anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第19部分

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〃　said　I；　as　he　went　out　of　the　coach。　He　turned　back；　stood　still　two　minutes　on　the　carriage…step〃When　I　have　written　my　letter　for　Dick；　I　may　hang　myself；　mayn't　I？〃　and　turned　away　in　a　very　ill　humour　indeed。

Though　apt　enough　to　take　sudden　likings　or　aversions　to　people　he　occasionally　met；　he　would　never　hastily　pronounce　upon　their　character；　and　when；　seeing　him　justly　delighted　with　Solander's　conversation；　I　observed　once　that　he　was　a　man　of　great　parts　who　talked　from　a　full　mind…　…〃It　may　be　so；〃　said　Mr。　Johnson；　〃but　you　cannot　know　it　yet；　nor　I　neither：　　the　pump　works　well；　to　be　sure！　but　how；　I　wonder；　are　we　to　decide　in　so　very　short　an　acquaintance；　whether　it　is　supplied　by　a　spring　or　a　reservoir？〃　　He　always　made　a　great　difference　in　his　esteem　between　talents　and　erudition；　and　when　he　saw　a　person　eminent　for　literature；　though　wholly　unconversible；　it　fretted　him。　　〃Teaching　such　tonies；〃　said　he　to　me　one　day；　〃is　like　setting　a　lady's　diamonds　in　lead；　which　only　obscures　the　lustre　of　the　stone；　and　makes　the　possessor　ashamed　on't。〃　Useful　and　what　we　call　everyday　knowledge　had　the　most　of　his　just　praise。　〃Let　your　boy　learn　arithmetic；　dear　madam；〃　was　his　advice　to　the　mother　of　a　rich　young　heir：　　〃he　will　not　then　be　a　prey　to　every　rascal　which　this　town　swarms　with。　　Teach　him　the　value　of　money；　and　how　to　reckon　it；　ignorance　to　a　wealthy　lad　of　one…and…twenty　is　only　so　much　fat　to　a　sick　sheep：　　it　just　serves　to　call　the　ROOKS　about　him。〃

　　　　　〃And　all　that　prey　in　vice　or　folly　　　　　　　　　Joy　to　see　their　quarry　fly；　　　　　　　Here　the　gamester　light　and　jolly；　　　　　　　　　There　the　lender　grave　and　sly。〃

These　improviso　lines；　making　part　of　a　long　copy　of　verses　which　my　regard　for　the　youth　on　whose　birthday　they　were　written　obliges　me　to　suppress；　lest　they　should　give　him　pain；　show　a　mind　of　surprising　activity　and　warmth；　the　more　so　as　he　was　past　seventy　years　of　age　when　he　composed　them；　but　nothing　more　certainly　offended　Mr。　Johnson　than　the　idea　of　a　man's　faculties　（mental　ones；　I　mean）　decaying　by　time。　　〃It　is　not　true；　sir；〃　would　he　say；　〃what　a　man　could　once　do；　he　would　always　do；　unless；　indeed；　by　dint　of　vicious　indolence；　and　compliance　with　the　nephews　and　the　nieces　who　crowd　round　an　old　fellow；　and　help　to　tuck　him　in；　till　he；　contented　with　the　exchange　of　fame　for　ease；　e'en　resolves　to　let　them　set　the　pillows　at　his　back；　and　gives　no　further　proof　of　his　existence　than　just　to　suck　the　jelly　that　prolongs　it。〃

For　such　a　life　or　such　a　death　Dr。　Johnson　was　indeed　never　intended　by　Providence：　　his　mind　was　like　a　warm　climate；　which　brings　everything　to　perfection　suddenly　and　vigorously；　not　like　the　alembicated　productions　of　artificial　fire；　which　always　betray　the　difficulty　of　bringing　them　forth　when　their　size　is　disproportionate　to　their　flavour。　　〃Je　ferois　un　Roman　tout　comme　un　autre；　mais　la　vie　n'est　point　un　Roman；〃　says　a　famous　French　writer；　and　this　was　so　certainly　the　opinion　of　the　author　of　the　〃Rambler；〃　that　all　his　conversation　precepts　tended　towards　the　dispersion　of　romantic　ideas；　and　were　chiefly　intended　to　promote　the　cultivation　of

　　　　　〃That　which　before　thee　lies　in　daily　life。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MILTON。

And　when　he　talked　of　authors；　his　praise　went　spontaneously　to　such　passages　as　are　sure　in　his　own　phrase　to　leave　something　behind　them　useful　on　common　occasions；　or　observant　of　common　manners。　　For　example；　it　was　not　the　two　LAST；　but　the　two　FIRST　volumes　of　〃Clarissa〃　that　he　prized；　〃for　give　me　a　sick…bed　and　a　dying　lady；〃　said　he；　〃and　I'll　be　pathetic　myself。　　But　Richardson　had　picked　the　kernel　of　life；〃　he　said；　〃while　Fielding　was　contented　with　the　husk。〃　　It　was　not　King　Lear　cursing　his　daughters；　or　deprecating　the　storm；　that　I　remember　his　commendations　of；　but　Iago's　ingenious　malice　and　subtle　revenge；　or　Prince　Hal's　gay　compliance　with　the　vices　of　Falstaff；　whom　he　all　along　despised。　　Those　plays　had　indeed　no　rivals　in　Johnson's　favour：　　〃No　man　but　Shakespeare；〃　he　said；　〃could　have　drawn　Sir　John。〃

His　manner　of　criticising　and　commending　Addison's　prose　was　the　same　in　conversation　as　we　read　it　in　the　printed　strictures；　and　many　of　the　expressions　used　have　been　heard　to　fall　from　him　on　common　occasions。　　It　was　notwithstanding　observable　enough　（or　I　fancied　so）　that　he　did　never　like；　though　he　always　thought　fit　to　praise　it；　and　his　praises　resembled　those　of　a　man　who　extols　the　superior　elegance　of　high　painted　porcelain；　while　he　himself　always　chooses　to　eat　off　PLATE。　　I　told　him　so　one　day；　and　he　neither　denied　it　nor　appeared　displeased。

Of　the　pathetic　in　poetry　he　never　liked　to　speak；　and　the　only　passage　I　ever　heard　him　applaud　as　particularly　tender　in　any　common　book　was　Jane　Shore's　exclamation　in　the　last　act

　　　　　〃Forgive　me！　BUT　forgive　me！〃

It　was　not；　however；　from　the　want　of　a　susceptible　heart　that　he　hated　to　cite　tender　expressions；　for　he　was　more　strongly　and　more　violently　affected　by　the　force　of　words　representing　ideas　capable　of　affecting　him　at　all　than　any　other　man　in　the　world；　I　believe：　　and　when　he　would　try　to　repeat　the　celebrated　Prosa　Ecclesiastica　pro　Mortuis；　as　it　is　called；　beginning　〃Dies　irae；　Dies　illa；〃　he　could　never　pass　the　stanza　ending　thus；　〃Tantus　labor　non　sit　cassus；〃　without　bursting　into　a　flood　of　tears；　which　sensibility　I　used　to　quote　against　him　when　he　would　inveigh　against　devotional　poetry；　and　protest　that　all　religious　verses　were　cold　and　feeble；　and　unworthy　the　subject；　which　ought　to　be　treated　with　higher　reverence；　he　said；　than　either　poets　or　painters　could　presume　to　excite　or　bestow。　　Nor　can　anything　be　a　stronger　proof　of　Dr。　Johnson's　piety　than　such　an　expression；　for　his　idea　of　poetry　was　magnificent　indeed；　and　very　fully　was　he　persuaded　of　its　superiority　over　every　other　talent　bestowed　by　heaven　on　man。　　His　chapter　upon　that　particular　subject　in　his　〃Rasselas〃　is　really　written　from　the　fulness　of　his　heart；　and　quite　in　his　best　manner；　I　think。　　I　am　not　so　sure　that　this　is　the　proper　place　to　mention　his　writing　that　surprising　little　volume　in　a　week　or　ten　days'　time；　in　order　to　obtain　money　for　his　journey　to　Lichfield　when　his　mother　lay　upon　her　last　sick…bed。

Promptitude　of　thought；　indeed；　and　quickness　of　expression；　were　among　the　peculiar　felicities　of　Johnson；　his　notions　rose　up　like　the　dragon's　teeth　sowed　by　Cadmus　all　ready　clothed；　and　in　bright　armour　too；　fit　for　immediate　battle。　　He　was　therefore　（as　somebody　is　said　to　have　expressed　it）　a　tremendous　converser；　and　few　people　ventured　to　try　their　skill　against　an　antagonist　with　whom　contention　was　so　hopeless。　　One　gentleman；　however；　who　dined　at　a　nobleman's　house　in　his　company；　and　that　of　Mr。　Thrale；　to　whom　I　was　obliged　for　the　anecdote；　was　willing　to　enter　the　lists　in　defence　of　King　William's　character；　and　having　opposed　and　contradicted　Johnson　two　or　three　times　petulantly　enough；　the　master　of　the　house　began　to　feel　uneasy；　and　expect　disagreeable　consequences；　to　avoid　which　he　said；　loud　enough　for　the　Doctor　to　hear；　〃Our　friend　here　has　no　meaning　now　in　all　this；　except　just　to　relate　at　club　to…morrow　how　he　teased　Johnson　at　dinner　to…daythis　is　all　to　do　himself　HONOUR。〃　〃No；　upon　my　word；〃　replied　the　other；　〃I　see　no　HONOUR　in　it；　whatever　you　may　do。〃　　〃Well；　sir！〃　returned　Mr。　Johnson；　sternly；　〃if　you　do　not　SEE　the　HONOUR；　I　am　sure　I　FEEL　the　DISGRACE。〃

A　young　fellow；　less　confident　of　his　own　abilities；　lamenting　one　day　that　he　had　lost　all　his　Greek〃I　believe　it　happened　at　the　same　time；　sir；〃　said　Johnson；　〃that　I　lost　all　my　large　estate　in　Yorkshire。〃

But　however　roughly　he　might　be　suddenly　provoked　to　treat　a　harmless　exertion　of　vanity；　he　did　not　wish　to　inflict　the　pain　he　gave；　and　was　sometimes　very　sorry　when　he　perceived　the　people　to　smart　more　than　they　deserved。　　〃How　harshly　you　treated　that　man　today；〃　said　I　once；　〃who　harangued　us　so　about　gardening。〃　　〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　vexed　the　creature；　for　there　is　certainly　no　harm　in　a　fellow's　rattling　a　rattle…box；　only　don't　let　him　think　that　he　thunders。〃　　The　Lincolnshire　lady　who　showed　him　a　grotto　she　had　been　making；　came　off　no　better；　as　I　remember。　　〃Would　it　not　be　a　pretty　cool　habitation　in　summer；〃　said　she；　〃Mr。　Johnson？〃　　〃I　think　it　would；　madam；〃　replied　he；　〃for　a　toad。〃

All　desire　of　distinction；　indeed；　had　a　sure　enemy　in　Mr。　Johnson。　　We　met　a　friend　driving　six　very　small　ponies；　and　stopped　to　admire　them。　　〃Why　does　nobody；〃　said　our　Doctor；　〃begin　the　fashion　of　driving　six　spavined　horses；　all　spavined　of　the　same　leg？　　It　would　have　a　mighty　pretty　effect；　and　produce　the　distinction　of　doing　something　worse　than　the　common　way。〃

When　Mr。　Johnson　had　a　mind　to　compliment　any　one　he　did　it　with　more　dignity　to　himself；　and　better　effect　upon　the　company；　than　any　man。　　I　can　recollect　but　few　instances；　indeed；　though　perhaps　that　may　be　more　my　fault　than　his。　　When　Sir　Joshua　Reynolds　left　the　room　one　day；　he　said；　〃There　goes　a　man　not　to　be　spoilt　by　prosperity。〃　　And　when　Mrs。　Montague　showed　him　some　China　plates　which　had　once　belonged　to　Queen　Elizabeth；　he　told　her　〃that　they　had　no　reason　to　be　ashamed　of　their　present　possessor；　who　was　so　little　inferior　to　the　first。〃　　I　likewise　remember　that　he　pronounced　one　day　at　my　house　a　most　lofty　panegyric　upon　Jones　the　Orientalist；　who　seemed　little　pleased　with　the　praise；　for　what　cause　I　know　not。　　He　was　not　at　all　offended　when；　comparing　all　our　acquaintance　to　some　animal　or　other；　we　pitched　upon　the　elephant　for　his　resemblance；　adding　that　the　proboscis　of　that　creature　was　like　his　mind　most　exactly；　strong　to　buffet　even　the　tiger；　and　pliable　to　pick　up　even　the　pin。　　The　truth　is；　Mr。　Johnson　was　often　good　humouredly　willing　to　join　in　childish　amusements；　and　hated　to　be　left　out　of　any　innocent　merriment　that　was　going　forward。　　Mr。　Murphy　always　said　he　was　incomparable　at　buffoonery；　and　I　verily　think；　if　he　had　had　good　eyes；　and　a　form　less　inflexible；　he　would　have　made　an　admirable　mimic。

He　certainly　rode　on　Mr。　Thrale's　old　hunter