Boswell's Life of Johnson
that I was ready to shed tears; and of daring resolution, so that I was
inclined to rush into the thickest part of the battle. 'Sir, (said he,)
I should never hear it, if it made me such a fool.'
This evening, while some of the tunes of ordinary composition were
played with no great skill, my frame was agitated, and I was conscious
of a generous attachment to Dr. Johnson, as my preceptor and friend,
mixed with an affectionate regret that he was an old man, whom I should
probably lose in a short time. I thought I could defend him at the point
of my sword. My reverence and affection for him were in full glow. I
said to him, 'My dear Sir, we must meet every year, if you don't quarrel
with me.' JOHNSON. 'Nay, Sir, you are more likely to quarrel with me,
than I with you. My regard for you is greater almost than I have words
to express; but I do not choose to be always repeating it; write it down
in the first leaf of your pocket-book, and never doubt of it again.'
I talked to him of misery being 'the doom of man' in this life, as
displayed in his Vanity of Human Wishes. Yet I observed that things were
done upon the supposition of happiness; grand houses were built, fine
gardens were made, splendid places of publick amusement were contrived,
and crowded with company. JOHNSON. 'Alas, Sir, these are all only
struggles for happiness. When I first entered Ranelagh, it gave an
expansion and gay sensation to my mind, such as I never experienced any
where else. But, as Xerxes wept when he viewed his immense army, and
considered that not one of that great multitude would be alive a hundred
years afterwards, so it went to my heart to consider that there was not
one in all that brilliant circle, that was not afraid to go home
and think; but that the thoughts of each individual there, would be
distressing when alone.'
I suggested, that being in love, and flattered with hopes of success;
or having some favourite scheme in view for the next day, might prevent
that wretchedness of which we had been talking. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, it
may sometimes be so as you suppose; but my conclusion is in general but
too true.'
While Johnson and I stood in calm conference by ourselves in Dr.
Taylor's garden, at a pretty late hour in a serene autumn night, looking
up to the heavens, I directed the discourse to the subject of a future
state. My friend was in a placid and most benignant frame. 'Sir,
(said he,) I do not imagine that all things will be made clear to
us immediately after death, but that the ways of Providence will be
explained to us very gradually.' He talked to me upon this aweful and
delicate question in a gentle tone, and as if afraid to be decisive.
After supper I accompanied him to his apartment, and at my request he
dictated to me an argument in favour of the negro who was then claiming
his liberty, in an action in the Court of Session in Scotland. He had
always been very zealous against slavery in every form, in which I, with
all deference, thought that he discovered 'a zeal without knowledge.'
Upon one occasion, when in company with some very grave men at Oxford,
his toast was, 'Here's to the next insurrection of the negroes in the
West Indies.' His violent prejudice against our West Indian and American
settlers appeared whenever there was an opportunity. Towards the
conclusion of his Taxation no Tyranny, he says, 'how is it that we hear
the loudest YELPS for liberty among the drivers of negroes?'
When I said now to Johnson, that I was afraid I kept him too late up.
'No, Sir, (said he,) I don't care though I sit all night with you.' This
was an animated speech from a man in his sixty-ninth year.
Had I been as attentive not to displease him as I ought to have been,
I know not but this vigil might have been fulfilled; but I unluckily
entered upon the controversy concerning the right of Great-Britain to
tax America, and attempted to argue in favour of our fellow-subjects on
the other side of the Atlantick. I insisted that America might be very
well governed, and made to yield sufficient revenue by the means of
INFLUENCE, as exemplified in Ireland, while the people might be pleased
with the imagination of their participating of the British constitution,
by having a body of representatives, without whose consent money could
not be exacted from them. Johnson could not bear my thus opposing his
avowed opinion, which he had exerted himself with an extreme degree of
heat to enforce; and the violent agitation into which he was thrown,
while answering, or rather reprimanding me, alarmed me so, that I
heartily repented of my having unthinkingly introduced the subject.
I myself, however, grew warm, and the change was great, from the calm
state of philosophical discussion in which we had a little before been
pleasingly employed.
We were fatigued by the contest, which was produced by my want of
caution; and he was not then in the humour to slide into easy and
cheerful talk. It therefore so happened, that we were after an hour or
two very willing to separate and go to bed.
On Wednesday, September 24, I went into Dr. Johnson's room before he got
up, and finding that the storm of the preceding night was quite laid,
I sat down upon his bed-side, and he talked with as much readiness and
good-humour as ever. He recommended to me to plant a considerable part
of a large moorish farm which I had purchased, and he made several
calculations of the expence and profit: for he delighted in exercising
his mind on the science of numbers. He pressed upon me the importance
of planting at the first in a very sufficient manner, quoting the saying
'In bello non licet bis errare:' and adding, 'this is equally true in
planting.'
I spoke with gratitude of Dr. Taylor's hospitality; and, as evidence
that it was not on account of his good table alone that Johnson visited
him often, I mentioned a little anecdote which had escaped my friend's
recollection, and at hearing which repeated, he smiled. One evening,
when I was sitting with him, Frank delivered this message: 'Sir, Dr.
Taylor sends his compliments to you, and begs you will dine with him
to-morrow. He has got a hare.'--'My compliments (said Johnson,) and I'll
dine with him--hare or rabbit.'
After breakfast I departed, and pursued my journey northwards. I took
my post-chaise from the Green Man, a very good inn at Ashbourne, the
mistress of which, a mighty civil gentlewoman, courtseying very low,
presented me with an engraving of the sign of her house; to which she
had subjoined, in her own hand-writing, an address in such singular
simplicity of style, that I have preserved it pasted upon one of the
boards of my original Journal at this time, and shall here insert it for
the amusement of my readers:--
'M. KILLINGLEY's duty waits upon Mr. Boswell, is exceedingly obliged to
him for this favour; whenever he comes this way, hopes for a continuance
of the same. Would Mr. Boswell name the house to his extensive
acquaintance, it would be a singular favour conferr'd on one who has it
not in her power to make any other return but her most grateful thanks,
and sincerest prayers for his happiness in time, and in a blessed
eternity.--Tuesday morn.'
I cannot omit a curious circumstance which occurred at Edensor-inn,
close by Chatsworth, to survey the magnificence of which I had gone a
considerable way out of my road to Scotland. The inn was then kept by
a very jolly landlord, whose name, I think, was Malton. He happened
to mention that 'the celebrated Dr. Johnson had been in his house.' I
inquired WHO this Dr. Johnson was, that I might hear mine host's notion
of him. 'Sir, (said he,) Johnson, the great writer; ODDITY, as they call
him. He's the greatest writer in England; he writes for the ministry; he
has a correspondence abroad, and lets them know what's going on.'
My friend, who had a thorough dependance upon the authenticity of my
relation without any EMBELLISHMENT, as FALSEHOOD or FICTION is too
gently called, laughed a good deal at this representation of himself.
On Wednesday, March 18,* I arrived in London, and was informed by good
Mr. Francis that his master was better, and was gone to Mr. Thrale's at
Streatham, to which place I wrote to him, begging to know when he would
be in town. He was not expected for some time; but next day having
called on Dr. Taylor, in Dean's-yard, Westminster, I found him there,
and was told he had come to town for a few hours. He met me with his
usual kindness, but instantly returned to the writing of something
on which he was employed when I came in, and on which he seemed much
intent. Finding him thus engaged, I made my visit very short.
* 1778.
On Friday, March 20, I found him at his own house, sitting with Mrs.
Williams, and was informed that the room formerly allotted to me was now
appropriated to a charitable purpose; Mrs. Desmoulins, and I think her
daughter, and a Miss Carmichael, being all lodged in it. Such was his
humanity, and such his generosity, that Mrs. Desmoulins herself told me,
he allowed her half-a-guinea a week. Let it be remembered, that this was
above a twelfth part of his pension.
His liberality, indeed, was at all periods of his life very remarkable.
Mr. Howard, of Lichfield, at whose father's house Johnson had in his
early years been kindly received, told me, that when he was a boy at
the Charter-House, his father wrote to him to go and pay a visit to
Mr. Samuel Johnson, which he accordingly did, and found him in an upper
room, of poor appearance. Johnson received him with much courteousness,
and talked a great deal to him, as to a school-boy, of the course of his
education, and other particulars. When he afterwards came to know and
understand the high character of this great man, he recollected his
condescension with wonder. He added, that when he was going away, Mr.
Johnson presented him with half-a-guinea; and this, said Mr. Howard, was
at a time when he probably had not another.
We retired from Mrs. Williams to another room. Tom Davies soon after
joined us. He had now unfortunately failed in his circumstances, and
was much indebted to Dr. Johnson's kindness for obtaining for him many
alleviations of his distress. After he went away, Johnson blamed his
folly in quitting the stage, by which he and his wife got five hundred
pounds a year. I said, I believed it was owing to Churchill's attack
upon him,
'He mouths a sentence, as curs mouth a bone.'
JOHNSON. 'I believe so too, Sir. But what a man is he, who is to be
driven from the stage by a line? Another line would have driven him from
his shop.'
He returned next day to Streatham, to Mr. Thrale's; where, as Mr.
Strahan once complained to me, 'he was in a great measure absorbed from
the society of his old friends.' I was kept in London by business, and
wrote to him on the 27th, that a separation from him for a week, when we
were so near, was equal to a separation for a year, when we were at four
hundred miles distance. I went to Streatham on Monday, March 30. Before
he appeared, Mrs. Thrale made a very characteristical remark:--'I do not
know for certain what will please Dr. Johnson: but I know for certain
that it will displease him to praise any thing, even what he likes,
extravagantly.'
At dinner he laughed at querulous declamations against the age, on
account of luxury,--increase of London,--scarcity of provisions,--and
other such topicks. 'Houses (said he,) will be built till rents fall:
and corn is more plentiful now than ever it was.'
I had before dinner repeated a ridiculous story told me by an old man
who had been a passenger with me in the stage-coach to-day. Mrs. Thrale,
having taken occasion to allude to it in talking to me, called it 'The
story told you by the old WOMAN.'--'Now, Madam, (said I,) give me leave