’CHAP。LXXII。Concerningsnakes。
　　’Therearenosnakestobemetwiththroughoutthewholeisland。’
　　Mr。TophamBeauclerkcameintheevening，andheandDr。JohnsonandIstaidtosupper。ItwasmentionedthatDr。DoddhadoncewishedtobeamemberofTHELITERARYCLUB。JOHNSON。’IshouldbesorryifanyofourClubwerehanged。Iwillnotsaybutsomeofthemdeserveit。’BEAUCLERK。supposingthistobeaimedatpersonsforwhomhehadatthattimeawonderfulfancy，which，however，didnotlastlong，wasirritated，andeagerlysaid，’You，Sir，haveafriend，naminghimwhodeservestobehanged；forhespeaksbehindtheirbacksagainstthosewithwhomhelivesonthebestterms，andattackstheminthenewspapers。HEcertainlyoughttobeKICKED。’JOHNSON。’Sir，wealldothisinsomedegree，“Veniampetimusdamusquevicissim。“Tobesureitmaybedonesomuch，thatamanmaydeservetobekicked。’BEAUCLERK。’Heisverymalignant。’JOHNSON。’No，Sir；heisnotmalignant。Heismischievous，ifyouwill。Hewoulddonomananessentialinjury；
　　hemay，indeed，lovetomakesportofpeoplebyvexingtheirvanity。I，however，onceknewanoldgentlemanwhowasabsolutelymalignant。Hereallywishedeviltoothers，andrejoicedatit。’
　　BOSWELL。’Thegentleman，Mr。Beauclerk，againstwhomyouaresoviolent，is，Iknow，amanofgoodprinciples。’BEAUCLERK。’Thenhedoesnotwearthemoutinpractice。’
　　Dr。Johnson，who，asIhaveobservedbefore，delightedindiscriminationofcharacter，andhavingamasterlyknowledgeofhumannature，waswillingtotakemenastheyare，imperfectandwithamixtureofgoodandbadqualities，Isupposethoughhehadsaidenoughindefenceofhisfriend，ofwhosemerits，notwithstandinghisexceptionalpoints，hehadajustvalue；andaddednomoreonthesubject。
　　OnWednesday，April15，IdinedwithDr。JohnsonatMr。Dilly’s，andwasinhighspirits，forIhadbeenagoodpartofthemorningwithMr。Orme，theableandeloquenthistorianofHindostan，whoexpressedagreatadmirationofJohnson。’Idonotcaresaidhe，
　　onwhatsubjectJohnsontalks；butIlovebettertohearhimtalkthananybody。Heeithergivesyounewthoughts，oranewcolouring。Itisashametothenationthathehasnotbeenmoreliberallyrewarded。HadIbeenGeorgetheThird，andthoughtashedidaboutAmerica，IwouldhavegivenJohnsonthreehundredayearforhisTaxationnoTyrannyalone。’Irepeatedthis，andJohnsonwasmuchpleasedwithsuchpraisefromsuchamanasOrme。
　　AtMr。Dilly’sto-daywereMrs。Knowles，theingeniousQuakerlady，MissSeward，thepoetessofLichfield，theReverendDr。Mayo，andtheRev。Mr。Beresford，TutortotheDukeofBedford。BeforedinnerDr。JohnsonseizeduponMr。CharlesSheridan’sAccountofthelateRevolutioninSweden，andseemedtoreaditravenously，asifhedevouredit，whichwastoallappearancehismethodofstudying。’HeknowshowtoreadbetterthananyonesaidMrs。
　　Knowles；hegetsatthesubstanceofabookdirectly；hetearsouttheheartofit。’Hekeptitwraptupinthetableclothinhislapduringthetimeofdinner，fromanaviditytohaveoneentertainmentinreadinesswhenheshouldhavefinishedanother；
　　resemblingifImayusesocoarseasimileadogwhoholdsaboneinhispawsinreserve，whileheeatssomethingelsewhichhasbeenthrowntohim。
　　ThesubjectofcookeryhavingbeenverynaturallyintroducedatatablewhereJohnson，whoboastedofthenicenessofhispalate，ownedthat’healwaysfoundagooddinner，’hesaid，’Icouldwriteabetterbookofcookerythanhaseveryetbeenwritten；itshouldbeabookuponphilosophicalprinciples。Pharmacyisnowmademuchmoresimple。Cookerymaybemadesotoo。Aprescriptionwhichisnowcompoundedoffiveingredients，hadformerlyfiftyinit。Soincookery，ifthenatureoftheingredientsbewellknown，muchfewerwilldo。Thenasyoucannotmakebadmeatgood，Iwouldtellwhatisthebestbutcher’smeat，thebestbeef，thebestpieces；
　　howtochooseyoungfowls；theproperseasonsofdifferentvegetables；andthenhowtoroastandboil，andcompound。’DILLY。
　　’Mrs。Glasse’sCookery，whichisthebest，waswrittenbyDr。Hill。
　　HalftheTRADEknowthis。’JOHNSON。’Well，Sir。Thisshewshowmuchbetterthesubjectofcookerymaybetreatedbyaphilosopher。
　　IdoubtifthebookbewrittenbyDr。Hill；for，inMrs。Glasse’sCookery，whichIhavelookedinto，salt-petreandsal-prunellaarespokenofasdifferentsubstanceswhereassal-prunellaisonlysalt-petreburntoncharcoal；andHillcouldnotbeignorantofthis。However，asthegreatestpartofsuchabookismadebytranscription，thismistakemayhavebeencarelesslyadopted。ButyoushallseewhataBookofCookeryIshallmake!IshallagreewithMr。Dillyforthecopy-right。’MissSEWARD。’ThatwouldbeHerculeswiththedistaffindeed。’JOHNSON。’No，Madam。Womencanspinverywell；buttheycannotmakeagoodbookofCookery。’
　　Mrs。Knowlesaffectedtocomplainthatmenhadmuchmorelibertyallowedthemthanwomen。JOHNSON。’Why，Madam，womenhaveallthelibertytheyshouldwishtohave。Wehaveallthelabourandthedanger，andthewomenalltheadvantage。Wegotosea，webuildhouses，wedoeverything，inshort，topayourcourttothewomen。’
　　MRS。KNOWLES。’TheDoctorreasonsverywittily，butnotconvincingly。Now，taketheinstanceofbuilding；themason’swife，ifsheiseverseeninliquor，isruined；themasonmaygethimselfdrunkasoftenashepleases，withlittlelossofcharacter；nay，maylethiswifeandchildrenstarve。’JOHNSON。
　　’Madam，youmustconsider，ifthemasondoesgethimselfdrunk，andlethiswifeandchildrenstarve，theparishwillobligehimtofindsecurityfortheirmaintenance。Wehavedifferentmodesofrestrainingevil。Stocksforthemen，aducking-stoolforwomen，andapoundforbeasts。Ifwerequiremoreperfectionfromwomenthanfromourselves，itisdoingthemhonour。Andwomenhavenotthesametemptationsthatwehave：theymayalwaysliveinvirtuouscompany；menmustmixintheworldindiscriminately。Ifawomanhasnoinclinationtodowhatiswrongbeingsecuredfromitisnorestrainttoher。IamatlibertytowalkintotheThames；butifIweretotryit，myfriendswouldrestrainmeinBedlam，andI
　　shouldbeobligedtothem。’MRS。KNOWLES。’Still，Doctor，I
　　cannothelpthinkingitahardshipthatmoreindulgenceisallowedtomenthantowomen。Itgivesasuperioritytomen，towhichIdonotseehowtheyareentitled。’JOHNSON。’Itisplain，Madam，oneorothermusthavethesuperiority。AsShakspearesays，“Iftwomenrideonahorse，onemustridebehind。“’DILLY。’Isuppose，Sir，Mrs。Knowleswouldhavethemtorideinpanniers，oneoneachside。’JOHNSON。’Then，Sir，thehorsewouldthrowthemboth。’
　　MRS。KNOWLES。’Well，Ihopethatinanotherworldthesexeswillbeequal。’BOSWELL。’Thatisbeingtooambitious，Madam。WE
　　mightaswelldesiretobeequalwiththeangels。Weshallall，I
　　hope，behappyinafuturestate，butwemustnotexpecttobeallhappyinthesamedegree。Itisenoughifwebehappyaccordingtoourseveralcapacities。AworthycarmanwillgettoheavenaswellasSirIsaacNewton。Yet，thoughequallygood，theywillnothavethesamedegreesofhappiness。’JOHNSON。’Probablynot。’
　　Dr。MayohavingaskedJohnson’sopinionofSoameJenyns’sViewoftheInternalEvidenceoftheChristianReligion；——JOHNSON。’I
　　thinkitaprettybook；notverytheologicalindeed；andthereseemstobeanaffectationofeaseandcarelessness，asifitwerenotsuitabletohischaractertobeveryseriousaboutthematter。’
　　BOSWELL。’Hemayhaveintendedthistointroducehisbookthebetteramonggenteelpeople，whomightbeunwillingtoreadtoograveatreatise。Thereisagenerallevityintheage。Wehavephysiciansnowwithbag-wigs；maywenothaveairydivines，atleastsomewhatlesssolemnintheirappearancethantheyusedtobe？’JOHNSON。’Jenynsmightmeanasyousay。’BOSWELL。’YOU
　　shouldlikehisbook，Mrs。Knowles，asitmaintains，asyouFRIENDS
　　do，thatcourageisnotaChristianvirtue。’MRS。KNOWLES。’Yes，indeed，Ilikehimthere；butIcannotagreewithhim，thatfriendshipisnotaChristianvirtue。’JOHNSON。’Why，Madam，strictlyspeaking，heisright。Allfriendshipispreferringtheinterestofafriend，totheneglect，or，perhaps，againsttheinterestofothers；sothatanoldGreeksaid，“HethathasFRIENDS
　　hasNOFRIEND。“NowChristianityrecommendsuniversalbenevolence，toconsiderallmenasourbrethren，whichiscontrarytothevirtueoffriendship，asdescribedbytheancientphilosophers。
　　Surely，Madam，yoursectmustapproveofthis；for，youcallallmenFRIENDS。’MRS。KNOWLES。’Wearecommandedtodogoodtoallmen，“butespeciallytothemwhoareofthehouseholdofFaith。“’
　　JOHNSON。’Well，Madam。ThehouseholdofFaithiswideenough。’
　　MRS。KNOWLES。’But，Doctor，ourSaviourhadtwelveApostles，yettherewasONEwhomheLOVED。Johnwascalled“thedisciplewhomJESUSloved。“’JOHNSON。witheyessparklingbenignantly，’Verywell，indeed，Madam。Youhavesaidverywell。’BOSWELL。’Afineapplication。Pray，Sir，hadyoueverthoughtofit？’JOHNSON。’I
　　hadnot，Sir。’
　　Fromthispleasingsubject，he，Iknownothoworwhy，madeasuddentransitiontooneuponwhichhewasaviolentaggressor；forhesaid，’Iamwillingtoloveallmankind，EXCEPTANAMERICAN：’
　　andhisinflammablecorruptionburstingintohorridfire，he’breathedoutthreateningsandslaughter；’callingthem，Rascals——
　　Robbers——Pirates；’andexclaiming，he’d’burnanddestroythem。’
　　MissSeward，lookingtohimwithmildbutsteadyastonishment，said，’Sir，thisisaninstancethatwearealwaysmostviolentagainstthosewhomwehaveinjured。’Hewasirritatedstillmorebythisdelicateandkeenreproach；androaredoutanothertremendousvolley，whichonemightfancycouldbeheardacrosstheAtlantick。DuringthistempestIsatingreatuneasiness，lamentinghisheatoftemper；till，bydegrees，Idivertedhisattentiontoothertopicks。
　　TalkingofMiss——，aliterarylady，hesaid，’IwasobligedtospeaktoMissReynolds，toletherknowthatIdesiredshewouldnotflattermesomuch。’Somebodynowobserved，’SheflattersGarrick。’JOHNSON。’SheisintherighttoflatterGarrick。Sheisintherightfortworeasons；first，becauseshehastheworldwithher，whohavebeenpraisingGarrickthesethirtyyears；andsecondly，becausesheisrewardedforitbyGarrick。WhyshouldsheflatterME？Icandonothingforher。Lethercarryherpraisetoabettermarket。ThenturningtoMrs。Knowles。You，Madam，havebeenflatteringmealltheevening；IwishyouwouldgiveBoswellalittlenow。IfyouknewhismeritaswellasIdo，youwouldsayagreatdeal；heisthebesttravellingcompanionintheworld。’