meant the _manner_ of doing it; roughly,--and
harshly.' JOHNSON. 'And who is the worse for that?' BOSWELL. 'It hurts
people of weak nerves.' JOHNSON. 'I know no such weak-nerved
people[867].' Mr. Burke, to whom I related this conference, said, 'It is
well, if when a man comes to die, he has nothing heavier upon his
conscience than having been a little rough in conversation.'

Johnson, at the time when the paper was presented to him, though at
first pleased with the attention of his friend, whom he thanked in an
earnest manner, soon exclaimed, in a loud and angry tone, 'What is your
drift, Sir?' Sir Joshua Reynolds pleasantly observed, that it was a
scene for a comedy, to see a penitent get into a violent passion and
belabour his confessor[868].

I have preserved no more of his conversation at the times when I saw him
during the rest of this month, till Sunday, the 30th of May, when I met
him in the evening at Mr. Hoole's, where there was a large company both
of ladies and gentlemen; Sir James Johnston[869] happened to say, that
he paid no regard to the arguments of counsel at the bar of the House of
Commons, because they were paid for speaking. 'JOHNSON. 'Nay, Sir,
argument is argument. You cannot help paying regard to their arguments,
if they are good. If it were testimony, you might disregard it, if you
knew that it were purchased. There is a beautiful image in Bacon[870]
upon this subject: testimony is like an arrow shot from a long bow; the
force of it depends on the strength of the hand that draws it. Argument
is like an arrow from a cross-bow, which has equal force though shot
by a child.'

He had dined that day at Mr. Hoole's, and Miss Helen Maria Williams
being expected in the evening, Mr. Hoole put into his hands her
beautiful _Ode on the Peace_[871]: Johnson read it over, and when this
elegant and accomplished young lady[872] was presented to him, he took
her by the hand in the most courteous manner, and repeated the finest
stanza of her poem; this was the most delicate and pleasing compliment
he could pay. Her respectable friend, Dr. Kippis, from whom I had this
anecdote, was standing by, and was not a little gratified.

Miss Williams told me, that the only other time she was fortunate enough
to be in Dr. Johnson's company, he asked her to sit down by him, which
she did, and upon her enquiring how he was, he answered, 'I am very ill
indeed, Madam. I am very ill even when you are near me; what should I be