Life of Johnson, Volume 3 - 1776-1780

James Boswell

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• Publié par: filas
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 32
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life Of Johnson, Volume 3 of 6 by Boswell, Edited by Birkbeck Hill
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Title: The Life Of Johnson, Volume 3 of 6
Author: Boswell
Edited by Birkbeck Hill
Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9180] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first
posted on September 11, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF JOHNSON, VOLUME 3 ***
Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King and PG Distributed ProofreadersBOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON
INCLUDING BOSWELL'S JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES AND JOHNSON'S DIARY OF A JOURNEY INTO NORTH WALES
EDITED BY
GEORGE BIRKBECK HILL, D.C.L.
PEMBROKE COLLEGE, OXFORD
IN SIX VOLUMES
VOLUME III.—LIFE (1776-1780)
CONTENTS OF VOL. III.
LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. (MARCH 1776—OCT. 1780).
APPENDICES:
A. GEORGE PSALMANAZAR
B. JOHNSON'S TRAVELS AND LOVE OF TRAVELLING
C. ELECTION OF LORD MAYORS OF LONDON
D. THE INMATES OF JOHNSON'S HOUSE
E. BOSWELL'S LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICE OF SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE TO THE ROYAL ACADEMYTHE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.
Having left Ashbourne in the evening, we stopped to change horses at Derby, and availed ourselves of a moment to
enjoy the conversation of my countryman, Dr. Butter, then physician there. He was in great indignation because Lord
Mountstuart's bill for a Scotch militia[1] had been lost. Dr. Johnson was as violent against it. 'I am glad, (said he,) that
Parliament has had the spirit to throw it out. You wanted to take advantage of the timidity of our scoundrels;' (meaning, I
suppose, the ministry). It may be observed, that he used the epithet scoundrel very commonly not quite in the sense in
which it is generally understood, but as a strong term of disapprobation; as when he abruptly answered Mrs. Thrale, who
had asked him how he did, 'Ready to become a scoundrel, Madam; with a little more spoiling you will, I think, make me a
complete rascal[2]:' he meant, easy to become a capricious and self-indulgent valetudinarian; a character for which I
have heard him express great disgust.
Johnson had with him upon this jaunt, 'Il Palmerino d'Inghilterra,' a romance[3] praised by Cervantes; but did not like it
much. He said, he read it for the language, by way of preparation for his Italian expedition.—We lay this night at
Loughborough.
On Thursday, March 28, we pursued our journey. I mentioned that old Mr. Sheridan complained of the ingratitude of Mr.
Wedderburne[4] and General Fraser, who had been much obliged to him when they were young Scotchmen entering
upon life in England. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, a man is very apt to complain of the ingratitude of those who have risen far
above him. A man when he gets into a higher sphere, into other habits of life, cannot keep up all his former connections.
Then, Sir, those who knew him formerly upon a level with themselves, may think that they ought still to be treated as on a
level, which cannot be; and an acquaintance in a former situation may bring out things which it would be very
disagreeable to have mentioned before higher company, though, perhaps, every body knows of them.' He placed this
subject in a new light to me, and shewed that a man who has risen in the world, must not be condemned too harshly for
being distant to former acquaintance, even though he may have been much obliged to them.' It is, no doubt, to be wished
that a proper degree of attention should be shewn by great men to their early friends. But if either from obtuse
insensibility to difference of situation, or presumptuous forwardness, which will not submit even to an exteriour
observance of it, the dignity of high place cannot be preserved, when they are admitted into the company of those raised
above the state in which they once were, encroachment must be repelled, and the kinder feelings sacrificed. To one of
the very fortunate persons whom I have mentioned, namely, Mr. Wedderburne, now Lord Loughborough, I must do the
justice to relate, that I have been assured by another early acquaintance of his, old Mr. Macklin[5], who assisted in
improving his pronunciation, that he found him very grateful. Macklin, I suppose, had not pressed upon his elevation with
so much eagerness as the gentleman who complained of him. Dr. Johnson's remark as to the jealousy 'entertained of our
friends who rise far above us,' is certainly very just. By this was withered the early friendship between Charles Townshend
and Akenside[6]; and many similar instances might be adduced.
He said, 'It is commonly a weak man who marries for love.' We then talked of marrying women of fortune; and I mentioned
a common remark, that a man may be, upon the whole, richer by marrying a woman with a very small portion, because a
woman of fortune will be proportionally expensive; whereas a woman who brings none will be very moderate in expenses.
JOHNSON. 'Depend upon it, Sir, this is not true. A woman of fortune being used to the handling of money, spends it
judiciously: but a woman who gets the command of money for the first time upon her marriage, has such a gust in
spending it, that she throws it away with great profusion.'
He praised the ladies of the present age, insisting that they were more faithful to their husbands, and more virtuous in
every respect, than in former times, because their understandings were better cultivated[7]. It was an undoubted proof of
his good sense and good disposition, that he was never querulous, never prone to inveigh against the present times, as
is so common when superficial minds are on the fret. On the contrary, he was willing to speak favourably of his own age;
and, indeed, maintained its superiority[8] in every respect, except in its reverence for government; the relaxation of which
he imputed, as its grand cause, to the shock which our monarchy received at the Revolution, though necessary[9]; and
secondly, to the timid concessions made to faction by successive administrations in the reign of his present Majesty. I
am happy to think, that he lived to see the Crown at last recover its just influence[10].
At Leicester we read in the news-paper that Dr. James[11] was dead. I thought that the death of an old school-fellow, and
one with whom he had lived a good deal in London, would have affected my fellow-traveller much: but he only said, 'Ah!
poor Jamy.' Afterwards, however, when we were in the chaise, he said, with more tenderness, 'Since I set out on this
jaunt, I have lost an old friend and a young one;—Dr. James, and poor Harry[12].' (Meaning Mr. Thrale's son.)
Having lain at St. Alban's, on Thursday, March 28, we breakfasted the next morning at Barnet. I expressed to him a
weakness of mind which I could not help; an uneasy apprehension that my wife and children, who were at a great
distance from me, might, perhaps, be ill. 'Sir, (said he,) consider how foolish you would think it in them to be
apprehensive that you are ill[13].' This sudden turn relieved me for the moment; but I afterwards perceived it to be an
ingenious fallacy. I might, to be sure, be satisfied that they had no reason to be apprehensive about me, because I knew
that I myself was well: but we might have a mutual anxiety, without the charge of folly; because each was, in some degree,
uncertain as to the condition of the other.
I enjoyed the luxury of our approach to London, that metropolis which we both loved so much, for the high and varied
intellectual pleasure which it furnishes[14]. I experienced immediate happiness while whirled along with such a
companion, and said to him, 'Sir, you observed one day at General Oglethorpe's[15], that a man is never happy for thepresent, but when he is drunk. Will you not add,—or when driving rapidly in a post-chaise[16]?' JOHNSON. 'No, Sir, you
are driving rapidly from something, or to something.'
Talking of melancholy, he said, 'Some men, and very thinking men too, have not those vexing thoughts[17]. Sir Joshua
Reynolds is the same all the year round[18]. Beauclerk, except when ill and in pain, is the same. But I believe most men
have them in the degree in which they are capable of having them. If I were in the country, and were distressed by that
malady, I would force myself to take a book; and every time I did it I should find it the easier. Melancholy, indeed, should
be diverted by every means but drinking[19].'
We stopped at Messieurs Dillys, booksellers in the Poultry; from whence he hurried awa