HetoldmethatBaconwasafavouriteauthourwithhim；buthehadneverreadhisworkstillhewascompilingtheEnglishDictionary，inwhich，hesaid，ImightseeBaconveryoftenquoted。Mr。Sewardrecollectshishavingmentioned，thataDictionaryoftheEnglishLanguagemightbecompiledfromBacon’swritingsalone，andthathehadonceanintentionofgivinganeditionofBacon，atleastofhisEnglishworks，andwritingtheLifeofthatgreatman。Hadheexecutedthisintention，therecanbenodoubtthathewouldhavedoneitinamostmasterlymanner。
WishingtobesatisfiedwhatdegreeoftruththerewasinastorywhichafriendofJohnson’sandminehadtoldmetohisdisadvantage，Imentionedittohimindirectterms；anditwastothiseffect：thatagentlemanwhohadlivedingreatintimacywithhim，shewnhimmuchkindness，andevenrelievedhimfromaspunging-house，havingafterwardsfallenintobadcircumstances，wasoneday，whenJohnsonwasatdinnerwithhim，seizedfordebt，andcarriedtoprison；thatJohnsonsatstillundisturbed，andwentoneatinganddrinking；uponwhichthegentleman’ssister，whowaspresent，couldnotsuppressherindignation：’What，Sir，saidshe，areyousounfeeling，asnoteventooffertogotomybrotherinhisdistress；youwhohavebeensomuchobligedtohim？’
AndthatJohnsonanswered，’Madam，Iowehimnoobligation；whathedidformehewouldhavedoneforadog。’
Johnsonassuredme，thatthestorywasabsolutelyfalse：butlikeamanconsciousofbeingintheright，anddesirousofcompletelyvindicatinghimselffromsuchacharge，hedidnotarrogantlyrestonameredenial，andonhisgeneralcharacter，butproceededthus：——’Sir，Iwasveryintimatewiththatgentleman，andwasoncerelievedbyhimfromanarrest；butIneverwaspresentwhenhewasarrested，neverknewthathewasarrested，andIbelieveheneverwasindifficultiesafterthetimewhenherelievedme。Ilovedhimmuch；yet，intalkingofhisgeneralcharacter，Imayhavesaid，thoughIdonotrememberthatIeverdidsayso，thatashisgenerosityproceededfromnoprinciple，butwasapartofhisprofusion，hewoulddoforadogwhathewoulddoforafriend：butIneverappliedthisremarktoanyparticularinstance，andcertainlynottohiskindnesstome。Ifaprofuseman，whodoesnotvaluehismoney，andgivesalargesumtoawhore，giveshalfasmuch，oranequallylargesumtorelieveafriend，itcannotbeesteemedasvirtue。ThiswasallthatIcouldsayofthatgentleman；and，ifsaidatall，itmusthavebeensaidafterhisdeath。Sir，Iwouldhavegonetotheworld’sendtorelievehim。
Theremarkaboutthedog，ifmadebyme，wassuchasallyasmightescapeonewhenpaintingamanhighly。’