The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [384]
‘Please to write to me immediately, if they can be found. Make my compliments to all our friends round the world, and to Mrs. Williams at home. I am, Sir, your, &c.
‘Sam. JOHNSON.’
‘Search for the papers as soon as you can, that, if it is necessary, I may write to you again before you come down.’
On the 26th of April, I went to Bath; and on my arrival at the Pelican inn, found lying for me an obliging invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, by whom I was agreeably entertained almost constantly during my stay. They were gone to the rooms; but there was a kind note from Dr. Johnson, that he should sit at home all the evening. I went to him directly, and before Mr. and Mrs. Thrale returned, we had by ourselves some hours of tea-drinking and talk.
I shall group together such of his sayings as I preserved during the few days that I was at Bath.
Of a person608 who differed from him in politicks, he said, ‘In private life he is a very honest gentleman; but I will not allow him to be so in publick life. People may be honest, though they are doing wrong: that is between their Maker and them. But we, who are suffering by their pernicious conduct, are to destroy them. We are sure that — acts from interest. We know what his genuine principles were. They who allow their passions to confound the distinctions between right and wrong, are criminal. They may be convinced; but they have not come honestly by their conviction.’
It having been mentioned, I know not with what truth, that, a certain female political writer,609 whose doctrines he disliked, had of late become very fond of dress, sat hours together at her toilet, and even put on rouge: – JOHNSON. ‘she is better employed at her toilet, than using her pen. It is better she should be reddening her own cheeks, than blackening other people’s characters.’
He told us that ‘Addison wrote Budgell’s papers in the Spectator, at least mended them so much, that he made them almost his own; and that Draper, Tonson’s partner, assured Mrs. Johnson, that the much admired Epilogue to The Distressed Mother, which came out in Budgell’s name, was in reality written by Addison.’
‘The mode of government by one may be ill adapted to a small society, but is best for a great nation. The characteristic of our own government at present is imbecility. The magistrate dare not call the guards for fear of being hanged. The guards will not come, for fear of being given up to the blind rage of popular juries.’
Of the father610 of one of our friends, he observed, ‘He never clarified his notions, by filtrating them through other minds. He had a canal upon his estate, where at one place the bank was too low. – I dug the canal deeper, said he.’
He told me that ‘so long ago as 1748 he had read ”The Grave, a Poem,”a but did not like it much.’ I differed from him, for though it is not equal throughout, and is seldom elegantly correct, it abounds in solemn thought, and poetical imagery beyond the common reach. The world has differed from him; for the poem has passed through many editions, and is still much read by people of a serious cast of mind.
A literary lady of large fortune611 was mentioned, as one who did good to many, but by no means ‘by stealth,’ and instead of ‘blushing to find it fame,’ acted evidently from vanity. JOHNSON. ‘I have seen no beings who do as much good from benevolence, as she does, from whatever motive. If there are such under the earth, or in the clouds, I wish they would come up, or come down. What Soame Jenyns says upon this subject is not to be minded; he is a wit. No, Sir; to act from pure benevolence is not possible for finite beings. Human benevolence is mingled with vanity, interest, or some other motive.’
He would not allow me to praise a lady then at Bath;612 observing, ‘she does not gain upon me, Sir; I think her empty-headed.