第97章

wouldvisitmyneighbours，andreceivetheirvisits；butIwouldnotbeinhastetoreturnvisits。Ifagentlemancomestoseeme，Itellhimhedoesmeagreatdealofhonour。Idonotgotoseehimperhapsfortenweeks；thenweareverycomplaisanttoeachother。No，Sir，youwillhavemuchmoreinfluencebygivingorlendingmoneywhereitiswanted，thanbyhospitality。’

OnSaturday，May17，Isawhimforashorttime。HavingmentionedthatIhadthatmorningbeenwitholdMr。Sheridan，herememberedtheirformerintimacywithacordialwarmth，andsaidtome，’TellMr。Sheridan，Ishallbegladtoseehim，andshakehandswithhim。’BOSWELL。’Itistomeverywonderfulthatresentmentshouldbekeptupsolong。’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，itisnotaltogetherresentmentthathedoesnotvisitme；itispartlyfallingoutofthehabit，——partlydisgust，asonehasatadrugthathasmadehimsick。Besides，heknowsthatIlaughathisoratory。’

AnotherdayIspokeofoneofourfriends，ofwhomhe，aswellasI，hadaveryhighopinion。Heexpatiatedinhispraise；butadded，’Sir，heisacursedWhig，aBOTTOMLESSWhig，astheyallarenow。’

OnMonday，May26，Ifoundhimattea，andthecelebratedMissBurney，theauthourofEvelinaandCecilia，withhim。IaskediftherewouldbeanyspeakersinParliament，iftherewerenoplacestobeobtained。JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir。Whydoyouspeakhere？

Eithertoinstructandentertain，whichisabenevolentmotive；orfordistinction，whichisaselfishmotive。’ImentionedCecilia。

JOHNSON。(withanairofanimatedsatisfaction，)’Sir，ifyoutalkofCecilia，talkon。’

WetalkedofMr。Barry’sexhibitionofhispictures。JOHNSON。

’Whateverthehandmayhavedone，themindhasdoneitspart。

Thereisagraspofmindtherewhichyoufindnowhereelse。’

Iaskedwhetheramannaturallyvirtuous，oronewhohasovercomewickedinclinations，isthebest。JOHNSON。’Sir，toYOU，themanwhohasovercomewickedinclinationsisnotthebest。HehasmoremerittoHIMSELF：Iwouldrathertrustmymoneytoamanwhohasnohands，andsoaphysicalimpossibilitytosteal，thantoamanofthemosthonestprinciples。ThereisawittysatiricalstoryofFoote。HehadasmallbustofGarrickplaceduponhisbureau。

“Youmaybesurprized(saidhe，)thatIallowhimtobesonearmygold；——butyouwillobservehehasnohands。“’

OnFriday，May29，beingtosetoutforScotlandnextmorning，I

passedapartofthedaywithhiminmorethanusualearnestness；

ashishealthwasinamoreprecariousstatethanatanytimewhenIhadpartedfromhim。He，however，wasquickandlively，andcriticalasusual。Imentionedonewhowasaverylearnedman。

JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir，hehasagreatdealoflearning；butitneverliesstraight。Thereisneveroneideabythesideofanother；

’tisallentangled：andtheirhedrivesitsoaukwardlyuponconversation。’

Hesaid，’Getasmuchforceofmindasyoucan。Livewithinyourincome。Alwayshavesomethingsavedattheendoftheyear。Letyourimportsbemorethanyourexports，andyou’llnevergofarwrong。

Iassuredhim，thatintheextensiveandvariousrangeofhisacquaintancethereneverhadbeenanyonewhohadamoresincererespectandaffectionforhimthanIhad。Hesaid，’Ibelieveit，Sir。WereIindistress，thereisnomantowhomIshouldsoonercomethantoyou。Ishouldliketocomeandhaveacottageinyourpark，toddleabout，livemostlyonmilk，andbetakencareofbyMrs。Boswell。SheandIaregoodfriendsnow；arewenot？’

Heembracedme，andgavemehisblessing，asusualwhenIwasleavinghimforanylengthoftime。Iwalkedfromhisdoorto-day，withafearfulapprehensionofwhatmighthappenbeforeIreturned。

Myanxiousapprehensionsatpartingwithhimthisyear，provedtobebut

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