es protesting so against flattery！〃 would he cry； 〃when a person speaks well of one； it must be either true or false； you know； if true； let us rejoice in his good opinion； if he lies； it is a proof at least that he loves more to please me than to sit silent when he need say nothing。〃
That natural roughness of his manner so often mentioned would； notwithstanding the regularity of his notions； burst through them all from time to time； and he once bade a very celebrated lady； who praised him with too much zeal； perhaps； or perhaps too strong an emphasis （which always offended him）； 〃Consider what her flattery was worth before she choked HIM with it。〃 A few more winters passed in the talking world showed him the value of that friend's commendations； however； and he was very sorry for the disgusting speech he made her。
I used to think Mr。 Johnson's determined preference of a cold； monotonous talker over an emphatical and violent one would make him quite a favourite among the men of ton； whose insensibility； or affectation of perpetual calmness； certainly did not give to him the offence it does to many。 He loved 〃conversation without effort；〃 he said； and the encomiums I have heard him so often pronounce on the manners of Topham Beaucler in society constantly ended in that peculiar praise； that 〃it was without EFFORT。〃
We were talking of Richardson； who wrote 〃Clarissa。〃 〃You think I love flattery；〃 says Dr。 Johnson； 〃and so I do； but a little too much always disgusts me。 That fellow Richardson； on the contrary； could not be contented to sail quietly down the stream of reputation without longing to taste the froth from every stroke of the oar。〃
With regard to slight insults from newspaper abuse； I have already declared his notions。 〃They sting one；〃 says he； 〃but as a fly stings a horse； and the eagle will not catch flies。〃 He once told me； however； that Cummyns； the famous Quaker； whose friendship he valued very highly； fell a sacrifice to their insults； having declared on his death…bed to Dr。 Johnson that the pain of an anonymous letter； written in some of the common prints of the day； fastened on his heart； and threw him into the slow fever of which he died。
Nor was Cummyns the only valuable member so lost to society。 Hawkesworth； the pious； the virtuous； and the wise； for want of that fortitude which casts a shield before the merits of his friend； fell a lamented sacrifice to wanton malice and cruelty； I know not how provoked； but all in turn feel the lash of censure in a country where； as every baby is allowed to carry a whip； no person can escape except by chance。 The unpublished crimes； unknown distresses； and even death itself； however； daily occurring in less liberal governments and less free nations； soon teach one to content oneself with such petty grievances； and make one acknowledge that the undistinguishing severity of newspaper abuse may in some measure diminish the diffusion of vice and folly in Great Britain； and while they fright delicate minds into forced refinements and affected insipidity； they are useful to the great causes of virtue in the soul and liberty in the State； and though sensibility often sinks under the roughness of their prescriptions； it would be no good policy to take away their licence。
Knowing the state of Mr。 Johnson's nerves； and how easily they were affected； I forbore reading in a new magazine； one day； the death of a Samuel Johnson who expired that month； but my companion snatching up the book； saw it himself； and contrary to my expectation； 〃Oh！〃 said he； 〃I hope Death will now be glutted with Sam Johnsons； and let me alone for some time to come； I read of another namesake's departure last week。〃 Though Mr。 Johnson was commonly affected even to agony at the thoughts of a friend's dying； he troubled himself very little with the complaints they might make to him about ill…health。 〃Dear Doctor；〃 said he one day to a common acquaintance； who lamented the tender state of his INSIDE； 〃do not be like the spider； man； and spin conversation thus incessantly out of thy own bowels。〃 I told him of another friend who suffered grievously with the gout。 〃He will live a vast many years for all that；〃 replied he； 〃and then what signifies how much he suffers！ But he will die at last； poor fellow； there's the misery； gout seldom takes the fort by a coup…de…main； but turning the siege into a blockade； obliges it to surrender at discretion。〃
A lady he thought well of was disordered in her health。 〃What help has she called in？〃 inquired Johnson。 〃Dr。 James； sir；〃 was the reply。 〃What is her disease？〃 〃Oh； nothing positive； rather a gradual and gentle decline。〃 〃She will die； then； pretty dear！〃 answered he。 〃When Death's pale horse runs away with a person on full speed； an active physician may possibly give them a turn； but if he carries them on an even； slow pace； down…hill； too！ no care nor skill can save them！〃
When Garrick was on his last sick…bed； no arguments； or recitals of such facts as I had heard； would persuade Mr。 Johnson of his danger。 He had prepossessed himself with a notion； that to say a man was sick was very near wishing him so； and few things offended him more than prognosticating even the death of an ordinary acquaintance。 〃Ay； ay；〃 said he； 〃Swift knew the world pretty well when he said that
'Some dire misfortune to portend； No enemy can match a friend。'〃
The danger； then； of Mr。 Garrick； or of Mr。 Thrale； whom he loved better； was an image which no one durst present before his view； he always persisted in the possibility and hope of their recovering disorders from which no human creatures by human means alone ever did recover。 His distress for their loss was for that very reason poignant to excess。 But his fears of his own salvation were excessive。 His truly tolerant spirit and Christian charity； which HOPETH ALL THINGS； and BELIEVETH ALL THINGS； made him rely securely on the safety of his friends； while his earnest aspiration after a blessed immortality made him cautious of his own steps； and timorous concerning their consequences。 He knew how much had been given； and filled his mind with fancies of how much would be required； till his impressed imagination was often disturbed by them； and his health suffered from the sensibility of his too tender conscience。 A real Christian is SO apt to find his talk above his power of performance！
Mr。 Johnson did not； however； give in to ridiculous refinements either of speculation or practice； or suffer himself to be deluded by specious appearances。 〃I have had dust thrown in my eyes too often；〃 would he say； 〃to be blinded so。 Let us never confound matters of belief with matters of opinion。〃 Some one urged in his presence the preference of hope to possession； and as I remember produced an Italian sonnet on the subject。 〃Let us not；〃 cries Johnson； 〃amuse ourselves with subtleties and sonnets； when speaking about hope； which is the follower of faith and the precursor of eternity； but if you only mean those air…built hopes which to…day excite and to…morrow will destroy； let us talk away； and remember that we only talk of the pleasures of hope； we feel those of possession； and no man in his senses would change the last for the first。 Such hope is a mere bubble； that by a gentle breath may be blown to what size you will almost； but a rough blast bursts it at once。 Hope is an amusement rather than a good； and adapted to none but very tranquil minds。〃 The truth is； Mr。 Johnson hated what he called unprofitable chat； and to a gentleman who had disserted some time about the natural history of the mouse〃I wonder what such a one would have said；〃 cried Johnson； 〃if he had ever had the luck to see a LION！〃
I well remember that at Brighthelmstone once； when he was not present； Mr。 Beauclerc asserted that he was afraid of spirits； and I； who was secretly offended at the charge； asked him； the first opportunity I could find； 〃what ground he had ever given to the world for such a report？〃 〃I can；〃 replied he； 〃recollect nothing nearer it than my telling Dr。 Lawrence； many years ago； that a long time after my poor mother's death I heard her voice call 'SAM！'〃 〃What answer did the Doctor make to your story； sir？〃 said I。 〃None in the world；〃 replied he； and suddenly changed the conversation。 Now； as Mr。 Johnson had a most unshaken faith； without any mixture of credulity； this story must either have been strictly true； or his persuasion of its truth the effect of disordered spirits。 I relate the anecdote precisely as he told it me； but could not prevail on him to draw out the talk into length for further satisfaction of my curiosity。
As Johnson was the firmest of believers； without being credulous； so he was the most charitable of mortals； without being what we call an active friend。 Admirable at giving counsel； no man saw his way so clearly； but he would not stir a finger for the assistance of those to whom he was willing enough to give advice： besides that； he had principles of laziness； and could be indolent by rule。 To hinder your death； or procure you a dinner； I mean if really in want of one； his earnestness； his exertions could not be prevented； though health and purse and ease were all destroyed by their violence。 If you wanted a slight favour； you must apply to people of other dispositions； for not a step would Johnson move to obtain a man a vote in a society； to repay a compliment which might be useful or pleasing； to write a letter of request； or to obtain a hundred pounds a year more for a friend； who perhaps had already two or three。 No force could urge him to diligence； no importunity could conquer his resolution of standing still。 〃What good are we doing with all this ado？〃 would he say； 〃dearest lady； let's hear no more of it！〃 I have； however； more than once in my life forced him on such services； but with extreme difficulty。
We parted at his door one evening when I had teased him for many weeks to write a recommendatory letter of a little boy to his schoolmaster； and after he had faithfully promised to do this prodigious feat before we met again〃Do not forget dear Dick； sir；〃 said I； as he went out of the coach。 He turned back； stood still two minutes on the carriage…step〃