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 276 Anecdotes.

��some time to come : I read of another namesake's departure last week.' Though Mr. Johnson was commonly affected even to agony at the thoughts of a friend's dying, he troubled himself very little with the complaints they might make to him about ill health '. ' Dear Doctor 2 (said he one day to a common acquaint ance, who lamented the tender state of his inside), do not be like the spider, man ; and spin conversation thus incessantly out of thy own bowels.' I told him of another friend who suffered grievously with the gout ' He will live a vast many years for that (replied he), and then what signifies how much he suffers? but he will die at last, poor fellow, there's the misery ; gout seldom takes the fort by a coup-de-main, but turning the siege into a blockade, obliges it to surrender at discretion.'

A lady he thought well of, was disordered in her health ' What help has she called in (enquired Johnson) ? ' Dr. James 3 , Sir ; was the reply. ' What is her disease ? ' Oh, nothing posi tive, rather a gradual and gentle decline. ' She will die, then, pretty dear (answered he) ! When Death's pale horse 4 runs away with persons on full speed, an active physician may pos sibly give them a turn ; but if he carries them on an even slow pace, down hill too ! no care nor skill can save them ! '

When Garrick was on his last sick-bed, no arguments, or recitals of such facts as I had heard, would persuade Mr. Johnson of his danger 5 : he had prepossessed himself with a notion, that

Johnson of Connecticut, with whom ginal note Dr. Delap (ante, p. 234).

Johnson corresponded (Letters, i. Hayward's Piozzi, i. 294.

209), and his son Samuel. G. M. 3 Ante, p. 166.

Berkeley's Poems, Introduction, p. 4 ' And I looked, and behold a pale

452. horse : and his name that sat on him

4. Samuel Johnson, author of Hurlo was Death.' Rev. vi. 8. Thrumbo. Croker's Boswell, p. 366, 5 Johnson wrote a few weeks after n. 6. Garrick's death : ' Poor David had

5. Samuel Johnson of the Secre- doubtless many futurities in his head, tary's Office of the India House. which death has intercepted, a death, Anecdotes of John Hoole, by Samuel I believe, totally unexpected ; he did Hoole, 1803, p. 12. not in his last hour seem to think

1 Ante, p. 267. his life in danger.' Letters, ii. 86.

2 According to Mrs. Piozzi's mar-

to

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