anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　inflexible；　he　would　have　made　an　admirable　mimic。

He　certainly　rode　on　Mr。　Thrale's　old　hunter　with　a　good　firmness；　and　though　he　would　follow　the　hounds　fifty　miles　on　end　sometimes；　would　never　own　himself　either　tired　or　amused。　　〃I　have　now　learned；〃　said　he；　〃by　hunting；　to　perceive　that　it　is　no　diversion　at　all；　nor　ever　takes　a　man　out　of　himself　for　a　moment：　　the　dogs　have　less　sagacity　than　I　could　have　prevailed　on　myself　to　suppose；　and　the　gentlemen　often　call　to　me　not　to　ride　over　them。　　It　is　very　strange；　and　very　melancholy；　that　the　paucity　of　human　pleasure　should　persuade　us　ever　to　call　hunting　one　of　them。〃　　He　was；　however；　proud　to　be　amongst　the　sportsmen；　and　I　think　no　praise　ever　went　so　close　to　his　heart　as　when　Mr。　Hamilton　called　out　one　day　upon　Brighthelmstone　Downs；　〃Why；　Johnson　rides　as　well；　for　aught　I　see；　as　the　most　illiterate　fellow　in　England。〃

Though　Dr。　Johnson　owed　his　very　life　to　air　and　exercise；　given　him　when　his　organs　of　respiration　could　scarcely　play；　in　the　year　1766；　yet　he　ever　persisted　in　the　notion　that　neither　of　them　had　anything　to　do　with　health。　　〃People　live　as　long；〃　said　he；　〃in　Pepper　Alley　as　on　Salisbury　Plain；　and　they　live　so　much　happier；　that　an　inhabitant　of　the　first　would；　if　he　turned　cottager；　starve　his　understanding　for　want　of　conversation；　and　perish　in　a　state　of　mental　inferiority。〃

Mr。　Johnson；　indeed；　as　he　was　a　very　talking　man　himself；　had　an　idea　that　nothing　promoted　happiness　so　much　as　conversation。　　A　friend's　erudition　was　commended　one　day　as　equally　deep　and　strong。　　〃He　will　not　talk；　sir；〃　was　the　reply；　〃so　his　learning　does　no　good；　and　his　wit；　if　he　has　it；　gives　us　no　pleasure。　　Out　of　all　his　boasted　stores　I　never　heard　him　force　but　one　word；　and　that　word　was　RICHARD。〃　　With　a　contempt　not　inferior　he　received　the　praises　of　a　pretty　lady's　face　and　behaviour。　〃She　says　nothing；　sir；〃　answers　Johnson；　〃a　talking　blackamoor　were　better　than　a　white　creature　who　adds　nothing　to　life；　and　by　sitting　down　before　one　thus　desperately　silent；　takes　away　the　confidence　one　should　have　in　the　company　of　her　chair　if　she　were　once　out　of　it。〃　　No　one　was；　however；　less　willing　to　begin　any　discourse　than　himself。　　His　friend；　Mr。　Thomas　Tyers；　said　he　was　like　the　ghosts；　who　never　speak　till　they　are　spoken　to：　　and　he　liked　the　expression　so　well；　that　he　often　repeated　it。　　He　had；　indeed；　no　necessity　to　lead　the　stream　of　chat　to　a　favourite　channel；　that　his　fulness　on　the　subject　might　be　shown　more　clearly　whatever　was　the　topic；　and　he　usually　left　the　choice　to　others。　　His　information　best　enlightened；　his　argument　strengthened；　and　his　wit　made　it　ever　remembered。　　Of　him　it　might　have　been　said；　as　he　often　delighted　to　say　of　Edmund　Burke；　〃that　you　could　not　stand　five　minutes　with　that　man　beneath　a　shed　while　it　rained；　but　you　must　be　convinced　you　had　been　standing　with　the　greatest　man　you　had　ever　yet　seen。〃

As　we　had　been　saying；　one　day；　that　no　subject　failed　of　receiving　dignity　from　the　manner　in　which　Mr。　Johnson　treated　it；　a　lady　at　my　house　said　she　would　make　him　talk　about　love；　and　took　her　measures　accordingly；　deriding　the　novels　of　the　day　because　they　treated　about　love。　　〃It　is　not；〃　replied　our　philosopher；　〃because　they　treat；　as　you　call　it；　about　love；　but　because　they　treat　of　nothing；　that　they　are　despicable。　　We　must　not　ridicule　a　passion　which　he　who　never　felt　never　was　happy；　and　he　who　laughs　at　never　deserves　to　feela　passion　which　has　caused　the　change　of　empires　and　the　loss　of　worldsa　passion　which　has　inspired　heroism　and　subdued　avarice。〃　　He　thought　he　had　already　said　too　much。　　〃A　passion；　in　short；〃　added　he；　with　an　altered　tone；　〃that　consumes　me　away　for　my　pretty　Fanny　here；　and　she　is　very　cruel；〃　speaking　of　another　lady　in　the　room。　　He　told　us；　however；　in　the　course　of　the　same　chat；　how　his　negro　Francis　had　been　eminent　for　his　success　among　the　girls。　　Seeing　us　all　laugh；　〃I　must　have　you　know；　ladies；〃　said　he；　〃that　Frank　has　carried　the　empire　of　Cupid　further　than　most　men。　　When　I　was　in　Lincolnshire　so　many　years　ago　he　attended　me　thither；　and　when　we　returned　home　together；　I　found　that　a　female　haymaker　had　followed　him　to　London　for　love。〃　　Francis　was　indeed　no　small　favourite　with　his　master；　who　retained；　however；　a　prodigious　influence　over　his　most　violent　passions。

On　the　birthday　of　our　eldest　daughter；　and　that　of　our　friend　Dr。　Johnson；　the　17th　and　the　18th　of　September；　we　every　year　made　up　a　little　dance　and　supper；　to　divert　our　servants　and　their　friends；　putting　the　summer…house　into　their　hands　for　the　two　evenings；　to　fill　with　acquaintance　and　merriment。　　Francis　and　his　white　wife　were　invited；　of　course。　　She　was　eminently　pretty；　and　he　was　jealous；　as　my　maids　told　me。　On　the　first　of　these　days'　amusements　（I　know　not　what　year）　Frank　took　offence　at　some　attentions　paid　his　Desdemona；　and　walked　away　next　morning　to　London　in　wrath。　　His　master　and　I　driving　the　same　road　an　hour　after；　overtook　him。　　〃What　is　the　matter；　child；〃　says　Dr。　Johnson；　〃that　you　leave　Streatham　to…day。　　ART　SICK？〃　　〃He　is　jealous；〃　whispered　I。　　〃Are　you　jealous　of　your　wife；　you　stupid　blockhead？〃　cries　out　his　master　in　another　tone。　　The　fellow　hesitated；　and；　〃TO　BE　SURE；　SIR；　I　DON'T　QUITE　APPROVE；　SIR；〃　was　the　stammering　reply。　　〃Why；　what　do　they　DO　to　her；　man？　　Do　the　footmen　kiss　her？〃　　〃No；　sir；　no！　　Kiss　my　WIFE；　sir！　　I　HOPE　NOT；　sir。〃　　〃Why；　what　DO　they　do　to　her；　my　lad？〃　　〃Why；　nothing；　sir；　I'm　sure；　sir。〃　　〃Why；　then　go　back　directly　and　dance；　you　dog；　do；　and　let's　hear　no　more　of　such　empty　lamentations。〃　　I　believe；　however；　that　Francis　was　scarcely　as　much　the　object　of　Mr。　Johnson's　personal　kindness　as　the　representative　of　Dr。　Bathurst；　for　whose　sake　he　would　have　loved　anybody　or　anything。

When　he　spoke　of　negroes；　he　always　appeared　to　think　them　of　a　race　naturally　inferior；　and　made　few　exceptions　in　favour　of　his　own；　yet　whenever　disputes　arose　in　his　household　among　the　many　odd　inhabitants　of　which　it　consisted；　he　always　sided　with　Francis　against　the　others；　whom　he　suspected　（not　unjustly；　I　believe）　of　greater　malignity。　　It　seems　at　once　vexatious　and　comical　to　reflect　that　the　dissensions　those　people　chose　to　live　constantly　in　distressed　and　mortified　him　exceedingly。　　He　really　was　oftentimes　afraid　of　going　home；　because　he　was　so　sure　to　be　met　at　the　door　with　numberless　complaints；　and　he　used　to　lament　pathetically　to　me；　and　to　Mr。　Sastres；　the　Italian　master；　who　was　much　his　favourite；　that　they　made　his　life　miserable　from　the　impossibility　he　found　of　making　theirs　happy；　when　every　favour　he　bestowed　on　one　was　wormwood　to　the　rest。　　If；　however；　I　ventured　to　blame　their　ingratitude；　and　condemn　their　conduct；　he　would　instantly　set　about　softening　the　one　and　justifying　the　other；　and　finished　commonly　by　telling　me；　that　I　knew　not　how　to　make　allowances　for　situations　I　never　experienced。

　　　　　〃To　thee　no　reason　who　know'st　only　good；　　　　　　　But　evil　hast　not　tried。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MILTON。

Dr。　Johnson　knew　how　to　be　merry　with　mean　people；　too；　as　well　as　to　be　sad　with　them；　he　loved　the　lower　ranks　of　humanity　with　a　real　affection：　and　though　his　talents　and　learning　kept　him　always　in　the　sphere　of　upper　life；　yet　he　never　lost　sight　of　the　time　when　he　and　they　shared　pain　and　pleasure　in　common。　　A　borough　election　once　showed　me　his　toleration　of　boisterous　mirth；　and　his　content　in　the　company　of　people　whom　one　would　have　thought　at　first　sight　little　calculated　for　his　society。　　A　rough　fellow　one　day　on　such　an　occasion；　a　hatter　by　trade；　seeing　Mr。　Johnson's　beaver　in　a　state　of　decay；　seized　it　suddenly　with　one　hand；　and　clapping　him　on　the　back　with　the　other；　〃Ah；　Master　Johnson；〃　says　he；　〃this　is　no　time　to　be　thinking　about　HATS。〃　　〃No；　no；　sir；〃　replied　our　Doctor　in　a　cheerful　tone；　〃hats　are　of　no　use　now；　as　you　say；　except　to　throw　up　in　the　air　and　huzza　with；〃　accompanying　his　words　with　a　true　election　halloo。

But　it　was　never　against　people　of　coarse　life　that　his　contempt　was　expressed；　while　poverty　of　sentiment　in　men　who　considered　themselves　to　be　company　for　THE　PARLOUR；　as　he　called　it；　was　what　he　could　not　bear。　　A　very　ignorant　young　fellow；　who　had　plagued　us　all　for　nine　or　ten　months；　died　at　last　consumptive。　　〃I　think；〃　said　Mr。　Johnson；　when　he　heard　the　news；　〃I　am　afraid　I　should　have　been　more　concerned　for　the　death　of　the　DOG；　but〃　（hesitating　a　while）　〃I　am　not　wrong　now　in　all　this；　for　the　dog　acted　up　to　his　character　on　every　occasion　that　we　know；　but　that　dunce　of　a　fellow　helped　forward　the　general　disgrace　of　humanity。〃　　〃Why；　dear　sir；〃　said　I；　〃how　odd　you　are！　you　have　often　said　the　lad　was　not　capable　of　receiving　further　instruction。〃　　〃　He　was；〃　replied　the　Doctor；　〃like　a　corked　bottle；　with　a　drop　of　dirty　water　in　it；　to　be　sure；　one　might　pump　upon　it　for　ever　without　the　smallest　effect；　but　when　every　method　to　open　and　clean　it　had　been　tried；　you　would　not　have　me　grieve　that　the　bottle　was　broke　at　last。〃

This　was　the　same　youth　who　told　us　he　had　been　reading　〃Lucius　Florus；〃　Florus　Delphini　was　the　phrase。　　〃And　my　mother；〃　said　he；　〃thought　it　had　something　to　do　with　Delphos；　but　of　that　I　know　nothing。〃　　〃　Who　founded　Rome；　then　？〃　inquired　Mr。　Thrale。　　The　lad　replied；　〃Romulus。〃　　〃And　who　succeeded　Romulus？〃　said　I。　　A　long　pause；　and　apparently　distressful　hesitation；　followed　the　difficult　question。　　〃Why　will　you　ask　him　in　terms　that　he　does　not　comprehend？〃　said　Mr。　Johnson；　enraged。　　〃You　might　as　well　bid　him　tell　you　who　phlebotomised　Romulus。　　This　fellow's　dulness　is　elastic；〃　continued　he；　〃and　all　we　do　is　but　like　kicking　at　a　woolsack。〃

The　pains　he　took；　however；　to　obtain　the　young　man　more　patient　instructors　were　many；　and　oftentimes　repeated。　　He　was　put　under　the　care　of　a　clergyman　in　a　distant　province；　and　Mr。　Johnson　used　both　to　write　and　talk　to　his　friends　concerning　his　education。　　It　was　on　that　occasion　that　I　remember　his　saying；　〃A　boy　should　never　be　sent　to　Eton　or　Westminster　School　before　he　is　twelve　years　old　at　lea