anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第6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！


in　Pope's　〃Homer〃　which　are　printed　in　the　〃Poets'　Lives。〃　　〃And　now；〃　said　he；　when　I　had　finished　it　for　him；　〃I　fear　not　Mr。　Nicholson　of　a　pin。〃　　The　fine　'Rambler；'　on　the　subject　of　Procrastination；　was　hastily　composed；　as　I　have　heard；　in　Sir　Joshua　Reynolds's　parlour；　while　the　boy　waited　to　carry　it　to　press；　and　numberless　are　the　instances　of　his　writing　under　immediate　pressure　of　importunity　or　distress。　　He　told　me　that　the　character　of　Sober　in　the　'Idler'　was　by　himself　intended　as　his　own　portrait；　and　that　he　had　his　own　outset　into　life　in　his　eye　when　he　wrote　the　Eastern　story　of　〃Gelaleddin。〃　Of　the　allegorical　papers　in　the　'Rambler；'　Labour　and　Rest　was　his　favourite；　but　Scrotinus；　the　man　who　returns　late　in　life　to　receive　honours　in　his　native　country；　and　meets　with　mortification　instead　of　respect；　was　by　him　considered　as　a　masterpiece　in　the　science　of　life　and　manners。　　The　character　of　Prospero　in　the　fourth　volume　Garrick　took　to　be　his；　and　I　have　heard　the　author　say　that　he　never　forgave　the　offence。　　Sophron　was　likewise　a　picture　drawn　from　reality；　and　by　Gelidus；　the　philosopher；　he　meant　to　represent　Mr。　Coulson；　a　mathematician；　who　formerly　lived　at　Rochester。　　The　man　immortalised　for　purring　like　a　cat　was；　as　he　told　me；　one　Busby；　a　proctor　in　the　Commons。　He　who　barked　so　ingeniously；　and　then　called　the　drawer　to　drive　away　the　dog；　was　father　to　Dr。　Salter；　of　the　Charterhouse。　　He　who　sang　a　song；　and　by　correspondent　motions　of　his　arm　chalked　out　a　giant　on　the　wall；　was　one　Richardson；　an　attorney。　　The　letter　signed　〃Sunday〃　was　written　by　Miss　Talbot；　and　he　fancied　the　billets　in　the　first　volume　of　the　'Rambler'　were　sent　him　by　Miss　Mulso；　now　Mrs。　Chapone。　　The　papers　contributed　by　Mrs。　Carter　had　much　of　his　esteem；　though　he　always　blamed　me　for　preferring　the　letter　signed　〃Chariessa〃　to　the　allegory；　where　religion　and　superstition　are　indeed　most　masterly　delineated。

When　Dr。　Johnson　read　his　own　satire；　in　which　the　life　of　a　scholar　is　painted；　with　the　various　obstructions　thrown　in　his　way　to　fortune　and　to　fame；　he　burst　into　a　passion　of　tears　one　day。　　The　family　and　Mr。　Scott　only　were　present；　who；　in　a　jocose　way；　clapped　him　on　the　back；　and　said；　〃What's　all　this；　my　dear　sir？　　Why；　you　and　I　and　HERCULES；　you　know；　were　all　troubled　with　MELANCHOLY。〃　　As　there　are　many　gentlemen　of　the　same　name；　I　should　say；　perhaps；　that　it　was　a　Mr。　Scott　who　married　Miss　Robinson；　and　that　I　think　I　have　heard　Mr。　Thrale　call　him　George　Lowis；　or　George　Augustus；　I　have　forgot　which。　　He　was　a　very　large　man；　however；　and　made　out　the　triumvirate　with　Johnson　and　Hercules　comically　enough。　The　Doctor　was　so　delighted　at　his　odd　sally　that　he　suddenly　embraced　him；　and　the　subject　was　immediately　changed。　　I　never　saw　Mr。　Scott　but　that　once　in　my　life。

Dr。　Johnson　was　liberal　enough　in　granting　literary　assistance　to　others；　I　think；　and　innumerable　are　the　prefaces；　sermons；　lectures；　and　dedications　which　he　used　to　make　for　people　who　begged　of　him。　　Mr。　Murphy　related　in　his　and　my　hearing　one　day；　and　he　did　not　deny　it；　that　when　Murphy　joked　him　the　week　before　for　having　been　so　diligent　of　late　between　Dodd's　sermon　and　Kelly's　prologue；　Dr。　Johnson　replied；　〃Why；　sir；　when　they　come　to　me　with　a　dead　staymaker　and　a　dying　parson；　what　can　a　man　do？〃　　He　SAID；　however；　that　〃he　hated　to　give　away　literary　performances；　or　even　to　sell　them　too　cheaply。　　The　next　generation　shall　not　accuse　me；〃　added　he；　〃of　beating　down　the　price　of　literature。　　One　hates；　besides；　ever　to　give　that　which　one　has　been　accustomed　to　sell。　　Would　not　you；　sir；〃　turning　to　Mr。　Thrale；　〃rather　give　away　money　than　porter？〃

Mr。　Johnson　had　never；　by　his　own　account；　been　a　close　student；　and　used　to　advise　young　people　never　to　be　without　a　book　in　their　pocket；　to　be　read　at　bye…times　when　they　had　nothing　else　to　do。　　〃It　has　been　by　that　means；〃　said　he　to　a　boy　at　our　house　one　day；　〃that　all　my　knowledge　has　been　gained；　except　what　I　have　picked　up　by　running　about　the　world　with　my　wits　ready　to　observe；　and　my　tongue　ready　to　talk。　　A　man　is　seldom　in　a　humour　to　unlock　his　bookcase；　set　his　desk　in　order；　and　betake　himself　to　serious　study；　but　a　retentive　memory　will　do　something；　and　a　fellow　shall　have　strange　credit　given　him；　if　he　can　but　recollect　striking　passages　from　different　books；　keep　the　authors　separate　in　his　head；　and　bring　his　stock　of　knowledge　artfully　into　play。　　How　else；〃　added　he；　〃do　the　gamesters　manage　when　they　play　for　more　money　than　they　are　worth？〃　His　Dictionary；　however；　could　not；　one　would　think；　have　been　written　by　running　up　and　down；　but　he　really　did　not　consider　it　as　a　great　performance；　and　used　to　say　〃that　he　might　have　done　it　easily　in　two　years　had　not　his　health　received　several　shocks　during　the　time。〃

When　Mr。　Thrale；　in　consequence　of　this　declaration；　teased　him　in　the　year　1768　to　give　a　new　edition　of　it；　because；　said　he；　there　are　four　or　five　gross　faults：　　〃Alas！　sir；〃　replied　Johnson；　〃there　are　four　or　five　hundred　faults　instead　of　four　or　five；　but　you　do　not　consider　that　it　would　take　me　up　three　whole　months'　labour；　and　when　the　time　was　expired　the　work　would　not　be　done。〃　　When　the　booksellers　set　him　about　it；　however；　some　years　after；　he　went　cheerfully　to　the　business；　said　he　was　well　paid；　and　that　they　deserved　to　have　it　done　carefully。　　His　reply　to　the　person　who　complimented　him　on　its　coming　out　first；　mentioning　the　ill　success　of　the　French　in　a　similar　attempt；　is　well　known；　and；　I　trust；　has　been　often　recorded。　　〃Why；　what　would　you　expect；　dear　sir；〃　said　he；　〃from　fellows　that　eat　frogs？〃　　I　have；　however；　often　thought　Dr。　　Johnson　more　free　than　prudent　in　professing　so　loudly　his　little　skill　in　the　Greek　language；　for　though　he　considered　it　as　a　proof　of　a　narrow　mind　to　be　too　careful　of　literary　reputation；　yet　no　man　could　be　more　enraged　than　he　if　an　enemy；　taking　advantage　of　this　confession；　twitted　him　with　his　ignorance；　and　I　remember　when　the　King　of　Denmark　was　in　England　one　of　his　noblemen　was　brought　by　Mr。　Colman　to　see　Dr。　Johnson　at　our　country　house；　and　having　heard；　he　said；　that　he　was　not　famous　for　Greek　literature；　attacked　him　on　the　weak　side；　politely　adding　that　he　chose　that　conversation　on　purpose　to　favour　himself。　　Our　Doctor；　however；　displayed　so　copious；　so　compendious　a　knowledge　of　authors；　books；　and　every　branch　of　learning　in　that　language；　that　the　gentleman　appeared　astonished。　　When　he　was　gone　home；　says　Johnson；　〃Now；　for　all　this　triumph　I　may　thank　Thrale's　Xenophon　here；　as　I　think；　excepting　that　ONE；　I　have　not　looked　in　a　Greek　book　these　ten　years；　but　see　what　haste　my　dear　friends　were　all　in；〃　continued　he；　〃to　tell　this　poor　innocent　foreigner　that　I　know　nothing　of　Greek！　　Oh；　no；　he　knows　nothing　of　Greek！〃　with　a　loud　burst　of　laughing。

When　Davies　printed　the　〃Fugitive　Pieces〃　without　his　knowledge　or　consent；　〃How；〃　said　I；　〃would　Pope　have　raved；　had　he　been　served　so！〃　　〃We　should　never；〃　replied　he；　〃have　heard　the　last　on't；　to　be　sure；　but　then　Pope　was　a　narrow　man。　　I　will；　however；〃　added　he；　〃storm　and　bluster　MYSELF　a　little　this　time；〃　so　went　to　London　in　all　the　wrath　he　could　muster　up。　At　his　return　I　asked　how　the　affair　ended。　　〃Why；〃　said　he；　〃I　was　a　fierce　fellow；　and　pretended　to　be　very　angry；　and　Thomas　was　a　good…natured　fellow；　and　pretended　to　be　very　sorry；　so　THERE　the　matter　ended。　　I　believe　the　dog　loves　me　dearly。　　Mr。　Thrale；〃　turning　to　my　husband；　〃what　shall　you　and　I　do　that　is　good　for　Tom　Davies？　　We　will　do　something　for　him；　to　be　sure。〃

Of　Pope　as　a　writer　he　had　the　highest　opinion；　and　once　when　a　lady　at　our　house　talked　of　his　preface　to　Shakespeare　as　superior　to　Pope's；　〃I　fear　not；　madam；〃　said　he；　〃the　little　fellow　has　done　wonders。〃　　His　superior　reverence　of　Dryden；　notwithstanding；　still　appeared　in　his　talk　as　in　his　writings；　and　when　some　one　mentioned　the　ridicule　thrown　on　him　in　the　'Rehearsal；'　as　having　hurt　his　general　character　as　an　author；　〃On　the　contrary；〃　says　Mr。　Johnson；　〃the　greatness　of　Dryden's　reputation　is　now　the　only　principle　of　vitality　which　keeps　the　Duke　of　Buckingham's　play　from　putrefaction。〃

It　was　not　very　easy；　however；　for　people　not　quite　intimate　with　Dr。　Johnson　to　get　exactly　his　opinion　of　a　writer's　merit；　as　he　would　now　and　then　divert　himself　by　confounding　those　who　thought　themselves　obliged　to　say　to…morrow　what　he　had　said　yesterday；　and　even　Garrick；　who　ought　to　have　been　better　acquainted　with　his　tricks；　professed　himself　mortified　that　one　time　when　he　was　extolling　Dryden　in　a　rapture　that　I　suppose　disgusted　his　friend；　Mr。　Johnson　suddenly　challenged　him　to　produce　twenty　lines　in　a　series　that　would　not　disgrace　the　poet　and　his　admirer。　Garrick　produced　a　passage　that　he　had　once　heard　the　Doctor　commend；　in　which　he　NOW　found；　if　I　remember　rightly；　sixteen　faults；　and　made　Garrick　look　silly　at　his　own　table。　　When　I　told　Mr。　Johnson　the　story；　〃Why；　what　a　monkey　was　David　now；〃　says　he；　〃to　tell　of　his　own　disgrace！〃　　And　in　the　course　of　that　hour's　chat　he　told　me　how　he　used　to　tease　Garrick　by　commendations　of　the　tomb…scene　in　Congreve's　'Mourning　Bride；'　protesting；　that　Shakespeare　had　in　the　same　line　of　excellence　nothing　as　good。　　〃All　which　is　strictly　TRUE；〃　said　he；　〃but　that　is　no　reason　for　supposing　Congreve　is　to　stand　in　competition　with　Shakespeare：　　these　fellows　know　not　how　to　blame；　nor　how　to　commend。〃　　I　forced　him　one　day；　in　a　similar　humour；　to　prefer　Young's　description　of　〃Night〃　to　the　so　much　admired　ones　of　Dryden　and　Shakespeare；　as　more　forcible　and　more　general。　　Every　reader　is　not　either　a　lover　or　a　tyrant；　but　every　reader　is　interested　when　he　hears　that

　　　　　〃Creation　sleeps；　'tis　as　the　general　pulse　　　　　　　Of　life　stood　still；　and　nature　made　a　pause；　　　　　　　An　awful　pauseprophetic　of　its　end。〃

〃This；〃　said　he；　〃is　true；　but　remember　that；　taking　the　compositions　of　Young　in　general；　they　are　but　like　bright　stepping…stones　over　a　miry　road。　　Young　froths　and　foams；　and　bubbles　sometimes　very　vigorously；　but　we　must　not　compare　the　noise　m