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im away； and told him to whom he had been talking； received an answer which I will not write down。
Though no man； perhaps； made such rough replies as Dr。 Johnson； yet nobody had a more just aversion to general satire； he always hated and censured Swift for his unprovoked bitterness against the professors of medicine； and used to challenge his friends； when they lamented the exorbitancy of physicians' fees； to produce him one instance of an estate raised by physic in England。 When an acquaintance； too； was one day exclaiming against the tediousness of the law and its partiality： 〃Let us hear； sir；〃 said Johnson； 〃no general abuse； the law is the last result of human wisdom acting upon human experience for the benefit of the public。〃
As the mind of Dr。 Johnson was greatly expanded； so his first care was for general； not particular or petty morality； and those teachers had more of his blame than praise； I think； who seek to oppress life with unnecessary scruples。 〃Scruples would；〃 as he observed； 〃certainly make men miserable； and seldom make them good。 Let us ever；〃 he said； 〃studiously fly from those instructors against whom our Saviour denounces heavy judgments； for having bound up burdens grievous to be borne； and laid them on the shoulders of mortal men。〃 No one had； however； higher notions of the hard task of true Christianity than Johnson； whose daily terror lest he had not done enough； originated in piety； but ended in little less than disease。 Reasonable with regard to others； he had formed vain hopes of performing impossibilities himself； and finding his good works ever below his desires and intent； filled his imagination with fears that he should never obtain forgiveness for omissions of duty and criminal waste of time。 These ideas kept him in constant anxiety concerning his salvation； and the vehement petitions he perpetually made for a longer continuance on earth； were doubtless the cause of his so prolonged existence： for when I carried Dr。 Pepys to him in the year 1782； it appeared wholly impossible for any skill of the physician or any strength of the patient to save him。 He was saved that time； however； by Sir Lucas's prescriptions； and less skill on one side； or less strength on the other； I am morally certain； would not have been enough。 He had； however； possessed an athletic constitution； as he said the man who dipped people in the sea at Brighthelmstone acknowledged； for seeing Mr。 Johnson swim； in the year 1766； 〃Why； sir；〃 says the dipper； 〃you must have been a stout…hearted gentleman forty years ago。〃
Mr。 Thrale and he used to laugh about that story very often： but Garrick told a better； for he said that in their young days； when some strolling players came to Lichfield； our friend had fixed his place upon the stage； and got himself a chair accordingly； which leaving for a few minutes； he found a man in it at his return； who refused to give it back at the first entreaty。 Mr。 Johnson； however； who did not think it worth his while to make a second； took chair and man and all together； and threw them all at once into the pit。 I asked the Doctor if this was a fact。 〃Garrick has not SPOILED it in the telling；〃 said he； 〃it is very NEAR true； to be sure。〃
Mr。 Beauclerc； too； related one day how on some occasion he ordered two large mastiffs into his parlour； to show a friend who was conversant in canine beauty and excellence how the dogs quarrelled； and fastening on each other； alarmed all the company except Johnson； who seizing one in one hand by the cuff of the neck； the other in the other hand； said gravely； 〃Come； gentlemen！ where's your difficulty？ put one dog out at the door； and I will show this fierce gentleman the way out of the window：〃 which； lifting up the mastiff and the sash； he contrived to do very expeditiously； and much to the satisfaction of the affrighted company。 We inquired as to the truth of this curious recital。 〃The dogs have been somewhat magnified； I believe； sir；〃 was the reply： 〃they were； as I remember； two stout young pointers； but the story has gained but little。〃
One reason why Mr。 Johnson's memory was so particularly exact； might be derived from his rigid attention to veracity； being always resolved to relate every fact as it stood； he looked even on the smaller parts of life with minute attention； and remembered such passages as escape cursory and common observers。 〃A story；〃 says he； 〃is a specimen of human manners； and derives its sole value from its truth。 When Foote has told me something； I dismiss it from my mind like a passing shadow： when Reynolds tells me something； I consider myself as possessed of an idea the more。〃
Mr。 Johnson liked a frolic or a jest well enough； though he had strange serious rules about it too： and very angry was he if anybody offered to be merry when he was disposed to be grave。 〃You have an ill…founded notion；〃 said he； 〃that it is clever to turn matters off with a joke （as the phrase is）； whereas nothing produces enmity so certain as one persons showing a disposition to be merry when another is inclined to be either serious or displeased。〃
One may gather from this how he felt when his Irish friend Grierson； hearing him enumerate the qualities necessary to the formation of a poet； began a comical parody upon his ornamented harangue in praise of a cook； concluding with this observation； that he who dressed a good dinner was a more excellent and a more useful member of society than he who wrote a good poem。 〃And in this opinion；〃 said Mr。 Johnson in reply； 〃all the dogs in the town will join you。〃
Of this Mr。 Grierson I have heard him relate many droll stories； much to his advantage as a wit； together with some facts more difficult to be accounted for； as avarice never was reckoned among the vices of the laughing world。 But Johnson's various life； and spirit of vigilance to learn and treasure up every peculiarity of manner； sentiment； or general conduct； made his company； when he chose to relate anecdotes of people he had formerly known； exquisitely amusing and comical。 It is indeed inconceivable what strange occurrences he had seen； and what surprising things he could tell when in a communicative humour。 It is by no means my business to relate memoirs of his acquaintance； but it will serve to show the character of Johnson himself； when I inform those who never knew him that no man told a story with so good a grace； or knew so well what would make an effect upon his auditors。 When he raised contributions for some distressed author； or wit in want； he often made us all more than amends by diverting descriptions of the lives they were then passing in corners unseen by anybody but himself； and that odd old surgeon whom he kept in his house to tend the out…pensioners； and of whom he said most truly and sublimely that
〃In misery's darkest caverns known； His useful care was ever nigh； Where hopeless anguish pours her groan； And lonely want retires to die。〃
I have forgotten the year； but it could scarcely I think be later than 1765 or 1766； that he was called abruptly from our house after dinner； and returning in about three hours； said he had been with an enraged author； whose