We remained together till it was pretty late.Notwithstanding occasional explosions of violence,we were all delighted upon the whole with Johnson.I compared him at this time to a warm West-Indian climate,where you have a bright sun,quick vegetation,luxuriant foliage,luscious fruits;but where the same heat sometimes produces thunder,lightning,earthquakes,in a terrible degree.
April 17,being Good Friday,I waited on Johnson,as usual.Iobserved at breakfast that although it was a part of his abstemious discipline on this most solemn fast,to take no milk in his tea,yet when Mrs.Desmoulins inadvertently poured it in,he did not reject it.I talked of the strange indecision of mind,and imbecility in the common occurrences of life,which we may observe in some people.JOHNSON.'Why,Sir,I am in the habit of getting others to do things for me.'BOSWELL.'What,Sir!have you that weakness?'JOHNSON.'Yes,Sir.But I always think afterwards Ishould have done better for myself.'
I expressed some inclination to publish an account of my Travels upon the continent of Europe,for which I had a variety of materials collected.JOHNSON.'I do not say,Sir,you may not publish your travels;but I give you my opinion,that you would lessen yourself by it.What can you tell of countries so well known as those upon the continent of Europe,which you have visited?'BOSWELL.'But I can give an entertaining narrative,with many incidents,anecdotes,jeux d'esprit,and remarks,so as to make very pleasant reading.'JOHNSON.'Why,Sir,most modern travellers in Europe who have published their travels,have been laughed at:I would not have you added to the number.The world is now not contented to be merely entertained by a traveller's narrative;they want to learn something.Now some of my friends asked me,why I did not give some account of my travels in France.
The reason is plain;intelligent readers had seen more of France than I had.YOU might have liked my travels in France,and THECLUB might have liked them;but,upon the whole,there would have been more ridicule than good produced by them.'BOSWELL.'Icannot agree with you,Sir.People would like to read what you say of any thing.Suppose a face has been painted by fifty painters before;still we love to see it done by Sir Joshua.'JOHNSON.
'True,Sir,but Sir Joshua cannot paint a face when he has not time to look on it.'BOSWELL.'Sir,a sketch of any sort by him is valuable.And,Sir,to talk to you in your own style (raising my voice,and shaking my head,)you SHOULD have given us your travels in France.I am SURE I am right,and THERE'S AN END ON'T.'
I said to him that it was certainly true,as my friend Dempster had observed in his letter to me upon the subject,that a great part of what was in his Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland had been in his mind before he left London.JOHNSON.'Why yes,Sir,the topicks were;and books of travels will be good in proportion to what a man has previously in his mind;his knowing what to observe;his power of contrasting one mode of life with another.As the Spanish proverb says,"He,who would bring home the wealth of the Indies,must carry the wealth of the Indies with him."So it is in travelling;a man must carry knowledge with him,if he would bring home knowledge.'BOSWELL.'The proverb,I suppose,Sir,means,he must carry a large stock with him to trade with.'JOHNSON.'Yes,Sir.'
It was a delightful day:as we walked to St.Clement's church,Iagain remarked that Fleet-street was the most cheerful scene in the world.'Fleet-street (said I,)is in my mind more delightful than Tempe.'JOHNSON.'Ay,Sir;but let it be compared with Mull.'
There was a very numerous congregation to-day at St.Clement's church,which Dr.Johnson said he observed with pleasure.
And now I am to give a pretty full account of one of the most curious incidents in Johnson's life,of which he himself has made the following minute on this day:'In my return from church,I was accosted by Edwards,an old fellow-collegian,who had not seen me since 1729.He knew me,and asked if I remembered one Edwards;Idid not at first recollect the name,but gradually as we walked along,recovered it,and told him a conversation that had passed at an ale-house between us.My purpose is to continue our acquaintance.'
It was in Butcher-row that this meeting happened.Mr.Edwards,who was a decent-looking elderly man in grey clothes,and a wig of many curls,accosted Johnson with familiar confidence,knowing who he was,while Johnson returned his salutation with a courteous formality,as to a stranger.But as soon as Edwards had brought to his recollection their having been at Pembroke-College together nine-and-forty years ago,he seemed much pleased,asked where he lived,and said he should be glad to see him in Bolt-court.
EDWARDS.'Ah,Sir!we are old men now.'JOHNSON.(who never liked to think of being old,)'Don't let us discourage one another.'EDWARDS.'Why,Doctor,you look stout and hearty,I am happy to see you so;for the news-papers told us you were very ill.'JOHNSON.'Ay,Sir,they are always telling lies of US OLDFELLOWS.'
