anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第17部分
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Mr。 Johnson's hatred of the Scotch is so well known; and so many of his bons mots expressive of that hatred have been already repeated in so many books and pamphlets; that 'tis perhaps scarcely worth while to write down the conversation between him and a friend of that nation who always resides in London; and who at his return from the Hebrides asked him; with a firm tone of voice; 〃What he thought of his country?〃 〃That it is a very vile country; to be sure; sir;〃 returned for answer Dr。 Johnson。 〃Well; sir!〃 replies the other; somewhat mortified; 〃God made it。〃 〃Certainly He did;〃 answers Mr。 Johnson again; 〃but we must always remember that He made it for Scotchmen; and comparisons are odious; Mr。 S; but God made hell。〃
Dr。 Johnson did not; I think; much delight in that kind of conversation which consists in telling stories。 〃Everybody;〃 said he; 〃tells stories of me; and I tell stories of nobody。 I do not recollect;〃 added he; 〃that I have ever told YOU; that have been always favourites; above three stories; but I hope I do not play the Old Fool; and force people to hear uninteresting narratives; only because I once was diverted with them myself。〃 He was; however; no enemy to that sort of talk from the famous Mr。 Foote; 〃whose happiness of manner in relating was such;〃 he said; 〃as subdued arrogance and roused stupidity。 HIS stories were truly like those of Biron in Love's Labour's Lost; so VERY attractive
'That aged ears played truant with his tales; And younger hearings were quite ravished; So sweet and voluble was his discourse。'
Of all conversers; however;〃 added he; 〃the late Hawkins Browne was the most delightful with whom I ever was in company: his talk was at once so elegant; so apparently artless; so pure; so pleasing; it seemed a perpetual stream of sentiment; enlivened by gaiety; and sparkling with images。〃 When I asked Dr。 Johnson who was the best man he had ever known? 〃Psalmanazar;〃 was the unexpected reply。 He said; likewise; 〃that though a native of France; as his friend imagined; he possessed more of the English language than any one of the other foreigners who had separately fallen in his way。〃 Though there was much esteem; however; there was; I believe; but little confidence between them; they conversed merely about general topics; religion and learning; of which both were undoubtedly stupendous examples; and; with regard to true Christian perfection; I have heard Johnson say; 〃That George Psalmanazar's piety; penitence; and virtue exceeded almost what we read as wonderful even in the lives of saints。〃
I forget in what year it was this extraordinary person lived and died at a house in Old Street; where Mr。 Johnson was witness to his talents and virtues; and to his final preference of the Church of England; after having studied; disgraced; and adorned so many modes of worship。 The name he went by was not supposed by his friend to be that of his family; but all inquiries were vain。 His reasons for concealing his original were penitentiary; he deserved no other name than that of the impostor; he said。 That portion of the Universal History which was written by him does not seem to me to be composed with peculiar spirit; but all traces of the wit and the wanderer were probably worn out before he undertook the work。 His pious and patient endurance of a tedious illness; ending in an exemplary death; confirmed the strong impression his merit had made upon the mind of Mr。 Johnson。 〃It is so VERY difficult;〃 said he; always; 〃for a sick man not to be a scoundrel。 Oh! set the pillows soft; here is Mr。 Grumbler a…coming。 Ah! let no air in for the world; Mr。 Grumbler will be here presently。〃
This perpetual preference is so offensive; where the privileges of sickness are; besides; supported by wealth; and nourished by dependence; that one cannot much wonder that a rough mind is revolted by them。 It was; however; at once comical and touchant (as the French call it); to observe Mr。 Johnson so habitually watchful against this sort of behaviour; that he was often ready to suspect himself of it; and when one asked him gently; how he did?〃Ready to become a scoundrel; madam;〃 would commonly be the answer; 〃with a little more spoiling you will; I think; make me a complete rascal!〃
His desire of doing good was not; however; lessened by his aversion to a sick chamber。 He would have made an ill man well by any expense or fatigue of his own; sooner than any of the canters。 Canter; indeed; was he none: he would forget to ask people after the health of their nearest relations; and say in excuse; 〃That he knew they did not care: why should they?〃 says he; 〃every one in this world has as much as they can do in caring for themselves; and few have leisure really to THINK of their neighbours' distresses; however they may delight their tongues with TALKING of them。〃
The natural depravity of mankind and remains of original sin were so fixed in Mr。 Johnson's opinion; that he was indeed a most acute observer of their effects; and used to say sometimes; half in jest; half in earnest; that they were the remains of his old tutor Mandeville's instructions。 As a book; however; he took care always loudly to condemn the 〃Fable of the Bees;〃 but not without adding; 〃that it was the work of a thinking man。〃
I have in former days heard Dr。 Collier of the Commons loudly condemned for uttering sentiments; which twenty years after I have heard as loudly applauded from the lips of Dr。 Johnson; concerning the well…known writer of that celebrated work: but if people will live long enough in this capricious world; such instances of partiality will shock them less and less by frequent repetition。 Mr。 Johnson knew mankind; and wished to mend them: he therefore; to the piety and pure religion; the untainted integrity; and scrupulous morals of my earliest and most disinterested friend; judiciously contrived to join a cautious attention to the capacity of his hearers; and a prudent resolution not to lessen the influence of his learning and virtue; by casual freaks of humour and irregular starts of ill…managed merriment。 He did not wish to confound; but to inform his auditors; and though he did not appear to solicit benevolence; he always wished to retain authority; and leave his company impressed with the idea that it was his to teach in this world; and theirs to learn。 What wonder; then; that all should receive with docility from Johnson those doctrines; which; propagated by Collier; they drove away from them with shouts! Dr。 Johnson was not grave; however; because he knew not how to be merry。 No man loved laughing better; and his vein of humour was rich and apparently inexhaustible; though Dr。 Goldsmith said once to him; 〃We should change companions oftener; we exhaust one another; and shall soon be both of us worn out。〃 Poor Goldsmith was to him; indeed; like the earthen pot to the iron one in Fontaine's fables; it had been better for HIM; perhaps; that they had changed companions oftener; yet no experience of his antagonist's strength hindered him from continuing the contest。 He used to remind me always of that verse in Berni
〃Il pover uomo che non sen' era accorto; Andava combattendoed era morto。〃
Mr。 Johnson made him a comical answer one day; when seeming to repine at the success of Beattie's 〃Essay on Truth〃〃Here's such a stir;〃 said he; 〃about a fellow that has written one book; and I have written many。〃 〃Ah; Doctor;〃 says his friend; 〃there go two…and…forty sixpences; you know; to one guinea。〃
They had spent an evening with Eaton Graham; too; I remember hearing it was at some tavern; his heart was open; and he began inviting away; told what he could do to make his college agreeable; and begged the visit might not be delayed。 Goldsmith thanked him; and proposed setting out with Mr。 Johnson for Buckinghamshire in a fortnight。 〃Nay; hold; Dr。 MINOR;〃 says the other; 〃I did not invite you。〃
Many such mortifications arose in the course of their intimacy; to be sure; but few more laughable than when the newspapers had tacked them together as the pedant and his flatterer in Love's Labour's Lost。 Dr。 Goldsmith came to his friend; fretting and foaming; and vowing vengeance against the printer; etc。; till Mr。 Johnson; tired of the bustle; and desirous to think of something else; cried out at last; 〃Why; what would'st thou have; dear Doctor! who the plague is hurt with all this nonsense? and how is a man the worse; I wonder; in his health; purse; or character; for being called Holofernes?〃 〃I do not know;〃 replies the other; 〃how you may relish being called Holofernes; but I do not like at least to play Goodman Dull。〃
Dr。 Johnson was indeed famous for disregarding public abuse。 When the people criticised and answered his pamphlets; papers; etc。; 〃Why; now; these fellows are only advertising my book;〃 he would say; 〃it is surely better a man should be abused than forgotten。〃 When Churchill nettled him; however; it is certain he felt the sting; or that poet's works would hardly have been left out of the edition。 Of that; however; I have no right to decide; the booksellers; perhaps; did not put Churchill on their list。 I know Mr。 Johnson was exceedingly zealous to declare how very little he had to do with the selection。 Churchill's works; too; might possibly be rejected by him upon a higher principle; the highest; indeed; if he was inspired by the same laudable motive which made him reject every authority for a word in his dictionary that could only be gleaned from writers dangerous to religion or morality。 〃I would not;〃 said he; 〃send people to look for words in a book; that by such a casual seizure of the mind might chance to mislead it for ever。〃 In consequence of this delicacy; Mrs。 Montague once observed; 〃That were an angel to give the imprimatur; Dr。 Johnson's works were among those very few which would not be lessened by a line。〃 That such praise from such a lady should delight him; is not strange; insensibility in a case like that must have been the result alone of arrogance acting on stupidity。 Mr。 Johnson had indeed no dislike to the commendations which he knew he deserved。 〃What signifies protesting so against flattery!〃 would he cry; 〃when a person speaks w