SoonafterthistimeDr。JohnsonhadthemortificationofbeinginformedbyMrs。Thrale，that，’whatshesupposedheneverbelieved，’wastrue；namely，thatshewasactuallygoingtomarrySignorPiozzi，anItalianmusick-master。Heendeavouredtopreventit；butinvain。IfshewouldpublishthewholeofthecorrespondencethatpassedbetweenDr。Johnsonandheronthesubject，weshouldhaveafullviewofhisrealsentiments。Asitis，ourjudgementmustbebiassedbythatcharacteristickspecimenwhichSirJohnHawkinshasgivenus：’PoorThrale!Ithoughtthateitherhervirtueorhervicewouldhaverestrainedherfromsuchamarriage。Sheisnowbecomeasubjectforherenemiestoexultover；andforherfriends，ifshehasanyleft，toforget，orpity。’
　　ItmustbeadmittedthatJohnsonderivedaconsiderableportionofhappinessfromthecomfortsandelegancieswhichheenjoyedinMr。
　　Thrale’sfamily；butMrs。Thraleassuresushewasindebtedforthesetoherhusbandalone，whocertainlyrespectedhimsincerely。
　　HavingleftthePIOUSNEGOCIATION，asIcalledit，inthebesthands，Ishallhereinsertwhatrelatestoit。JohnsonwrotetoSirJoshuaReynoldsonJuly6，asfollows：——
　　’Iamgoing，Ihope，inafewdays，totrytheairofDerbyshire，buthopetoseeyoubeforeIgo。Letme，however，mentiontoyouwhatIhavemuchatheart。IftheChancellorshouldcontinuehisattentiontoMr。Boswell’srequest，andconferwithyouonthemeansofrelievingmylanguidstate，Iamverydesiroustoavoidtheappearanceofaskingmoneyuponfalsepretences。IdesireyoutorepresenttohisLordship，what，assoonasitissuggested，hewillperceivetobereasonable，——That，ifIgrowmuchworse，I
　　shallbeafraidtoleavemyphysicians，tosuffertheinconveniencesoftravel，andpineinthesolitudeofaforeigncountry；That，ifIgrowmuchbetter，ofwhichindeedthereisnowlittleappearance，Ishallnotwishtoleavemyfriendsandmydomestickcomforts；forIdonottravel，forpleasureorcuriosity；
　　yetifIshouldrecover，curiositywouldrevive。Inmypresentstate，Iamdesiroustomakeastruggleforalittlelongerlife，andhopetoobtainsomehelpfromasofterclimate。Doformewhatyoucan。’
　　ByaletterfromSirJoshuaReynoldsIwasinformed，thattheLordChancellorhadcalledonhim，andacquaintedhimthattheapplicationhadnotbeensuccessful；butthathisLordship，afterspeakinghighlyinpraiseofJohnson，asamanwhowasanhonourtohiscountry，desiredSirJoshuatolethimknow，thatongrantingamortgageofhispension，heshoulddrawonhisLordshiptotheamountoffiveorsixhundredpounds；andthathisLordshipexplainedthemeaningofthemortgagetobe，thathewishedthebusinesstobeconductedinsuchamanner，thatDr。Johnsonshouldappeartobeundertheleastpossibleobligation。SirJoshuamentioned，thathehadbythesamepostcommunicatedallthistoDr。Johnson。
　　HowJohnsonwasaffectedupontheoccasionwillappearfromwhathewrotetoSirJoshuaReynolds：——
　　’Ashbourne，Sept。9。ManywordsIhopearenotnecessarybetweenyouandme，toconvinceyouwhatgratitudeisexcitedinmyheartbytheChancellor’sliberality，andyourkindoffices……
　　’IhaveenclosedalettertotheChancellor，which，whenyouhavereadit，youwillbepleasedtosealwithahead，oranyothergeneralseal，andconveyittohim：hadIsentitdirectlytohim，Ishouldhaveseemedtooverlookthefavourofyourintervention。’
　　’TOTHELORDHIGHCHANCELLOR。
　　’MYLORD，——Afteralongandnotinattentiveobservationofmankind，thegenerosityofyourLordship’sofferraisesinmenotlesswonderthangratitude。Bounty，soliberallybestowed，Ishouldgladlyreceive，ifmyconditionmadeitnecessary；for，tosuchamind，whowouldnotbeproudtoownhisobligations？ButithaspleasedGODtorestoremetosogreatameasureofhealth，thatifIshouldnowappropriatesomuchofafortunedestinedtodogood，Icouldnotescapefrommyselfthechargeofadvancingafalseclaim。Myjourneytothecontinent，thoughIoncethoughtitnecessary，wasnevermuchencouragedbymyphysicians；andIwasverydesirousthatyourLordshipshouldbetoldofitbySirJoshuaReynolds，asaneventveryuncertain；forifIgrewmuchbetter，I
　　shouldnotbewilling，ifmuchworse，notable，tomigrate。YourLordshipwasfirstsolicitedwithoutmyknowledge；but，whenIwastoldthatyouwerepleasedtohonourmewithyourpatronage，Ididnotexpecttohearofarefusal；yet，asIhavehadnolongtimetobroodhope，andhavenotriotedinimaginaryopulence，thiscoldreceptionhasbeenscarceadisappointment；and，fromyourLordship’skindness，Ihavereceivedabenefit，whichonlymenlikeyouareabletobestow。Ishallnowlivemihicarior，withahigheropinionofmyownmerit。Iam，myLord，yourLordship’smostobliged，mostgrateful，andmosthumbleservant，’September，1784。’
　　’SAM。JOHNSON。’
　　UponthisunexpectedfailureIabstainfrompresumingtomakeanyremarks，ortoofferanyconjectures。
　　LetusnowcontemplateJohnsonthirtyyearsafterthedeathofhiswife，stillretainingforherallthetendernessofaffection。
　　’TOTHEREVERENDMR。BAGSHAW，ATBROMLEY。
　　’SIR，——Perhapsyoumayremember，thatintheyear1753，youcommittedtothegroundmydearwife。Inowentreatyourpermissiontolayastoneuponher；andhavesenttheinscription，that，ifyoufinditproper，youmaysignifyyourallowance。
　　’Youwilldomeagreatfavourbyshowingtheplacewhereshelies，thatthestonemayprotectherremains。
　　’Mr。Rylandwillwaitonyoufortheinscription，andprocureittobeengraved。YouwilleasilybelievethatIshrinkfromthismournfuloffice。Whenitisdone，ifIhavestrengthremaining，I
　　willvisitBromleyonceagain，andpayyoupartoftherespecttowhichyouhavearightfrom，ReverendSir，yourmosthumbleservant，’July12，1784。’
　　’SAM。JOHNSON。’
　　NextdayhesetoutonajaunttoStaffordshireandDerbyshire，flatteringhimselfthathemightbeinsomedegreerelieved。
　　DuringhisabsencefromLondonhekeptupacorrespondencewithseveralofhisfriends，fromwhichIshallselectwhatappearstomeproperforpublication，withoutattendingnicelytochronologicalorder。
　　TODR。BROCKLESBY，hewrites，Ashbourne，Sept。9：——
　　’DoyouknowtheDukeandDuchessofDevonshire？AndhaveyoueverseenChatsworth？IwasatChatsworthonMonday：Ihadindeedseenitbefore，butneverwhenitsownerswereathome；Iwasverykindlyreceived，andhonestlypressedtostay：butItoldthemthatasickmanisnotafitinmateofagreathouse。ButIhopetogoagainsometime。’
　　Sept。11。’Ithinknothinggrowsworse，butallratherbetter，exceptsleep，andthatoflatehasbeenatitsoldpranks。Lastevening，IfeltwhatIhadnotknownforalongtime，aninclinationtowalkforamusement；Itookashortwalk，andcamebackagainneitherbreathlessnorfatigued。Thishasbeenagloomy，frigid，ungenialsummer，butoflateitseemstomend；I
　　heartheheatsometimesmentioned，butIdonotfeelit：
　　“PraetereaminimusgelidojamincorporesanguisFebrecaletsola——“
　　Ihope，however，withgoodhelp，tofindmeansofsupportingawinterathome，andtohearandtellattheClubwhatisdoing，andwhatoughttobedoingintheworld。Ihavenocompanyhere，andshallnaturallycomehomehungryforconversation。Towishyou，dearSir，moreleisure，wouldnotbekind；butwhatleisureyouhave，youmustbestowuponme。’
　　Lichfield，Sept。29。’OnonedayIhadthreelettersabouttheair-balloon：yourswasfarthebest，andhasenabledmetoimparttomyfriendsinthecountryanideaofthisspeciesofamusement。
　　Inamusement，mereamusement，Iamafraiditmustend，forIdonotfindthatitscoursecanbedirectedsoasthatitshouldserveanypurposesofcommunication；anditcangivenonewintelligenceofthestateoftheairatdifferentheights，tilltheyhaveascendedabovetheheightofmountains，whichtheyseemneverlikelytodo。
　　Icamehitheronthe27th。HowlongIshallstayIhavenotdetermined。Mydropsyisgone，andmyasthmamuchremitted，butI
　　havefeltmyselfalittledecliningthesetwodays，oratleastto-
　　day；butsuchvicissitudesmustbeexpected。Onedaymaybeworsethananother；butthislastmonthisfarbetterthantheformer；ifthenextshouldbeasmuchbetterthanthis，Ishallrunaboutthetownonmyownlegs。’
　　October25。’Youwritetomewithazealthatanimates，andatendernessthatmeltsme。IamnotafraideitherofajourneytoLondon，oraresidenceinit。Icamedownwithlittlefatigue，andamnownotweaker。InthesmokyatmosphereIwasdeliveredfromthedropsy，whichIconsiderastheoriginalandradicaldisease。
　　Thetownismyelement*；therearemyfriends，therearemybooks，towhichIhavenotyetbidfarewell，andtherearemyamusements。
　　SirJoshuatoldmelongagothatmyvocationwastopublicklife，andIhopestilltokeepmystation，tillGodshallbidmeGoinpeace。’
　　*HisloveofLondoncontinuallyappears。InaletterfromhimtoMrs。Smart，wifeofhisfriendthePoet，whichispublishedinawell-writtenlifeofhim，prefixedtoaneditionofhisPoems，in1791，thereisthefollowingsentence：——’ToonethathaspassedsomanyyearsinthepleasuresandopulenceofLondon，therearefewplacesthatcangivemuchdelight。’
　　Once，uponreadingthatlineinthecuriousepitaphquotedinTheSpectator，’BorninNew-England，didinLondondie；’
　　helaughedandsaid，’Idonotwonderatthis。Itwouldhavebeenstrange，ifborninLondon，hehaddiedinNew-England。’——BOSWELL。
　　TOSIRJOSHUAREYNOLDS：——
　　Ashbourne，Sept。2。’……IstillcontinuebyGod’smercytomend。Mybreathiseasier，mynightsarequieter，andmylegsarelessinbulk，andstrongerinuse。Ihave，however，yetagreatdealtoovercome，beforeIcanyetattainevenanoldman’shealth。
　　Write，dowritetomenowandthen；wearenowoldacquaintance，andperhapsfewpeoplehavelivedsomuchandsolongtogether，withlesscauseofcomplaintoneitherside。Theretrospectionofthisisverypleasant，andIhopeweshallneverthinkoneachotherwithlesskindness。’
　　Sept。9。’Icouldnotansweryourletterbeforethisday，becauseIwentonthesixthtoChatsworth，anddidnotcomebacktillthepostwasgone。Manywords，Ihope，arenotnecessarybetweenyouandme，toconvinceyouwhatgratitudeisexcitedinmyheart，bytheChancellor’sliberalityandyourkindoffices。IdidnotindeedexpectthatwhatwasaskedbytheChancellorwouldhavebeenrefused，butsinceithas，wewillnottellthatanythinghasbeenasked。IhaveenclosedalettertotheChancellorwhich，whenyouhavereadit，youwillbepleasedtosealwithahead，orothergeneralseal，andconveyittohim；hadIsentitdirectlytohim，Ishouldhaveseemedtooverlookthefavourofyourintervention。
　　IdonotdespairofsupportinganEnglishwinter。AtChatsworth，I
　　metyoungMr。Burke，wholedmeverycommodiouslyintoconversationwiththeDukeandDuchess。Wehadaverygoodmorning。Thedinnerwaspublick。’
　　Sept。18。’Ihavethreelettersthisday，allabouttheballoon，I
　　couldhavebeencontentwithone。Donotwriteabouttheballoon，whateverelseyoumaythinkpropertosay。’
　　Itmaybeobserved，thathiswritingineveryway，whetherforthepublick，orprivatelytohisfriends，wasbyfitsandstarts；forweseefrequently，thatmanylettersarewrittenonthesameday。
　　Whenhehadonceovercomehisaversiontobegin，hewas，Isuppose，desiroustogoon，inordertorelievehismindfromtheuneasyreflectionofdelayingwhatheoughttodo。