'Of his friend Cave,he always spoke with great affection."Yet (said he,)Cave,(who never looked out of his window,but with a view to the Gentleman's Magazine,)was a penurious pay-master;he would contract for lines by the hundred,and expect the long hundred;but he was a good man,and always delighted to have his friends at his table."'He said at another time,three or four days only before his death,speaking of the little fear he had of undergoing a chirurgical operation,"I would give one of these legs for a year more of life,I mean of comfortable life,not such as that which I now suffer;"--and lamented much his inability to read during his hours of restlessness;"I used formerly,(he added,)when sleepless in bed,to read like a Turk."'Whilst confined by his last illness,it was his regular practice to have the church-service read to him,by some attentive and friendly Divine.The Rev.Mr.Hoole performed this kind office in my presence for the last time,when,by his own desire,no more than the Litany was read;in which his responses were in the deep and sonorous voice which Mr.Boswell has occasionally noticed,and with the most profound devotion that can be imagined.His hearing not being quite perfect,he more than once interrupted Mr.Hoole,with "Louder,my dear Sir,louder,I entreat you,or you pray in vain!"--and,when the service was ended,he,with great earnestness,turned round to an excellent lady who was present,saying,"I thank you,Madam,very heartily,for your kindness in joining me in this solemn exercise.Live well,I conjure you;and you will not feel the compunction at the last,which I now feel."So truly humble were the thoughts which this great and good man entertained of his own approaches to religious perfection.'
Amidst the melancholy clouds which hung over the dying Johnson,his characteristical manner shewed itself on different occasions.
When Dr.Warren,in the usual style,hoped that he was better;his answer was,'No,Sir;you cannot conceive with what acceleration Iadvance towards death.'
A man whom he had never seen before was employed one night to sit up with him.Being asked next morning how he liked his attendant,his answer was,'Not at all,Sir:the fellow's an ideot;he is as aukward as a turn-spit when first put into the wheel,and as sleepy as a dormouse.'
Mr.Windham having placed a pillow conveniently to support him,he thanked him for his kindness,and said,'That will do,--all that a pillow can do.'
He requested three things of Sir Joshua Reynolds:--To forgive him thirty pounds which he had borrowed of him;to read the Bible;and never to use his pencil on a Sunday.Sir Joshua readily acquiesced.
Johnson,with that native fortitude,which,amidst all his bodily distress and mental sufferings,never forsook him,asked Dr.
Brocklesby,as a man in whom he had confidence,to tell him plainly whether he could recover.'Give me (said he,)a direct answer.'
The Doctor having first asked him if he could hear the whole truth,which way soever it might lead,and being answered that he could,declared that,in his opinion,he could not recover without a miracle.'Then,(said Johnson,)I will take no more physick,not even my opiates;for I have prayed that I may render up my soul to GOD unclouded.'In this resolution he persevered,and,at the same time,used only the weakest kinds of sustenance.Being pressed by Mr.Windham to take somewhat more generous nourishment,lest too low a diet should have the very effect which he dreaded,by debilitating his mind,he said,'I will take any thing but inebriating sustenance.'
The Reverend Mr.Strahan,who was the son of his friend,and had been always one of his great favourites,had,during his last illness,the satisfaction of contributing to soothe and comfort him.That gentleman's house,at Islington,of which he is Vicar,afforded Johnson,occasionally and easily,an agreeable change of place and fresh air;and he attended also upon him in town in the discharge of the sacred offices of his profession.
Mr.Strahan has given me the agreeable assurance,that,after being in much agitation,Johnson became quite composed,and continued so till his death.
Dr.Brocklesby,who will not be suspected of fanaticism,obliged me with the following account:--'For some time before his death,all his fears were calmed and absorbed by the prevalence of his faith,and his trust in the merits and propitiation of JESUS CHRIST.'
Johnson having thus in his mind the true Christian scheme,at once rational and consolatory,uniting justice and mercy in the Divinity,with the improvement of human nature,previous to his receiving the Holy Sacrament in his apartment,composed and fervently uttered this prayer:--'Almighty and most merciful Father,I am now as to human eyes,it seems,about to commemorate,for the last time,the death of thy Son JESUS CHRIST,our Saviour and Redeemer.Grant,O LORD,that my whole hope and confidence may be in his merits,and thy mercy;enforce and accept my imperfect repentance;make this commemoration available to the confirmation of my faith,the establishment of my hope,and the enlargement of my charity;and make the death of thy Son JESUS CHRIST effectual to my redemption.Have mercy upon me,and pardon the multitude of my offences.Bless my friends;have mercy upon all men.Support me,by thy Holy Spirit,in the days of weakness,and at the hour of death;and receive me,at my death,to everlasting happiness,for the sake of JESUS CHRIST.Amen.'
