ularly
oppressed with diseases incident to the most vivid and fervent
imaginations. I shall for ever consider it as the greatest honour
which could be conferred on any one, to have been the confidential
friend of Dr. Johnson's health; and to have in some measure, with Mr.
Thrale's assistance, saved from distress at least, if not from worse,
a mind great beyond the comprehension of common mortals and good
beyond all hope of imitation from perishable beings."

[Footnote 1: This must be the quarrel between Johnson and Seward at
which Miss Streatfield cried. _(Ante,_ p. 116.)]

[Footnote 2: These words are underlined in the manuscript.]

This was written in Italy in 1785, when, painfully alive to the
insults heaped upon her on Johnson's account, she may be excused for
dwelling on what she had endured for his sake. But if, as may be
inferred from her statement, some of the cordiality shewn him during
the palmy days of their intimacy was forced, this rather enhances
than lessens the merit of her services, which thus become elevated
into sacrifices. The question is not how she uniformly felt, but how
she uniformly behaved to him; and the fact of her being obliged to
retire to Bath to get out of his way proves that there had been no
rupture, no coolness, no serious offence given or taken on either
side, up to April, 1783; just one year-and-a-half after the alleged
expulsion from Streatham.

There were ample avowable reasons for her retirement, and no
suspicion could have crossed Johnson's mind that he was an
incumbrance, or he would not have been found at her house by Boswell,
as he was found on the 21st March, 1783, when she said "she was going
to Bath, and should have been sorry to leave Dr. Johnson before I
came." Considering the heart-rending struggle in which she was
engaged at this time, with the aggravated infliction of an
unsympathising and dogmatic friend, the wonder is how she retained
her outward placidity at all.

"_Sunday Morning, 6th April_, 1783.--I have been very busy preparing
to go to Bath and save my money; the Welch settlement has been
examined and rewritten by Cator's desire in such a manner that a will
can revoke it or charge the estate, or anything. I signed my
settlement yesterday, and, before I slept, wrote my will, charging
the estate with pretty near _3000l_. But what signifies it? My
daughters deserve no thanks from my tenderness and they want no
pecuniary help from my purse--let me provide in