第76章

SomebodymentionedtheReverendMr。Mason’sprosecutionofMr。

Murray，thebookseller，forhavinginsertedinacollectionofGray’sPoems，onlyfiftylines，ofwhichMr。Masonhadstilltheexclusiveproperty，underthestatuteofQueenAnne；andthatMr。

Masonhadpersevered，notwithstandinghisbeingrequestedtonamehisowntermsofcompensation。JohnsonsignifiedhisdispleasureatMr。Mason’sconductverystrongly；butadded，bywayofshewingthathewasnotsurprizedatit，’Mason’saWhig。’MRS。KNOWLES。

(nothearingdistinctly，)’What!aPrig，Sir？’JOHNSON。’Worse，Madam；aWhig!Butheisboth。’

OfJohnWesley，hesaid，’Hecantalkwellonanysubject。’

BOSWELL。’Pray，Sir，whathashemadeofhisstoryofaghost？’

JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，hebelievesit；butnotonsufficientauthority。Hedidnottaketimeenoughtoexaminethegirl。ItwasatNewcastle，wheretheghostwassaidtohaveappearedtoayoungwomanseveraltimes，mentioningsomethingabouttherighttoanoldhouse，advisingapplicationtobemadetoanattorney，whichwasdone；and，atthesametime，sayingtheattorneyswoulddonothing，whichprovedtobethefact。“This(saysJohn，)isaproofthataghostknowsourthoughts。“Now(laughing，)itisnotnecessarytoknowourthoughts，totellthatanattorneywillsometimesdonothing。CharlesWesley，whoisamorestationaryman，doesnotbelievethestory。IamsorrythatJohndidnottakemorepainstoinquireintotheevidenceforit。’MISSSEWARD，(withanincreduloussmile，)’What，Sir!aboutaghost？’JOHNSON。

(withsolemnvehemence，)’Yes，Madam：thisisaquestionwhich，afterfivethousandyears，isyetundecided；aquestion，whetherintheologyorphilosophy，oneofthemostimportantthatcancomebeforethehumanunderstanding。’

Mrs。Knowlesmentioned，asaproselytetoQuakerism，Miss——，ayoungladywellknowntoDr。Johnson，forwhomhehadshewnmuchaffection；whilesheeverhad，andstillretained，agreatrespectforhim。Mrs。Knowlesatthesametimetookanopportunityoflettinghimknow’thattheamiableyoungcreaturewassorryatfindingthathewasoffendedatherleavingtheChurchofEnglandandembracingasimplerfaith；’and，inthegentlestandmostpersuasivemanner，solicitedhiskindindulgenceforwhatwassincerelyamatterofconscience。JOHNSON。(frowningveryangrily，)’Madam，sheisanodiouswench。Shecouldnothaveanyproperconvictionthatitwasherdutytochangeherreligion，whichisthemostimportantofallsubjects，andshouldbestudiedwithallcare，andwithallthehelpswecanget。SheknewnomoreoftheChurchwhichsheleft，andthatwhichsheembraced，thanshedidofthedifferencebetweentheCopernicanandPtolemaicksystems。’MRS。KNOWLES。’ShehadtheNewTestamentbeforeher。’

JOHNSON。’Madam，shecouldnotunderstandtheNewTestament，themostdifficultbookintheworld，forwhichthestudyofalifeisrequired。’MRS。KNOWLES。’Itisclearastoessentials。’

JOHNSON。’Butnotastocontroversialpoints。Theheathenswereeasilyconverted，becausetheyhadnothingtogiveup；butweoughtnot，withoutverystrongconvictionindeed，todesertthereligioninwhichwehavebeeneducated。Thatisthereligiongivenyou，thereligioninwhichitmaybesaidProvidencehasplacedyou。Ifyouliveconscientiouslyinthatreligion，youmaybesafe。Buterrourisdangerousi

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