The Life of Samuel Johnson, vol 3

The Life Of Johnson, Volume 3
of 6
by Boswell, Edited by
Birkbeck Hill

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Title: The Life Of Johnson, Volume 3 of 6

Author: Boswell Edited by Birkbeck Hill
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BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON
INCLUDING BOSWELL'S JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE
HEBRIDES AND JOHNSON'S DIARY OF A JOURNEY INTO
NORTH WALES
EDITED BY
GEORGE BIRKBECK HILL, D.C.L.
PEMBROKE COLLEGE, OXFORD
IN SIX VOLUMES
VOLUME III.--LIFE (1776-1780)
CONTENTS OF VOL. III.

LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. (MARCH 1776--OCT. 1780).
APPENDICES:
A. GEORGE PSALMANAZAR
B. JOHNSON'S TRAVELS AND LOVE OF TRAVELLING
C. ELECTION OF LORD MAYORS OF LONDON
D. THE INMATES OF JOHNSON'S HOUSE
E. BOSWELL'S LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICE OF
SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE TO THE
ROYAL ACADEMY

THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.
Having left Ashbourne in the evening, we stopped to change horses at
Derby, and availed ourselves of a moment to enjoy the conversation of
my countryman, Dr. Butter, then physician there. He was in great
indignation because Lord Mountstuart's bill for a Scotch militia[1] had
been lost. Dr. Johnson was as violent against it. 'I am glad, (said he,)
that Parliament has had the spirit to throw it out. You wanted to take
advantage of the timidity of our scoundrels;' (meaning, I suppose, the
ministry). It may be observed, that he used the epithet scoundrel very
commonly not quite in the sense in which it is generally understood,
but as a strong term of disapprobation; as when he abruptly answered
Mrs. Thrale, who had asked him how he did, 'Ready to become a
scoundrel, Madam; with a little more spoiling you will, I think, make
me a complete rascal[2]:' he meant, easy to become a capricious and
self-indulgent valetudinarian; a character for which I have heard him
express great disgust.
Johnson had with him upon this jaunt, 'Il Palmerino d'Inghilterra,' a
romance[3] praised by Cervantes; but did not like it much. He said, he
read it for the language, by way of preparation for his Italian

expedition.--We lay this night at Loughborough.
On Thursday, March 28, we pursued our journey. I mentioned that old
Mr. Sheridan complained of the ingratitude of Mr. Wedderburne[4] and
General Fraser, who had been much obliged to him when they were
young Scotchmen entering upon life in England. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir,
a man is very apt to complain of the ingratitude of those who have risen
far above him. A man when he gets into a higher sphere, into other
habits of life, cannot keep up all his former connections. Then, Sir,
those who knew him formerly upon a level with themselves, may think
that they ought still to be treated as on a level, which cannot be; and an
acquaintance in a former situation may bring out things which it would
be very disagreeable to have mentioned before higher company, though,
perhaps, every body knows of them.' He placed this subject in a new
light to me, and shewed that a man who has risen in the world, must not
be condemned too harshly for being distant to former acquaintance,
even though he may have been much obliged to them.' It is, no doubt,
to be wished that a proper degree of attention should be shewn by great
men to their early friends. But if either from obtuse insensibility to
difference of situation, or presumptuous forwardness, which will not
submit even to an exteriour observance of it, the dignity of high place
cannot be preserved, when they are admitted into