Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies I.djvu/307

 ��(said he) in Pepper-alley x as on Salisbury-plain ; and they live so much happier, that an inhabitant of the first would, if he turned cottager, starve his understanding for want of conversation, and perish in a state of mental inferiority 2 .'

Mr. Johnson indeed, as he was .a very talking man himself, had an idea that nothing promoted happiness so much as con versation. A friend's erudition was commended one day as equally deep and strong ' He will not talk, Sir (was the reply), so his learning does no good, and his wit, if he has it, gives us no pleasure : out of all his boasted stores I never heard him force but one word, and that word was Richard*' With a contempt not inferior he received the praises of a pretty lady's face and behaviour : ' She says nothing, Sir (answers Johnson) ; a talking blackamoor were better than a white creature who adds nothing to life, and by sitting down before one thus desperately silent, takes away the confidence one should have in the company of her chair if she were once out of it.' No one was however less willing to begin any discourse than himself: his friend

began to think of country air.' country, are fit for the country." '

Letters, i. 208. In 1782 : ' I am now Ib. iv. 338.

harassed by a catarrhous cough, from 3 ' Demosthenes Taylor, as he was

which my purpose is to seek relief called, (that is, the Editor of Demos-

by change of air.' Life, iv. 151. thenes) was the most silent man,

See also ib. iv. 336, 348. the merest statue of a man that I

1 Three alleys of this name are have ever seen. I once dined in mentioned in Dodsley's London and company with him, and all he said its Environs. during the whole time was no more

'JOHNSON. " I'll take you five chil- than Richard. How a man should dren from London, who shall cuff say only Richard, it is not easy to five Highland children. Sir, a man imagine. But it was thus: Dr. bred in London will carry a burthen, Douglas was talking of Dr. Zachary or run, or wrestle, as well as a man Grey, and ascribing to him some- brought up in the hardiest manner thing that was written by Dr. Richard in the country." ' Ltfe,\i. 101. Grey. So, to correct him, Taylor

2 "'Yet Sir (said I) there are many said, (imitating his affected senten- people who are content to live in tious emphasis and nod,) "Richard"' the country." JOHNSON. "Sir, it Ib. iii. 318.

is in the intellectual world as in the It was Taylor who said that 'to

physical world : we are told by be one of the Trustees of the British

natural philosophers that a body is Museum should be the blue ribband

at rest in the place that is fit for it ; of literary men.' Nichols's Lit. Hist.

they who are content to live in the vi. 304. See ante, p. 281.

VOL. I. U Mr.

�� �