Johnson being now better disposed to obtain information concerning Pope than he was last year, sent by me to my Lord Marchmont a present of those volumes of his Lives of the Poets which were at this time published, with a request to have permission to wait on him; and his Lordship, who had called on him twice, obligingly appointed Saturday, the first of May, for receiving us.
On that morning Johnson came to me from Streatham, and after drinking chocolate, at General Paoli's, in South-Audley-street, we proceeded to Lord Marchmont's in Curzon-street. His Lordship met us at the door of his library, and with great politeness said to Johnson,
'I am not going to make an encomium upon myself, by telling you the high respect I have for you, Sir.'
Johnson was exceedingly courteous; and the interview, which lasted about two hours, during which the Earl communicated his anecdotes of Pope, was as agreeable as I could have wished. When we came out, I said to Johnson, that considering his Lordship's civility, I should have been vexed if he had again failed to come.
'Sir, (said he,) I would rather have given twenty pounds than not have come.'
I accompanied him to Streatham, where we dined, and returned to town in the evening.
On Monday, May 3, I dined with him at Mr. Dilly's.
This evening I set out for Scotland.
'To MRS. LUCY PORTER, IN LICHFIELD.
'DEAR MADAM,
'Mr. Green has informed me that you are much better; I hope I need not tell you that I am glad of it. I cannot boast of being much better; my old nocturnal complaint still pursues me, and my respiration is difficult, though much easier than when I left you the summer before last.
Mr. and Mrs. Thrale are well; Miss has been a little indisposed; but she is got well again. They have since the loss of their boy had two daughters; but they seem likely to want a son.
'I hope you had some books which I sent you. I was sorry for poor Mrs. Adey's death, and am afraid you will be sometimes solitary; but endeavour, whether alone or in company, to keep yourself cheerful. My friends likewise die very fast; but such is the state of man.
'I am, dear love,
'Your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'May 4, 1779.'
He had, before I left London, resumed the conversation concerning the appearance of a ghost at Newcastle upon Tyne, which Mr. John Wesley believed, but to which Johnson did not give credit. I was, however, desirous to examine the question closely, and at the same time wished to be made acquainted with Mr. John Wesley; for though I differed from him in some points, I admired his various talents, and loved his pious zeal. At my request, therefore, Dr. Johnson gave me a letter of introduction to him.
'To THE REVEREND MR. JOHN WESLEY.
SIR,
Mr. Boswell, a gentleman who has been long known to me, is desirous of being known to you, and has asked this recommendation, which I give him with great willingness, because I think it very much to be wished that worthy and religious men should be acquainted with each other.
I am, Sir,
Your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
May 3, 1779.'
Mr. Wesley being in the course of his ministry at Edinburgh, I presented this letter to him, and was very politely received. I begged to have it returned to me, which was accordingly done.
His state of the evidence as to the ghost did not satisfy me.
I did not write to Johnson, as usual, upon my return to my family, but tried how he would be affected by my silence. Mr. Dilly sent me a copy of a note which he received from him on the 13th of July, in these words:—
'TO MR. DILLY.
SIR,
Since Mr. Boswell's departure I have never heard from him; please to send word what you know of him, and whether you have sent my books to his lady. I am, &c.,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
My readers will not doubt that his solicitude about me was very flattering.
'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
'DEAR SIR,
'What can possibly have happened, that keeps us two such strangers to each other? I expected to have heard from you when you came home; I expected afterwards. I went into the country and returned; and yet there is no letter from Mr. Boswell. No ill I hope has happened; and if ill should happen, why should it be concealed from him who loves you? Is it a fit of humour, that has disposed you to try who can hold out longest without writing? If it be, you have the victory. But I am afraid of something bad; set me free from my suspicions.
'My thoughts are at present employed in guessing the reason of your silence: you must not expect that I should tell you any thing, if I had any thing to tell. Write, pray write to me, and let me know what is, or what has been the cause of this long interruption.
'I am, dear Sir,
'Your most affectionate humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'July 13, 1779.'
'To DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON.
'Edinburgh, July 17, 1779.
'MY DEAR SIR,
'What may be justly denominated a supine indolence of mind has been my state of existence since I last returned to Scotland. In a livelier state I had often suffered severely from long intervals of silence on your part; and I had even been chided by you for expressing my uneasiness. I was willing to take advantage of my insensibility, and while I could bear the experiment, to try whether your affection for me would, after an unusual silence on my part, make you write first. This afternoon I have had very high satisfaction by receiving your kind letter of inquiry, for which I most gratefully thank you. I am doubtful if it was right to make the experiment; though I have gained by it.
I was beginning to grow tender, and to upbraid myself, especially after having dreamt two nights ago that I was with you. I and my wife, and my four children, are all well. I would not delay one post to answer your letter; but as it is late, I have not time to do more. You shall soon hear from me, upon many and various particulars; and I shall never again put you to any test.
I am, with veneration, my dear Sir,
'Your much obliged,
'And faithful humble servant,
'JAMES BOSWELL.'
(classix comix™ is underwritten in part by the Bob’s Bowery Bar Endowment for the Cybergenerated Arts: “Are you all alone, friendless and without family and facing another grim and depressing New Year’s Eve? Dispense with those gloomy thoughts of self-slaughter and come on down to Bob’s Bowery Bar which will be serving our world-renowned basement-brewed house bock at half-price all night, as well as complimentary hot cross buns, Uneeda biscuits ‘n’ cheese, and your choice of soft and hard pretzels. And, yes, the Bob’s Bowery Bar/Philip Morris Commander Telethon shall be playing on the brand-new 23-inch Philco televison set at the end of the bar! Please drink responsibly, and don’t give Bob an argument if he suggests that it’s high time you stumbled off to the subway!”
– Horace P. Sternwall, host of the Bob’s Bowery Bar/Philip Morris Commander Telethon, in aid of the Bob’s Bowery Bar Fund for Unwed Mothers, broadcast live from the Prince Hal Room of the Hotel St Crispian, featuring the musical stylings of Tony Winston & his Winstonians with songstress Shirley De LaSalle and the Betty Baxter Dancers, as well as a panoply of special guests from stage, screen, radio and television, broadcast live from 8pm Sunday to 8pm Monday {EST} exclusively on the Dumont Television Network.)
part 199
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