enterthedoorofatavern，Iexperienceanoblivionofcare，andafreedomfromsolicitude：whenIamseated，Ifindthemastercourteous，andtheservantsobsequioustomycall；anxioustoknowandreadytosupplymywants：winethereexhilaratesmyspirits，andpromptsmetofreeconversationandaninterchangeofdiscoursewiththosewhomImostlove：Idogmatiseandamcontradicted，andinthisconflictofopinionsandsentimentsIfinddelight。“’——
　　BOSWELL。
　　Intheafternoon，asweweredrivenrapidlyalonginthepost-
　　chaise，hesaidtome’Lifehasnotmanythingsbetterthanthis。’
　　WestoppedatStratford-upon-Avon，anddrankteaandcoffee；anditpleasedmetobewithhimupontheclassickgroundofShakspeare’snativeplace。
　　HespokeslightinglyofDyer’sFleece——’Thesubject，Sir，cannotbemadepoetical。Howcanamanwritepoeticallyofsergesanddruggets？Yetyouwillhearmanypeopletalktoyougravelyofthatexcellentpoem，TheFleece。’HavingtalkedofGrainger’sSugar-Cane，ImentionedtohimMr。Langton’shavingtoldme，thatthispoem，whenreadinmanuscriptatSirJoshuaReynolds’s，hadmadealltheassembledwitsburstintoalaugh，when，aftermuchblank-versepomp，thepoetbegananewparagraphthus：——
　　’Now，Muse，let’ssingofrats。’
　　Andwhatincreasedtheridiculewas，thatoneofthecompany，whoslilyoverlookedthereader，perceivedthatthewordhadbeenoriginallyMICE，andhadbeenalteredtoRATS，asmoredignified。
　　Johnsonsaid，thatDr。Graingerwasanagreeableman；amanwhowoulddoanygoodthatwasinhispower。HistranslationofTibullus，hethought，wasverywelldone；butTheSugar-Cane，apoem，didnotpleasehim；for，heexclaimed，’Whatcouldhemakeofasugar-cane？Onemightaswellwritethe“Parsley-bed，aPoem；“
　　or“TheCabbage-garden，aPoem。“’BOSWELL。’Youmustthenpickleyourcabbagewiththesalatticum。’JOHNSON。’YouknowthereisalreadyTheHop-Garden，aPoem：and，Ithink，onecouldsayagreatdealaboutcabbage。Thepoemmightbeginwiththeadvantagesofcivilizedsocietyoverarudestate，exemplifiedbytheScotch，whohadnocabbagestillOliverCromwell’ssoldiersintroducedthem；
　　andonemightthusshewhowartsarepropagatedbyconquest，astheywerebytheRomanarms。’Heseemedtobemuchdivertedwiththefertilityofhisownfancy。
　　Itoldhim，thatIheardDr。PercywaswritingthehistoryofthewolfinGreat-Britain。JOHNSON。’Thewolf，Sir!whythewolf？whydoeshenotwriteofthebear，whichwehadformerly？Nay，itissaidwehadthebeaver。Orwhydoeshenotwriteofthegreyrat，theHanoverrat，asitiscalled，becauseitissaidtohavecomeintothiscountryaboutthetimethatthefamilyofHanovercame？
　　IshouldliketoseeTheHistoryoftheGreyRat，byThomasPercy，D。D。，ChaplaininOrdinarytohisMajesty，’laughingimmoderately。BOSWELL。’Iamafraidacourtchaplaincouldnotdecentlywriteofthegreyrat。’JOHNSON。’Sir，heneednotgiveitthenameoftheHanoverrat。’Thuscouldheindulgealuxuriantsportiveimagination，whentalkingofafriendwhomhelovedandesteemed。
　　OnFriday，March22，havingsetoutearlyfromHenley，wherewehadlaintheprecedingnight，wearrivedatBirminghamaboutnineo’clock，and，afterbreakfast，wenttocallonhisoldschoolfellowMr。Hector。Averystupidmaid，whoopenedthedoor，toldus，that’hermasterwasgoneout；hewasgonetothecountry；shecouldnottellwhenhewouldreturn。’Inshort，shegaveusamiserablereception；andJohnsonobserved，’Shewouldhavebehavednobettertopeoplewhowantedhiminthewayofhisprofession。’Hesaidtoher，’MynameisJohnson；tellhimIcalled。Willyourememberthename？’Sheansweredwithrusticksimplicity，intheWarwickshirepronunciation，’Idon’tunderstandyou，Sir。’——’Blockhead，saidhe，I’llwrite。’Ineverheardthewordblockheadappliedtoawomanbefore，thoughIdonotseewhyitshouldnot，whenthereisevidentoccasionforit。He，however，madeanotherattempttomakeherunderstandhim，androaredloudinherear，’Johnson，’andthenshecatchedthesound。
　　WenextcalledonMr。Lloyd，oneofthepeoplecalledQuakers。Hetoowasnotathome；butMrs。Lloydwas，andreceiveduscourteously，andaskedustodinner。Johnsonsaidtome，’AftertheuncertaintyofallhumanthingsatHector’s，thisinvitationcameverywell。’Wewalkedaboutthetown，andhewaspleasedtoseeitincreasing。
　　Mr。Lloydjoinedusinthestreet；andinalittlewhilewemetFriendHector，asMr。Lloydcalledhim。ItgavemepleasuretoobservethejoywhichJohnsonandheexpressedonseeingeachotheragain。Mr。LloydandIleftthemtogether，whileheobliginglyshewedmesomeofthemanufacturesofthisverycuriousassemblageofartificers。WeallmetatdinneratMr。Lloyd’s，wherewewereentertainedwithgreathospitality。Mr。andMrs。LloydhadbeenmarriedthesameyearwiththeirMajesties，andlikethem，hadbeenblessedwithanumerousfamilyoffinechildren，theirnumbersbeingexactlythesame。Johnsonsaid，’Marriageisthebeststateforamaningeneral；andeverymanisaworseman，inproportionasheisunfitforthemarriedstate。’
　　Dr。Johnsonsaidtomeinthemorning，’Youwillsee，Sir，atMr。
　　Hector’s，hissister，Mrs。Careless，aclergyman’swidow。ShewasthefirstwomanwithwhomIwasinlove。Itdroptoutofmyheadimperceptibly；butsheandIshallalwayshaveakindnessforeachother。’Helaughedatthenotionthatamannevercanbereallyinlovebutonce，andconsidereditasamereromantickfancy。
　　OnourreturnfromMr。Bolton’s，Mr。Hectortookmetohishouse，wherewefoundJohnsonsittingplacidlyattea，withhisfirstlove；who，thoughnowadvancedinyears，wasagenteelwoman，veryagreeable，andwell-bred。
　　JohnsonlamentedtoMr。Hectorthestateofoneoftheirschool-
　　fellows，Mr。CharlesCongreve，aclergyman，whichhethusdescribed：’Heobtained，Ibelieve，considerableprefermentinIreland，butnowlivesinLondon，quiteasavaletudinarian，afraidtogointoanyhousebuthisown。Hetakesashortairinginhispost-chaiseeveryday。Hehasanelderlywoman，whomhecallscousin，wholiveswithhim，andjogshiselbowwhenhisglasshasstoodtoolongempty，andencourageshimindrinking，inwhichheisverywillingtobeencouraged；notthathegetsdrunk，forheisaverypiousman，butheisalwaysmuddy。Heconfessestoonebottleofporteveryday，andheprobablydrinksmore。Heisquiteunsocial；hisconversationisquitemonosyllabical：andwhen，atmylastvisit，Iaskedhimwhataclockitwas？thatsignalofmydeparturehadsopleasinganeffectonhim，thathesprunguptolookathiswatch，likeagreyhoundboundingatahare。’WhenJohnsontookleaveofMr。Hector，hesaid，’Don’tgrowlikeCongreve；norletmegrowlikehim，whenyouarenearme。’
　　WhenheagaintalkedofMrs。Carelessto-night，heseemedtohavehadhisaffectionrevived；forhesaid，’IfIhadmarriedher，itmighthavebeenashappyforme。’BOSWELL。’Pray，Sir，doyounotsupposethattherearefiftywomenintheworld，withanyoneofwhomamanmaybeashappy，aswithanyonewomaninparticular？’
　　JOHNSON。’Ay，Sir，fiftythousand。’BOSWELL。’Then，Sir，youarenotofopinionwithsomewhoimaginethatcertainmenandcertainwomenaremadeforeachother；andthattheycannotbehappyiftheymisstheircounterparts？’JOHNSON。’Tobesurenot，Sir。I
　　believemarriageswouldingeneralbeashappy，andoftenmoreso，iftheywereallmadebytheLordChancellor，uponadueconsiderationofcharactersandcircumstances，withoutthepartieshavinganychoiceinthematter。’
　　IwishedtohavestaidatBirminghamto-night，tohavetalkedmorewithMr。Hector；butmyfriendwasimpatienttoreachhisnativecity；sowedroveonthatstageinthedark，andwerelongpensiveandsilent。WhenwecamewithinthefocusoftheLichfieldlamps，’Nowsaidhe，wearegettingoutofastateofdeath。’WeputupattheThreeCrowns，notoneofthegreatinns，butagoodoldfashionedone，whichwaskeptbyMr。Wilkins，andwastheverynexthousetothatinwhichJohnsonwasbornandbroughtup，andwhichwasstillhisownproperty。Wehadacomfortablesupper，andgotintohighspirits。IfeltallmyToryismglowinthisoldcapitalofStaffordshire。Icouldhaveofferedincensegenioloci；andI
　　indulgedinlibationsofthatale，whichBoniface，inTheBeauxStratagem，recommendswithsuchaneloquentjollity。
　　NextmorningheintroducedmetoMrs。LucyPorter，hisstep-
　　daughter。Shewasnowanoldmaid，withmuchsimplicityofmanner。
　　ShehadneverbeeninLondon。Herbrother，aCaptaininthenavy，hadleftherafortuneoftenthousandpounds；aboutathirdofwhichshehadlaidoutinbuildingastatelyhouse，andmakingahandsomegarden，inanelevatedsituationinLichfield。Johnson，whenherebyhimself，usedtoliveatherhouse。Shereverencedhim，andhehadaparentaltendernessforher。
　　WethenvisitedMr。PeterGarrick，whohadthatmorningreceivedaletterfromhisbrotherDavid，announcingourcomingtoLichfield。
　　Hewasengagedtodinner，butaskedustotea，andtosleepathishouse。Johnson，however，wouldnotquithisoldacquaintanceWilkins，oftheThreeCrowns。ThefamilylikenessoftheGarrickswasverystriking；andJohnsonthoughtthatDavid’svivacitywasnotsopeculiartohimselfaswassupposed。’Sir，saidhe，I
　　don’tknowbutifPeterhadcultivatedalltheartsofgaietyasmuchasDavidhasdone，hemighthavebeenasbriskandlively。
　　Dependuponit，Sir，vivacityismuchanart，anddependsgreatlyonhabit。’Ibelievethereisagooddealoftruthinthis，notwithstandingaludicrousstorytoldmebyaladyabroad，ofaheavyGermanbaron，whohadlivedmuchwiththeyoungEnglishatGeneva，andwasambitioustobeaslivelyasthey；withwhichview，he，withassiduousexertion，wasjumpingoverthetablesandchairsinhislodgings；andwhenthepeopleofthehouseraninandasked，withsurprize，whatwasthematter，heanswered，’Sh’apprenst’etrefif。’
　　Wedinedatourinn，andhadwithusaMr。Jackson，oneofJohnson’sschoolfellows，whomhetreatedwithmuchkindness，thoughheseemedtobealowman，dullanduntaught。Hehadacoarsegreycoat，blackwaistcoat，greasyleatherbreeches，andayellowuncurledwig；andhiscountenancehadtheruddinesswhichbetokensonewhoisinnohasteto’leavehiscan。’Hedrankonlyale。HehadtriedtobeacutleratBirmingham，buthadnotsucceeded；andnowhelivedpoorlyathome，andhadsomeschemeofdressingleatherinabettermannerthancommon；tohisindistinctaccountofwhich，Dr。Johnsonlistenedwithpatientattention，thathemightassisthimwithhisadvice。Herewasaninstanceofgenuinehumanityandrealkindnessinthisgreatman，whohasbeenmostunjustlyrepresentedasaltogetherharshanddestituteoftenderness。Athousandsuchinstancesmighthavebeenrecordedinthecourseofhislonglife；thoughthathistemperwaswarmandhasty，andhismanneroftenrough，cannotbedenied。