But，indeed，consideringtheslovenlyandcarelessmannerinwhichbooksweretreatedbyJohnson，itcouldnotbeexpectedthatscarceandvaluableeditionsshouldhavebeenlenttohim。
Agentleman*havingtosomeoftheusualargumentsfordrinkingaddedthis：’Youknow，Sir，drinkingdrivesawaycare，andmakesusforgetwhateverisdisagreeable。Wouldnotyouallowamantodrinkforthatreason？’JOHNSON。’Yes，Sir，ifhesatnextYOU。’
*ThegentlemanmostlikelyisBoswell——HILL。
Alearnedgentlemanwhointhecourseofconversationwishedtoinformusofthissimplefact，thattheCounseluponthecircuitatShrewsburyweremuchbittenbyfleas，took，Isuppose，sevenoreightminutesinrelatingitcircumstantially。Heinaplenitudeofphrasetoldus，thatlargebalesofwoollenclothwerelodgedinthetown-hall；——thatbyreasonofthis，fleasnestledthereinprodigiousnumbers；thatthelodgingsofthecounselwereneartothetown-hall；——andthatthoselittleanimalsmovedfromplacetoplacewithwonderfulagility。Johnsonsatingreatimpatiencetillthegentlemanhadfinishedhistediousnarrative，andthenburstoutplayfullyhowever，’Itisapity，Sir，thatyouhavenotseenalion；forafleahastakenyousuchatime，thatalionmusthaveservedyouatwelvemonth。’
HewouldnotallowScotlandtoderiveanycreditfromLordMansfield；forhewaseducatedinEngland。’Muchsaidhe，maybemadeofaScotchman，ifhebeCAUGHTyoung。’