rank himself among the best, or among
the good? Such must be his dread of the approaching trial, as will leave
him little attention to the opinion of those whom he is leaving for
ever; and the serenity that is not felt, it can be no virtue to feign.'

His great fear of death, and the strange dark manner in which Sir John
Hawkins[1203] imparts the uneasiness which he expressed on account of
offences with which he charged himself, may give occasion to injurious
suspicions, as if there had been something of more than ordinary
criminality weighing upon his conscience. On that account, therefore, as
well as from the regard to truth which he inculcated[1204], I am to
mention, (with all possible respect and delicacy, however,) that his
conduct, after he came to London, and had associated with Savage and
others, was not so strictly virtuous, in one respect, as when he was a
younger man. It was well known, that his amorous inclinations were
uncommonly strong and impetuous. He owned to many of his friends, that
he used to take women of the town to taverns, and hear them relate their
history[1205]. In short, it must not be concealed, that, like many other
good and pious men, among whom we may place the Apostle Paul upon his
own authority, Johnson was not free from propensities which were ever
'warring against the law of his mind[1206],'--and that in his combats
with them, he was sometimes overcome[1207].

Here let the profane and licentious pause; let them not thoughtlessly
say that Johnson was an _hypocrite_, or that his _principles_ were not
firm, because his _practice_ was not uniformly conformable to what he
professed.

Let the question be considered independent of moral and religious
association; and no man will deny that thousands, in many instances, act
against conviction. Is a prodigal, for example, an _hypocrite_, when he
owns he is satisfied that his extravagance will bring him to ruin and
misery? We are _sure_ he _believes_ it; but immediate inclination,
strengthened by indulgence, prevails over that belief in influencing his
conduct. Why then shall credit be refused to the _sincerity_ of those
who acknowledge their persuasion of moral and religious duty, yet
sometimes fail of living as it requires? I heard Dr. Johnson once
observe, 'There is something noble in publishing truth, though it
condemns one's self[1208].' And one who said in his presence, 'he had
no notion of people being in earnest in their good professio