The Life of Samuel Johnson, vol 3 | Page 3

be diverted by
every means but drinking[19].'
We stopped at Messieurs Dillys, booksellers in the Poultry; from
whence he hurried away, in a hackney coach, to Mr. Thrale's, in the
Borough. I called at his house in the evening, having promised to
acquaint Mrs. Williams of his safe return; when, to my surprize, I
found him sitting with her at tea, and, as I thought, not in a very good
humour: for, it seems, when he had got to Mr. Thrale's, he found the
coach was at the door waiting to carry Mrs. and Miss Thrale, and
Signor Baretti, their Italian master, to Bath[20]. This was not shewing
the attention which might have been expected to the 'Guide,
Philosopher, and Friend[21],' the Imlac[22] who had hastened from the
country to console a distressed mother, who he understood was very
anxious for his return. They had, I found, without ceremony, proceeded

on their intended journey. I was glad to understand from him that it was
still resolved that his tour to Italy with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale should take
place, of which he had entertained some doubt, on account of the loss
which they had suffered; and his doubts afterwards proved to be
well-founded. He observed, indeed very justly, that 'their loss was an
additional reason for their going abroad; and if it had not been fixed
that he should have been one of the party, he would force them out; but
he would not advise them unless his advice was asked, lest they might
suspect that he recommended what he wished on his own account.' I
was not pleased that his intimacy with Mr. Thrale's family, though it no
doubt contributed much to his comfort and enjoyment, was not without
some degree of restraint: not, as has been grossly suggested, that it was
required of him as a task to talk for the entertainment of them and their
company; but that he was not quite at his ease; which, however, might
partly be owing to his own honest pride--that dignity of mind which is
always jealous of appearing too compliant.
On Sunday, March 31, I called on him, and shewed him as a curiosity
which I had discovered, his Translation of Lobo's Account of Abyssinia,
which Sir John Pringle had lent me, it being then little known as one of
his works[23]. He said, 'Take no notice of it,' or 'don't talk of it.' He
seemed to think it beneath him, though done at six-and-twenty. I said to
him, 'Your style, Sir, is much improved since you translated this.' He
answered with a sort of triumphant smile, 'Sir, I hope it is.'
On Wednesday, April 3, in the morning I found him very busy putting
his books in order, and as they were generally very old ones, clouds of
dust were flying around him. He had on a pair of large gloves such as
hedgers use. His present appearance put me in mind of my uncle, Dr.
Boswell's[24] description of him, 'A robust genius, born to grapple with
whole libraries.'
I gave him an account of a conversation which had passed between me
and Captain Cook, the day before, at dinner at Sir John Pringle's[25];
and he was much pleased with the conscientious accuracy of that
celebrated circumnavigator, who set me right as to many of the
exaggerated accounts given by Dr. Hawkesworth of his Voyages. I told

him that while I was with the Captain, I catched the enthusiasm[26] of
curiosity and adventure, and felt a strong inclination to go with him on
his next voyage. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, a man does feel so, till he
considers how very little he can learn from such voyages.' BOSWELL.
'But one is carried away with the general grand and indistinct notion of
A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir, but a man
is to guard himself against taking a thing in general.' I said I was certain
that a great part of what we are told by the travellers to the South Sea
must be conjecture, because they had not enough of the language of
those countries to understand so much as they have related. Objects
falling under the observation of the senses might be clearly known; but
every thing intellectual, every thing abstract--politicks, morals, and
religion, must be darkly guessed. Dr. Johnson was of the same opinion.
He upon another occasion, when a friend mentioned to him several
extraordinary facts, as communicated to him by the circumnavigators,
slily observed, 'Sir, I never before knew how much I was respected by
these gentlemen; they told me none of these things.'
He had been in company with Omai, a native of one of the South Sea
Islands, after he had been some time in this country. He was struck
with the elegance of