246 Anecdotes.
��This other more serious one was written by his brother :
Swift o'er the level how the skaiters slide,
And skim the glitt'ring surface as they go : Thus o'er life's specious pleasures lightly glide,
But pause not, press not on the gulph below.
Dr. Johnson seeing this last, and thinking a moment, repeated,
O'er crackling ice, o'er gulphs profound,
With nimble glide the skaiters play; O'er treacherous pleasure's flow'ry ground
Thus lightly skim, and haste away.
Though thus uncommonly ready both to give and take offence, Mr. Johnson had many rigid maxims concerning the necessity of continued softness and compliance of disposition z : and when I once mentioned Shenstone's idea, that some little quarrel among lovers, relations, and friends was useful, and contributed to their general happiness upon the whole, by making the soul feel her elastic force, and return to the beloved object with renewed delight 2 : ' Why, what a pernicious maxim is this now (cries Johnson), all quarrels ought to be avoided studiously, par ticularly conjugal ones, as no one can possibly tell where they may end ; besides that lasting dislike is often the consequence of occasional disgust, and that the cup of life is surely bitter enough, without squeezing in the hateful rind of resentment.' It was upon something like the same principle, and from his general hatred of refinement, that when I told him how Dr. Collier 3 , in order to keep the servants in humour with his favourite dog, by
1783-4 was caused by her love for art in procuring the affection of his
Piozzi. Hay ward's Piozzi, i. 220, mistress it were perhaps his most
ii. 53, and Mme. D'Arblay's Diary, effectual method to contrive a slight
ii. 284. estrangement, and then, as it were
1 * Were I to write the Life of Dr. imperceptibly, bring on a reconcilia- Johnson,' said Reynolds, * I would tion. The soul here discovers a labour this point, to separate his kind of elasticity ; and being forced conduct that proceeded from his back returns with an additional vio- passions, and what proceeded from lence.' Shenstone's Works, ed. 1791, his reason, from his natural disposi- ii. 213.
tion seen in his quiet hours.' Leslie 3 Dr. Arthur Collier. Letters, ii. and Taylor's Reynolds, ii. 462. 69, n. 5, and Hay ward's Piozzi, ii.
2 'Were a person to make use of 18, 35.
seeming
�� �
