第79章

’Why，Madam，becauseIhavenotthengotthebetterofmybadhumourfromhavingbeenshownthem。Youmustconsider，Madam；

beforehandtheymaybebad，aswellasgood。Nobodyhasarighttoputanotherundersuchadifficulty，thathemusteitherhurtthepersonbytellingthetruth，orhurthimselfbytellingwhatisnottrue。’BOSWELL。’Amanoftenshewshiswritingstopeopleofeminence，toobtainfromthem，eitherfromtheirgood-nature，orfromtheirnotbeingabletotellthetruthfirmly，acommendation，ofwhichhemayafterwardsavailhimself。’JOHNSON。’Verytrue，Sir。Thereforetheman，whoisaskedbyanauthour，whathethinksofhiswork，isputtothetorture，andisnotobligedtospeakthetruth；sothatwhathesaysisnotconsideredashisopinion；yethehassaidit，andcannotretractit；andthisauthour，whenmankindarehuntinghimwithacannisterathistail，cansay，“I

wouldnothavepublished，hadnotJohnson，orReynolds，orMusgrave，orsomeothergoodjudge，commendedthework。“YetI

consideritasaverydifficultquestioninconscience，whetheroneshouldadviseamannottopublishawork，ifprofitbehisobject；

forthemanmaysay，“Haditnotbeenforyou，Ishouldhavehadthemoney。“Nowyoucannotbesure；foryouhaveonlyyourownopinion，andthepublickmaythinkverydifferently。’SIRJOSHUA

REYNOLDS。’Youmustuponsuchanoccasionhavetwojudgements；oneastotherealvalueofthework，theotherastowhatmaypleasethegeneraltasteatthetime。’JOHNSON。’ButyoucanbeSUREofneither；andthereforeIshouldscruplemuchtogiveasuppressivevote。BothGoldsmith’scomedieswereoncerefused；hisfirstbyGarrick，hissecondbyColman，whowasprevailedonatlastbymuchsolicitation，nay，akindofforce，tobringiton。HisVicarofWakefieldImyselfdidnotthinkwouldhavehadmuchsuccess。ItwaswrittenandsoldtoabooksellerbeforehisTraveller；butpublishedafter；solittleexpectationhadthebooksellerfromit。

HaditbeensoldaftertheTravellerhemighthavehadtwiceasmuchmoneyforit，thoughsixtyguineaswasnomeanprice。ThebooksellerhadtheadvantageofGoldsmith’sreputationfromTheTravellerinthesale，thoughGoldsmithhaditnotinsellingthecopy。’SIRJOSHUAREYNOLDS。’TheBeggar’sOperaaffordsaproofhowstrangelypeoplewilldifferinopinionaboutaliteraryperformance。Burkethinksithasnomerit。’JOHNSON。’Itwasrefusedbyoneofthehouses；butIshouldhavethoughtitwouldsucceed，notfromanygreatexcellenceinthewriting，butfromthenovelty，andthegeneralspiritandgaietyofthepiece，whichkeepstheaudiencealwaysattentive，anddismissesthemingoodhumour。’

Wewenttothedrawing-room，wherewasaconsiderableincreaseofcompany。SeveralofusgotroundDr。Johnson，andcomplainedthathewouldnotgiveusanexactcatalogueofhisworks，thattheremightbeacompleteedition。Hesmiled，andevadedourentreaties。

Thatheintendedtodoit，Ihavenodoubt，becauseIhaveheardhimsayso；andIhaveinmypossessionanimperfectlist，fairlywrittenout，whichheentitlesHistoriaStudiorum。Ioncegotfromoneofhisfriendsalist，whichtherewasprettygoodreasontosupposewasaccurate，foritwaswrittendowninhispresencebythisfriend，whoenumeratedeacharticlealoud，andhadsomeofthemmentionedtohimbyMr。Levett，inconcertwithwhomitwasmadeout；andJohnson，whoheardallthis，didnotcontradictit。

ButwhenIshewedacopyofthislisttohim，andmentionedtheevidenceforitsexactness，helaughed，andsaid，’Iwaswillingtoletthemgoonastheypleased，andneverinterfer

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