anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第25章

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ity　by　saying　coldly；　〃There；　there；　now　we　have　had　enough　for　one　lecture；　Dr。　Johnson。　　We　will　not　be　upon　education　any　more　till　after　dinner；　if　you　please；〃　or　some　such　speech。　　But　when　there　was　nobody　to　restrain　his　dislikes　it　was　extremely　difficult　to　find　anybody　with　whom　he　could　converse　without　living　always　on　the　verge　of　a　quarrel；　or　of　something　too　like　a　quarrel　to　be　pleasing。　　I　came　into　the　room；　for　example；　one　evening　where　he　and　a　gentleman；　whose　abilities　we　all　respect　exceedingly；　were　sitting。　　A　lady　who　walked　in　two　minutes　before　me　had　blown　'em　both　into　a　flame　by　whispering　something　to　Mr。　S…d；　which　he　endeavoured　to　explain　away　so　as　not　to　affront　the　Doctor；　whose　suspicions　were　all　alive。　　〃And　have　a　care；　sir；〃　said　he；　just　as　I　came　in；　〃the　Old　Lion　will　not　bear　to　be　tickled。〃　　The　other　was　pale　with　rage；　the　lady　wept　at　the　confusion　she　had　caused；　and　I　could　only　say　with　Lady　Macbeth

　　　　　〃Soh！　you've　displac'd　the　mirth；　broke　the　good　meeting　　　　　　　With　most　admir'd　disorder。〃

Such　accidents；　however；　occurred　too　often；　and　I　was　forced　to　take　advantage　of　my　lost　lawsuit　and　plead　inability　of　purse　to　remain　longer　in　London　or　its　vicinage。　　I　had　been　crossed　in　my　intentions　of　going　abroad；　and　found　it　convenient；　for　every　reason　of　health；　peace；　and　pecuniary　circumstances；　to　retire　to　Bath；　where　I　knew　Mr。　Johnson　would　not　follow　me；　and　where　I　could　for　that　reason　command　some　little　portion　of　time　for　my　own　use；　a　thing　impossible　while　I　remained　at　Streatham　or　at　London；　as　my　hours；　carriage；　and　servants　had　long　been　at　his　command；　who　would　not　rise　in　the　morning　till　twelve　o'clock；　perhaps；　and　oblige　me　to　make　breakfast　for　him　till　the　bell　rung　for　dinner；　though　much　displeased　if　the　toilet　was　neglected；　and　though　much　of　the　time　we　passed　together　was　spent　in　blaming　or　deriding；　very　justly；　my　neglect　of　economy　and　waste　of　that　money　which　might　make　many　families　happy。　　The　original　reason　of　our　connection；　his　PARTICULARLY　DISORDERED　HEALTH　AND　SPIRITS；　had　been　long　at　an　end；　and　he　had　no　other　ailments　than　old　age　and　general　infirmity；　which　every　professor　of　medicine　was　ardently　zealous　and　generally　attentive　to　palliate；　and　to　contribute　all　in　their　power　for　the　prolongation　of　a　life　so　valuable。　Veneration　for　his　virtue；　reverence　for　his　talents；　delight　in　his　conversation；　and　habitual　endurance　of　a　yoke　my　husband　first　put　upon　me；　and　of　which　he　contentedly　bore　his　share　for　sixteen　or　seventeen　years；　made　me　go　on　so　long　with　Mr。　Johnson；　but　the　perpetual　confinement　I　will　own　to　have　been　terrifying　in　the　first　years　of　our　friendship　and　irksome　in　the　last。　　Nor　could　I　pretend　to　support　it　without　help；　when　my　coadjutor　was　no　more。　　To　the　assistance　we　gave　him；　the　shelter　our　house　afforded　to　his　uneasy　fancies；　and　to　the　pains　we　took　to　soothe　or　repress　them；　the　world　perhaps　is　indebted　for　the　three　political　pamphlets；　the　new　edition　and　correction　of　his　〃Dictionary；〃　and　for　the　〃Poets'　Lives；〃　which　he　would　scarce　have　lived；　I　think；　and　kept　his　faculties　entire　to　have　written；　had　not　incessant　care　been　exerted　at　the　time　of　his　first　coming　to　be　our　constant　guest　in　the　country；　and　several　times　after　that；　when　he　found　himself　particularly　oppressed　with　diseases　incident　to　the　most　vivid　and　fervent　imaginations。　　I　shall　for　ever　consider　it　as　the　greatest　honour　which　could　be　conferred　on　any　one　to　have　been　the　confidential　friend　of　Dr。　Johnson's　health；　and　to　have　in　some　measure；　with　Mr。　Thrale's　assistance；　saved　from　distress　at　least；　if　not　worse；　a　mind　great　beyond　the　comprehension　of　common　mortals；　and　good　beyond　all　hope　of　imitation　from　perishable　beings。

Many　of　our　friends　were　earnest　that　he　should　write　the　lives　of　our　famous　prose　authors；　but　he　never　made　any　answer　that　I　can　recollect　to　the　proposal；　excepting　when　Sir　Richard　Musgrave　once　was　singularly　warm　about　it；　getting　up　and　entreating　him　to　set　about　the　work　immediately；　he　coldly　replied；　〃SIT　DOWN；　SIR！〃

When　Mr。　Thrale　built　the　new　library　at　Streatham；　and　hung　up　over　the　books　the　portraits　of　his　favourite　friends；　that　of　Dr。　Johnson　was　last　finished；　and　closed　the　number。　　It　was　almost　impossible　NOT　to　make　verses　on　such　an　accidental　combination　of　circumstances；　so　I　made　the　following　ones。　　But　as　a　character　written　in　verse　will　for　the　most　part　be　found　imperfect　as　a　character；　I　have　therefore　written　a　prose　one；　with　which　I　mean；　not　to　complete；　but　to　conclude　these　〃Anecdotes〃　of　the　best　and　wisest　man　that　ever　came　within　the　reach　of　my　personal　acquaintance；　and　I　think　I　might　venture　to　add；　that　of　all　or　any　of　my　readers：

　　　　　Gigantic　in　knowledge；　in　virtue；　in　strength；　　　　　　Our　company　closes　with　JOHNSON　at　length；　　　　　　So　the　Greeks　from　the　cavern　of　Polypheme　past；　　　　　　When　wisest；　and　greatest；　Ulysses　came　last。　　　　　　To　his　comrades　contemptuous　we　see　him　look　down；　　　　　　On　their　wit　and　their　worth　with　a　general　frown。　　　　　　Since　from　Science'　proud　tree　the　rich　fruit　he　receives；　　　　　　Who　could　shake　the　whole　trunk　while　they　turned　a　few　leaves。　　　　　　His　piety　pure；　his　morality　nice　　　　　　Protector　of　virtue；　and　terror　of　vice；　　　　　　In　these　features　Religion's　firm　champion　displayed；　　　　　　Shall　make　infidels　fear　for　a　modern　crusade。　　　　　　While　th'　inflammable　temper；　the　positive　tongue；　　　　　　Too　conscious　of　right　for　endurance　of　wrong：　　　　　　We　suffer　from　JOHNSON；　contented　to　find；　　　　　　That　some　notice　we　gain　from　so　noble　a　mind；　　　　　　And　pardon　our　hurts；　since　so　often　we've　found　　　　　　The　balm　of　instruction　poured　into　the　wound。　　　　　　'Tis　thus　for　its　virtues　the　chemists　extol　　　　　　Pure　rectified　spirit；　sublime　alcohol；　　　　　　From　noxious　putrescence；　preservative　pure；　　　　　　A　cordial　in　health；　and　in　sickness　a　cure；　　　　　　But　exposed　to　the　sun；　taking　fire　at　his　rays；　　　　　　Burns　bright　to　the　bottom；　and　ends　in　a　blaze。

It　is　usual；　I　know　not　why；　when　a　character　is　given；　to　begin　with　a　description　of　the　person。　　That　which　contained　the　soul　of　Mr。　Johnson　deserves　to　be　particularly　described。　　His　stature　was　remarkably　high；　and　his　limbs　exceedingly　large。　　His　strength　was　more　than　common；　I　believe；　and　his　activity　had　been　greater；　I　have　heard；　than　such　a　form　gave　one　reason　to　expect。　　His　features　were　strongly　marked；　and　his　countenance　particularly　rugged；　though　the　original　complexion　had　certainly　been　fair；　a　circumstance　somewhat　unusual。　　His　sight　was　near；　and　otherwise　imperfect；　yet　his　eyes；　though　of　a　light　grey　colour；　were　so　wild；　so　piercing；　and　at　times　so　fierce；　that　fear　was；　I　believe；　the　first　emotion　in　the　hearts　of　all　his　beholders。　　His　mind　was　so　comprehensive；　that　no　language　but　that　he　used　could　have　expressed　its　contents；　and　so　ponderous　was　his　language；　that　sentiments　less　lofty　and　less　solid　than　his　were　would　have　been　encumbered；　not　adorned　by　it。

Mr。　Johnson　was　not　intentionally；　however；　a　pompous　converser；　and　though　he　was　accused　of　using　big　words；　as　they　are　called；　it　was　only　when　little　ones　would　not　express　his　meaning　as　clearly；　or　when；　perhaps；　the　elevation　of　the　thought　would　have　been　disgraced　by　a　dress　less　superb。　He　used　to　say；　〃that　the　size　of　a　man's　understanding　might　always　be　justly　measured　by　his　mirth；〃　and　his　own　was　never　contemptible。　　He　would　laugh　at　a　stroke　of　genuine　humour；　or　sudden　sally　of　odd　absurdity；　as　heartily　and　freely　as　I　ever　yet　saw　any　man；　and　though　the　jest　was　often　such　as　few　felt　besides　himself；　yet　his　laugh　was　irresistible；　and　was　observed　immediately　to　produce　that　of　the　company；　not　merely　from　the　notion　that　it　was　proper　to　laugh　when　he　did；　but　purely　out　of　want　of　power　to　forbear　it。　　He　was　no　enemy　to　splendour　of　apparel　or　pomp　of　equipage。　　〃Life；〃　he　would　say；　〃is　barren　enough　surely　with　all　her　trappings；　let　us　therefore　be　cautious　how　we　strip　her。〃　　In　matters　of　still　higher　moment　he　once　observed；　when　speaking　on　the　subject　of　sudden　innovation；　〃He　who　plants　a　forest　may　doubtless　cut

down　a　hedge；　yet　I　could　wish；　methinks；　that　even　he　would　wait　till　he　sees　his　young　plants　grow。〃

With　regard　to　common　occurrences；　Mr。　Johnson　had；　when　I　first　knew　him；　looked　on　the　still…shifting　scenes　of　life　till　he　was　weary；　for　as　a　mind　slow　in　its　own　nature；　or　unenlivened　by　information；　will　contentedly　read　in　the　same　book　for　twenty　times；　perhaps；　the　very　act　of　reading　it　being　more　than　half　the　business；　and　every　period　being　at　every　reading　better　understood；　while　a　mind　more　active　or　more　skilful　to　comprehend　its　meaning　is　made　sincerely　sick　at　the　second　perusal；　so　a　soul　like　his；　acute　to　discern　the　truth；　vigorous　to　embrace；　and　powerful　to　retain　it；　soon　sees　enough　of　the　world's　dull　prospect；　which　at　first；　like　that　of　the　sea；　pleases　by　its　extent；　but　soon；　like　that；　too；　fatigues　from　its　uniformity；　a　calm　and　a　storm　being　the　only　variations　that　the　nature　of　either　will　admit。

Of　Mr。　Johnson's　erudition　the　world　has　been　the　judge；　and　we　who　produce　each　a　score　of　his　sayings；　as　proofs　of　that　wit　which　in　him　was　inexhaustible；　resemble　travellers　who；　having　visited　Delhi　or　Golconda；　bring　home　each　a　handful　of　Oriental　pearl　to　evince　the　riches　of　the　Great　Mogul。　　May　the　public　condescend　to　accept　my　ILL…STRUNG　selection　with　patience　at　least；　remembering　only　that　they　are　relics　of　him　who　was　great　on　all　occasions；　and；　like　a　cube　in　architecture；　you　beheld　him　on　each　side；　and　his　size　still　appeared　undiminished。

As　his　purse　was　ever　open　to　almsgiving；　so　was　his　heart　tender　to　those　who　wanted　relief；　and　his　soul　susceptible　of　gratitude；　and　of　every　kind　impression：　　yet　though　he　had　refined　his　sensibility　he　had　not　endangered　his　quiet；　by　encouraging　in　himself　a　solicitude　about　trifles；　which　he　treated　with　the　contempt　they　deserve。

It　was　well　enough　known　before　these　sheets　were　published；　that　Mr。　Johnson　had　a　roughness　in　his　manner　which　subdued　the　saucy；　and　terrified　the　meek；　this　was；　when　I　knew　him；　the　prominent　part　of　a　character　which　few　durst　venture　to　approach　so　nearly；　and　which　was　for　that　reason　in　many　respects　grossly　and　frequently　mistaken；　and　it　was　perhaps　peculiar　to　him；　that　the　lofty　consciousness　of　his　own　superiority　which　animated　his　looks；　and　raised　his　voice　in　conversation；　cast　likewise　an　impenetrable　veil　over　him　when　he　said　nothing。　　His　talk；　therefore；　had　commonly　the　complexion　of　arrogance；　his　silence　of　superciliousness。　　He　was；　however；　seldom　inclined　to　be　silent　when　any　moral　or　literary　question　was　started；　and　it　was　on　such　occasions　that；　like　the　sage　in　〃Rasselas；〃　he　spoke；　and　attention　watched　his　lips；　he　reasoned；　and　conviction　closed　his　periods；　if　poetry　was　talked　of；　his　quotations　were　the　readiest；　and　had　he　not　been　eminent　for　more　solid　and　brilliant　qualities；　mankind　would　have　united　to　extol　his　extraordinary　memory。　　His　manner　of　repeating　deserves　to　be　described；　though　at　the　same　t