anecdotes of the late samuel johnson-第15章
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use after dinner； and returning in about three hours； said he had been with an enraged author； whose landlady pressed him for payment within doors； while the bailiffs beset him without； that he was drinking himself drunk with Madeira to drown care； and fretting over a novel which； when finished； was to be his whole fortune； but he could not get it done for distraction； nor could he step out of doors to offer it to sale。 Mr。 Johnson therefore set away the bottle； and went to the bookseller； recommending the performance； and desiring some immediate relief； which when he brought back to the writer； he called the woman of the house directly to partake of punch； and pass their time in merriment。
It was not till ten years after； I dare say； that something in Dr。 Goldsmith's behaviour struck me with an idea that he was the very man； and then Johnson confessed it was so； the novel was the charming 〃Vicar of Wakefield。〃
There was a Mr。 Boyce； too； who wrote some very elegant verses printed in the magazines of five…and…twenty years ago； of whose ingenuity and distress I have heard Dr。 Johnson tell some curious anecdotes； particularly that when he was almost perishing with hunger； and some money was produced to purchase him a dinner； he got a piece of roast beef； but could not eat it without ketchup； and laid out the last half…guinea he possessed in truffles and mushrooms； eating them in bed； too； for want of clothes； or even a shirt to sit up in。
Another man； for whom he often begged； made as wild use of his friend's beneficence as these； spending in punch the solitary guinea which had been brought him one morning； when resolving to add another claimant to a share of the bowl； besides a woman who always lived with him； and a footman who used to carry out petitions for charity； he borrowed a chairman's watch； and pawning it for half…a…crown； paid a clergyman to marry him to a fellow…lodger in the wretched house they all inhabited； and got so drunk over the guinea bowl of punch the evening of his wedding…day； that having many years lost the use of one leg； he now contrived to fall from the top of the stairs to the bottom； and break his arm； in which condition his companions left him to call Mr。 Johnson； who； relating the series of his tragi…comical distresses obtained from the Literary Club a seasonable relief。
Of that respectable society I have heard him speak in the highest terms； and with a magnificent panegyric on each member； when it consisted only of a dozen or fourteen friends； but as soon as the necessity of enlarging it brought in new faces； and took off from his confidence in the company； he grew less fond of the meeting； and loudly proclaimed his carelessness WHO might be admitted； when it was become a mere dinner club。 I THINK the original names； when I first heard him talk with fervour of every member's peculiar powers of instructing or delighting mankind； were Sir John Hawkins； Mr。 Burke； Mr。 Langton； Mr。 Beauclerc； Dr。 Percy； Dr。 Nugent； Dr。 Goldsmith； Sir Robert Chambers； Mr。 Dyer； and Sir Joshua Reynolds； whom he called their Romulus； or said somebody else of the company called him so； which was more likely： but this was； I believe； in the year 1775 or 1776。 It was a supper meeting then； and I fancy Dr。 Nugent ordered an omelet sometimes on a Friday or Saturday night； for I remember Mr。 Johnson felt very painful sensations at the sight of that dish soon after his death； and cried； 〃Ah； my poor dear friend！ I shall never eat omelet with THEE again！〃 quite in an agony。 The truth is； nobody suffered more from pungent sorrow at a friend's death than Johnson； though he would suffer no one else to complain of their losses in the same way； 〃for；〃 says he； 〃we must either outlive our friends； you know； or our friends must outlive us； and I see no man that would hesitate about the choice。〃
Mr。 Johnson loved late hours extremely； or more properly hated early ones。 Nothing was more terrifying to him than the idea of retiring to bed； which he never would call going to rest； or suffer another to call so。 〃I lie down；〃 said he； 〃that my acquaintance may sleep； but I lie down to endure oppressive misery； and soon rise again to pass the night in anxiety and pain。〃 By this pathetic manner； which no one ever possessed in so eminent a degree； he used to shock me from quitting his company； till I hurt my own health not a little by sitting up with him when I was myself far from well； nor was it an easy matter to oblige him even by compliance； for he always maintained that no one forbore their own gratifications for the sake of pleasing another； and if one DID sit up it was probably to amuse oneself。 Some right； however； he certainly had to say so； as he made his company exceedingly entertaining when he had once forced one； by his vehement lamentations and piercing reproofs； not to quit the room； but to sit quietly and make tea for him； as I often did in London till four o'clock in the morning。 At Streatham； indeed； I managed better； having always some friend who was kind enough to engage him in talk； and favour my retreat。
The first time I ever saw this extraordinary man was in the year 1764； when Mr。 Murphy； who had been long the friend and confidential intimate of Mr。 Thrale； persuaded him to wish for Johnson's conversation； extolling it in terms which that of no other person could have deserved； till we were only in doubt how to obtain his company； and find an excuse for the invitation。 The celebrity of Mr。 Woodhouse； a shoemaker； whose verses were at that time the subject of common discourse； soon afforded a pretence； and Mr。 Murphy brought Johnson to meet him； giving me general cautions not to be surprised at his figure； dress； or behaviour。 What I recollect best of the day's talk was his earnestly recommending Addison's works to Mr。 Woodhouse as a model for imitation。 〃Give nights and days； sir；〃 said he； 〃to the study of Addison； if you mean either to be a good writer； or what is more worth； an honest man。〃 When I saw something like the same expression in his criticism on that author； lately published； I put him in mind of his past injunctions to the young poet； to which he replied； 〃that he wished the shoemaker might have remembered them as well。〃 Mr。 Johnson liked his new acquaintance so much； however； that； from that time he dined with us every Thursday through the winter； and in the autumn of the next year he followed us to Brighthelmstone； whence we were gone before his arrival； so he was disappointed and enraged； and wrote us a letter expressive of anger； which we were very desirous to pacify； and to obtain his company again； if possible。 Mr。 Murphy brought him back to us again very kindly； and from that time his visits grew more frequent； till in the year 1766 his health； which he had always complained of； grew so exceedingly bad； that he could not stir out of his room in the court he inhabited for many WEEKS together… …I think MONTHS。
Mr。 Thrale's attentions and my own now became so acceptable to him； that he often lamented to us the horrible condition of his mind； which he said was nearly distracted； and though he charged US to make him odd solemn promises of secrecy on so strange a subject； yet when we waited on him one morning； and heard him； in the most pathetic terms； beg the prayers of Dr。 Delap； who had left him as we came in； I felt excessively affected with grief； and well remember my husband involuntarily lifted up one hand to shut his mouth； from provocation at hearing a man so wildly proclaim what he could at last persuade no one to believe； and what； if true； would have been so very unfit to reveal。
Mr。 Thrale went away soon after； leaving me with him； and bidding me prevail on him to quit his close habitation in the court and come with us to Streatham； where I undertook the care of his health； and had the honour and happiness of contributing to its restoration。 This task； though distressing enough sometimes； would have been less so had not my mother and he disliked one another extremely； and teased me often with perverse opposition； petty contentions； and mutual complaints。 Her superfluous attention to such accounts of the foreign politics as are transmitted to us by the daily prints
