第91章

Hisdisorderlyhabits，when’makingprovisionforthedaythatwaspassingoverhim，’appearfromthefollowinganecdote，communicatedtomebyMr。JohnNichols：——’Intheyear1763，ayoungbookseller，whowasanapprenticetoMr。Whiston，waitedonhimwithasubscriptiontohisShakspeare：andobservingthattheDoctormadenoentryinanybookofthesubscriber’sname，ventureddiffidentlytoask，whetherhewouldpleasetohavethegentleman’saddress，thatitmightbeproperlyinsertedintheprintedlistofsubscribers。“Ishallprintnolistofsubscribers；“saidJohnson，withgreatabruptness：butalmostimmediatelyrecollectinghimself，added，verycomplacently，“Sir，Ihavetwoverycogentreasonsfornotprintinganylistofsubscribers；——one，thatIhavelostallthenames，——theother，thatIhavespentallthemoney。“

Johnsoncouldnotbrookappearingtobeworstedinargument，evenwhenhehadtakenthewrongside，toshewtheforceanddexterityofhistalents。When，therefore，heperceivedthathisopponentgainedground，hehadrecoursetosomesuddenmodeofrobustsophistry。OncewhenIwaspressinguponhimwithvisibleadvantage，hestoppedmethus：——’MydearBoswell，let’shavenomoreofthis；you’llmakenothingofit。I’dratherhaveyouwhistleaScotchtune。’

Care，however，mustbetakentodistinguishbetweenJohnsonwhenhe’talkedforvictory，’andJohnsonwhenhehadnodesirebuttoinformandillustrate。’OneofJohnsonsprincipaltalents(saysaneminentfriendofhis)wasshewninmaintainingthewrongsideofanargument，andinasplendidperversionofthetruth。Ifyoucouldcontrivetohavehisfairopiniononasubject，andwithoutanybiasfrompersonalprejudice，orfromawishtobevictoriousinargument，itwaswisdomitself，notonlyconvincing，butoverpowering。’

Hehad，however，allhislifehabituatedhimselftoconsiderconversationasatrialofintellectualvigourandskill；andtothis，Ithink，wemayventuretoascribethatunexampledrichnessandbrilliancywhichappearedinhisown。Asaproofatonceofhiseagernessforcolloquialdistinction，andhishighnotionofthiseminentfriend，heonceaddressedhimthus：——’——，wenowhavebeenseveralhourstogether；andyouhavesaidbutonethingforwhichIenviedyou。’

Goldsmithcouldsometimestakeadventurouslibertieswithhim，andescapeunpunished。BeauclerktoldmethatwhenGoldsmithtalkedofaprojectforhavingathirdTheatreinLondon，solelyfortheexhibitionofnewplays，inordertodeliverauthoursfromthesupposedtyrannyofmanagers，Johnsontreateditslightingly；uponwhichGoldsmithsaid，’Ay，ay，thismaybenothingtoyou，whocannowshelteryourselfbehindthecornerofapension；’andthatJohnsonborethiswithgood-humour。

JohnsonhadcalledtwiceontheBishopofKillaloebeforehisLordshipsetoutforIreland，havingmissedhimthefirsttime。Hesaid，’ItwouldhavehungheavyonmyheartifIhadnotseenhim。

Nomaneverpaidmoreattentiontoanotherthanhehasdonetome；

andIhaveneglectedhim，notwilfully，butfrombeingotherwiseoccupied。Always，Sir，setahighvalueonspontaneouskindness。

Hewhoseinclinationpromptshimtocultivateyourfriendshipofhisownaccord，willloveyoumorethanonewhomyouhavebeenatpainstoattachtoyou。’

Iaskedhimifhewasnotdissatisfiedwithhavingsosmallashareofwealth，andnoneofthosedistinctionsinthestatewhicharetheobjectsofambition。Hehadonlyapensionofthreehundredayear。Whywashenotinsuchcircumstancesastokeephiscoach？

Whyhadhenotsomeconsiderableoffice？JOHNSON。’Sir，Ihavenevercomplainedoftheworld；nordoIthinkthatIhavereasontocomplain。ItisrathertobewonderedatthatIhavesomuch。MypensionismoreoutoftheusualcourseofthingsthananyinstancethatIhaveknown。Here，Sir，wasamanavowedlynofriendtoGovernmentatthetime，whogotapensionwithoutaskingforit。I

nevercourtedthegreat；theysentforme；butIthinktheynowgivemeup。Theyaresatisfied；theyhaveseenenoughofme。’

Strange，however，itis，toconsiderho

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