fancy, and gave him a guinea.

"Monday. Dr. Taylor came, and we went with Mrs. Cobb to Greenhill Bower. I had not seen it, perhaps, for fifty years. It is much degenerated. Every thing grows old. Taylor is to fetch me next Saturday. Mr. Green came to see us, and I ordered some physic.

I dined,

I think, with Lucy both Monday and Tuesday.
"Wednesday, Thursday. I had a few visits, from
Peter Garrick among the rest, and dined at Stowhill.
My breath very short.

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Friday. - I dined at Stowhill. I have taken physic four days together.

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Saturday.

Mrs. Aston took me out in her chaise, and was very kind. I dined with Mrs. Cobb, and came to Lucy, with whom I found, as I had done the first day, Lady Smith and Miss Vyse."

"Ashbourne, June 14. 1779. "Your account of Mr. Thrale's illness (1) is very terrible; but when I remember that he seems to have it peculiar to his constitution that whatever distemper he has, he always has his head affected—I am less frighted. The seizure was, I think, not apoplectical, but hysterical, and therefore not dangerous to life. I would have you, however, consult such physicians as you think you can best trust. Bromfield seems to have done well, and, by his practice, seems not to suspect an apoplexy. That is a solid and fundamental comfort. I remember Dr. Marsigli, an Italian physician, whose

(1) A serious apoplectic attack, which was the precursor of another of the same nature, which terminated his existence in the course of the ensuing year. C.

seizure was more violent than Mr. Thrale's, for he fell down helpless; but his case was not considered as of much danger, and he went safe home, and is now a professor at Padua. His fit was considered as only hysterical."

LETTER 347.

TO THE SAME.

"Ashbourne, June 17. 1779.

"It is certain that your first letter did not alarm me in proportion to the danger, for indeed it did not describe the danger as it was. I am glad that you have Heberden ; and hope his restoratives and his preservatives will both be effectual. In the preservatives, dear

Mr. Thrale must concur; yet what can he reform ? or what can he add to his regularity and temperance? He can only sleep less. We will do, however, all we can. I go to Lichfield to-morrow, with intent to hasten to Streatham.

"Both Mrs. Aston and Dr. Taylor have had strokes of the palsy. The lady was sixty-eight, and at that age has gained ground upon it; the doctor is, you know, not young, and he is quite well, only suspicious of every sensation in the peccant arm. I hope my dear master's case is yet slighter, and that, as his age is less, his recovery will be more perfect. Let him keep his thoughts diverted and his mind easy."

LETTER 348. TO HENRY THRALE, ESQ.

for me.

"Lichfield, June 23. 1779.

"DEAR SIR,—To show you how well I think of your health, I have sent you an hundred pounds to keep It will come within one day of quarter-day, and that day you must give me. I came by it in a very uncommon manner, and would not confound it with the rest.

66

My wicked mistress talks as if she thought it possible for me to be indifferent or negligent about your health or hers. If I could have done any good, I had not delayed an hour to come to you, and I will come very soon to try if my advice can be of any use, or my company of any entertainment.

"What can be done, you must do for yourself. Do not let any uneasy thought settle in your mind. Cheerfulness and exercise are your great remedies. Nothing is for the present worth your anxiety. Vivere læti is one of the great rules of health.

I believe it will be

good to ride often, but never to weariness; for weariness is itself a temporary resolution of the nerves, and is therefore to be avoided. Labour is exercise continued to fatigue; exercise is labour used only while it produces pleasure.

"Above all, keep your mind quiet. Do not think with earnestness even of your health, but think on such things as may please without too much agitation; among which, I hope, is, dear Sir, your, &c.

"SAM. JOHNSON."

LETTER 349. TO MISS REYNOLDS.

"June 27. 1779. I have sent what I can for your

"DEAR MADAM, German friend. (1) At this time it is very difficult to get any money, and I cannot give much. I am, Madam, your most affectionate and most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON."

(1) It is due to the memory of Dr. Johnson's inexhaustible charity to insert this otherwise insignificant note. When he says that he cannot give much, let it be recollected, that his only fixed income was his pension of 300l. a year, and that he had four or five eleemosynary inmates in his house. .C.

275

CHAPTER IX.

1779.

Experiments on the Constancy of Friends.

James Stuart.-Choice of Guardians.. · Adventurers to the East Indies. Poor of London. 66 Essay on Man." - Lord Bolingbroke.

son's Residences in London.

- Pope's John

Conjugal Infidelity.

Helps to the Study of Greek.

Right of Expulsion. George Whitfield. Philip

Astley. Keeping Company with Infidels. - Irish Union. Vulgar Prosperity. "The Ambassador says well."

Correspondence.

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:

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. SAM. JOHNSON."

I am,
&c.

My readers will not doubt that his solicitude about me was very flattering.

LETTER 351. 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. am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."

LETTER 352. TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON.

"Edinburgh, July 17. 1779.

I

"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 chid 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 a very high satisfaction by receiving your kind letter of inquiry, for which I most gratefully thank you. I am doubtful if