第99章

’DEARSIR，——WhatcanbethereasonthatIhearnothingfromyou？I

hopenothingdisablesyoufromwriting。WhatIhaveseen，andwhatIhavefelt，givesmereasontofeareverything。Donotomitgivingmethecomfortofknowing，thatafterallmylossesIhaveyetafriendleft。

’Iwanteverycomfort。Mylifeisverysolitaryandverycheerless。ThoughithaspleasedGODwonderfullytodelivermefromthedropsy，Iamyetveryweak，andhavenotpassedthedoorsincethe13thofDecember。Ihopeforsomehelpfromwarmweather，whichwillsurelycomeintime。

’Icouldnothavetheconsentofthephysicianstogotochurchyesterday；Ithereforereceivedtheholysacramentathome，intheroomwhereIcommunicatedwithdearMrs。Williams，alittlebeforeherdeath。O!myfriend，theapproachofdeathisverydreadful。

IamafraidtothinkonthatwhichIknowIcannotavoid。Itisvaintolookroundandroundforthathelpwhichcannotbehad。

Yetwehopeandhope，andfancythathewhohaslivedto-daymayliveto-morrow。ButletuslearntoderiveourhopeonlyfromGOD。

’Inthemeantime，letusbekindtooneanother。IhavenofriendnowlivingbutyouandMr。Hector，thatwasthefriendofmyyouth。

Donotneglect，dearSir，yoursaffectionately，’London，Easter-Monday，April12，1784。’

’SAM。JOHNSON。’

Whatfollowsisabeautifulspecimenofhisgentlenessandcomplacencytoayoungladyhisgod-child，oneofthedaughtersofhisfriendMr。Langton，thenIthinkinherseventhyear。Hetookthetroubletowriteitinalargeroundhand，nearlyresemblingprintedcharacters，thatshemighthavethesatisfactionofreadingitherself。Theoriginalliesbeforeme，butshallbefaithfullyrestoredtoher；andIdaresaywillbepreservedbyherasajewelaslongasshelives。

’TOMISSJANELANGTON，INROCHESTER，KENT。

’MYDEARESTMISSJENNY，——Iamsorrythatyourprettyletterhasbeensolongwithoutbeinganswered；but，whenIamnotprettywell，Idonotalwayswriteplainenoughforyoungladies。Iamglad，mydear，toseethatyouwritesowell，andhopethatyoumindyourpen，yourbook，andyourneedle，fortheyareallnecessary。Yourbookswillgiveyouknowledge，andmakeyourespected；andyourneedlewillfindyouusefulemploymentwhenyoudonotcaretoread。Whenyouarealittleolder，Ihopeyouwillbeverydiligentinlearningarithmetick，and，aboveall，thatthroughyourwholelifeyouwillcarefullysayyourprayers，andreadyourBible。Iam，mydear，yourmosthumbleservant，’May10，1784。’

’SAM。JOHNSON。’

OnWednesday，May5，IarrivedinLondon，andnextmorninghadthepleasuretofindDr。Johnsongreatlyrecovered。Ibutjustsawhim；foracoachwaswaitingtocarryhimtoIslington，tothehouseofhisfriendtheReverendMr。Strahan，wherehewentsometimesforthebenefitofgoodair，which，notwithstandinghishavingformerlylaughedatthegeneralopinionuponthesubject，henowacknowledgedwasconducivetohealth。

Onemorningafterwards，whenIfoundhimalone，hecommunicatedtome，withsolemnearnestness，averyremarkablecircumstancewhichhadhappenedinthecourseofhisillness，whenhewasmuchdistressedbythedropsy。Hehadshuthimselfup，andemployedadayinparticularexercisesofreligion——fasting，humiliation，andprayer。Onasuddenheobtainedextraordinaryrelief，forwhichhelookeduptoHeavenwithgratefuldevotion。Hemadenodirectinferencefromthisfact；butfromhismanneroftellingit，I

couldperceivethatitappearedtohimassomethingmorethananincidentinthecommoncourseofevents。Formyownpart，Ihavenodifficultytoavowthatcastofthinking，whichbymanymodernpretenderstowisdomiscalledSUPERSTITIOUS。ButhereIthinkevenmenofdryrationalitymaybelieve，thattherewasanintermediateinterpositionofDivineProvidence，andthat’theferventprayerofthisrighteousman’availed。

OnSaturday，May15，IdinedwithhimatDr。Brocklesby’s，wherewereColonelVallancy，Mr。Murphy，andthatever-cheerfulcompanionMr。Devaynes，apothecarytohisMajesty。Ofthesedays，andothersonwhichIsawhim，Ihavenomemorials，exceptthegeneralrecollectionofhisbeingableandanim

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