第79章

I talked of the recent expulsion of six students from the University of Oxford,who were methodists and would not desist from publickly praying and exhorting.JOHNSON.'Sir,that expulsion was extremely just and proper.What have they to do at an University who are not willing to be taught,but will presume to teach?Where is religion to be learnt but at an University?Sir,they were examined,and found to be mighty ignorant fellows.'

BOSWELL.'But,was it not hard,Sir,to expel them,for I am told they were good beings?'JOHNSON.'I believe they might be good beings;but they were not fit to be in the University of Oxford.Acow is a very good animal in the field;but we turn her out of a garden.'Lord Elibank used to repeat this as an illustration uncommonly happy.

Desirous of calling Johnson forth to talk,and exercise his wit,though I should myself be the object of it,I resolutely ventured to undertake the defence of convivial indulgence in wine,though he was not to-night in the most genial humour.After urging the common plausible topicks,I at last had recourse to the maxim,in vino veritas,a man who is well warmed with wine will speak truth.

JOHNSON.'Why,Sir,that may be an argument for drinking,if you suppose men in general to be liars.But,Sir,I would not keep company with a fellow,who lyes as long as he is sober,and whom you must make drunk before you can get a word of truth out of him.'

At this time it appears from his Prayers and Meditations,that he had been more than commonly diligent in religious duties,particularly in reading the Holy Scriptures.It was Passion Week,that solemn season which the Christian world has appropriated to the commemoration of the mysteries of our redemption,and during which,whatever embers of religion are in our breasts,will be kindled into pious warmth.

I paid him short visits both on Friday and Saturday,and seeing his large folio Greek Testament before him,beheld him with a reverential awe,and would not intrude upon his time.While he was thus employed to such good purpose,and while his friends in their intercourse with him constantly found a vigorous intellect and a lively imagination,it is melancholy to read in his private register,'My mind is unsettled and my memory confused.I have of late turned my thoughts with a very useless earnestness upon past incidents.I have yet got no command over my thoughts;an unpleasing incident is almost certain to hinder my rest.'What philosophick heroism was it in him to appear with such manly fortitude to the world while he was inwardly so distressed!We may surely believe that the mysterious principle of being 'made perfect through suffering'was to be strongly exemplified in him.

On Sunday,April 19,being Easter-day,General Paoli and I paid him a visit before dinner.

We talked of sounds.The General said,there was no beauty in a simple sound,but only in an harmonious composition of sounds.Ipresumed to differ from this opinion,and mentioned the soft and sweet sound of a fine woman's voice.JOHNSON.'No,Sir,if a serpent or a toad uttered it,you would think it ugly.'BOSWELL.

'So you would think,Sir,were a beautiful tune to be uttered by one of those animals.'JOHNSON.'No,Sir,it would be admired.

We have seen fine fiddlers whom we liked as little as toads.'

(laughing.)

While I remained in London this spring,I was with him at several other times,both by himself and in company.I dined with him one day at the Crown and Anchor tavern,in the Strand,with Lord Elibank,Mr.Langton,and Dr.Vansittart of Oxford.Without specifying each particular day,I have preserved the following memorable things.

I regretted the reflection in his Preface to Shakspeare against Garrick,to whom we cannot but apply the following passage:'Icollated such copies as I could procure,and wished for more,but have not found the collectors of these rarities very communicative.'I told him,that Garrick had complained to me of it,and had vindicated himself by assuring me,that Johnson was made welcome to the full use of his collection,and that he left the key of it with a servant,with orders to have a fire and every convenience for him.I found Johnson's notion was,that Garrick wanted to be courted for them,and that,on the contrary,Garrick should have courted him,and sent him the plays of his own accord.

But,indeed,considering the slovenly and careless manner in which books were treated by Johnson,it could not be expected that scarce and valuable editions should have been lent to him.

A gentlemanhaving to some of the usual arguments for drinking added this:'You know,Sir,drinking drives away care,and makes us forget whatever is disagreeable.Would not you allow a man to drink for that reason?'JOHNSON.'Yes,Sir,if he sat next YOU.'

The gentleman most likely is Boswell.--HILL.

A learned gentleman who in the course of conversation wished to inform us of this simple fact,that the Counsel upon the circuit at Shrewsbury were much bitten by fleas,took,I suppose,seven or eight minutes in relating it circumstantially.He in a plenitude of phrase told us,that large bales of woollen cloth were lodged in the town-hall;--that by reason of this,fleas nestled there in prodigious numbers;that the lodgings of the counsel were near to the town-hall;--and that those little animals moved from place to place with wonderful agility.Johnson sat in great impatience till the gentleman had finished his tedious narrative,and then burst out (playfully however),'It is a pity,Sir,that you have not seen a lion;for a flea has taken you such a time,that a lion must have served you a twelvemonth.'

He would not allow Scotland to derive any credit from Lord Mansfield;for he was educated in England.'Much (said he,)may be made of a Scotchman,if he be CAUGHT young.'