FAITHFUL ONES.

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generously offered to advance five or six hundred pounds, on a mortgage of the present pension,-explaining the meaning of the mortgage to be, that he wished the business conducted in such a manner that our Author should appear to lie under the least possible obligation. Such delicacy and generosity combined were to be gratefully acknowledged, although the larger purpose had failed. Johnson therefore wrote the Chancellor the following letter of thanks-a noble, manly letter; with a touch of tenderness in it too :

"TO THE LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR.

"MY LORD, September, 1784. "After a long and not inattentive observation of mankind, the generosity of your Lordship's offer raises in me not less wonder than gratitude. Bounty so liberally bestowed, I should gladly receive, if my condition made it necessary; for to such a mind, who would not be proud to own his obligations? But it has pleased GOD to restore me to so great a measure of health, that if I should now appropriate so much of a fortune destined to do good, I could not escape from myself the charge of advancing a false claim. My journey to the continent, though I once thought it necessary, was never much encouraged by my physicians; and I was very desirous that your Lordship should be told of it by Sir Joshua Reynolds, as an event very uncertain; for if I grew much better, I should not be willing; if much worse, not able, to migrate. Your Lordship was first solicited without my knowledge; but, when I was told that you were pleased to honour me with your patronage, I did not expect to hear of a refusal; yet as I have had no long time to brood hope, and have not rioted in imaginary opulence, this cold reception has been scarce a disappointment; and, from your Lordship's kindness, I have received a benefit, which only men like you are able to bestow. I shall now live mihi carior, with a higher opinion of my own merit.

"I am, my Lord,

"Your Lordship's most obliged,

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Most grateful,

"And most humble servant,
"SAM. JOHNSON."

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BROTHERLY LOVE.

The Doctor was really disappointed, for he had unfortunately allowed his hopes to rise considerably while the negotiations were pending; he had said one day, "I would rather have my pension doubled than a grant of a thousand pounds; for, though probably I may not live to receive as much as a thousand pounds, a man would have the consciousness that he should pass the remainder of his life in splendour, how long soever it might be."

On that same occasion he had told his friends, what we are proud to tell over again for the honour of our race, that Dr. Brocklesby had actually offered him, out of his own pocket, a hundred a year for the rest of his life! The tears started into the Doctor's eyes as he told this splendid little story of brotherly love. What but a grand and intensely human nature could have drawn friends round about this man so? Misery may call forth pity, but only love can beget love.

TALK GRAND AS EVER.

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CHAPTER XLIII.

CONVERSATIONS-MIND CLEAR TO THE LAST-VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

(1784.)

OUR Life-Story is drawing to its close. But, before proceeding to give a short account of the Doctor's final visit to his native district, and then, in a few simple words, trying to make a picture of the last sad scene of all, we shall devote one chapter more to the record of the most interesting of his conversations during the days that have just flown away. His talk will be found as brilliant, lively, witty, intellectual, and characteristic as the very earliest specimens adduced.

When a person was mentioned who said, "I have lived fiftyone years in this world, without having had ten minutes of uneasiness," Johnson exclaimed, "The man who says so, lies he attempts to impose on human credulity."

One of the company quoted against him some words out of his own mouth--two lines from his poem on Mr. Levett: "What, Sir," cried the gentleman, "do you say to

The busy day, the peaceful night,
Unfelt, uncounted, glided by?''

This sort of reply the Doctor abominated; and he took his revenge, on this occasion, by pretty plainly accusing the speaker of being drunk: "Sir, there is one passion I would advise you to command; when you have drunk out that glass, don't drink another."

The gentleman had been perfectly right; but the Doctor's pistol had missed fire, and nothing remained for him but to knock

424

GENEROUS ESTIMATE OF BURKE.

his opponent down with the butt-end of it. For Johnson must not be defeated: he was there as the Representative of the Majesty of the Tongue, and could not allow his sovereign to be brought into contempt through him. At times, when all other means had failed, he would close the gainsayer's lips with a joke—thus: “My dear Boswell, let's have no more of this; you'll make nothing of it. I'd rather hear you whistle a Scotch tune."

BOSWELL "Mr. Burke has a constant stream of conversation." -JOHNSON: "Yes, Sir; if a man were to go by chance at the same time with Burke under a shed, to shun a shower, he would say-This is an extraordinary man.' If Burke should go into a stable to see his horse dressed, the ostler would say—'We have had an extraordinary man here.'"-BOSWELL: "Foote was a man who never failed in conversation. If he had gone into a stable—” -JOHNSON: "Sir, if he had gone into the stable, the ostler would have said, 'Here has been a comical fellow ;' but he would not have respected him."-BOSWELL: "And, Sir, the ostler would have answered him, would have given him as good as he brought, as the common saying is."-JOHNSON: "Yes, Sir; and Foote would have answered the ostler.-When Burke does not descend to be merry, his conversation is very superior indeed. There is no proportion between the powers which he shows in serious talk and in jocularity. When he lets himself down to that, he is in the

kennel."

JOHNSON: "Oh! gentlemen, I must tell you a very great thing. The Empress of Russia has ordered 'The Rambler' to be translated into the Russian language; so I shall be read on the banks of the Wolga. Horace boasts that his fame would extend as far as the banks of the Rhone; now the Wolga is farther from me than the Rhone was from Horace.”—Boswell: “You must certainly be pleased with this, Sir."-JOHNSON: "I am pleased, Sir, to be sure. A man is pleased to find he has succeeded in that which he has endeavoured to do."

A gentleman happened to say that he paid no regard to the arguments of counsel at the bar of the House of Commons, because they were paid for speaking.

THREE SIMPLE WORDS.

JOHNSON: "Nay, Sir, argument is argument.

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You cannot

help paying regard to their arguments, if they are good. If it were testimony, you might disregard it, if you knew that it was purchased. There is a beautiful image in Boyle upon this subject: Testimony is like an arrow shot from a long bow; the force of it depends on the strength of the hand that draws it. Argument is like an arrow from a cross-bow, which has equal force though shot by a child."

Our next is not a conversation, only three simple wordssimple but full of character. A clergyman being mentioned who had given up great prospects of preferment in the Church of England on his conversion to the Roman Catholic faith, Johnson exclaimed with fervour, "God bless him!" The Doctor was himself a staunch Church-of-England man, but he was a still stauncher lover of sincerity which had proved itself sincere by sacrifice. He knew very well that all the Churches are but clothes, better or worse made, for the human spirit's deepest yearnings.

Speaking of the fear of death, Boswell remarked that women, though "the weaker vessels," were not more afraid of it than men. JOHNSON : Because they are less wicked.”—Dr. ADAMS : "They are more pious."-JOHNSON: "No, hang 'em, they are not more pious. A wicked fellow is the most pious when he takes to it. He'll beat you all at piety."

Miss Adams mentioned a gentleman of licentious character, and said, "Suppose I had a mind to marry that gentleman, would my parents consent?"-JOHNSON: "Yes, they'd consent, and you'd go. You'd go, though they did not consent."-MISS ADAMS: "Perhaps their opposing might make me go."-JOHNSON: "Oh, very well; you'd take one whom you think a bad man, to have the pleasure of vexing your parents. You put me in mind of Dr. Barrowby, the physician, who was very fond of swine's flesh. One day, when he was eating it, he said, 'I wish I was a Jew.' 'Why so?' said somebody: 'the Jews are not allowed to eat your favourite meat.' 'Because,' said he, 'I should then have the gust of eating it, with the pleasure of sinning.'"