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！
sed himself with a notion； that to say a man was sick was very near wishing him so； and few things offended him more than prognosticating even the death of an ordinary acquaintance。 〃Ay； ay；〃 said he； 〃Swift knew the world pretty well when he said that
'Some dire misfortune to portend； No enemy can match a friend。'〃
The danger； then； of Mr。 Garrick； or of Mr。 Thrale； whom he loved better； was an image which no one durst present before his view； he always persisted in the possibility and hope of their recovering disorders from which no human creatures by human means alone ever did recover。 His distress for their loss was for that very reason poignant to excess。 But his fears of his own salvation were excessive。 His truly tolerant spirit and Christian charity； which HOPETH ALL THINGS； and BELIEVETH ALL THINGS； made him rely securely on the safety of his friends； while his earnest aspiration after a blessed immortality made him cautious of his own steps； and timorous concerning their consequences。 He knew how much had been given； and filled his mind with fancies of how much would be required； till his impressed imagination was often disturbed by them； and his health suffered from the sensibility of his too tender conscience。 A real Christian is SO apt to find his talk above his power of performance！
Mr。 Johnson did not； however； give in to ridiculous refinements either of speculation or practice； or suffer himself to be deluded by specious appearances。 〃I have had dust thrown in my eyes too often；〃 would he say； 〃to be blinded so。 Let us never confound matters of belief with matters of opinion。〃 Some one urged in his presence the preference of hope to possession； and as I remember produced an Italian sonnet on the subject。 〃Let us not；〃 cries Johnson； 〃amuse ourselves with subtleties and sonnets； when speaking about hope； which is the follower of faith and the precursor of eternity； but if you only mean those air…built hopes which to…day excite and to…morrow will destroy； let us talk away； and remember that we only talk of the pleasures of hope； we feel those of possession； and no man in his senses would change the last for the first。 Such hope is a mere bubble； that by a gentle breath may be blown to what size you will almost； but a rough blast bursts it at once。 Hope is an amusement rather than a good； and adapted to none but very tranquil minds。〃 The truth is； Mr。 Johnson hated what he called unprofitable chat； and to a gentleman who had disserted some time about the natural history of the mouse〃I wonder what such a one would have said；〃 cried Johnson； 〃if he had ever had the luck to see a LION！〃
I well remember that at Brighthelmstone once； when he was not present； Mr。 Beauclerc asserted that he was afraid of spirits； and I； who was secretly offended at the charge； asked him； the first opportunity I could find； 〃what ground he had ever given to the world for such a report？〃 〃I can；〃 replied he； 〃recollect nothing nearer it than my telling Dr。 Lawrence； many years ago； that a long time after my poor mother's death I heard her voice call 'SAM！'〃 〃What answer did the Doctor make to your story； sir？〃 said I。 〃None in the world；〃 replied he； and suddenly changed the conversation。 Now； as Mr。 Johnson had a most unshaken faith； without any mixture of credulity； this story must either have been strictly true； or his persuasion of its truth the effect of disordered spirits。 I relate the anecdote precisely as he told it me； but could not prevail on him to draw out the talk into length for further satisfaction of my curiosity。
As Johnson was the firmest of believers； without being credulous； so he was the most charitable of mortals； without being what we call an active friend。 Admirable at giving counsel； no man saw his way so clearly； but he would not stir a finger for the assistance of those to whom he was willing enough to give advice： besides that； he had principles of laziness； and could be indolent by rule。 To hinder your death； or procure you a dinner； I mean if really in want of one； his earnestness； his exertions could not be prevented； though health and purse and ease were all destroyed by their violence。 If you wanted a slight favour； you must apply to people of other dispositions； for not a step would Johnson move to obtain a man a vote in a society； to repay a compliment which might be useful or pleasing； to write a letter of request； or to obtain a hundred pounds a year more for a friend； who perhaps had already two or three。 No force could urge him to diligence； no importunity could conquer his resolution of standing still。 〃What good are we doing with all this ado？〃 would he say； 〃dearest lady； let's hear no more of it！〃 I have； however； more than once in my life forced him on such services； but with extreme difficulty。
We parted at his door one evening when I had teased him for many weeks to write a recommendatory letter of a little boy to his schoolmaster； and after he had faithfully promised to do this prodigious feat before we met again〃Do not forget dear Dick； sir；〃 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