anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第3部分

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　on　one　subject；　or　act　only　in　one　department；　is　seldom　wanted；　and　perhaps　never　wished　for；　while　the　man　of　general　knowledge　can　often　benefit；　and　always　please。〃　　He　used　to　relate；　however；　another　story　less　to　the　credit　of　his　cousin's　penetration；　how　Ford　on　some　occasion　said　to　him；　〃You　will　make　your　way　the　more　easily　in　the　world；　I　see；　as　you　are　contented　to　dispute　no　man's　claim　to　conversation　excellence；　they　will；　therefore；　more　willingly　allow　your　pretensions　as　a　writer。〃　　Can　one；　on　such　an　occasion；　forbear　recollecting　the　predictions　of　Boileau's　father；　when　stroking　the　head　of　the　young　satirist？〃Ce　petit　bon　homme；〃　says　he；　〃n'a　point　trop　d'esprit；　MAIS　IL　ne　dira　jamais　mal　de　personne。〃　　Such　are　the　prognostics　formed　by　men　of　wit　and　sense；　as　these　two　certainly　were；　concerning　the　future　character　and　conduct　of　those　for　whose　welfare　they　were　honestly　and　deeply　concerned；　and　so　late　do　those　features　of　peculiarity　come　to　their　growth；　which　mark　a　character　to　all　succeeding　generations。

Dr。　Johnson　first　learned　to　read　of　his　mother　and　her　old　maid　Catharine；　in　whose　lap　he　well　remembered　sitting　while　she　explained　to　him　the　story　of　St。　George　and　the　Dragon。　　I　know　not　whether　this　is　the　proper　place　to　add　that　such　was　his　tenderness；　and　such　his　gratitude；　that　he　took　a　journey　to　Lichfield　fifty…seven　years　afterwards　to　support　and　comfort　her　in　her　last　illness；　he　had　inquired　for　his　nurse；　and　she　was　dead。　　The　recollection　of　such　reading　as　had　delighted　him　in　his　infancy　made　him　always　persist　in　fancying　that　it　was　the　only　reading　which　could　please　an　infant；　and　he　used　to　condemn　me　for　putting　Newbery's　books　into　their　hands　as　too　trifling　to　engage　their　attention。　　〃Babies　do　not　want；〃　said　he；　〃to　hear　about　babies；　they　like　to　be　told　of　giants　and　castles；　and　of　somewhat　which　can　stretch　and　stimulate　their　little　minds。〃　　When　in　answer　I　would　urge　the　numerous　editions　and　quick　sale　of　〃Tommy　Prudent〃　or　〃Goody　Two…Shoes。〃　　〃Remember　always；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　parents　BUY　the　books；　and　that　the　children　never　read　them。〃　Mrs。　Barbauld；　however；　had　his　best　praise；　and　deserved　it；　no　man　was　more　struck　than　Mr。　Johnson　with　voluntary　descent　from　possible　splendour　to　painful　duty。

At　eight　years　old　he　went　to　school；　for　his　health　would　not　permit　him　to　be　sent　sooner；　and　at　the　age　of　ten　years　his　mind　was　disturbed　by　scruples　of　infidelity；　which　preyed　upon　his　spirits　and　made　him　very　uneasy；　the　more　so　as　he　revealed　his　uneasiness　to　no　one；　being　naturally；　as　he　said；　〃of　a　sullen　temper　and　reserved　disposition。〃　　He　searched；　however；　diligently　but　fruitlessly；　for　evidences　of　the　truth　of　revelation；　and　at　length；　recollecting　a　book　he　had　once　seen　in　his　father's　shop；　entitled　〃De　Veritate　Religionis；〃　etc。；　he　began　to　think　himself　highly　culpable　for　neglecting　such　a　means　of　information；　and　took　himself　severely　to　task　for　this　sin；　adding　many　acts　of　voluntary；　and　to　others　unknown；　penance。　　The　first　opportunity　which　offered；　of　course；　he　seized　the　book　with　avidity；　but　on　examination；　not　finding　himself　scholar　enough　to　peruse　its　contents；　set　his　heart　at　rest；　and；　not　thinking　to　inquire　whether　there　were　any　English　books　written　on　the　subject；　followed　his　usual　amusements；　and　considered　his　conscience　as　lightened　of　a　crime。　　He　redoubled　his　diligence　to　learn　the　language　that　contained　the　information　he　most　wished　for；　but　from　the　pain　which　guilt　had　given　him　he　now　began　to　deduce　the　soul's　immortality；　which　was　the　point　that　belief　first　stopped　at；　and　from　that　moment；　resolving　to　be　a　Christian；　became　one　of　the　most　zealous　and　pious　ones　our　nation　ever　produced。　　When　he　had　told　me　this　odd　anecdote　of　his　childhood；　〃I　cannot　imagine；〃　said　he；　〃what　makes　me　talk　of　myself　to　you　so；　for　I　really　never　mentioned　this　foolish　story　to　anybody　except　Dr。　Taylor；　not　even　to　my　DEAR；　DEAR　Bathurst；　whom　I　loved　better　than　ever　I　loved　any　human　creature；　but　poor　Bathurst　is　dead！〃　　Here　a　long　pause　and　a　few　tears　ensued。　　〃Why；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃how　like　is　all　this　to　Jean　Jacques　Rousseauas　like；　I　mean；　as　the　sensations　of　frost　and　fire；　when　my　child　complained　yesterday　that　the　ice　she　was　eating　BURNED　her　mouth。〃　Mr。　Johnson　laughed　at　the　incongruous　ideas；　but　the　first　thing　which　presented　itself　to　the　mind　of　an　ingenious　and　learned　friend　whom　I　had　the　pleasure　to　pass　some　time　with　here　at　Florence　was　the　same　resemblance；　though　I　think　the　two　characters　had　little　in　common；　further　than　an　early　attention　to　things　beyond　the　capacity　of　other　babies；　a　keen　sensibility　of　right　and　wrong；　and　a　warmth　of　imagination　little　consistent　with　sound　and　perfect　health。　　I　have　heard　him　relate　another　odd　thing　of　himself　too；　but　it　is　one　which　everybody　has　heard　as　well　as　me：　　how；　when　he　was　about　nine　years　old；　having　got　the　play　of　Hamlet　in　his　hand；　and　reading　it　quietly　in　his　father's　kitchen；　he　kept　on　steadily　enough　till；　coming　to　the　Ghost　scene；　he　suddenly　hurried　upstairs　to　the　street　door　that　he　might　see　people　about　him。　Such　an　incident；　as　he　was　not　unwilling　to　relate　it；　is　probably　in　every　one's　possession　now；　he　told　it　as　a　testimony　to　the　merits　of　Shakespeare。　　But　one　day；　when　my　son　was　going　to　school；　and　dear　Dr。　Johnson　followed　as　far　as　the　garden　gate；　praying　for　his　salvation　in　a　voice　which　those　who　listened　attentively　could　hear　plain　enough；　he　said　to　me　suddenly；　〃Make　your　boy　tell　you　his　dreams：　　the　first　corruption　that　entered　into　my　heart　was　communicated　in　a　dream。〃　　〃What　was　it；　sir？〃　said　I。　　〃Do　not　ask　me；〃　replied　he；　with　much　violence；　and　walked　away　in　apparent　agitation。　　I　never　durst　make　any　further　inquiries。　　He　retained　a　strong　aversion　for　the　memory　of　Hunter；　one　of　his　schoolmasters；　who；　he　said；　once　was　a　brutal　fellow；　〃so　brutal；〃　added　he；　〃that　no　man　who　had　been　educated　by　him　ever　sent　his　son　to　the　same　school。〃　　I　have；　however；　heard　him　acknowledge　his　scholarship　to　be　very　great。　　His　next　master　he　despised；　as　knowing　less　than　himself；　I　found；　but　the　name　of　that　gentleman　has　slipped　my　memory。　　Mr。　Johnson　was　himself　exceedingly　disposed　to　the　general　indulgence　of　children；　and　was　even　scrupulously　and　ceremoniously　attentive　not　to　offend　them；　he　had　strongly　persuaded　himself　of　the　difficulty　people　always　find　to　erase　early　impressions　either　of　kindness　or　resentment；　and　said　〃he　should　never　have　so　loved　his　mother　when　a　man　had　she　not　given　him　coffee　she　could　ill　afford；　to　gratify　his　appetite　when　a　boy。〃　　〃If　you　had　had　children；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃would　you　have　taught　them　anything？〃　　〃I　hope；〃　replied　he；　〃that　I　should　have　willingly　lived　on　bread　and　water　to　obtain　instruction　for　them；　but　I　would　not　have　set　their　future　friendship　to　hazard　for　the　sake　of　thrusting　into　their　heads　knowledge　of　things　for　which　they　might　not　perhaps　have　either　taste　or　necessity。　You　teach　your　daughters　the　diameters　of　the　planets；　and　wonder　when　you　have　done　that　they　do　not　delight　in　your　company。　　No　science　can　be　communicated　by　mortal　creatures　without　attention　from　the　scholar；　no　attention　can　be　obtained　from　children　without　the　infliction　of　pain；　and　pain　is　never　remembered　without　resentment。〃　　That　something　should　be　learned　was；　however；　so　certainly　his　opinion　that　I　have　heard　him　say　how　education　had　been　often　compared　to　agriculture；　yet　that　it　resembled　it　chiefly　in　this：　　〃That　if　nothing　is　sown；　no　crop；〃　says　he；　〃can　be　obtained。〃　　His　contempt　of　the　lady　who　fancied　her　son　could　be　eminent　without　study；　because　Shakespeare　was　found　wanting　in　scholastic　learning；　was　expressed　in　terms　so　gross　and　so　well　known；　I　will　not　repeat　them　here。

To　recollect；　however；　and　to　repeat　the　sayings　of　Dr。　Johnson；　is　almost　all　that　can　be　done　by　the　writers　of　his　life；　as　his　life；　at　least　since　my　acquaintance　with　him；　consisted　in　little　else　than　talking；　when　he　was　not　absolutely　employed　in　some　serious　piece　of　work；　and　whatever　work　he　did　seemed　so　much　below　his　powers　of　performance　that　he　appeared　the　idlest　of　all　human　beings；　ever　musing　till　he　was　called　out　to　converse；　and　conversing　till　the　fatigue　of　his　friends；　or　the　promptitude　of　his　own　temper　to　take　offence；　consigned　him　back　again　to　silent　meditation。

The　remembrance　of　what　had　passed　in　his　own　childhood　made　Mr。　Johnson　very　solicitous　to　preserve　the　felicity　of　children：　　and　when　he　had　persuaded　Dr。　　Sumner　to　remit　the　tasks　usually　given　to　fill　up　boys'　time　during　the　holidays；　he　rejoiced　exceedingly　in　the　success　of　his　negotiation；　and　told　me　that　he　had　never　ceased　representing　to　all　the　eminent　schoolmasters　in　England　the　absurd　tyranny　of　poisoning　the　hour　of　permitted　pleasure　by　keeping　future　misery　before　the　children's　eyes；　and　tempting　them　by　bribery　or　falsehood　to　evade　it。　　〃Bob　Sumner；〃　said　he；　〃however；　I　have　at　length　prevailed　upon。　　I　know　not；　indeed；　whether　his　tenderness　was　persuaded；　or　his　reason　convinced；　but　the　effect　will　always　be　the　same。　　Poor　Dr。　Sumner　died；　however；　before　the　next　vacation。〃

Mr。　Johnson　was　of　opinion；　too；　that　young　people　should　have　POSITIVE；　not　GENERAL；　rules　given　for　their　direction。　　〃My　mother；〃　said　he；　〃was　always　telling　me　that　I　did　not　BEHAVE　myself　properly；　that　I　should　endeavour　to　learn　BEHAVIOUR；　and　such　cant；　but　when　I　replied　that　she　ought　to　tell　me　what　to　do；　and　what　to　avoid；　her　admonitions　were　commonly；　for　that　time　at　least；　at　an　end。〃

This　I　fear　was；　however；　at　best　a　momentary　refuge　found　out　by　perverseness。　　No　man　knew　better　than　Johnson　in　how　many　nameless　and　numberless　actions　BEHAVIOUR　consistsactions　which　can　scarcely　be　reduced　to　rule；　and　which　come　under　no　description。　　Of　these　he　retained　so　many　very　strange　ones；　that　I　suppose　no　one　who　saw　his　odd　manner　of　gesticulating　much　blamed　or　wondered　at　the　good　lady's　solicitude　concerning　her　son's　BEHAVIOUR。

Though　he　was　attentive　to　the　peace　of　children　in　general