ot forgotten. In age we feel again that love of our native
place and our early friends, which in the bustle or amusements of middle
life were overborne and suspended. You and I should now naturally cling
to one another: we have outlived most of those who could pretend to
rival us in each other's kindness. In our walk through life we have
dropped our companions, and are now to pick up such as chance may offer
us, or to travel on alone[464]. You, indeed, have a sister, with whom
you can divide the day: I have no natural friend left; but Providence
has been pleased to preserve me from neglect; I have not wanted such
alleviations of life as friendship could supply. My health has been,
from my twentieth year, such as has seldom afforded me a single day of
ease[465]; but it is at least not worse: and I sometimes make myself
believe that it is better. My disorders are, however, still sufficiently
oppressive.

'I think of seeing Staffordshire again this autumn, and intend to find
my way through Birmingham, where I hope to see you and dear Mrs.
Careless well. I am Sir,

'Your affectionate friend,

'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I wrote to him at different dates; regretted that I could not come to
London this spring, but hoped we should meet somewhere in the summer;
mentioned the state of my affairs, and suggested hopes of some
preferment; informed him, that as _The Beauties of Johnson_ had been
published in London, some obscure scribbler had published at Edinburgh
what he called _The deformities of Johnson_.

'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

'DEAR SIR,

'The pleasure which we used to receive from each other on Good-Friday
and Easter-day[466], we must be this year content to miss. Let us,
however, pray for each other, and hope to see one another yet from time
to time with mutual delight. My disorder has been a cold, which impeded
the organs of respiration, and kept me many weeks in a state of great
uneasiness; but by repeated phlebotomy it is now relieved; and next to
the recovery of Mrs. Boswell, I flatter myself, that you will rejoice
at mine.

'What we shall do in the summer it is yet too early to consider. You
want to know what you shall do now; I do not think this time of bustle
and confusion[467] likely to produce any advantage to you. Every man has
those to reward and gratify who have contributed to his advancement. To
come hither with such expectations at the expence of borrowed money,
which, I find, you know not where to borrow, ca