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. ship) are better than most people's Cer-up, and finding that the storm of the pretainties." ceding 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 expense 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." 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. I talked of the Corruption of the British Parliament, in which I alleged that any question, however unreasonable or unjust, might be carried by a venal majority; and I spoke with high admiration of the Roman Senate, as if composed of men sincerely desirous to solve what they should think best for their country My friend would allow no such character to the Roman Senate; and he main tained that the British Parliament was not corrupt, and that there was no occasion to corrupt its members; asserting that there was hardly ever any question of great importance before parliament, any question in which a man might not very well vote either upon one side or the other. He said there had been none in his time except that respecting America. 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 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 postchaise from the Green Man, a very good inn at Ashbourne, the mistress of which, a mighty civil gentlewoman, courtesying very low, presented me with an engraving of the sign of her house; to which she had subjoined, in her own handwriting, 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 him for this favour; whenever he Mr. Boswell, is exceedingly obliged to 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.” From this meeting at Ashbourne I derived a considerable accession to my Johnsonian store. I communicated my original Journal to Sir William Forbes, in whom I have always placed deserved confidence; and what he wrote to me concerning it is so much to my credit as the biographer of Johnson that my readers will, I hope, grant me their in dulgence for here inserting it: "It is not once or twice going over it (says Sir William) that will satisfy me; for I find in it a high degree of instruction as well as entertainment; and I derive more benefit from Dr. Johnson's admirable discussions than I should be able to draw from his personal conversation; for, I suppose there is not a man in the world to whom he discloses his sentiments so freely as to yourself." much to his disadvantage, the truth of which he had completely refuted; for that my having done so might be interpreted as a breach of confidence, and offend one whose society I valued:therefore, earnestly requesting that no notice might be taken of it to any body till I should be in London, and have an opportunity to talk it over with the gentleman.] "TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "DEAR SIR, I cannot omit a curious circumstance which occurred at Edensor Inn, close by Chatsworth, to survey the magnificence" You will wonder, or you have wonof which I had gone a considerable way dered, why no letter has come from me. out of my road to Scotland. The inn was What you wrote at your return, had in then kept by a very jolly landlord, whose it such a strain of cowardly caution as name, I think, was Malton. He hap- gave me no pleasure. I could not well pened to mention that "the celebrated do what you wished; I had no need to Dr. Johnson had been in his house." I vex you, with a refusal. I have seen inquired who this Dr. Johnson was, that Mr. - and as to him have set all I might hear my host's notion of him. right, without any inconvenience, so far "Sir (said he), Johnson, the great as I know, to you. Mrs. Thrale had forwriter; Oddity, as they call him. He's got the story. You may now be at ease. 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 dependence 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. MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON. "MY DEAR SIR, "By the first post I inform you of my safe arrival at my own house, and that I had the comfort of finding my wife and children all in good health. "When I look back upon our late interview, it appears to me to have answered expectation better than almost any scheme of happiness that I ever put in execution. My Journal is stored with wisdom and wit; and my memory is filled with the recollection of lively and affectionate feelings, which, now, I think, yield me more satisfaction than at the time when they were first excited. I have experienced this upon other occasions. I shall be obliged to you if you will explain it to me; for it seems wonderful that pleasure should be more vivid at a distance than when near. I wish you may find yourself in a humour to do me this favour; but I flatter myself with no strong hope of it; for I have observed that, unless upon very serious occasions, your letters to me are not answers to those which I write." [I then expressed much uneasiness that I had mentioned to him the name of the gentleman who had told me the story so It "And at ease I certainly wish you, for the kindness that you showed in coming so long a journey to see me. was pity to keep you so long in pain, but, upon reviewing the matter, I do not see what I could have done better than I did. "I hope you found at your return my dear enemy and all her little people quite well, and had no reason to repent of your journey. I think on it with great gratitude. "I was not well when you left me at the Doctor's, and I grew worse; yet I staid on, and at Lichfield was very ill. Travelling, however, did not make me worse; and when I came to London, I complied with a summons to go to Brighthelmstone, where I saw Beauclerk, and staid three days. "Our CLUB has recommenced last Friday, but I was not there. Langton has another wench*. Mrs. Thrale is in hopes of a young brewer. They got by their trade last year a very large sum, and their expenses are proportionate. "Mrs. Williams's health is very bad. And I have had for some time a very difficult and laborious respiration; but I am better by purges, abstinence, and other methods. I am yet, however, much behindhand in my health and rest. "Dr. Blair's sermons are now universally commended; but let him think that I had the honour of first finding and first praising his excellences. I did not stay to add my voice to that of the publick. My dear friend, let me thank you once more for your visit; you did me * A daughter born to him. great honour, and I hope met with nothing that displeased you. I staid long at Ashbourne, not much pleased, yet awkward at departing. I then went to Lichfield, where I found my friend at Stow Hill very dangerously diseased. Such is life. Let us try to pass it well, whatever it be, for there is surely something beyond it. "Well, now, I hope all is well. Write as soon as you can, to, DEAR SIR, "Your affectionate servant, "London, Nov. 29, 1777." 66 TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. About this time I wrote to Johnson, giving him an account of the decision of the Negro cause by the Court of Session, which by those who hold even the mildest and best regulated slavery in abomination (of which number I do not hesitate to declare that I am none), should be remembered with high respect, and to the credit of Scotland; for it went upon a much broader ground than the case of Somerset, which was decided in England; being truly the general question, whether a perpetual obligation of service to one master in any mode should be sanctioned by the law of a free country. A negro, then called Joseph Knight, a native of Africa, having been brought to Jamaica in the usual course of the "MY DEAR SIR, slave trade, and purchased by a Scotch "THIS day's post has at length relieved gentleman in that island, had attended me from much uneasiness, by bringing his master to Scotland, where it was offime a letter from you. I was, indeed, ciously suggested to him that he would be doubly uneasy;-on my own account found entitled to his liberty without any, and yours. I was very anxious to be limitation. He accordingly brought his secured against any bad consequences action, in the course of which the advofrom my imprudence in mentioning the cates on both sides did themselves great gentleman's name who had told me a honour. Mr. Maclaurin has had the story to your disadvantage; and as I praise of Johnson, for his argument in could hardly suppose it possible, that favour of the negro, and Mr. Macconoyou would delay so long to make me chie distinguished himself on the same easy, unless you were ill, I was not a side, by his ingenuity and extraordinary little apprehensive about you. You must research. Mr. Cullen, on the part of the not be offended when I venture to tell master, discovered good information and you that you appear to me to have been sound reasoning; in which he was well too rigid upon this occasion. The 'cow supported by Mr. James Ferguson, reardly caution which gave you no plea-markable for a manly understanding, and sure,' was suggested to me by a friend here, to whom I mentioned the strange story and the detection of its falsity, as an instance how one may be deceived by what is apparently very good authority. But, as I am still persuaded, that as I might have obtained the truth, without mentioning the gentleman's name, it was wrong in me to do it, I cannot see that you are just in blaming my caution. But if you were ever so just in your disapprobation, might you not have dealt more tenderly with me? "I went to Auchinleck about the middle of October, and passed some time with my father very comfortably. a knowledge both of books and of the The motto to it was happily chosen: esses." I cannot avoid mentioning a circumstance no less strange than true, that a brother Advocate in considerable practice, but of whom it certainly cannot be said, Ingenuas didicit fideliter artes, asked Mr. Maclaurin, with a. face of flippant assurance, "Are these words your own? Lords of Session decided for the negro. | stood more in need of his consoling phiBut four of their number, the Lord Pre-losophy.] sident, Lord Elliock, Lord Monboddo, and Lord Covington, resolutely maintained the lawfulness of a status, which has been acknowledged in all ages and countries, and that when freedom flourished, as in old Greece and Rome. occur. "Mr. Shaw, the authour of the Gaelick Grammar, desires me to make a request for him to Lord Eglintoune, that he may be appointed Chaplain to one of the new raised regiments. "All our friends are as they were; little has happened to them of either good or bad. Mrs. Thrale ran a great black hair dressing pin into her eye; but by great evacuation she kept it from inflaming, and it is almost well. Miss Reynolds has been out of order, but is better. Mrs. Williams is in a very poor state of health. "If I should write on, I should, perhaps, write only complaints, and therefore I will content myself with telling you, that I love to think on you and to hear from you; and that I am, DEAR SIR, "December 27, 1777." TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. 66 DEAR SIR, "Did you ever look at a book written by Wilson, a Scotchman, under the Latin name of Volusenus, according to the custom of literary men at a certain period? It is entitled ' De Animi Tranquillitate.' I earnestly desire tranquillity. Bona res quies; but I fear I shall never attain it: for, when unoccupied, I grow gloomy, and occupation agitates me to feverishness. "I am, DEAR SIR, "Your most affectionate "Humble servant, "JAMES BOSWELL." "TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "DEAR SIR, "To a letter so interesting as your last, it is proper to return some answer, however little I may be disposed to write. "Your alarm at your lady's illness was reasonable, and not disproportionate hope your physical friend's conjecture is to the appearance of the disorder. I tion at an end: a little care and exercise now verified, and all fear of a consumpwill then restore her. London is a good air for ladies; and if you bring her hither, I will do for her what she did for me-I accommodation. Behave kindly to her, will retire from my apartments for her and keep her cheerful. "You always seem to call for tenderof the present year I very highly esteem ness. Know then, that in the first month and very cordially love you. I hope to tell you this at the beginning of every year as long as we live; and why should we trouble ourselves to tell or hear it oftener? ander, that I wish them, as well as their "Tell Veronica, Euphemia, and Alexparents, many happy years. "You have ended the negro's cause much to my mind. Lord Auchinleck and dear Lord Hailes were on the side of liberty. Lord Hailes's name reproaches me; but if he saw my languid neglect of my own affairs, he would rather pity than resent my neglect of his. I hope to mend, ut et mihi vivam et amicis. "I am, DEAR SIR, "Yours affectionately "SAM. JOHNSON. "January 24, 1778. "My service to my fellow traveller, Joseph." Johnson maintained a long and intimate friendship with Mr. Welch, who succeeded the celebrated Henry Fielding as one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for Westminster; kept a regular office for the police of that great district; and discharged his important trust, for many years, faithfully and ably. Johnson, who had an eager and unceasing curiosity to know human life in all its variety, told me, that he attended Mr. Welch in his office for a whole winter, to hear the examinations of the culprits; but that he found an almost uniform tenor of misfortune, wretchedness, and profligacy. Mr. Welch's health being impaired, he was advised to try the effect of a warm climate; and Johnson, by his interest with Mr. Chamier, procured him leave of absence to go to Italy, and a promise that the pension or salary of two hundred pounds a year, which Government allowed him, should not be discontinued. Mr. Welch accordingly went abroad, accompanied by his daughter Anne, a young lady of uncommon talents and literature. "TO SAUNDERS WELCH, ESQ. AT THE "DEAR SIR, "To have suffered one of my best and dearest friends to pass almost two years in foreign countries without a letter, has a very shameful appearance of inattention. But the truth is, that there was no particular time in which I had any thing particular to say; and general expressions of good will, I hope, our long friendship is grown too solid to want. "Of publick affairs you have information from the newspapers wherever you go, for the English keep no secret; and of other things, Mrs. Nollekens informs you. My intelligence could therefore be of no use; and Miss Nancy's letters made it unnecessary to write to you for information: I was likewise for some time out of humour to find that motion, and nearer approaches to the sun, did not restore your health so fast as I expected. Of your health, the accounts have lately been more pleasing; and I have the gratification of imaging to myself a length of years which I hope you have gained, and of which the enjoyment will be improved by a vast accession of images and observations which your journeys and various residence have enabled you to make and accumulate. You have travelled with this felicity, almost peculiar to yourself, that your companion is not to part from you at your journey's end; but you are to live on together to help each other's recollection, and to supply each other's omissions. The world has few greater pleasures than that which two friends enjoy, in tracing back, at some distant time, those transactions and events through which they have passed together. One of the old man's miseries is, that he cannot easily find a companion able to partake with him of the past. You and your fellow traveller have this comfort in store, that your conversation will be not easily exhausted; one will always be glad to say what the other will always be willing to hear. "That you may enjoy this pleasure long, your health must have your constant attention. I suppose you propose to return this year. There is no need of haste: do not come hither before the height of summer, that you may fall gradually into the inconveniences of your native clime. July seems to be the proper month. August and September will prepare you for the winter. After having travelled so far to find health, you must take care not to lose it at home; and I hope a little care will effectually pre serve it. "Miss Nancy has doubtless kept a constant and copious journal. She must not expect to be welcome when she returns, without a great mass of information. Let her review her journal often, and set down what she finds herself to have omitted, that she may trust to memory as little as possible, for memory is soon confused by a quick succession of things; and she will grow every day less confident of the truth of her own narratives, unless she can recur to some written memorials. If she has satisfied herself with hints, instead of full representations, let her supply the deficiencies now while her memory is yet fresh, and while her father's memory may help her. If she observes this direction, she will not have travelled in vain; for she will bring home a book with which she may entertain herself to the end of life. If it were not now too late, I would advise her to note the impression which the first sight of any thing new and wonderful made upon her mind. Let her now set her thoughts down as she can recollect them; for faint as they may already be, they will grow every day fainter. I can "Perhaps I do not flatter myself unreasonably when I imagine that you may wish to know something of me. gratify your benevolence with no account of health. The hand of time, or of disease, is very heavy upon me. I pass restless and uneasy nights, harassed with convulsions of my breast, and flatulencies at my stomach; and restless nights make heavy days. But nothing will be mended by complaints, and therefore I will make an end. When we meet we will try to forget our cares and our maladies, and contribute, as we can, to the cheerfulness of each other. If I had gone with you, |