield，theReverendDr。Mayo，andtheRev。Mr。Beresford，TutortotheDukeofBedford。BeforedinnerDr。JohnsonseizeduponMr。CharlesSheridan’sAccountofthelateRevolutioninSweden，andseemedtoreaditravenously，asifhedevouredit，whichwastoallappearancehismethodofstudying。’Heknowshowtoreadbetterthananyone(saidMrs。

Knowles；)hegetsatthesubstanceofabookdirectly；hetearsouttheheartofit。’Hekeptitwraptupinthetableclothinhislapduringthetimeofdinner，fromanaviditytohaveoneentertainmentinreadinesswhenheshouldhavefinishedanother；

resembling(ifImayusesocoarseasimile)adogwhoholdsaboneinhispawsinreserve，whileheeatssomethingelsewhichhasbeenthrowntohim。

ThesubjectofcookeryhavingbeenverynaturallyintroducedatatablewhereJohnson，whoboastedofthenicenessofhispalate，ownedthat’healwaysfoundagooddinner，’hesaid，’Icouldwriteabetterbookofcookerythanhaseveryetbeenwritten；itshouldbeabookuponphilosoph

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