Johnson had said on a former occasion that he knew one friend who told him he had seen a ghost. It was old Mr. Edward Cave, the printer, at St. John's Gate. Mr. Cave did not like to talk of it, and seemed to be in great horror whenever it was mentioned. BOSWELL. "Pray, sir, what did he say was the appearance ?" JOHNSON. "Why, sir, something of a shadowy being."

Boswell mentioned witches, and asked him what they properly meant. JOHNSON. "Why, sir, they properly mean those who make use of the aid of evil spirits." BOSWELL. "There is, no doubt, sir, a general report and belief of their having existed.” JOHNSON. "You have not only the general report and belief, but you have many voluntary solemn confessions." He did not affirm any thing positively upon a subject which it is the fashion of the times to laugh at as a matter of absurd credulity. He only seemed willing, as a candid inquirer after truth, however strange and inexplicable, to show that he understood what might be urged for it.

B

XXXIX.

FUTURE STATE.-DEATH.

OSWELL, one night finding him in a very good humour

and having much curiosity to know his notions on that point, ventured to lead him to the subject of our situation in a future state. JOHNSON. "Why, sir, the happiness of an unembodied spirit will consist in a consciousness of the favour of God, in the contemplation of truth, and in the possession of felicitating ideas." BOSWELL. "But, sir, is there any harm in forming to ourselves conjectures as to the particulars of our happiness, though the Scripture has said but very little on the subject? 'We know not what we shall be."" JOHNSON. "Sir, there is no harm. What philosophy suggests to us on this topic is

probable; what Scripture tells us is certain. Dr. Henry More has carried it as far as philosophy can. You may buy both his theological and philosophical works in two volumes folio, for about eight shillings." BOSWELL. "One of the most pleasing thoughts is that we shall see our friends again.” JOHNSON. "Yes, sir; but you must consider that, when we are become purely rational, many of our friendships will be cut off. Many friendships are formed by a community of sensual pleasures. All these will be cut off. We form many friendships with bad men, because they have agreeable qualities, and they can be useful to us; but after death they can no longer be of use to us. We form many friendships by mistake, imagining people to be different from what they really are. After death we shall see every one in a true light. Then, sir, they talk of our meeting our relations. But then all relationship is dissolved; and we shall have no regard for one person more than another, but for their real value. However, we shall either have the satisfaction of meeting our friends, or be satisfied without meeting them." BOSWELL. "Yet, sir, we see in Scripture that Dives still retained an anxious concern about his brethren." JOHNSON. "Why, sir, we must either suppose that passage to be metaphorical, or hold (with many divines and all the Purgatorians) that departed souls do not all at once arrive at the utmost perfection of which they are capable." BOSWELL. "I think, sir, that is a very rational supposition." JOHNSON. "Why, yes, sir; but we do not know it is a true one. There is no harm in believing it; but you must not compel others to make it an article of faith; for it is not revealed." BOSWELL. "Do you think, sir, it is wrong in a man who holds the doctrine of Purgatory to pray for the souls of his deceased friends?" JOHNSON. "Why, no, sir." BOSWELL. "I have been told that in the liturgy of the episcopal church of Scotland there was a form of prayer for the dead.” JOHNSON. "Sir, it is not in the liturgy which Laud framed for the episcopal church of Scotland. If there is a liturgy older

than that, I should be glad to see it." BOSWELL. "As to our employment in a future state, the sacred writings say little. The Revelation of St. John, however, gives us many ideas, and particularly mentions music." JOHNSON. "Why, sir, ideas must be given you by means of something which you know; and as to music, there are some philosophers and divines who have maintained that we shall not be spiritualized to such a degree but that something of matter, very much refined, will remain. that case music may make a part of our future felicity."

In

In a mixed company Boswell expressed horror at the thought of death. MRS. KNOWLES. "Nay, thou shouldst not have a horror for what is the gate of life." JOHNSON (standing upon the hearth and rolling about with a solemn and somewhat gloomy air.) "No rational man can die without uneasy apprehension." MRS. KNOWLES. "The Scriptures tell us "The righteous shall have hope in his death.'" JOHNSON. "Yes, madam; that is, he shall not have despair. But, consider, his hope of salvation must be founded on the terms on which it is promised that the mediation of our Saviour shall be applied to us-namely, obedience; and where obedience has failed, then, as suppletory to it, repentance. But what man can say that his obedience has been such as he would approve of in another, or even in himself, upon close examination; or that his repentance has not been such as to require being repented of? No man can be sure that his obedience and repentance will obtain salvation." MRS. KNOWLES. "But divine intimation of acceptance may be made to the soul." JOHNSON. "Madam, it may; but I should not think the better of a man who should tell me, on his death-bed, he was sure of salvation. A man cannot be sure himself that he has divine intimation of acceptance; much less can he make others sure that he has it." BosWELL. "Then, sir, we must be contented to acknowledge that death is a terrible thing." JOHNSON. "Yes, sir. I have made no approaches to a state which can look on it as not terrible."

MRS. KNOWLES (seeming to enjoy a pleasing serenity in the persuasion of benignant divine light.) "Does not St. Paul say

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'I have fought the good fight of faith; I have finished my course; henceforth is laid up for me a crown of life?'" JOHNSON. "Yes, madam; but here was a man inspired, a man who had been converted by supernatural interposition.' BOSWELL. "In prospect death is dreadful; but in fact we find that people die easy. JOHNSON. "Why, sir, most people have not thought much of the matter, so cannot say much; and it is supposed they die easy. Few believe it certain they are then to die; and those who do, set themselves to behave with resolution, as a man does who is going to be hanged. He is not the less unwilling to be hanged." Miss SEWARD. "There is one mode of the fear of death which is certainly absurd; and that is the dread of annihilation, which is only a pleasing sleep without a dream." JOHNSON. "It is neither pleasing, nor sleep. It is nothing. Now mere existence is so much better than nothing that one would rather exist, even in pain, than not exist." BosWELL. "If annihilation be nothing, then existing in pain is not a comparative state, but is a positive evil, which I cannot think we should choose. I must be allowed to differ here; and it would lessen the hope of a future state, founded on the argument that the Supreme Being, who is good as he is great, will hereafter compensate for our present sufferings in this life: for if existence (such as we have it here) be comparatively a good, we have no reason to complain though no more of it should be given to us. But if our only state of existence were in this world, then we might with some reason complain that we are so dissatisfied with our enjoyments, compared with our desires." JOHNSON. “The lady confounds annihilation, which is nothing, with the apprehension of it, which is dreadful. It is in the apprehension

of it that the horror of annihilation consists."

Johnson, with that native fortitude which amidst all his bodily distress and mental sufferings never forsook him, asked

Dr. Brocklesby, as a man in whom he had confidence, to tell him plainly whether he would recover. “Give me,” said he, "a direct answer." The doctor, having first asked him if he could bear the whole truth which way soever it might lead, and being answered that he could, declared that in his opinion he could not recover without a miracle. "Then," said Johnson, “I will take no more physic, not even my opiates; for I have prayed that I may render up my soul to God unclouded." In this resolution he persevered, and, at the same time, used only the weakest kind of sustenance. Being pressed by Mr. Windham to take somewhat more generous nourishment, lest too low a diet should have the very effect which he dreaded by debilitating his mind, he protested, "I will take any thing but inebriating sustenance."

As he opened a note which his servant brought to him, he said: "An odd thought strikes me. We shall receive no letters

in the grave."

While Johnson and Boswell were at Lichfield, as they sat at breakfast one day, the doctor received a letter by the post which seemed to agitate him very much. When he had read it he exclaimed: "One of the most dreadful things that have happened in my time." The phrase 'my time,' like the word 'age,' is usually understood to refer to an event of a public nature. Boswell imagined something like an assassination of the king, or a gunpowder plot carried into execution, or another fire of London. Upon inquiring the reason of his agitation, Johnson answered: "Mr. Thrale has lost his only son!" This was, no doubt, a very great affliction to Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, which their friends would consider accordingly; but from the manner in which the intelligence of it was communicated by Johnson it appeared for the moment to be comparatively small. Boswell, however, soon felt a sincere concern, and was curious to observe how Johnson would be affected. "This is a total extinction to their family," he said, "as much as if they were sold into cap