第92章

gardenabotanicalgarden？’Whentoldthattherewasashrubberytotheextentofseveralmiles：’Thatismakingaveryfoolishuseoftheground；alittleofitisverywell。’Whenitwasproposedthatweshouldwalkonthepleasure-ground；’Don’tletusfatigueourselves。Whyshouldwewalkthere？Here’safinetree，let’sgettothetopofit。’Butuponthewhole，hewasverymuchpleased。Hesaid，’ThisisoneoftheplacesIdonotregrethavingcometosee。Itisaverystatelyplace，indeed；inthehousemagnificenceisnotsacrificedtoconvenience，norconveniencetomagnificence。Thelibraryisverysplendid：thedignityoftheroomsisverygreat；andthequantityofpicturesisbeyondexpectation，beyondhope。’

Ithappenedwithoutanypreviousconcert，thatwevisitedtheseatofLordButeupontheKing’sbirthday；wedinedanddrankhisMajesty’shealthataninn，inthevillageofLuton。

IntheeveningIputhiminmindofhispromisetofavourmewithacopyofhiscelebratedLettertotheEarlofChesterfield，andhewasatlastpleasedtocomplywiththisearnestrequest，bydictatingittomefromhismemory；forhebelievedthathehimselfhadnocopy。Therewasananimatedglowinhiscountenancewhilehethusrecalledhishigh-mindedindignation。

OnTuesday，June5，JohnsonwastoreturntoLondon。Hewasverypleasantatbreakfast；Imentionedafriendofminehavingresolvednevertomarryaprettywoman。JOHNSON。’Siritisaveryfoolishresolutiontoresolvenottomarryaprettywoman。Beautyisofitselfveryestimable。No，Sir，Iwouldpreferaprettywoman，unlessthereareobjectionstoher。Aprettywomanmaybefoolish；

aprettywomanmaybewicked；aprettywomanmaynotlikeme。Butthereisnosuchdangerinmarryingaprettywomanasisapprehended：shewillnotbepersecutedifshedoesnotinvitepersecution。Aprettywoman，ifshehasamindtobewicked，canfindareadierwaythananother；andthatisall。’

AtSheffordIhadanotheraffectionatepartingfrommyreveredfriend，whowastakenupbytheBedfordcoachandcarriedtothemetropolis。IwentwithMessieursDilly，toseesomefriendsatBedford；dinedwiththeofficersofthemilitiaofthecounty，andnextdayproceededonmyjourney。

Johnson’scharitytothepoorwasuniformandextensive，bothfrominclinationandprinciple。Henotonlybestowedliberallyoutofhisownpurse，butwhatismoredifficultaswellasrare，wouldbegfromothers，whenhehadproperobjectsinview。Thishedidjudiciouslyaswellashumanely。Mr。PhilipMetcalfetellsme，thatwhenhehasaskedhimforsomemoneyforpersonsindistress，andMr。MetcalfehasofferedwhatJohnsonthoughttoomuch，heinsistedontakingless，saying，’No，no，Sir；wemustnotPAMPER

them。’

IamindebtedtoMr。Malone，oneofSirJoshuaReynolds’sexecutors，forthefollowingnote，whichwasfoundamonghispapersafterhisdeath，andwhich，wemaypresume，hisunaffectedmodestypreventedhimfromcommunicatingtomewiththeotherlettersfromDr。Johnsonwithwhichhewaspleasedtofurnishme。Howeverslightinitself，asitdoeshonourtothatillustriouspainter，andmostamiableman，Iamhappytointroduceit。

’TOSIRJOSHUAREYNOLDS。

’DEARSIR，——ItwasnotbeforeyesterdaythatIreceivedyoursplendidbenefaction。Toahandsoliberalindistributing，Ihopenobodywillenvythepowerofacquiring。Iam，dearSir，yourobligedandmosthumbleservant，’June23，1781。’

’SAM。JOHNSON。’

ThefollowingcuriousanecdoteIinsertinDr。Burney’sownwords：——

’Dr。BurneyrelatedtoDr。JohnsonthepartialitywhichhiswritingshadexcitedinafriendofDr。Burney’s，thelateMr。

Bewley，wellknowninNorfolkbythenameofthePhilosopherofMassingham：who，fromtheRamblersandPlanofhisDictionary，andlongbeforetheauthour’sfamewasestablishedbytheDictionaryitself，oranyotherwork，hadconceivedsuchareverenceforhim，thatheurgentlybeggedDr。Burneytogivehimthecoverofthefirstletterhehadreceivedfromhim，a

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