JohnsoncomplainedthatamanwhodislikedhimrepeatedhissarcasmtoMr。Sheridan，withouttellinghimwhatfollowed，whichwas，thatafterapauseheadded，’However，IamgladthatMr。Sheridanhasapension，forheisaverygoodman。’Sheridancouldneverforgivethishastycontemptuousexpression。Itrankledinhismind；andthoughIinformedhimofallthatJohnsonsaid，andthathewouldbeverygladtomeethimamicably，hepositivelydeclinedrepeatedofferswhichImade，andoncewentoffabruptlyfromahousewhereheandIwereengagedtodine，becausehewastoldthatDr。Johnsonwastobethere。
　　ThisrupturewithSheridandeprivedJohnsonofoneofhismostagreeableresourcesforamusementinhislonelyevenings；forSheridan’swell-informed，animated，andbustlingmindneversufferedconversationtostagnate；andMrs。Sheridanwasamostagreeablecompaniontoanintellectualman。Shewassensible，ingenious，unassuming，yetcommunicative。Irecollect，withsatisfaction，manypleasinghourswhichIpassedwithherunderthehospitableroofofherhusband，whowastomeaverykindfriend。
　　Hernovel，entitledMemoirsofMissSydneyBiddulph，containsanexcellentmoralwhileitinculcatesafuturestateofretribution；
　　andwhatitteachesisimpresseduponthemindbyaseriesofasdeepdistressascanaffecthumanity，intheamiableandpiousheroinewhogoestohergraveunrelieved，butresigned，andfullofhopeof’heaven’smercy。’Johnsonpaidherthishighcomplimentuponit：’Iknownot，Madam，thatyouhavearight，uponmoralprinciples，tomakeyourreaderssuffersomuch。’
　　Mr。ThomasDaviestheactor，whothenkeptabookseller’sshopinRussel-street，Covent-garden，toldmethatJohnsonwasverymuchhisfriend，andcamefrequentlytohishouse，wherehemorethanonceinvitedmetomeethim；butbysomeunluckyaccidentorotherhewaspreventedfromcomingtous。
　　Mr。ThomasDavieswasamanofgoodunderstandingandtalents，withtheadvantageofaliberaleducation。Thoughsomewhatpompous，hewasanentertainingcompanion；andhisliteraryperformanceshavenoinconsiderableshareofmerit。Hewasafriendlyandveryhospitableman。Bothheandhiswife，whohasbeencelebratedforherbeauty，thoughuponthestageformanyyears，maintainedanuniformdecencyofcharacter；andJohnsonesteemedthem，andlivedinaseasyanintimacywiththem，aswithanyfamilywhichheusedtovisit。Mr。DaviesrecollectedseveralofJohnson’sremarkablesayings，andwasoneofthebestofthemanyimitatorsofhisvoiceandmanner，whilerelatingthem。HeincreasedmyimpatiencemoreandmoretoseetheextraordinarymanwhoseworksIhighlyvalued，andwhoseconversationwasreportedtobesopeculiarlyexcellent。
　　Atlast，onMondaythe16thofMay，whenIwassittinginMr。
　　Davies’sback-parlour，afterhavingdrunkteawithhimandMrs。
　　Davies，Johnsonunexpectedlycameintotheshop；andMr。Davieshavingperceivedhimthroughtheglass-doorintheroominwhichweweresitting，advancingtowardsus，——heannouncedhisawefulapproachtome，somewhatinthemannerofanactorinthepartofHoratio，whenheaddressesHamletontheappearanceofhisfather’sghost，’Look，myLord，itcomes。’IfoundthatIhadaveryperfectideaofJohnson’sfigure，fromtheportraitofhimpaintedbySirJoshuaReynoldssoonafterhehadpublishedhisDictionary，intheattitudeofsittinginhiseasychairindeepmeditation，whichwasthefirstpicturehisfrienddidforhim，whichSirJoshuaverykindlypresentedtome，andfromwhichanengravinghasbeenmadeforthiswork。Mr。Daviesmentionedmyname，andrespectfullyintroducedmetohim。Iwasmuchagitated；andrecollectinghisprejudiceagainsttheScotch，ofwhichIhadheardmuch，IsaidtoDavies，’Don’ttellwhereIcomefrom。’——’FromScotland，’criedDaviesroguishly。’Mr。Johnson，saidIIdoindeedcomefromScotland，butIcannothelpit。’IamwillingtoflattermyselfthatImeantthisaslightpleasantrytosoothandconciliatehim，andnotasanhumiliatingabasementattheexpenceofmycountry。Buthoweverthatmightbe，thisspeechwassomewhatunlucky；forwiththatquicknessofwitforwhichhewassoremarkable，heseizedtheexpression’comefromScotland，’whichI
　　usedinthesenseofbeingofthatcountry；and，asifIhadsaidthatIhadcomeawayfromit，orleftit，retorted，’That，Sir，I
　　find，iswhataverygreatmanyofyourcountrymencannothelp。’
　　Thisstrokestunnedmeagooddeal；andwhenwehadsatdown，I
　　feltmyselfnotalittleembarrassed，andapprehensiveofwhatmightcomenext。HethenaddressedhimselftoDavies：’WhatdoyouthinkofGarrick？HehasrefusedmeanorderfortheplayforMissWilliams，becauseheknowsthehousewillbefull，andthatanorderwouldbeworththreeshillings。’Eagertotakeanyopeningtogetintoconversationwithhim，Iventuredtosay，’O，Sir，I
　　cannotthinkMr。Garrickwouldgrudgesuchatrifletoyou。’’Sir，saidhe，withasternlook，IhaveknownDavidGarricklongerthanyouhavedone：andIknownorightyouhavetotalktomeonthesubject。’PerhapsIdeservedthischeck；foritwasratherpresumptuousinme，anentirestranger，toexpressanydoubtofthejusticeofhisanimadversionuponhisoldacquaintanceandpupil。*
　　Inowfeltmyselfmuchmortified，andbegantothinkthatthehopewhichIhadlongindulgedofobtaininghisacquaintancewasblasted。And，intruth，hadnotmyardourbeenuncommonlystrong，andmyresolutionuncommonlypersevering，soroughareceptionmighthavedeterredmeforeverfrommakinganyfurtherattempts。
　　Fortunately，however，Iremaineduponthefieldnotwhollydiscomfited。
　　*ThatthiswasamomentarysallyagainstGarricktherecanbenodoubt；foratJohnson’sdesirehehad，someyearsbefore，givenabenefit-nightathistheatretothisveryperson，bywhichshehadgottwohundredpounds。Johnson，indeed，uponallotheroccasions，whenIwasinhiscompanypraisedtheveryliberalcharityofGarrick。Ioncementionedtohim，’Itisobserved，Sir，thatyouattackGarrickyourself，butwillsuffernobodyelsetodoit。’
　　Johnson，smiling’Why，Sir，thatistrue。’——BOSWELL。
　　Iwashighlypleasedwiththeextraordinaryvigourofhisconversation，andregrettedthatIwasdrawnawayfromitbyanengagementatanotherplace。Ihad，forapartoftheevening，beenleftalonewithhim，andhadventuredtomakeanobservationnowandthen，whichhereceivedverycivilly；sothatIwassatisfiedthatthoughtherewasaroughnessinhismanner，therewasnoill-natureinhisdisposition。Daviesfollowedmetothedoor，andwhenIcomplainedtohimalittleofthehardblowswhichthegreatmanhadgivenme，hekindlytookuponhimtoconsolemebysaying，’Don’tbeuneasy。Icanseehelikesyouverywell。’
　　PartTwo
　　AfewdaysafterwardsIcalledonDavies，andaskedhimifhethoughtImighttakethelibertyofwaitingonMr。JohnsonathisChambersintheTemple。HesaidIcertainlymight，andthatMr。
　　Johnsonwouldtakeitasacompliment。SouponTuesdaythe24thofMay，afterhavingbeenenlivenedbythewittysalliesofMessieursThornton，Wilkes，ChurchillandLloyd，withwhomIhadpassedthemorning，IboldlyrepairedtoJohnson。HisChamberswereonthefirstfloorofNo。1，Inner-Temple-lane，andIenteredthemwithanimpressiongivenmebytheReverendDr。Blair，ofEdinburgh，whohadbeenintroducedtohimnotlongbefore，anddescribedhishaving’foundtheGiantinhisden；’anexpression，which，whenI
　　cametobeprettywellacquaintedwithJohnson，Irepeatedtohim，andhewasdivertedatthispicturesqueaccountofhimself。Dr。
　　BlairhadbeenpresentedtohimbyDr。JamesFordyce。AtthistimethecontroversyconcerningthepiecespublishedbyMr。JamesMacpherson，astranslationsofOssian，wasatitsheight。Johnsonhadallalongdeniedtheirauthenticity；and，whatwasstillmoreprovokingtotheiradmirers，maintainedthattheyhadnomerit。
　　ThesubjecthavingbeenintroducedbyDr。Fordyce，Dr。Blair，relyingontheinternalevidenceoftheirantiquity，askedDr。
　　Johnsonwhetherhethoughtanymanofamodernagecouldhavewrittensuchpoems？Johnsonreplied，’Yes，Sir，manymen，manywomen，andmanychildren。’Johnson，atthistime，didnotknowthatDr。BlairhadjustpublishedaDissertation，notonlydefendingtheirauthenticity，butseriouslyrankingthemwiththepoemsofHomerandVirgil；andwhenhewasafterwardsinformedofthiscircumstance，heexpressedsomedispleasureatDr。Fordyce’shavingsuggestedthetopick，andsaid，’Iamnotsorrythattheygotthusmuchfortheirpains。Sir，itwaslikeleadingonetotalkofabookwhentheauthourisconcealedbehindthedoor。’
　　Hereceivedmeverycourteously；but，itmustbeconfessed，thathisapartment，andfurniture，andmorningdress，weresufficientlyuncouth。Hisbrownsuitofcloathslookedveryrusty；hehadonalittleoldshrivelledunpowderedwig，whichwastoosmallforhishead；hisshirt-neckandkneesofhisbreecheswereloose；hisblackworstedstockingsilldrawnup；andhehadapairofunbuckledshoesbywayofslippers。Butalltheseslovenlyparticularitieswereforgottenthemomentthathebegantotalk。
　　Somegentlemen，whomIdonotrecollect，weresittingwithhim；andwhentheywentaway，Ialsorose；buthesaidtome，’Nay，don’tgo。’’Sir，saidI，IamafraidthatIintrudeuponyou。Itisbenevolenttoallowmetositandhearyou。’Heseemedpleasedwiththiscompliment，whichIsincerelypaidhim，andanswered，’Sir，Iamobligedtoanymanwhovisitsme。’Ihavepreservedthefollowingshortminuteofwhatpassedthisday：——
　　’Madnessfrequentlydiscoversitselfmerelybyunnecessarydeviationfromtheusualmodesoftheworld。MypoorfriendSmartshewedthedisturbanceofhismind，byfallinguponhisknees，andsayinghisprayersinthestreet，orinanyotherunusualplace。
　　Nowalthough，rationallyspeaking，itisgreatermadnessnottoprayatall，thantoprayasSmartdid，Iamafraidtherearesomanywhodonotpray，thattheirunderstandingisnotcalledinquestion。’
　　Concerningthisunfortunatepoet，ChristopherSmart，whowasconfinedinamad-house，hehad，atanothertime，thefollowingconversationwithDr。Burney：——BURNEY。’HowdoespoorSmartdo，Sir；ishelikelytorecover？’JOHNSON。’Itseemsasifhismindhadceasedtostrugglewiththedisease；forhegrowsfatuponit。’
　　BURNEY。’Perhaps，Sir，thatmaybefromwantofexercise。’
　　JOHNSON。’No，Sir；hehaspartlyasmuchexerciseasheusedtohave，forhedigsinthegarden。Indeed，beforehisconfinement，heusedforexercisetowalktotheale-house；buthewasCARRIED
　　backagain。Ididnotthinkheoughttobeshutup。Hisinfirmitieswerenotnoxioustosociety。Heinsistedonpeopleprayingwithhim；andI’dasliefpraywithKitSmartasanyoneelse。Anotherchargewas，thathedidnotlovecleanlinen；andI