OnWednesday，July6，hewasengagedtosupwithmeatmylodgingsinDowning-street，Westminster。Butontheprecedingnightmylandlordhavingbehavedveryrudelytomeandsomecompanywhowerewithme，Ihadresolvednottoremainanothernightinhishouse。
　　IwasexceedinglyuneasyattheaukwardappearanceIsupposedI
　　shouldmaketoJohnsonandtheothergentlemenwhomIhadinvited，notbeingabletoreceivethemathome，andbeingobligedtoordersupperattheMitre。IwenttoJohnsoninthemorning，andtalkedofitasaseriousdistress。Helaughed，andsaid，’Consider，Sir，howinsignificantthiswillappearatwelvemonthhence。’——Werethisconsiderationtobeappliedtomostofthelittlevexatiousincidentsoflife，bywhichourquietistoooftendisturbed，itwouldpreventmanypainfulsensations。Ihavetrieditfrequently，withgoodeffect。’Thereisnothingcontinuedheinthismightymisfortune；nay，weshallbebetterattheMitre。’
　　IhadasmygueststhiseveningattheMitretavern，Dr。Johnson，Dr。Goldsmith，Mr。ThomasDavies，Mr。Eccles，anIrishgentleman，forwhoseagreeablecompanyIwasobligedtoMr。Davies，andtheReverendMr。JohnOgilvie，whowasdesirousofbeingincompanywithmyillustriousfriend，whileI，inmyturn，wasproudtohavethehonourofshewingoneofmycountrymenuponwhateasytermsJohnsonpermittedmetolivewithhim。
　　Goldsmith，asusual，endeavoured，withtoomucheagerness，toSHINE，anddisputedverywarmlywithJohnsonagainstthewell-knownmaximoftheBritishconstitution，’theKingcandonowrong；’
　　affirming，that’whatwasmorallyfalsecouldnotbepoliticallytrue；andastheKingmight，intheexerciseofhisregalpower，commandandcausethedoingofwhatwaswrong，itcertainlymightbesaid，insenseandinreason，thathecoulddowrong。’JOHNSON。
　　’Sir，youaretoconsider，thatinourconstitution，accordingtoitstrueprinciples，theKingisthehead；heissupreme；heisaboveeverything，andthereisnopowerbywhichhecanbetried。
　　Therefore，itis，Sir，thatweholdtheKingcandonowrong；thatwhatevermayhappentobewrongingovernmentmaynotbeaboveourreach，bybeingascribedtoMajesty。Redressisalwaystobehadagainstoppression，bypunishingtheimmediateagents。TheKing，thoughheshouldcommand，cannotforceaJudgetocondemnamanunjustly；thereforeitistheJudgewhomweprosecuteandpunish。
　　Politicalinstitutionsareformedupontheconsiderationofwhatwillmostfrequentlytendtothegoodofthewhole，althoughnowandthenexceptionsmayoccur。Thusitisbetteringeneralthatanationshouldhaveasupremelegislativepower，althoughitmayattimesbeabused。Andthen，Sir，thereisthisconsideration，thatiftheabusebeenormous，Naturewillriseup，andclaimingheroriginalrights，overturnacorruptpoliticalsystem。’Imarkthisanimatedsentencewithpeculiarpleasure，asanobleinstanceofthattrulydignifiedspiritoffreedomwhicheverglowedinhisheart，thoughhewaschargedwithslavishtenetsbysuperficialobservers；becausehewasatalltimesindignantagainstthatfalsepatriotism，thatpretendedloveoffreedom，thatunrulyrestlessness，whichisinconsistentwiththestableauthorityofanygoodgovernment。
　　’Bayle’sDictionaryisaveryusefulworkforthosetoconsultwholovethebiographicalpartofliterature，whichiswhatIlovemost。’
　　TalkingoftheeminentwritersinQueenAnne’sreign，heobserved，’IthinkDr。Arbuthnotthefirstmanamongthem。Hewasthemostuniversalgenius，beinganexcellentphysician，amanofdeeplearning，andamanofmuchhumour。Mr。Addisonwas，tobesure，agreatman；hislearningwasnotprofound；buthismorality，hishumour，andhiseleganceofwriting，sethimveryhigh。’
　　Mr。Ogilviewasunluckyenoughtochooseforthetopickofhisconversationthepraisesofhisnativecountry。Hebeganwithsaying，thattherewasveryrichlandroundEdinburgh。Goldsmith，whohadstudiedphysickthere，contradictedthis，veryuntruly，withasneeringlaugh。Disconcertedalittlebythis，Mr。Ogilviethentooknewground，where，Isuppose，hethoughthimselfperfectlysafe；forheobserved，thatScotlandhadagreatmanynoblewildprospects。JOHNSON。’Ibelieve，Sir，youhaveagreatmany。Norway，too，hasnoblewildprospects；andLaplandisremarkableforprodigiousnoblewildprospects。But，Sir，letmetellyou，thenoblestprospectwhichaScotchmaneversees，isthehighroadthatleadshimtoEngland!’Thisunexpectedandpointedsallyproducedaroarofapplause。Afterall，however，those，whoadmiretherudegrandeurofNature，cannotdenyittoCaledonia。
　　OnSaturday，July9，IfoundJohnsonsurroundedwithanumerouslevee，buthavenotpreservedanypartofhisconversation。Onthe14thwehadanothereveningbyourselvesattheMitre。Ithappeningtobeaveryrainynight，Imadesomecommon-placeobservationsontherelaxationofnervesanddepressionofspiritswhichsuchweatheroccasioned；adding，however，thatitwasgoodforthevegetablecreation。Johnson，who，aswehavealreadyseen，deniedthatthetemperatureoftheairhadanyinfluenceonthehumanframe，answered，withasmileofridicule。’Whyyes，Sir，itisgoodforvegetables，andfortheanimalswhoeatthosevegetables，andfortheanimalswhoeatthoseanimals。’Thisobservationofhisaptlyenoughintroducedagoodsupper；andI
　　soonforgot，inJohnson’scompany，theinfluenceofamoistatmosphere。
　　Feelingmyselfnowquiteateaseashiscompanion，thoughIhadallpossiblereverenceforhim，IexpressedaregretthatIcouldnotbesoeasywithmyfather，thoughhewasnotmucholderthanJohnson，andcertainlyhoweverrespectablehadnotmorelearningandgreaterabilitiestodepressme。Iaskedhimthereasonofthis。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，Iamamanoftheworld。Iliveintheworld，andItake，insomedegree，thecolouroftheworldasitmovesalong。YourfatherisaJudgeinaremotepartoftheisland，andallhisnotionsaretakenfromtheoldworld。Besides，Sir，theremustalwaysbeastrugglebetweenafatherandsonwhileoneaimsatpowerandtheotheratindependence。’
　　HeenlargedveryconvincinglyupontheexcellenceofrhymeoverblankverseinEnglishpoetry。ImentionedtohimthatDr。AdamSmith，inhislecturesuponcomposition，whenIstudiedunderhimintheCollegeofGlasgow，hadmaintainedthesameopinionstrenuously，andIrepeatedsomeofhisarguments。JOHNSON。’Sir，IwasonceincompanywithSmith，andwedidnottaketoeachother；buthadIknownthathelovedrhymeasmuchasyoutellmehedoes，IshouldhaveHUGGEDhim。’
　　’Idlenessisadiseasewhichmustbecombated；butIwouldnotadvisearigidadherencetoaparticularplanofstudy。Imyselfhaveneverpersistedinanyplanfortwodaystogether。Amanoughttoreadjustasinclinationleadshim；forwhathereadsasataskwilldohimlittlegood。Ayoungmanshouldreadfivehoursinaday，andsomayacquireagreatdealofknowledge。’
　　Tosuchadegreeofunrestrainedfranknesshadhenowaccustomedme，thatinthecourseofthiseveningItalkedofthenumerousreflectionswhichhadbeenthrownoutagainsthimonaccountofhishavingacceptedapensionfromhispresentMajesty。’Why，Sir，saidhe，withaheartylaugh，itisamightyfoolishnoisethattheymake。*Ihaveacceptedofapensionasarewardwhichhasbeenthoughtduetomyliterarymerit；andnowthatIhavethispension，IamthesamemanineveryrespectthatIhaveeverbeen；
　　Iretainthesameprinciples。Itistrue，thatIcannotnowcursesmilingtheHouseofHanover；norwoulditbedecentformetodrinkKingJames’shealthinthewinethatKingGeorgegivesmemoneytopayfor。But，Sir，IthinkthatthepleasureofcursingtheHouseofHanover，anddrinkingKingJames’shealth，areamplyoverbalancedbythreehundredpoundsayear。’
　　*WhenImentionedthesameidleclamourtohimseveralyearsafterwards，hesaid，withasmile，’Iwishmypensionweretwiceaslarge，thattheymightmaketwiceasmuchnoise。’——BOSWELL。
　　Therewashere，mostcertainly，anaffectationofmoreJacobitismthanhereallyhad。YetthereisnodoubtthatatearlierperiodshewaswontoftentoexercisebothhispleasantryandingenuityintalkingJacobitism。Mymuchrespectedfriend，Dr。Douglas，nowBishopofSalisbury，hasfavouredmewiththefollowingadmirableinstancefromhisLordship’sownrecollection。Oneday，whendiningatoldMr。Langton’swhereMissRoberts，hisniece，wasoneofthecompany，Johnson，withhisusualcomplacentattentiontothefairsex，tookherbythehandandsaid，’Mydear，IhopeyouareaJacobite。’OldMr。Langton，who，thoughahighandsteadyTory，wasattachedtothepresentRoyalFamily，seemedoffended，andaskedJohnson，withgreatwarmth，whathecouldmeanbyputtingsuchaquestiontohisniece？’Why，Sir，saidJohnsonImeantnooffencetoyourniece，Imeantheragreatcompliment。AJacobite，Sir，believesinthedivinerightofKings。HethatbelievesinthedivinerightofKingsbelievesinaDivinity。AJacobitebelievesinthedivinerightofBishops。HethatbelievesinthedivinerightofBishopsbelievesinthedivineauthorityoftheChristianreligion。Therefore，Sir，aJacobiteisneitheranAtheistnoraDeist。ThatcannotbesaidofaWhig；forWhiggismisanegationofallprinciple。’*
　　*Heusedtotell，withgreathumour，frommyrelationtohim，thefollowinglittlestoryofmyearlyyears，whichwasliterallytrue：
　　’Boswell，intheyear1745，wasafineboy，woreawhitecockade，andprayedforKingJames，tilloneofhisunclesGeneralCochran
　　gavehimashillingonconditionthatheshouldprayforKingGeorge，whichheaccordinglydid。SoyouseesaysBoswellthatWhigsofallagesaremadethesameway。’——BOSWELL。
　　Headvisedme，whenabroad，tobeasmuchasIcouldwiththeProfessorsintheUniversities，andwiththeClergy；forfromtheirconversationImightexpectthebestaccountsofeverythinginwhatevercountryIshouldbe，withtheadditionaladvantageofkeepingmylearningalive。
　　Itwillbeobserved，thatwhengivingmeadviceastomytravels，Dr。Johnsondidnotdwelluponcities，andpalaces，andpictures，andshows，andArcadianscenes。HewasofLordEssex’sopinion，whoadviseshiskinsmanRogerEarlofRutland，’rathertogoanhundredmilestospeakwithonewiseman，thanfivemilestoseeafairtown。’
　　IdescribedtohimanimpudentfellowfromScotland，whoaffectedtobeasavage，andrailedatallestablishedsystems。JOHNSON。
　　’Thereisnothingsurprizinginthis，Sir。Hewantstomakehimselfconspicuous。Hewouldtumbleinahogstye，aslongasyoulookedathimandcalledtohimtocomeout。Butlethimalone，nevermindhim，andhe’llsoongiveitover。’
　　Iadded，thatthesamepersonmaintainedthattherewasnodistinctionbetweenvirtueandvice。JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，ifthefellowdoesnotthinkashespeaks，heislying；andIseenotwhathonourhecanproposetohimselffromhavingthecharacterofalyar。Butifhedoesreallythinkthatthereisnodistinctionbetweenvirtueandvice，why，Sir，whenheleavesourhousesletuscountourspoons。’