��Recollections of Dr. Johnson
��Some person advanced, that a lively imagination disqualified the mind from fixing steadily upon objects which required serious and minute investigation. JOHNSON. ' It is true, Sir, a vivacious quick imagination does sometimes give a confused idea of things, and which do not fix deep, though, at the same time, he has a capacity to fix them in his memory, if he would endeavour at it. It being like a man that, when he is running, does not make observations on what he meets with, and con sequently Is not impressed by them ; but he has, nevertheless, the power of stopping and informing himself.'
A gentleman was mentioning it as a remark of an acquaintance of his, that he never knew but one person that was completely wicked x . JOHNSON. ' Sir, I don't know what you mean by a person completely wicked/ GENTLEMAN. * Why, any one that has entirely got rid of all shame.' JOHNSON. ' How is he, then, completely wicked? He must get rid, too, of all conscience/ GENTLEMAN. ' I think conscience and shame the same thing.' JOHNSON. ' I am surprised to hear you say so ; they spring from two different sources, and are distinct perceptions : one respects this world, the other the next 2 .' A LADY. ' I think, however, that a person who has got rid of shame is in a fair way to get rid of conscience.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, 'tis a part of
��large general powers, accidentally determined to some particular direc tion.' Works,vi\.\. See ante, i. 314 ; ii. 264 ; and Life, ii. 436.
' I know of no such thing as genius,' said our Hogarth to Gilbert Cooper one day; 'genius is nothing but labour and diligence.' Seward's Biographiana, p. 293.
1 * I once knew (said Johnson) an old gentleman who was absolutely malignant. He really wished evil to others, and rejoiced at it.' Life, iii. 281.
2 Conscience, Johnson defines as
- nothing more than a conviction felt
by ourselves of something to be done, or something to be avoided.' Id. ii. 243.
��In his Dictionary he defines it as ' the knowledge or faculty by which we judge of the goodness or wicked ness of ourselves.' Shame he defines as * the passion felt when reputation is supposed to be lost.'
According to Northcote (Life of Reynolds, i. 230) the * gentleman ' was Reynolds, and the 'lady' Miss Reynolds. Sir Joshua said that ' he thought it was exactly the same ' being lost to all sense of shame, and being lost to all sense of con science. ' " What ! " said Johnson, " can you see no difference ? I am ashamed to hear you or anybody utter such nonsense ; when the one relates to men only ; the other to God.'"
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