TheLifeofJohnsonisassuredlyagreat，averygreatwork。
Homerisnotmoredecidedlythefirstofheroicpoets，Shakspeareisnotmoredecidedlythefirstofdramatists，Demosthenesisnotmoredecidedlythefirstoforators，thanBoswellisthefirstofbiographers。Hehasnosecond。Hehasdistancedallhiscompetitorssodecidedlythatitisnotworthwhiletoplacethem。Eclipseisfirst，andtherestnowhere。
Wearenotsurethatthereisinthewholehistoryofthehumanintellectsostrangeaphaenomenonasthisbook。Manyofthegreatestmenthateverlivedhavewrittenbiography。Boswellwasoneofthesmallestmenthateverlived，andhehasbeatenthemall。Hewas，ifwearetogiveanycredittohisownaccountortotheunitedtestimonyofallwhoknewhim，amanofthemeanestandfeeblestintellect。JohnsondescribedhimasafellowwhohadmissedhisonlychanceofimmortalitybynothavingbeenalivewhentheDunciadwaswritten。Beauclerkusedhisnameasaproverbialexpressionforabore。Hewasthelaughing—stockofthewholeofthatbrilliantsocietywhichhasowedtohimthegreaterpartofitsfame。Hewasalwayslayinghimselfatthefeetofsomeeminentman，andbeggingtobespituponandtrampledupon。Hewasalwaysearningsomeridiculousnickname，andthen"bindingitasacrownuntohim，"notmerelyinmetaphor，butliterally。Heexhibitedhimself，attheShakspeareJubilee，toallthecrowdwhichfilledStratford—on—Avon，withaplacardroundhishatbearingtheinscriptionofCorsicaBoswell。
InhisTour，heproclaimedtoalltheworldthatatEdinburghhewasknownbytheappellationofPaoliBoswell。Servileandimpertinent，shallowandpedantic，abigotandasot，bloatedwithfamilypride，andeternallyblusteringaboutthedignityofaborngentleman，yetstoopingtobeatalebearer，aneavesdropper，acommonbuttinthetavernsofLondon，socurioustoknoweverybodywhowastalkedabout，that，ToryandHighChurchmanashewas，hemanoeuvred，wehavebeentold，foranintroductiontoTomPaine，sovainofthemostchildishdistinctions，thatwhenhehadbeentoCourt，hedrovetotheofficewherehisbookwasprintingwithoutchanginghisclothes，andsummonedalltheprinter’sdevilstoadmirehisnewrufflesandsword;suchwasthisman，andsuchhewascontentandproudtobe。Everythingwhichanothermanwouldhavehidden，everythingthepublicationofwhichwouldhavemadeanothermanhanghimself，wasmatterofgayandclamorousexultationtohisweakanddiseasedmind。Whatsillythingshesaid，whatbitterretortsheprovoked，howatoneplacehewastroubledwithevilpresentimentswhichcametonothing，howatanotherplace，onwakingfromadrunkendoze，hereadtheprayer—bookandtookahairofthedogthathadbittenhim，howhewenttoseemenhangedandcameawaymaudlin，howheaddedfivehundredpoundstothefortuneofoneofhisbabiesbecauseshewasnotscaredatJohnson’suglyface，howwasfrightenedoutofhiswitsatsea，andhowthesailorsquietedhimastheywouldhavequietedachild，howtipsyhewasatLadyCork’soneeveningandhowmuchhismerrimentannoyedtheladies，howimpertinenthewastotheDuchessofArgyllandwithwhatstatelycontemptsheputdownhisimpertinence，howColonelMacleodsneeredtohisfaceathisimpudentobtrusiveness，howhisfatherandtheverywifeofhisbosomlaughedandfrettedathisfooleries;allthesethingsheproclaimedtoalltheworld，asiftheyhadbeensubjectsforprideandostentatiousrejoicing。Allthecapricesofhistemper，alltheillusionsofhisvanity，allhishypochondriacwhimsies，allhiscastlesintheair，hedisplayedwithacoolself—
complacency，aperfectunconsciousnessthathewasmakingafoolofhimself，towhichitisimpossibletofindaparallelinthewholehistoryofmankind。Hehasusedmanypeopleill;butassuredlyhehasusednobodysoillashimself。
Thatsuchamanshouldhavewrittenoneofthebestbooksintheworldisstrangeenough。Butthisisnotall。Manypersonswhohaveconductedthemselvesfoolishlyinactivelife，andwhoseconversationhasindicatednosuperiorpowersofmind，haveleftusvaluableworks。Goldsmithwasveryjustlydescribedbyoneofhiscontemporariesasaninspiredidiot，andbyanotherasabeing"Whowrotelikeanangel，andtalkedlikepoorPoll。"
LaFontainewasinsocietyameresimpleton。HisblunderswouldnotcomeinamissamongthestoriesofHierocles。Butthesemenattainedliteraryeminenceinspiteoftheirweaknesses。Boswellattaineditbyreasonofhisweaknesses。Ifhehadnotbeenagreatfool，hewouldneverhavebeenagreatwriter。Withoutallthequalitieswhichmadehimthejestandthetormentofthoseamongwhomhelived，withouttheofficiousness，theinquisitiveness，theeffrontery，thetoad—eating，theinsensibilitytoallreproof，henevercouldhaveproducedsoexcellentabook。Hewasaslave，proudofhisservitude，aPaulPry，convincedthathisowncuriosityandgarrulitywerevirtues，anunsafecompanionwhoneverscrupledtorepaythemostliberalhospitalitybythebasestviolationofconfidence，amanwithoutdelicacy，withoutshame，withoutsenseenoughtoknowwhenhewashurtingthefeelingsofothersorwhenhewasexposinghimselftoderision;andbecausehewasallthis，hehas，inanimportantdepartmentofliterature，immeasurablysurpassedsuchwritersasTacitus，Clarendon，Alfieri，andhisownidolJohnson。
Ofthetalentswhichordinarilyraisementoeminenceaswriters，Boswellhadabsolutelynone。Thereisnotinallhisbooksasingleremarkofhisownonliterature，politics，religion，orsociety，whichisnoteithercommonplaceorabsurd。Hisdissertationsonhereditarygentility，ontheslave—trade，andontheentailingoflandedestates，mayserveasexamples。Tosaythatthesepassagesaresophisticalwouldbetopaythemanextravagantcompliment。Theyhavenopretencetoargument，oreventomeaning。Hehasreportedinnumerableobservationsmadebyhimselfinthecourseofconversation。Ofthoseobservationswedonotrememberonewhichisabovetheintellectualcapacityofaboyoffifteen。Hehasprintedmanyofhisownletters，andintheselettersheisalwaysrantingortwaddling。Logic，eloquence，wit，taste，allthosethingswhicharegenerallyconsideredasmakingabookvaluable，wereutterlywantingtohim。Hehad，indeed，aquickobservationandaretentivememory。
Thesequalities，ifhehadbeenamanofsenseandvirtuewouldscarcelyofthemselveshavesufficedtomakehimconspicuous;butbecausehewasadunce，aparasite，andacoxcomb，theyhavemadehimimmortal。
Thosepartsofhisbookwhich，consideredabstractedly，aremostutterlyworthless，aredelightfulwhenwereadthemasillustrationsofthecharacterofthewriter。Badinthemselves，theyaregooddramatically，likethenonsenseofjusticeShallow，theclippedEnglishofDr。Caius，orthemisplacedconsonantsofFluellen。Ofallconfessors，Boswellisthemostcandid。Othermenwhohavepretendedtolayopentheirownhearts，Rousseau，forexample，andLordByron，haveevidentlywrittenwithaconstantviewtoeffect，andaretobethenmostdistrustedwhentheyseemtobemostsincere。Thereisscarcelyanymanwhowouldnotratheraccusehimselfofgreatcrimesandofdarkandtempestuouspassionsthanproclaimallhislittlevanitiesandwildfancies。ItwouldbeeasiertofindapersonwhowouldavowactionslikethoseofCaesarBorgia，orDanton，thanonewhowouldpublishadaydreamlikethoseofAlnascharandMalvolio。
Thoseweaknesseswhichmostmenkeepcoveredupinthemostsecretplacesofthemind，nottobedisclosedtotheeyeoffriendshiporoflove，werepreciselytheweaknesseswhichBoswellparadedbeforealltheworld。Hewasperfectlyfrank，becausetheweaknessofhisunderstandingandthetumultofhisspiritspreventedhimfromknowingwhenhemadehimselfridiculous。HisbookresemblesnothingsomuchastheconversationoftheinmatesofthePalaceofTruth。
Hisfameisgreat;anditwill，wehavenodoubt，belasting;butitisfameofapeculiarkind，andindeedmarvellouslyresemblesinfamy。Weremembernoothercaseinwhichtheworldhasmadesogreatadistinctionbetweenabookanditsauthor。Ingeneral，thebookandtheauthorareconsideredasone。Toadmirethebookistoadmiretheauthor。ThecaseofBoswellisanexception，wethinktheonlyexception，tothisrule。Hisworkisuniversallyallowedtobeinteresting，instructive，eminentlyoriginal:yetithasbroughthimnothingbutcontempt。Alltheworldreadsit，alltheworlddelightsinit:yetwedonotrememberevertohavereadorevertohaveheardanyexpressionofrespectandadmirationforthemantowhomweowesomuchinstructionandamusement。Whileeditionaftereditionofhisbookwascomingforth，hisson，asMr。Crokertellsus，wasashamedofit，andhatedtohearitmentioned。Thisfeelingwasnaturalandreasonable。SirAlexandersawthatinproportiontothecelebrityofthework，wasthedegradationoftheauthor。Theveryeditorsofthisunfortunategentleman’sbookshaveforgottentheirallegiance，and，likethosePuritancasuistswhotookarmsbytheauthorityofthekingagainsthisperson，haveattackedthewriterwhiledoinghomagetothewritings。Mr。Croker，forexample，haspublishedtwothousandfivehundrednotesonthelifeofJohnson，andyetscarcelyevermentionsthebiographer，whoseperformancehehastakensuchpainstoillustrate，withoutsomeexpressionofcontempt。
Anill—naturedmanBoswellcertainlywasnot。Yetthemalignityofthemostmalignantsatiristcouldscarcelycutdeeperthanhisthoughtlessloquacity。Havinghimselfnosensibilitytoderisionandcontempt，hetookitforgrantedthatallotherswereequallycallous。Hewasnotashamedtoexhibithimselftothewholeworldasacommonspy，acommontattler，ahumblecompanionwithouttheexcuseofpoverty，andtotellahundredstoriesofhisownpertnessandfolly，andoftheinsultswhichhispertnessandfollybroughtuponhim。Itwasnaturalthatheshouldshowlittlediscretionincasesinwhichthefeelingsorthehonourofothersmightbeconcerned。Noman，surely，everpublishedsuchstoriesrespectingpersonswhomheprofessedtoloveandrevere。Hewouldinfalliblyhavemadehisheroascontemptibleashehasmadehimself，hadnothisheroreallypossessedsomemoralandintellectualqualitiesofaveryhighorder。ThebestproofthatJohnsonwasreallyanextraordinarymanisthathischaracter，insteadofbeingdegraded，has，onthewhole，beendecidedlyraisedbyaworkinwhichallhisvicesandweaknessesareexposedmoreunsparinglythantheyeverwereexposedbyChurchillorbyKenrick。
Johnsongrownold，Johnsoninthefulnessofhisfameandintheenjoymentofacompetentfortune，isbetterknowntousthananyothermaninhistory。Everythingabouthim，hiscoat，hiswig，hisfigure，hisface，hisscrofula，hisSt。Vitus’sdance，hisrollingwalk，hisblinkingeye，theoutwardsignswhichtooclearlymarkedhisapprobationofhisdinner，hisinsatiableappetiteforfish—sauceandveal—piewithplums，hisinextinguishablethirstfortea，histrickoftouchingthepostsashewalked，hismysteriouspracticeoftreasuringupscrapsoforange—peel，hismorningslumbers，hismidnightdisputations，hiscontortions，hismutterings，hisgruntings，hispuffings，hisvigorous，acute，andreadyeloquence，hissarcasticwit，hisvehemence，hisinsolence，hisfitsoftempestuousrage，hisqueerinmates，oldMr。LevettandblindMrs。Williams，thecatHodgeandthenegroFrank，allareasfamiliartousastheobjectsbywhichwehavebeensurroundedfromchildhood。
ButwehavenominuteinformationrespectingthoseyearsofJohnson’slifeduringwhichhischaracterandhismannersbecameimmutablyfixed。Weknowhim，notashewasknowntothemenofhisowngeneration，butashewasknowntomenwhosefatherhemighthavebeen。Thatcelebratedclubofwhichhewasthemostdistinguishedmembercontainedfewpersonswhocouldrememberatimewhenhisfamewasnotfullyestablishedandhishabitscompletelyformed。HehadmadehimselfanameinliteraturewhileReynoldsandtheWartonswerestillboys。HewasabouttwentyyearsolderthanBurke，Goldsmith，andGerardHamilton，aboutthirtyyearsolderthanGibbon，Beauclerk，andLangton，andaboutfortyyearsolderthanLordStowell，SirWilliamJones，andWindham。BoswellandMrs。Thrale，thetwowritersfromwhomwederivemostofourknowledgerespectinghim，neversawhimtilllongafterhewasfiftyyearsold，tillmostofhisgreatworkshadbecomeclassical，andtillthepensionbestowedonhimbytheCrownhadplacedhimabovepoverty。Ofthoseeminentmenwhowerehismostintimateassociatestowardsthecloseofhislife，theonlyone，asfarasweremember，whoknewhimduringthefirsttenortwelveyearsofhisresidenceinthecapital，wasDavidGarrick;anditdoesnotappearthat，duringthoseyears，DavidGarricksawmuchofhisfellow—townsman。
JohnsoncameuptoLondonpreciselyatthetimewhentheconditionofamanofletterswasmostmiserableanddegraded。Itwasadarknightbetweentwosunnydays。Theageofpatronagehadpassedaway。Theageofgeneralcuriosityandintelligencehadnotarrived。Thenumberofreadersisatpresentsogreatthatapopularauthormaysubsistincomfortandopulenceontheprofitsofhisworks。InthereignsofWilliamtheThird，ofAnne，andofGeorgetheFirst，evensuchmenasCongreveandAddisonwouldscarcelyhavebeenabletolivelikegentlemenbythemeresaleoftheirwritings。Butthedeficiencyofthenaturaldemandforliteraturewas，atthecloseoftheseventeenthandatthebeginningoftheeighteenthcentury，morethanmadeupbyartificialencouragement，byavastsystemofbountiesandpremiums。Therewas，perhaps，neveratimeatwhichtherewardsofliterarymeritweresosplendid，atwhichmenwhocouldwritewellfoundsucheasyadmittanceintothemostdistinguishedsociety，andtothehighesthonoursoftheState。Thechiefsofboththegreatpartiesintowhichthekingdomwasdivided，patronisedliteraturewithemulousmunificence。Congreve，whenhehadscarcelyattainedhismajority，wasrewardedforhisfirstcomedywithplaceswhichmadehimindependentforlife。Smith，thoughhisHippolytusandPhaedrafailed，wouldhavebeenconsoledwiththreehundredayearbutforhisownfolly。RowewasnotonlyPoetLaureate，butalsoland—surveyorofthecustomsintheportofLondon，clerkofthecounciltothePrinceofWales，andsecretaryofthePresentationstotheLordChancellor。
HugheswassecretarytotheCommissionsofthePeace。AmbrosePhilipswasjudgeofthePrerogativeCourtinIreland。LockewasCommissionerofAppealsandoftheBoardofTrade。NewtonwasMasteroftheMint。StepneyandPriorwereemployedinembassiesofhighdignityandimportance。Gay，whocommencedlifeasapprenticetoasilkmercer，becameasecretaryoflegationatfive—and—twenty。ItwastoapoemonthedeathofCharlestheSecond，andtotheCityandCountryMouse，thatMontagueowedhisintroductionintopubliclife，hisearldom，hisgarter，andhisAuditorshipoftheExchequer。Swift，butfortheunconquerableprejudiceofthequeen，wouldhavebeenabishop。Oxford，withhiswhitestaffinhishand，passedthroughthecrowdofhissuitorstowelcomeParnell，whenthatingeniouswriterdesertedtheWhigs。SteelewasacommissionerofstampsandamemberofParliament。ArthurMainwaringwasacommissionerofthecustoms，andauditoroftheimprest。TickellwassecretarytotheLordsJusticesofIreland。AddisonwasSecretaryofState。
Thisliberalpatronagewasbroughtintofashion，asitseems，bythemagnificentDorset，almosttheonlynobleversifierintheCourtofCharlestheSecondwhopossessedtalentsforcompositionwhichwereindependentoftheaidofacoronet。MontagueowedhiselevationtothefavourofDorset，andimitatedthroughthewholecourseofhislifetheliberalitytowhichhewashimselfsogreatlyindebted。TheToryleaders，HarleyandBolingbrokeinparticular，viedwiththechiefsoftheWhigpartyinzealfortheencouragementofletters。ButsoonaftertheaccessionoftheHouseofHanoverachangetookplace。Thesupremepowerpassedtoamanwhocaredlittleforpoetryoreloquence。TheimportanceoftheHouseofCommonswasconstantlyontheincrease。TheGovernmentwasunderthenecessityofbarteringforParliamentarysupportmuchofthatpatronagewhichhadbeenemployedinfosteringliterarymerit;andWalpolewasbynomeansinclinedtodivertanypartofthefundofcorruptiontopurposeswhichheconsideredasidle。Hehademinenttalentsforgovernmentsandfordebate。Buthehadpaidlittleattentiontobooks，andfeltlittlerespectforauthors。Oneofthecoarsejokesofhisfriend，SirCharlesHanburyWilliams，wasfarmorepleasingtohimthanThomson’sSeasonsorRichardson’sPamela。HehadobservedthatsomeofthedistinguishedwriterswhomthefavourofHalifaxhadturnedintostatesmenhadbeenmereincumbrancestotheirparty，dawdlersinofficeandmutesinParliament。
Duringthewholecourseofhisadministration，therefore，hescarcelybefriendedasinglemanofgenius。ThebestwritersoftheagegavealltheirsupporttotheOppositio...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：