AfterdinnerourconversationfirstturneduponPope。Johnsonsaid，hischaractersofmenwereadmirablydrawn，thoseofwomennotsowell。Herepeatedtous，inhisforciblemelodiousmanner，theconcludinglinesoftheDunciad。Whilehewastalkingloudlyinpraiseofthoselines，oneofthecompany*venturedtosay，’Toofineforsuchapoem：——apoemonwhat？’JOHNSON，withadisdainfullook，’Why，onDUNCES。Itwasworthwhilebeingaduncethen。Ah，Sir，hadstTHOUlivedinthosedays!Itisnotworthwhile’beingaduncenow，whentherearenowits。’
　　Bickerstaffobserved，asapeculiarcircumstance，thatPope’sfamewashigherwhenhewasalivethanitwasthen。Johnsonsaid，hisPastoralswerepoorthings，thoughtheversificationwasfine。Hetoldus，withhighsatisfaction，theanecdoteofPope’sinquiringwhowastheauthourofhisLondon，andsaying，hewillbesoondeterre。Heobserved，thatinDryden’spoetrytherewerepassagesdrawnfromaprofunditywhichPopecouldneverreach。Herepeatedsomefinelinesonlove，bytheformer，whichIhavenowforgotten，andgavegreatapplausetothecharacterofZimri。
　　Goldsmithsaid，thatPope’scharacterofAddisonshewedadeepknowledgeofthehumanheart。Johnsonsaid，thatthedescriptionofthetemple，inTheMourningBride，wasthefinestpoeticalpassagehehadeverread；herecollectednoneinShakspeareequaltoit。’But，saidGarrick，allalarmedforthe’Godofhisidolatry，’weknownottheextentandvarietyofhispowers。Wearetosupposetherearesuchpassagesinhisworks。Shakspearemustnotsufferfromthebadnessofourmemories。’Johnson，divertedbythisenthusiastickjealousy，wentonwithgreaterardour：’No，Sir；CongrevehasNATURE；’smilingonthetragickeagernessofGarrick；butcomposinghimself，headded，’Sir，thisisnotcomparingCongreveonthewhole，withShakspeareonthewhole；butonlymaintainingthatCongrevehasonefinerpassagethananythatcanbefoundinShakspeare。Sir，amanmayhavenomorethantenguineasintheworld，buthemayhavethosetenguineasinonepiece；andsomayhaveafinerpiecethanamanwhohastenthousandpounds：butthenhehasonlyoneten-guineapiece。
　　WhatImeanis，thatyoucanshewmenopassagewherethereissimplyadescriptionofmaterialobjects，withoutanyintermixtureofmoralnotions，whichproducessuchaneffect。’Mr。MurphymentionedShakspeare’sdescriptionofthenightbeforethebattleofAgincourt；butitwasobserved，ithadMENinit。Mr。DaviessuggestedthespeechofJuliet，inwhichshefiguresherselfawakinginthetombofherancestors。SomeonementionedthedescriptionofDoverCliff。JOHNSON。’No，Sir；itshouldbeallprecipice，——allvacuum。Thecrowsimpedeyourfall。Thediminishedappearanceoftheboats，andothercircumstances，areallverygooddescriptions；butdonotimpressthemindatoncewiththehorribleideaofimmenseheight。Theimpressionisdivided；youpassonbycomputation，fromonestageofthetremendousspacetoanother。HadthegirlinTheMourningBridesaid，shecouldnotcasthershoetothetopofoneofthepillarsinthetemple，itwouldnothaveaidedtheidea，butweakenedit。’
　　*Everyoneguessesthat’oneofthecompany’wasBoswell——HILL。
　　TalkingofaBarristerwhohadabadutterance，someone，torouseJohnson，wickedlysaid，thathewasunfortunateinnothavingbeentaughtoratorybySheridan。JOHNSON。’Nay，Sir，ifhehadbeentaughtbySheridan，hewouldhaveclearedtheroom。’GARRICK。
　　’Sheridanhastoomuchvanitytobeagoodman。’WeshallnowseeJohnson’smodeofDEFENDINGaman；takinghimintohisownhands，anddiscriminating。JOHNSON。’No，Sir。Thereis，tobesure，inSheridan，somethingtoreprehend，andeverythingtolaughat；but，Sir，heisnotabadman。No，Sir；weremankindtobedividedintogoodandbad，hewouldstandconsiderablywithintheranksofgood。
　　And，Sir，itmustbeallowedthatSheridanexcelsinplaindeclamation，thoughhecanexhibitnocharacter。’
　　Mrs。Montagu，aladydistinguishedforhavingwrittenanEssayonShakspeare，beingmentioned；REYNOLDS。’Ithinkthatessaydoesherhonour。’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir：itdoesHERhonour，butitwoulddonobodyelsehonour。Ihave，indeed，notreaditall。ButwhenItakeuptheendofaweb，andfinditpackthread，Idonotexpect，bylookingfurther，tofindembroidery。Sir，Iwillventuretosay，thereisnotonesentenceoftruecriticisminherbook。’GARRICK。’But，Sir，surelyitshewshowmuchVoltairehasmistakenShakspeare，whichnobodyelsehasdone。’JOHNSON。’Sir，nobodyelsehasthoughtitworthwhile。Andwhatmeritisthereinthat？Youmayaswellpraiseaschoolmasterforwhippingaboywhohasconstruedill。No，Sir，thereisnorealcriticisminit：noneshewingthebeautyofthought，asformedontheworkingsofthehumanheart。’
　　TheadmirersofthisEssaymaybeoffendedattheslightingmannerinwhichJohnsonspokeofit；butletitberemembered，thathegavehishonestopinionunbiassedbyanyprejudice，oranyproudjealousyofawomanintrudingherselfintothechairofcriticism；
　　forSirJoshuaReynoldshastoldme，thatwhentheEssayfirstcameout，anditwasnotknownwhohadwrittenit，JohnsonwonderedhowSirJoshuacouldlikeit。AtthistimeSirJoshuahimselfhadreceivednoinformationconcerningtheauthour，exceptbeingassuredbyoneofourmosteminentliterati，thatitwasclearitsauthourdidnotknowtheGreektragediesintheoriginal。OnedayatSirJoshua’stable，whenitwasrelatedthatMrs。Montagu，inanexcessofcomplimenttotheauthourofamoderntragedy，hadexclaimed，’ItrembleforShakspeare；’Johnsonsaid，’WhenShakspearehasgot——forhisrival，andMrs。Montaguforhisdefender，heisinapoorstateindeed。’
　　OnThursday，October19，Ipassedtheeveningwithhimathishouse。HeadvisedmetocompleteaDictionaryofwordspeculiartoScotland，ofwhichIshewedhimaspecimen。’Sir，saidhe，Rayhasmadeacollectionofnorth-countrywords。Bycollectingthoseofyourcountry，youwilldoausefulthingtowardsthehistoryofthelanguage。HebademealsogoonwithcollectionswhichIwasmakingupontheantiquitiesofScotland。’Makealargebook；afolio。’BOSWELL。’Butofwhatusewillitbe，Sir？’JOHNSON。
　　’Nevermindtheuse；doit。’
　　IcomplainedthathehadnotmentionedGarrickinhisPrefacetoShakspeare；andaskedhimifhedidnotadmirehim。JOHNSON。
　　’Yes，as“apoorplayer，whofretsandstrutshishouruponthestage；“——asashadow。’BOSWELL。’ButhashenotbroughtShakspeareintonotice？’JOHNSON。’Sir，toallowthat，wouldbetolampoontheage。ManyofShakspeare’splaysaretheworseforbeingacted：Macbeth，forinstance。’BOSWELL。’What，Sir，isnothinggainedbydecorationandaction？Indeed，IdowishthatyouhadmentionedGarrick。’JOHNSON。’MydearSir，hadI
　　mentionedhim，Imusthavementionedmanymore：Mrs。Pritchard，Mrs。Cibber，——nay，andMr。Cibbertoo；hetooalteredShakspeare。’
　　BOSWELL。’Youhavereadhisapology，Sir？’JOHNSON。’Yes，itisveryentertaining。ButasforCibberhimself，takingfromhisconversationallthatheoughtnottohavesaid，hewasapoorcreature。IrememberwhenhebroughtmeoneofhisOdestohavemyopinionofit；Icouldnotbearsuchnonsense，andwouldnotlethimreadittotheend；solittlerespecthadIforTHATGREATMAN!
　　laughing。YetIrememberRichardsonwonderingthatIcouldtreathimwithfamiliarity。’
　　ImentionedtohimthatIhadseentheexecutionofseveralconvictsatTyburn，twodaysbefore，andthatnoneofthemseemedtobeunderanyconcern。JOHNSON。’Mostofthem，Sir，haveneverthoughtatall。’BOSWELL。’Butisnotthefearofdeathnaturaltoman？’JOHNSON。’Somuchso，Sir，thatthewholeoflifeisbutkeepingawaythethoughtsofit。’Hethen，inalowandearnesttone，talkedofhismeditatingupontheawefulhourofhisowndissolution，andinwhatmannerheshouldconducthimselfuponthatoccasion：’Iknownotsaidhe，whetherIshouldwishtohaveafriendbyme，orhaveitallbetweenGODandmyself。’
　　Talkingofourfeelingforthedistressesofothers；——JOHNSON。
　　’Why，Sir，thereismuchnoisemadeaboutit，butitisgreatlyexaggerated。No，Sir，wehaveacertaindegreeoffeelingtopromptustodogood：morethanthat，Providencedoesnotintend。
　　Itwouldbemiserytonopurpose。’BOSWELL。’Butsupposenow，Sir，thatoneofyourintimatefriendswereapprehendedforanoffenceforwhichhemightbehanged。’JOHNSON。’IshoulddowhatIcouldtobailhim，andgivehimanyotherassistance；butifhewereoncefairlyhanged，Ishouldnotsuffer。’BOSWELL。’Wouldyoueatyourdinnerthatday，Sir？’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir；andeatitasifhewereeatingitwithme。Why，there’sBaretti，whoistobetriedforhislifeto-morrow，friendshaverisenupforhimoneveryside；yetifheshouldbehanged，noneofthemwilleatasliceofplumb-puddingtheless。Sir，thatsympatheticfeelinggoesaverylittlewayindepressingthemind。’
　　ItoldhimthatIhaddinedlatelyatFoote’s，whoshewedmealetterwhichhehadreceivedfromTomDavies，tellinghimthathehadnotbeenabletosleepfromtheconcernwhichhefeltonaccountof’ThissadaffairofBaretti，’beggingofhimtotryifhecouldsuggestanythingthatmightbeofservice；and，atthesametime，recommendingtohimanindustriousyoungmanwhokeptapickle-shop。JOHNSON。’Ay，Sir，hereyouhaveaspecimenofhumansympathy；afriendhanged，andacucumberpickled。WeknownotwhetherBarettiorthepickle-manhaskeptDaviesfromsleep；nordoesheknowhimself。Andastohisnotsleeping，Sir；TomDaviesisaverygreatman；Tomhasbeenuponthestage，andknowshowtodothosethings。Ihavenotbeenuponthestage，andcannotdothosethings。’BOSWELL。’Ihaveoftenblamedmyself，Sir，fornotfeelingforothersassensiblyasmanysaytheydo。’JOHNSON。
　　’Sir，don’tbedupedbythemanymore。Youwillfindtheseveryfeelingpeoplearenotveryreadytodoyougood。TheyPAYyoubyFEELING。’
　　BOSWELL。’Footehasagreatdealofhumour？’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir。’BOSWELL。’Hehasasingulartalentofexhibitingcharacter。’JOHNSON。’Sir，itisnotatalent；itisavice；itiswhatothersabstainfrom。Itisnotcomedy，whichexhibitsthecharacterofaspecies，asthatofamisergatheredfrommanymisers：itisfarce，whichexhibitsindividuals。’BOSWELL。’Didnothethinkofexhibitingyou，Sir？’JOHNSON。’Sir，fearrestrainedhim；heknewIwouldhavebrokenhisbones。Iwouldhavesavedhimthetroubleofcuttingoffaleg；Iwouldnothavelefthimalegtocutoff。’BOSWELL。’Pray，Sir，isnotFooteaninfidel？’JOHNSON。’Idonotknow，Sir，thatthefellowisaninfidel；butifhebeaninfidel，heisaninfidelasadogisaninfidel；thatistosay，hehasneverthoughtuponthesubject。’*
　　BOSWELL。’Isuppose，Sir，hehasthoughtsuperficially，andseizedthefirstnotionswhichoccurredtohismind。’JOHNSON。’Whythen，Sir，stillheislikeadog，thatsnatchesthepiecenexthim。Didyouneverobservethatdogshavenotthepowerofcomparing？Adogwilltakeasmallbitofmeatasreadilyasalarge，whenbotharebeforehim。’
　　*WhenMr。FootewasatEdinburgh，hethoughtfittoentertainanumerousScotchcompany，withagreatdealofcoarsejocularity，attheexpenseofDr。Johnson，imaginingitwouldbeacceptable。I