第101章

GreaterlibertieshavebeentakeninthepresenceofaBishop，thoughaverygoodman，fromhisbeingmilder，andthereforenotcommandingsuchawe。Yet，Sir，manypeoplewhomighthavebeenbenefitedbyyourconversation，havebeenfrightenedaway。A

worthyfriendofourshastoldme，thathehasoftenbeenafraidtotalktoyou。’JOHNSON。’Sir，heneednothavebeenafraid，ifhehadanythingrationaltosay。Ifhehadnot，itwasbetterhedidnottalk。’

Wetalkedofacertainclergymanofextraordinarycharacter，whobyexertinghistalentsinwritingontemporarytopicks，anddisplayinguncommonintrepidity，hadraisedhimselftoaffluence。

Imaintainedthatweoughtnottobeindignantathissuccess；formeritofeverysortwasentitledtoreward。JOHNSON。’Sir，Iwillnotallowthismantohavemerit。No，Sir；whathehasisratherthecontrary；Iwill，indeed，allowhimcourage，andonthisaccountwesofargivehimcredit。Wehavemorerespectforamanwhorobsboldlyonthehighway，thanforafellowwhojumpsoutofaditch，andknocksyoudownbehindyourback。Courageisaqualitysonecessaryformaintainingvirtue，thatitisalwaysrespected，evenwhenitisassociatedwithvice。’

Mr。Henderson，withwhomIhadsaunteredinthevenerablewalksofMertonCollege，andfoundhimaverylearnedandpiousman，suppedwithus。Dr。Johnsonsurprisedhimnotalittle，byacknowledgingwithalookofhorrour，thathewasmuchoppressedbythefearofdeath。TheamiableDr。AdamssuggestedthatGODwasinfinitelygood。JOHNSON。’Thatheisinfinitelygood，asfarastheperfectionofhisnaturewillallow，Icertainlybelieve；butitisnecessaryforgooduponthewhole，thatindividualsshouldbepunished。AstoanINDIVIDUAL，therefore，heisnotinfinitelygood；andasIcannotbeSUREthatIhavefulfilledtheconditionsonwhichsalvationisgranted，IamafraidImaybeoneofthosewhoshallbedamned。’(lookingdismally)。DR。ADAMS。’Whatdoyoumeanbydamned？’JOHNSON。(passionatelyandloudly，)’SenttoHell，Sir，andpunishedeverlastingly!’DR。ADAMS。’Idon’tbelievethatdoctrine。’JOHNSON。’Hold，Sir，doyoubelievethatsomewillbepunishedatall？’DR。ADAMS。’BeingexcludedfromHeavenwillbeapunishment；yettheremaybenogreatpositivesuffering。’JOHNSON。Well，Sir；but，ifyouadmitanydegreeofpunishment，thereisanendofyourargumentforinfinitegoodnesssimplyconsidered；for，infinitegoodnesswouldinflictnopunishmentwhatever。Thereisnotinfinitegoodnessphysicallyconsidered；morallythereis。’BOSWELL。’Butmaynotamanattaintosuchadegreeofhopeasnottobeuneasyfromthefearofdeath？’JOHNSON。’Amanmayhavesuchadegreeofhopeastokeephimquiet。YouseeIamnotquiet，fromthevehemencewithwhichI

talk；butIdonotdespair。’MRS。ADAMS。’Youseem，Sir，toforgetthemeritsofourRedeemer。’JOHNSON。’Madam，IdonotforgetthemeritsofmyRedeemer；butmyRedeemerhassaidthathewillsetsomeonhisrighthandandsomeonhisleft。’Hewasingloomyagitation，andsaid，’I’llhavenomoreon’t。’IfwhathasnowbeenstatedshouldbeurgedbytheenemiesofChristianity，asifitsinfluenceonthemindwerenotbenignant，letitberemembered，thatJohnson’stemperamentwasmelancholy，ofwhichsuchdirefulapprehensionsoffuturityareoftenacommoneffect。

Weshallpresentlyseethatwhenheapproachednearertohisawefulchange，hismindbecametranquil，andheexhibitedasmuchfortitudeasbecomesathinkingmaninthatsituation。

Fromthesubjectofdeathwepassedtodiscourseoflife，whetheritwasuponthewholemorehappyormiserable。Johnsonwasdecidedlyforthebalanceofmisery：inconfirmationofwhichI

maintained，thatnomanwouldchoosetoleadoveragainthelifewhichhehadexperienced。Johnsonaccededtothatopinioninthestrongestterms。

OnSunday，June13，ourphilosopherwascalmatbreakfast。TherewassomethingexceedinglypleasinginourleadingaCollegelife，withoutrestraint，andwithsuperiourelegance，inconsequenceofourlivingintheMaster’shouse，andhavingthecompanyofladies。

Mrs。Kennicotrelated，inhispresence，alivelysayingofDr。

JohnsontoMissHannahMore，whohadexpressedawonderthatthepoetwhohadwritt

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