1765：AETAT。56。]——TrinityCollege，Dublin，atthistimesurprisedJohnsonwithaspontaneouscomplimentofthehighestacademicalhonours，bycreatinghimDoctorofLaws。
　　Heappearsthisyeartohavebeenseizedwithatemporaryfitofambition，forhehadthoughtsbothofstudyinglawandofengaginginpolitics。His’PrayerbeforetheStudyofLaw’istrulyadmirable：——
　　’Sept。26，1765。
　　’AlmightyGOD，thegiverofwisdom，withoutwhosehelpresolutionsarevain，withoutwhoseblessingstudyisineffectual；enableme，ifitbethywill，toattainsuchknowledgeasmayqualifymetodirectthedoubtful，andinstructtheignorant；topreventwrongsandterminatecontentions；andgrantthatImayusethatknowledgewhichIshallattain，tothygloryandmyownsalvation，forJESUS
　　CHRIST’Ssake。Amen。’
　　ThisyearwasdistinguishedbyhisbeingintroducedintothefamilyofMr。Thrale，oneofthemosteminentbrewersinEngland，andMemberofParliamentfortheboroughofSouthwark。Foreignersarenotalittleamazedwhentheyhearofbrewers，distillers，andmeninsimilardepartmentsoftrade，heldforthaspersonsofconsiderableconsequence。Inthisgreatcommercialcountryitisnaturalthatasituationwhichproducesmuchwealthshouldbeconsideredasveryrespectable；and，nodoubt，honestindustryisentitledtoesteem。But，perhaps，thetoorapidadvanceofmenoflowextractiontendstolessenthevalueofthatdistinctionbybirthandgentility，whichhaseverbeenfoundbeneficialtothegrandschemeofsubordination。JohnsonusedtogivethisaccountoftheriseofMr。Thrale’sfather：’Heworkedatsixshillingsaweekfortwentyyearsinthegreatbrewery，whichafterwardswashisown。Theproprietorofithadanonlydaughter，whowasmarriedtoanobleman。Itwasnotfitthatapeershouldcontinuethebusiness。Ontheoldman’sdeath，therefore，thebrewerywastobesold。Tofindapurchaserforsolargeapropertywasadifficultmatter；and，aftersometime，itwassuggested，thatitwouldbeadviseabletotreatwithThrale，asensible，active，honestman，whohadbeenemployedinthehouse，andtotransferthewholetohimforthirtythousandpounds，securitybeingtakenupontheproperty。Thiswasaccordinglysettled。InelevenyearsThralepaidthepurchase-money。Heacquiredalargefortune，andlivedtobeMemberofParliamentforSouthwark。Butwhatwasmostremarkablewastheliberalitywithwhichheusedhisriches。Hegavehissonanddaughtersthebesteducation。Theesteemwhichhisgoodconductprocuredhimfromthenoblemanwhohadmarriedhismaster’sdaughter，madehimbetreatedwithmuchattention；andhisson，bothatschoolandattheUniversityofOxford，associatedwithyoungmenofthefirstrank。Hisallowancefromhisfather，afterheleftcollege，wassplendid；nolessthanathousandayear。This，inamanwhohadrisenasoldThraledid，wasaveryextraordinaryinstanceofgenerosity。Heusedtosay，“IfthisyoungdogdoesnotfindsomuchafterIamgoneasheexpects，lethimrememberthathehashadagreatdealinmyowntime。“’
　　Theson，thoughinaffluentcircumstances，hadgoodsenseenoughtocarryonhisfather’strade，whichwasofsuchextent，thatI
　　rememberheoncetoldme，hewouldnotquititforanannuityoftenthousandayear；’Notsaidhe，thatIgettenthousandayearbyit，butitisanestatetoafamily。’Havingleftdaughtersonly，thepropertywassoldfortheimmensesumofonehundredandthirty-fivethousandpounds；amagnificentproofofwhatmaybedonebyfairtradeinnolongperiodoftime。
　　Mr。ThralehadmarriedMissHestherLynchSalusbury，ofgoodWelshextraction，aladyoflivelytalents，improvedbyeducation。ThatJohnson’sintroductionintoMr。Thrale’sfamily，whichcontributedsomuchtothehappinessofhislife，wasowingtoherdesireforhisconversation，isveryprobableandageneralsupposition：butitisnotthetruth。Mr。Murphy，whowasintimatewithMr。Thrale，havingspokenveryhighlyofDr。Johnson，hewasrequestedtomakethemacquainted。ThisbeingmentionedtoJohnson，heacceptedofaninvitationtodinneratThrale’s，andwassomuchpleasedwithhisreception，bothbyMr。andMrs。Thrale，andtheysomuchpleasedwithhim，thathisinvitationstotheirhouseweremoreandmorefrequent，tillatlasthebecameoneofthefamily，andanapartmentwasappropriatedtohim，bothintheirhouseinSouthwark，andintheirvillaatStreatham。
　　JohnsonhadaverysincereesteemforMr。Thrale，asamanofexcellentprinciples，agoodscholar，wellskilledintrade，ofasoundunderstanding，andofmannerssuchaspresentedthecharacterofaplainindependentEnglishSquire。Asthisfamilywillfrequentlybementionedinthecourseofthefollowingpages，andasafalsenotionhasprevailedthatMr。Thralewasinferiour，andinsomedegreeinsignificant，comparedwithMrs。Thrale，itmaybepropertogiveatruestateofthecasefromtheauthorityofJohnsonhimselfinhisownwords。
　　’Iknownoman，saidhe，whoismoremasterofhiswifeandfamilythanThrale。Ifhebutholdsupafinger，heisobeyed。Itisagreatmistaketosupposethatsheisabovehiminliteraryattainments。Sheismoreflippant；buthehastentimesherlearning：heisaregularscholar；butherlearningisthatofaschool-boyinoneofthelowerforms。’Myreadersmaynaturallywishforsomerepresentationofthefiguresofthiscouple。Mr。
　　Thralewastall，wellproportioned，andstately。AsforMadam，ormyMistress，bywhichepithetsJohnsonusedtomentionMrs。Thrale，shewasshort，plump，andbrisk。ShehasherselfgivenusalivelyviewoftheideawhichJohnsonhadofherperson，onherappearingbeforehiminadark-colouredgown：’Youlittlecreaturesshouldneverwearthosesortofclothes，however；theyareunsuitableineveryway。What!havenotallinsectsgaycolours？’Mr。Thralegavehiswifealiberalindulgence，bothinthechoiceoftheircompany，andinthemodeofentertainingthem。HeunderstoodandvaluedJohnson，withoutremission，fromtheirfirstacquaintancetothedayofhisdeath。Mrs。ThralewasenchantedwithJohnson’sconversation，foritsownsake，andhadalsoaveryallowablevanityinappearingtobehonouredwiththeattentionofsocelebratedaman。
　　NothingcouldbemorefortunateforJohnsonthanthisconnection。
　　HehadatMr。Thrale’sallthecomfortsandevenluxuriesoflife；
　　hismelancholywasdiverted，andhisirregularhabitslessenedbyassociationwithanagreeableandwell-orderedfamily。Hewastreatedwiththeutmostrespect，andevenaffection。ThevivacityofMrs。Thrale’sliterarytalkrousedhimtocheerfulnessandexertion，evenwhentheywerealone。Butthiswasnotoftenthecase；forhefoundhereaconstantsuccessionofwhatgavehimthehighestenjoyment：thesocietyofthelearned，thewitty，andtheeminentineveryway，whowereassembledinnumerouscompanies，calledforthhiswonderfulpowers，andgratifiedhimwithadmiration，towhichnomancouldbeinsensible。
　　IntheOctoberofthisyearheatlengthgavetotheworldhiseditionofShakspeare，which，ifithadnoothermeritbutthatofproducinghisPreface，inwhichtheexcellenciesanddefectsofthatimmortalbardaredisplayedwithamasterlyhand，thenationwouldhavehadnoreasontocomplain。
　　In1764and1765itshouldseemthatDr。JohnsonwassobusilyemployedwithhiseditionofShakspeare，astohavehadlittleleisureforanyotherliteraryexertion，or，indeed，evenforprivatecorrespondence。Hedidnotfavourmewithasingleletterformorethantwoyears，forwhichitwillappearthatheafterwardsapologised。
　　Hewas，however，atalltimesreadytogiveassistancetohisfriends，andothers，inrevisingtheirworks，andinwritingforthem，orgreatlyimprovingtheirDedications。InthatcourtlyspeciesofcompositionnomanexcelledDr。Johnson。Thoughtheloftinessofhismindpreventedhimfromeverdedicatinginhisownperson，hewroteaverygreatnumberofDedicationsforothers。
　　Someofthese，thepersonswhowerefavouredwiththemareunwillingshouldbementioned，fromatooanxiousapprehension，asIthink，thattheymightbesuspectedofhavingreceivedlargerassistance；andsome，afterallthediligenceIhavebestowed，haveescapedmyenquiries。Hetoldme，agreatmanyyearsago，’hebelievedhehaddedicatedtoalltheRoyalFamilyround；’anditwasindifferenttohimwhatwasthesubjectoftheworkdedicated，provideditwereinnocent。HeoncededicatedsomeMusickfortheGermanFlutetoEdward，DukeofYork。InwritingDedicationsforothers，heconsideredhimselfasbynomeansspeakinghisownsentiments。
　　IreturnedtoLondoninFebruary，*andfoundDr。JohnsoninagoodhouseinJohnson’sCourt，Fleet-street，inwhichhehadaccommodatedMissWilliamswithanapartmentonthegroundfloor，whileMr。Levetoccupiedhispostinthegarret：hisfaithfulFranciswasstillattendinguponhim。Hereceivedmewithmuchkindness。Thefragmentsofourfirstconversation，whichIhavepreserved，arethese：
　　ItoldhimthatVoltaire，inaconversationwithme，haddistinguishedPopeandDrydenthus：——’Popedrivesahandsomechariot，withacoupleofneattrimnags；Drydenacoach，andsixstatelyhorses。’JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，thetruthis，theybothdrivecoachesandsix；butDryden’shorsesareeithergallopingorstumbling：Pope’sgoatasteadyeventrot。’HesaidofGoldsmith’sTraveller，whichhadbeenpublishedinmyabsence，’TherehasnotbeensofineapoemsincePope’stime。’
　　Talkingofeducation，’Peoplehavenowa-days，saidhe，gotastrangeopinionthateverythingshouldbetaughtbylectures。
　　Now，Icannotseethatlecturescandosomuchgoodasreadingthebooksfromwhichthelecturesaretaken。Iknownothingthatcanbebesttaughtbylectures，exceptwhereexperimentsaretobeshewn。Youmayteachchymistrybylectures——Youmightteachmakingofshoesbylectures!’
　　AtnightIsuppedwithhimattheMitretavern，thatwemightrenewoursocialintimacyattheoriginalplaceofmeeting。Buttherewasnowaconsiderabledifferenceinhiswayofliving。Havinghadanillness，inwhichhewasadvisedtoleaveoffwine，hehad，fromthatperiod，continuedtoabstainfromit，anddrankonlywater，orlemonade。
　　Itoldhimthataforeignfriendofhis，whomIhadmetwithabroad，wassowretchedlypervertedtoinfidelity，thathetreatedthehopesofimmortalitywithbrutallevity；andsaid，’Asmandieslikeadog，lethimlielikeadog。’JOHNSON。’IFhedieslikeadog，LEThimlielikeadog。’Iadded，thatthismansaidtome，’Ihatemankind，forIthinkmyselfoneofthebestofthem，andI
　　knowhowbadIam。’JOHNSON。’Sir，hemustbeverysingularinhisopinion，ifhethinkshimselfoneofthebestofmen；fornoneofhisfriendsthinkhimso。’——Hesaid，’nohonestmancouldbeaDeist；fornomancouldbesoafterafairexaminationoftheproofsofChristianity。’InamedHume。JOHNSON。’No，Sir；HumeownedtoaclergymaninthebishoprickofDurham，thathehadneverreadtheNewTestamentwithattention。’ImentionedHume’snotion，thatallwhoarehappyareequallyhappy；alittlemisswithanewgownatadancingschoolball，ageneralattheheadofavictoriousarmy，andanorator，afterhavingmadeaneloquentspeechinagreatassembly。JOHNSON。’Sir，thatallwhoarehappy，areequallyhappy，isnottrue。ApeasantandaphilosophermaybeequallySATISFIED，butnotequallyHAPPY。Happinessconsistsinthemultiplicityofagreeableconsciousness。Apeasanthasnotcapacityforhavingequalhappinesswithaphilosopher。’