We this day dined at Sir Joshua Reynolds's,with General Paoli,Lord Eliot,(formerly Mr.Eliot,of Port Eliot,)Dr.Beattie,and some other company.Talking of Lord Chesterfield;--JOHNSON.'His manner was exquisitely elegant,and he had more knowledge than Iexpected.'BOSWELL.'Did you find,Sir,his conversation to be of a superiour style?'JOHNSON.'Sir,in the conversation which Ihad with him I had the best right to superiority,for it was upon philology and literature.'Lord Eliot,who had travelled at the same time with Mr.Stanhope,Lord Chesterfield's natural son,justly observed,that it was strange that a man who shewed he had so much affection for his son as Lord Chesterfield did,by writing so many long and anxious letters to him,almost all of them when he was Secretary of State,which certainly was a proof of great goodness of disposition,should endeavour to make his son a rascal.
His Lordship told us,that Foote had intended to bring on the stage a father who had thus tutored his son,and to shew the son an honest man to every one else,but practising his father's maxims upon him,and cheating him.JOHNSON.'I am much pleased with this design;but I think there was no occasion to make the son honest at all.No;he should be a consummate rogue:the contrast between honesty and knavery would be the stronger.It should be contrived so that the father should be the only sufferer by the son's villainy,and thus there would be poetical justice.'
A young gentleman present took up the argument against him,and maintained that no man ever thinks of the NOSE OF THE MIND,not adverting that though that figurative sense seems strange to us,as very unusual,it is truly not more forced than Hamlet's 'In my MIND'S EYE,Horatio.'He persisted much too long,and appeared to Johnson as putting himself forward as his antagonist with too much presumption;upon which he called to him in a loud tone,'What is it you are contending for,if you BE contending?'And afterwards imagining that the gentleman retorted upon him with a kind of smart drollery,he said,'Mr.it does not become you to talk so to me.Besides,ridicule is not your talent;you have THERE neither intuition nor sagacity.'The gentleman protested that he had intended no improper freedom,but had the greatest respect for Dr.
Johnson.After a short pause,during which we were somewhat uneasy,--JOHNSON.'Give me your hand,Sir.You were too tedious,and I was too short.'Mr..'Sir,I am honoured by your attention in any way.'JOHNSON.'Come,Sir,let's have no more of it.We offended one another by our contention;let us not offend the company by our compliments.'
He now said,'He wished much to go to Italy,and that he dreaded passing the winter in England.'I said nothing;but enjoyed a secret satisfaction in thinking that I had taken the most effectual measures to make such a scheme practicable.
On Monday,June 28,I had the honour to receive from the Lord Chancellor the following letter:--'TO JAMES BOSWELL,ESQ.
'SIR,--I should have answered your letter immediately,if (being much engaged when I received it)I had not put it in my pocket,and forgot to open it till this morning.
'I am much obliged to you for the suggestion;and I will adopt and press it as far as I can.The best argument,I am sure,and I hope it is not likely to fail,is Dr.Johnson's merit.But it will be necessary,if I should be so unfortunate as to miss seeing you,to converse with Sir Joshua on the sum it will be proper to ask,--in short,upon the means of setting him out.It would be a reflection on us all,if such a man should perish for want of the means to take care of his health.Yours,&c.
'THURLOW.'
This letter gave me a very high satisfaction;I next day went and shewed it to Sir Joshua Reynolds,who was exceedingly pleased with it.He thought that I should now communicate the negociation to Dr.Johnson,who might afterwards complain if the attention with which he had been honoured,should be too long concealed from him.
I intended to set out for Scotland next morning;but Sir Joshua cordially insisted that I should stay another day,that Johnson and I might dine with him,that we three might talk of his Italian Tour,and,as Sir Joshua expressed himself,'have it all out.'Ihastened to Johnson,and was told by him that he was rather better to-day.BOSWELL.'I am very anxious about you,Sir,and particularly that you should go to Italy for the winter,which Ibelieve is your own wish.'JOHNSON.'It is,Sir.'BOSWELL.'You have no objection,I presume,but the money it would require.'
JOHNSON.'Why,no,Sir.'Upon which I gave him a particular account of what had been done,and read to him the Lord Chancellor's letter.He listened with much attention;then warmly said,'This is taking prodigious pains about a man.''O!Sir,(said I,with most sincere affection,)your friends would do every thing for you.'He paused,grew more and more agitated,till tears started into his eyes,and he exclaimed with fervent emotion,'GODbless you all.'I was so affected that I also shed tears.After a short silence,he renewed and extended his grateful benediction,'GOD bless you all,for JESUS CHRIST'S sake.'We both remained for some time unable to speak.He rose suddenly and quitted the room,quite melted in tenderness.He staid but a short time,till he had recovered his firmness;soon after he returned I left him,having first engaged him to dine at Sir Joshua Reynolds's,next day.Inever was again under that roof which I had so long reverenced.
On Wednesday,June 30,the friendly confidential dinner with Sir Joshua Reynolds took place,no other company being present.Had Iknown that this was the last time that I should enjoy in this world,the conversation of a friend whom I so much respected,and from whom I derived so much instruction and entertainment,I should have been deeply affected.When I now look back to it,I am vexed that a single word should have been forgotten.
