GreaterlibertieshavebeentakeninthepresenceofaBishop，thoughaverygoodman，fromhisbeingmilder，andthereforenotcommandingsuchawe。Yet，Sir，manypeoplewhomighthavebeenbenefitedbyyourconversation，havebeenfrightenedaway。A
worthyfriendofourshastoldme，thathehasoftenbeenafraidtotalktoyou。’JOHNSON。’Sir，heneednothavebeenafraid，ifhehadanythingrationaltosay。Ifhehadnot，itwasbetterhedidnottalk。’
Wetalkedofacertainclergymanofextraordinarycharacter，whobyexertinghistalentsinwritingontemporarytopicks，anddisplayinguncommonintrepidity，hadraisedhimselftoaffluence。
Imaintainedthatweoughtnottobeindignantathissuccess；formeritofeverysortwasentitledtoreward。JOHNSON。’Sir，Iwillnotallowthismantohavemerit。No，Sir；whathehasisratherthecontrary；Iwill，indeed，allowhimcourage，andonthisaccountwesofargivehimcredit。Wehavemorerespectforamanwhorobsboldlyonthehighway，thanforafellowwhojumpsoutofaditch，andknocksyoudownbehindyourback。Courageisaqualitysonecessaryformaintainingvirtue，thatitisalwaysrespected，evenwhenitisassociatedwithvice。’
Mr。Henderson，withwhomIhadsaunteredinthevenerablewalksofMertonCollege，andfoundhimaverylearnedandpiousman，suppedwithus。Dr。Johnsonsurprisedhimnotalittle，byacknowledgingwithalookofhorrour，thathewasmuchoppressedbythefearofdeath。TheamiableDr。AdamssuggestedthatGODwasinfinitelygood。JOHNSON。’Thatheisinfinitelygood，asfarastheperfectionofhisnaturewillallow，Icertainlybelieve；butitisnecessaryforgooduponthewhole，thatindividualsshouldbepunished。AstoanINDIVIDUAL，therefore，heisnotinfinitelygood；andasIcannotbeSUREthatIhavefulfilledtheconditionsonwhichsalvationisgranted，IamafraidImaybeoneofthosewhoshallbedamned。’lookingdismally。DR。ADAMS。’Whatdoyoumeanbydamned？’JOHNSON。passionatelyandloudly，’SenttoHell，Sir，andpunishedeverlastingly!’DR。ADAMS。’Idon’tbelievethatdoctrine。’JOHNSON。’Hold，Sir，doyoubelievethatsomewillbepunishedatall？’DR。ADAMS。’BeingexcludedfromHeavenwillbeapunishment；yettheremaybenogreatpositivesuffering。’JOHNSON。Well，Sir；but，ifyouadmitanydegreeofpunishment，thereisanendofyourargumentforinfinitegoodnesssimplyconsidered；for，infinitegoodnesswouldinflictnopunishmentwhatever。Thereisnotinfinitegoodnessphysicallyconsidered；morallythereis。’BOSWELL。’Butmaynotamanattaintosuchadegreeofhopeasnottobeuneasyfromthefearofdeath？’JOHNSON。’Amanmayhavesuchadegreeofhopeastokeephimquiet。YouseeIamnotquiet，fromthevehemencewithwhichI