第100章

WetalkedofourworthyfriendMr。Langton。Hesaid，’IknownotwhowillgotoHeavenifLangtondoesnot。Sir，Icouldalmostsay，SitanimameacumLangtono。’Imentionedaveryeminentfriendasavirtuousman。JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir；but——hasnottheevangelicalvirtueofLangton——，Iamafraid，wouldnotscrupletopickupawench。’

HehoweverchargedMr。Langtonwithwhathethoughtwantofjudgmentuponaninterestingoccasion。’WhenIwasill，(saidhe，)

Idesiredhewouldtellmesincerelyinwhathethoughtmylifewasfaulty。Sir，hebroughtmeasheetofpaper，onwhichhehadwrittendownseveraltextsofScripture，recommendingchristiancharity。AndwhenIquestionedhimwhatoccasionIhadgivenforsuchananimadversion，allthathecouldsayamountedtothis，——

thatIsometimescontradictedpeopleinconversation。Nowwhatharmdoesitdotoanymantobecontradicted？’BOSWELL。’I

supposehemeanttheMANNERofdoingit；roughly，——andharshly。’

JOHNSON。’Andwhoistheworseforthat？’BOSWELL。’Ithurtspeopleofweaknerves。’JOHNSON。’Iknownosuchweak-nervedpeople。’Mr。Burke，towhomIrelatedthisconference，said，’Itiswell，ifwhenamancomestodie，hehasnothingheavieruponhisconsciencethanhavingbeenalittleroughinconversation。’

Johnson，atthetimewhenthepaperwaspresentedtohim，thoughatfirstpleasedwiththeattentionofhisfriend，whomhethankedinanearnestmanner，soonexclaimed，inaloudandangrytone，’Whatisyourdrift，Sir？’SirJoshuaReynoldspleasantlyobserved，thatitwasasceneforacomedy，toseeapenitentgetintoaviolentpassionandbelabourhisconfessor。

HehaddinedthatdayatMr。Hoole’s，andMissHelenMariaWilliamsbeingexpectedintheevening，Mr。HooleputintohishandsherbeautifulOdeonthePeace：Johnsonreaditover，andwhenthiselegantandaccomplishedyoungladywaspresentedtohim，hetookherbythehandinthemostcourteousmanner，andrepeatedthefineststanzaofherpoem；thiswasthemostdelicateandpleasingcomplimenthecouldpay。Herrespectablefriend，Dr。Kippis，fromwhomIhadthisanecdote，wasstandingby，andwasnotalittlegratified。

MissWilliamstoldme，thattheonlyothertimeshewasfortunateenoughtobeinDr。Johnson’scompany，heaskedhertositdownbyhim，whichshedid，anduponherinquiringhowhewas，heanswered，’Iamveryillindeed，Madam。Iamveryillevenwhenyouarenearme；whatshouldIbewereyouatadistance？’

HehadnowagreatdesiretogotoOxford，ashisfirstjauntafterhisillness；wetalkedofitforsomedays，andIhadpromisedtoaccompanyhim。Hewasimpatientandfretfulto-night，becauseI

didnotatonceagreetogowithhimonThursday。WhenI

consideredhowillhehadbeen，andwhatallowanceshouldbemadefortheinfluenceofsicknessuponhistemper，Iresolvedtoindulgehim，thoughwithsomeinconveniencetomyself，asIwishedtoattendthemusicalmeetinginhonourofHandel，inWestminster-

Abbey，onthefollowingSaturday。

Inthemidstofhisowndiseasesandpains，hewasevercompassionatetothedistressesofothers，andactivelyearnestinprocuringthemaid，asappearsfromanotetoSirJoshuaReynolds，ofJune，inthesewords：——’Iamashamedtoaskforsomereliefforapoorman，towhom，Ihope，IhavegivenwhatIcanbeexpectedtospare。Themanimportunesme，andtheblowgoesround。IamgoingtotryanotheraironThursday。’

OnThursday，June3，theOxfordpost-coachtookusupinthemorningatBolt-court。TheothertwopassengerswereMrs。

Beresfordandherdaughter，twoveryagreeableladiesfromAmerica；

theyweregoingtoWorcestershire，wheretheythenresided。Frankhadbeensentbyhismasterthedaybeforetotakeplacesforus；

andIfound，fromthewaybill，thatDr。Johnsonhadmadeournamesbeputdown。Mrs。Beresford，whohadreadit，whisperedme，’IsthisthegreatDr。Johnson？’Itoldheritwas；soshewasthenpreparedtolisten。AsshesoonhappenedtomentioninavoicesolowthatJohnsondidnothearit，thatherhusbandhadbeenam

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