blessyou，mydear!“Thesewerethelastwordshespoke。Hisdifficultyofbreathingincreasedtillaboutseveno’clockintheevening，whenMr。BarberandMrs。Desmoulins，whoweresittingintheroom，observingthatthenoisehemadeinbreathinghadceased，wenttothebed，andfoundhewasdead。’
　　Abouttwodaysafterhisdeath，thefollowingveryagreeableaccountwascommunicatedtoMr。Malone，inaletterbytheHonourableJohnByng，towhomIammuchobligedforgrantingmepermissiontointroduceitinmywork。
　　’DEARSIR，——SinceIsawyou，IhavehadalongconversationwithCawston，whosatupwithDr。Johnson，fromnineo’clock，onSundayevening，tillteno’clock，onMondaymorning。And，fromwhatIcangatherfromhim，itshouldseem，thatDr。Johnsonwasperfectlycomposed，steadyinhope，andresignedtodeath。Attheintervalofeachhour，theyassistedhimtositupinhisbed，andmovehislegs，whichwereinmuchpain；whenheregularlyaddressedhimselftoferventprayer；andthough，sometimes，hisvoicefailedhim，hissensesneverdid，duringthattime。Theonlysustenancehereceived，wascyderandwater。Hesaidhismindwasprepared，andthetimetohisdissolutionseemedlong。Atsixinthemorning，heinquiredthehour，and，onbeinginformed，saidthatallwentonregularly，andhefelthehadbutafewhourstolive。
　　’Atteno’clockinthemorning，hepartedfromCawston，saying，“YoushouldnotdetainMr。Windham’sservant：——Ithankyou；bearmyremembrancetoyourmaster。“Cawstonsays，thatnomancouldappearmorecollected，moredevout，orlessterrifiedatthethoughtsoftheapproachingminute。
　　’Thisaccount，whichissomuchmoreagreeablethan，andsomewhatdifferentfrom，yours，hasgivenusthesatisfactionofthinkingthatthatgreatmandiedashelived，fullofresignation，strengthenedinfaith，andjoyfulinhope。’
　　Afewdaysbeforehisdeath，hehadaskedSirJohnHawkins，asoneofhisexecutors，whereheshouldbeburied；andonbeinganswered，’Doubtless，inWestminster-Abbey，’seemedtofeelasatisfaction，verynaturaltoaPoet；andindeedinmyopinionverynaturaltoeverymanofanyimagination，whohasnofamilysepulchreinwhichhecanbelaidwithhisfathers。Accordingly，uponMonday，December20，hisremainsweredepositedinthatnobleandrenownededifice；andoverhisgravewasplacedalargeblueflag-stone，withthisinscription：——
　　Hisfuneralwasattendedbyarespectablenumberofhisfriends，particularlysuchofthemembersoftheLITERARYCLUBaswerethenintown；andwasalsohonouredwiththepresenceofseveraloftheReverendChapterofWestminster。Mr。Burke，SirJosephBanks，Mr。
　　Windham，Mr。Langton，SirCharlesBunbury，andMr。Colman，borehispall。Hisschool-fellow，Dr。Taylor，performedthemournfulofficeofreadingtheburialservice。
　　Itrust，Ishallnotbeaccusedofaffectation，whenIdeclare，thatIfindmyselfunabletoexpressallthatIfeltuponthelossofsucha’Guide，Philosopher，andFriend。’Ishall，therefore，notsayonewordofmyown，butadoptthoseofaneminentfriend，whichheutteredwithanabruptfelicity，superiortoallstudiedcompositions：——’Hehasmadeachasm，whichnotonlynothingcanfillup，butwhichnothinghasatendencytofillup。Johnsonisdead。Letusgotothenextbest：——thereisnobody；nomancanbesaidtoputyouinmindofJohnson。’
　　EndLifeofJohnsonbyJamesBoswellAbridgedandedited，withanintroductionbyCharlesGrosvenorOsgoodProfessorofEnglishatPrincetonUniversityPrefaceInmakingthisabridgementofBoswell’sLifeofJohnsonIhaveomittedmostofBoswell’scriticisms，comments，andnotes，allofJohnson’sopinionsinlegalcases，mostoftheletters，andpartsoftheconversationdealingwithmatterswhichwereofgreaterimportanceinBoswell’sdaythannow。Ihavekeptinmindanoldhabit，commonenough，Idaresay，amongitsdevotees，ofopeningthebookofrandom，andreadingwherevertheeyefallsuponapassageofespecialinterest。Allsuchpassages，Ihope，havebeenretained，andenoughofthewholebooktoillustrateallthephasesofJohnson’smindandofhistimewhichBoswellobserved。
　　LoyalJohnsoniansmaylookuponsuchabookwithameasureofscorn。Icouldnothavemadeit，hadInotbelievedthatitwouldbethemeansofdrawingnewreaderstoBoswell，andeventuallyoffindingfortheminthecompleteworkwhatmanyhavealreadyfound——
　　daysandyearsofgrowingenlightenmentandhappycompanionship，andaninnocentrefugefromthecaresandperturbationsoflife。