anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第18部分

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es　protesting　so　against　flattery！〃　would　he　cry；　〃when　a　person　speaks　well　of　one；　it　must　be　either　true　or　false；　you　know；　if　true；　let　us　rejoice　in　his　good　opinion；　if　he　lies；　it　is　a　proof　at　least　that　he　loves　more　to　please　me　than　to　sit　silent　when　he　need　say　nothing。〃

That　natural　roughness　of　his　manner　so　often　mentioned　would；　notwithstanding　the　regularity　of　his　notions；　burst　through　them　all　from　time　to　time；　and　he　once　bade　a　very　celebrated　lady；　who　praised　him　with　too　much　zeal；　perhaps；　or　perhaps　too　strong　an　emphasis　（which　always　offended　him）；　〃Consider　what　her　flattery　was　worth　before　she　choked　HIM　with　it。〃　　A　few　more　winters　passed　in　the　talking　world　showed　him　the　value　of　that　friend's　commendations；　however；　and　he　was　very　sorry　for　the　disgusting　speech　he　made　her。

I　used　to　think　Mr。　Johnson's　determined　preference　of　a　cold；　monotonous　talker　over　an　emphatical　and　violent　one　would　make　him　quite　a　favourite　among　the　men　of　ton；　whose　insensibility；　or　affectation　of　perpetual　calmness；　certainly　did　not　give　to　him　the　offence　it　does　to　many。　　He　loved　〃conversation　without　effort；〃　he　said；　and　the　encomiums　I　have　heard　him　so　often　pronounce　on　the　manners　of　Topham　Beaucler　in　society　constantly　ended　in　that　peculiar　praise；　that　〃it　was　without　EFFORT。〃

We　were　talking　of　Richardson；　who　wrote　〃Clarissa。〃　　〃You　think　I　love　flattery；〃　says　Dr。　Johnson；　〃and　so　I　do；　but　a　little　too　much　always　disgusts　me。　　That　fellow　Richardson；　on　the　contrary；　could　not　be　contented　to　sail　quietly　down　the　stream　of　reputation　without　longing　to　taste　the　froth　from　every　stroke　of　the　oar。〃

With　regard　to　slight　insults　from　newspaper　abuse；　I　have　already　declared　his　notions。　　〃They　sting　one；〃　says　he；　〃but　as　a　fly　stings　a　horse；　and　the　eagle　will　not　catch　flies。〃　　He　once　told　me；　however；　that　Cummyns；　the　famous　Quaker；　whose　friendship　he　valued　very　highly；　fell　a　sacrifice　to　their　insults；　having　declared　on　his　death…bed　to　Dr。　Johnson　that　the　pain　of　an　anonymous　letter；　written　in　some　of　the　common　prints　of　the　day；　fastened　on　his　heart；　and　threw　him　into　the　slow　fever　of　which　he　died。

Nor　was　Cummyns　the　only　valuable　member　so　lost　to　society。　　Hawkesworth；　the　pious；　the　virtuous；　and　the　wise；　for　want　of　that　fortitude　which　casts　a　shield　before　the　merits　of　his　friend；　fell　a　lamented　sacrifice　to　wanton　malice　and　cruelty；　I　know　not　how　provoked；　but　all　in　turn　feel　the　lash　of　censure　in　a　country　where；　as　every　baby　is　allowed　to　carry　a　whip；　no　person　can　escape　except　by　chance。　　The　unpublished　crimes；　unknown　distresses；　and　even　death　itself；　however；　daily　occurring　in　less　liberal　governments　and　less　free　nations；　soon　teach　one　to　content　oneself　with　such　petty　grievances；　and　make　one　acknowledge　that　the　undistinguishing　severity　of　newspaper　abuse　may　in　some　measure　diminish　the　diffusion　of　vice　and　folly　in　Great　Britain；　and　while　they　fright　delicate　minds　into　forced　refinements　and　affected　insipidity；　they　are　useful　to　the　great　causes　of　virtue　in　the　soul　and　liberty　in　the　State；　and　though　sensibility　often　sinks　under　the　roughness　of　their　prescriptions；　it　would　be　no　good　policy　to　take　away　their　licence。

Knowing　the　state　of　Mr。　Johnson's　nerves；　and　how　easily　they　were　affected；　I　forbore　reading　in　a　new　magazine；　one　day；　the　death　of　a　Samuel　Johnson　who　expired　that　month；　but　my　companion　snatching　up　the　book；　saw　it　himself；　and　contrary　to　my　expectation；　〃Oh！〃　said　he；　〃I　hope　Death　will　now　be　glutted　with　Sam　Johnsons；　and　let　me　alone　for　some　time　to　come；　I　read　of　another　namesake's　departure　last　week。〃　　Though　Mr。　Johnson　was　commonly　affected　even　to　agony　at　the　thoughts　of　a　friend's　dying；　he　troubled　himself　very　little　with　the　complaints　they　might　make　to　him　about　ill…health。　　〃Dear　Doctor；〃　said　he　one　day　to　a　common　acquaintance；　who　lamented　the　tender　state　of　his　INSIDE；　〃do　not　be　like　the　spider；　man；　and　spin　conversation　thus　incessantly　out　of　thy　own　bowels。〃　　I　told　him　of　another　friend　who　suffered　grievously　with　the　gout。　　〃He　will　live　a　vast　many　years　for　all　that；〃　replied　he；　〃and　then　what　signifies　how　much　he　suffers！　　But　he　will　die　at　last；　poor　fellow；　there's　the　misery；　gout　seldom　takes　the　fort　by　a　coup…de…main；　but　turning　the　siege　into　a　blockade；　obliges　it　to　surrender　at　discretion。〃

A　lady　he　thought　well　of　was　disordered　in　her　health。　　〃What　help　has　she　called　in？〃　inquired　Johnson。　　〃Dr。　James；　sir；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃What　is　her　disease？〃　　〃Oh；　nothing　positive；　rather　a　gradual　and　gentle　decline。〃　〃She　will　die；　then；　pretty　dear！〃　answered　he。　　〃When　Death's　pale　horse　runs　away　with　a　person　on　full　speed；　an　active　physician　may　possibly　give　them　a　turn；　but　if　he　carries　them　on　an　even；　slow　pace；　down…hill；　too！　no　care　nor　skill　can　save　them！〃

When　Garrick　was　on　his　last　sick…bed；　no　arguments；　or　recitals　of　such　facts　as　I　had　heard；　would　persuade　Mr。　Johnson　of　his　danger。　　He　had　prepossessed　himself　with　a　notion；　that　to　say　a　man　was　sick　was　very　near　wishing　him　so；　and　few　things　offended　him　more　than　prognosticating　even　the　death　of　an　ordinary　acquaintance。　　〃Ay；　ay；〃　said　he；　〃Swift　knew　the　world　pretty　well　when　he　said　that

　　　　　'Some　dire　misfortune　to　portend；　　　　　　　No　enemy　can　match　a　friend。'〃

The　danger；　then；　of　Mr。　Garrick；　or　of　Mr。　Thrale；　whom　he　loved　better；　was　an　image　which　no　one　durst　present　before　his　view；　he　always　persisted　in　the　possibility　and　hope　of　their　recovering　disorders　from　which　no　human　creatures　by　human　means　alone　ever　did　recover。　　His　distress　for　their　loss　was　for　that　very　reason　poignant　to　excess。　　But　his　fears　of　his　own　salvation　were　excessive。　　His　truly　tolerant　spirit　and　Christian　charity；　which　HOPETH　ALL　THINGS；　and　BELIEVETH　ALL　THINGS；　made　him　rely　securely　on　the　safety　of　his　friends；　while　his　earnest　aspiration　after　a　blessed　immortality　made　him　cautious　of　his　own　steps；　and　timorous　concerning　their　consequences。　　He　knew　how　much　had　been　given；　and　filled　his　mind　with　fancies　of　how　much　would　be　required；　till　his　impressed　imagination　was　often　disturbed　by　them；　and　his　health　suffered　from　the　sensibility　of　his　too　tender　conscience。　　A　real　Christian　is　SO　apt　to　find　his　talk　above　his　power　of　performance！

Mr。　Johnson　did　not；　however；　give　in　to　ridiculous　refinements　either　of　speculation　or　practice；　or　suffer　himself　to　be　deluded　by　specious　appearances。　　〃I　have　had　dust　thrown　in　my　eyes　too　often；〃　would　he　say；　〃to　be　blinded　so。　　Let　us　never　confound　matters　of　belief　with　matters　of　opinion。〃　　Some　one　urged　in　his　presence　the　preference　of　hope　to　possession；　and　as　I　remember　produced　an　Italian　sonnet　on　the　subject。　〃Let　us　not；〃　cries　Johnson；　〃amuse　ourselves　with　subtleties　and　sonnets；　when　speaking　about　hope；　which　is　the　follower　of　faith　and　the　precursor　of　eternity；　but　if　you　only　mean　those　air…built　hopes　which　to…day　excite　and　to…morrow　will　destroy；　let　us　talk　away；　and　remember　that　we　only　talk　of　the　pleasures　of　hope；　we　feel　those　of　possession；　and　no　man　in　his　senses　would　change　the　last　for　the　first。　　Such　hope　is　a　mere　bubble；　that　by　a　gentle　breath　may　be　blown　to　what　size　you　will　almost；　but　a　rough　blast　bursts　it　at　once。　　Hope　is　an　amusement　rather　than　a　good；　and　adapted　to　none　but　very　tranquil　minds。〃　　The　truth　is；　Mr。　Johnson　hated　what　he　called　unprofitable　chat；　and　to　a　gentleman　who　had　disserted　some　time　about　the　natural　history　of　the　mouse〃I　wonder　what　such　a　one　would　have　said；〃　cried　Johnson；　〃if　he　had　ever　had　the　luck　to　see　a　LION！〃

I　well　remember　that　at　Brighthelmstone　once；　when　he　was　not　present；　Mr。　Beauclerc　asserted　that　he　was　afraid　of　spirits；　and　I；　who　was　secretly　offended　at　the　charge；　asked　him；　the　first　opportunity　I　could　find；　〃what　ground　he　had　ever　given　to　the　world　for　such　a　report？〃　　〃I　can；〃　replied　he；　〃recollect　nothing　nearer　it　than　my　telling　Dr。　Lawrence；　many　years　ago；　that　a　long　time　after　my　poor　mother's　death　I　heard　her　voice　call　'SAM！'〃　　〃What　answer　did　the　Doctor　make　to　your　story；　sir？〃　said　I。　〃None　in　the　world；〃　replied　he；　and　suddenly　changed　the　conversation。　Now；　as　Mr。　Johnson　had　a　most　unshaken　faith；　without　any　mixture　of　credulity；　this　story　must　either　have　been　strictly　true；　or　his　persuasion　of　its　truth　the　effect　of　disordered　spirits。　　I　relate　the　anecdote　precisely　as　he　told　it　me；　but　could　not　prevail　on　him　to　draw　out　the　talk　into　length　for　further　satisfaction　of　my　curiosity。

As　Johnson　was　the　firmest　of　believers；　without　being　credulous；　so　he　was　the　most　charitable　of　mortals；　without　being　what　we　call　an　active　friend。　　Admirable　at　giving　counsel；　no　man　saw　his　way　so　clearly；　but　he　would　not　stir　a　finger　for　the　assistance　of　those　to　whom　he　was　willing　enough　to　give　advice：　　besides　that；　he　had　principles　of　laziness；　and　could　be　indolent　by　rule。　　To　hinder　your　death；　or　procure　you　a　dinner；　I　mean　if　really　in　want　of　one；　his　earnestness；　his　exertions　could　not　be　prevented；　though　health　and　purse　and　ease　were　all　destroyed　by　their　violence。　　If　you　wanted　a　slight　favour；　you　must　apply　to　people　of　other　dispositions；　for　not　a　step　would　Johnson　move　to　obtain　a　man　a　vote　in　a　society；　to　repay　a　compliment　which　might　be　useful　or　pleasing；　to　write　a　letter　of　request；　or　to　obtain　a　hundred　pounds　a　year　more　for　a　friend；　who　perhaps　had　already　two　or　three。　　No　force　could　urge　him　to　diligence；　no　importunity　could　conquer　his　resolution　of　standing　still。　〃What　good　are　we　doing　with　all　this　ado？〃　would　he　say；　〃dearest　lady；　let's　hear　no　more　of　it！〃　　I　have；　however；　more　than　once　in　my　life　forced　him　on　such　services；　but　with　extreme　difficulty。

We　parted　at　his　door　one　evening　when　I　had　teased　him　for　many　weeks　to　write　a　recommendatory　letter　of　a　little　boy　to　his　schoolmaster；　and　after　he　had　faithfully　promised　to　do　this　prodigious　feat　before　we　met　again〃Do　not　forget　dear　Dick；　sir；〃　said　I；　as　he　went　out　of　the　coach。　He　turned　back；　stood　still　two　minutes　on　the　carriage…step〃