第88章

WhiletheworldingeneralwasfilledwithadmirationofJohnson’sLivesofthePoets，therewerenarrowcirclesinwhichprejudiceandresentmentwerefostered，andfromwhichattacksofdifferentsortsissuedagainsthim。BysomeviolentWhigshewasarraignedofinjusticetoMilton；bysomeCambridgemenofdepreciatingGray；

andhisexpressingwithadignifiedfreedomwhathereallythoughtofGeorge，LordLyttelton，gaveoffencetosomeofthefriendsofthatnobleman，andparticularlyproducedadeclarationofwaragainsthimfromMrs。Montagu，theingeniousEssayistonShakspeare，betweenwhomandhisLordshipacommerceofreciprocalcomplimentshadlongbeencarriedon。Inthiswarthesmallerpowersinalliancewithhimwereofcourseledtoengage，atleastonthedefensive，andthusIforonewasexcludedfromtheenjoymentof’AFeastofReason，’suchasMr。Cumberlandhasdescribed，withakeen，yetjustanddelicatepen，inhisObserver。

TheseminuteinconveniencesgavenottheleastdisturbancetoJohnson。Henoblysaid，whenItalkedtohimofthefeeble，thoughshrilloutcrywhichhadbeenraised，’Sir，Iconsideredmyselfasentrustedwithacertainportionoftruth。Ihavegivenmyopinionsincerely；letthemshewwheretheythinkmewrong。’

IwrotetohiminFebruary，complainingofhavingbeentroubledbyarecurrenceoftheperplexingquestionofLibertyandNecessity；——

andmentioningthatIhopedsoontomeethimagaininLondon。

’TOJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。

’DEARSIR，——Ihopedyouhadgotridofallthishypocrisyofmisery。WhathaveyoutodowithLibertyandNecessity？Orwhatmorethantoholdyourtongueaboutit？DonotdoubtbutIshallbemostheartilygladtoseeyouhereagain，forIloveeverypartaboutyoubutyouraffectationofdistress。

’IhaveatlastfinishedmyLives，andhavelaidupforyoualoadofcopy，alloutoforder，sothatitwillamuseyoualongtimetosetitright。Cometome，mydearBozzy，andletusbeashappyaswecan。WewillgoagaintotheMitre，andtalkoldtimesover。I

am，dearSir，yoursaffectionately，’March14，1781。’

’SAM。JOHNSON。’

OnMonday，March19，IarrivedinLondon，andonTuesday，the20th，methiminFleet-street，walking，orratherindeedmovingalong；

forhispeculiarmarchisthusdescribedinaveryjustandpicturesquemanner，inashortLifeofhimpublishedverysoonafterhisdeath：——’Whenhewalkedthestreets，whatwiththeconstantrollofhishead，andtheconcomitantmotionofhisbody，heappearedtomakehiswaybythatmotion，independentofhisfeet。’Thathewasoftenmuchstaredatwhileheadvancedinthismanner，mayeasilybebelieved；butitwasnotsafetomakesportofonesorobustashewas。Mr。Langtonsawhimoneday，inafitofabsence，byasuddenstart，drivetheloadoffaporter’sback，andwalkforwardbriskly，withoutbeingconsciousofwhathehaddone。Theporterwasveryangry，butstoodstill，andeyedthehugefigurewithmuchearnestness，tillhewassatisfiedthathiswisestcoursewastobequiet，andtakeuphisburthenagain。

Ouraccidentalmeetinginthestreetafteralongseparationwasapleasingsurprizetousboth。HesteppedasidewithmeintoFalcon-court，andmadekindinquiriesaboutmyfamily，andaswewereinahurrygoingdifferentways，Ipromisedtocallonhimnextday；hesaidhewasengagedtogooutinthemorning。’Early，Sir？’saidI。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，aLondonmorningdoesnotgowiththesun。’

Iwaitedonhimnextevening，andhegavemeagreatportionofhisoriginalmanuscriptofhisLivesofthePoets，whichhehadpreservedforme。

Ifoundonvisitinghisfriend，Mr。Thrale，thathewasnowveryill，andhadremoved，IsupposebythesolicitationofMrs。Thrale，toahouseinGrosvenor-square。Iwassorrytoseehimsadlychangedinhisappearance。

HetoldmeImightnowhavethepleasuretoseeDr。Johnsondrinkwineagain，forhehadlatelyreturnedtoit。WhenImentionedthistoJohnson，hesaid，’Idrinkitnowsometimes，butnotsocially。’ThefirsteveningthatIwaswithhimatThrale’s，I

observedhepouredalargequantityofitintoaglass，andswalloweditgreedily。Everythingabouthischaracterandmannerswasforcibleandviolent；thereneverwasanymoderation；manyadaydidhefas

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