which is certainly abfurd; and that is the dread of annihilation, which is only a pleafing fleep without a dream."-7. "It is neither pleafing, nor fleep; it is nothing. Now mere exiftence is so much better than nothing, that one would rather exift even in pain, than not exift."-B. "If annihilation be nothing, then exifting in pain is not a comparative state, but is a pofitive evil, which I cannot think we fhould choofe. I must be allowed to differ here; and it would leffen the hope of a future ftate founded on the argument that the Supreme Being, who is good as he is great, will hereafter compenfate for our prefent fufferings in this life. For if existence, fuch as we have it here, be comparatively a good, we have no reafon to complain, though no more of it fhould be given to us. But if our only state of existence were in this world, then we might with some reason complain that we are fo diffatisfied with our enjoyments compared with our defires.”—J. "The lady confounds annihilation, which is nothing, with the apprehenfion of it, which is dreadful. It is in the apprehenfion of it that the horror of annihilation confifts."

"When we were alone (fays Mr. B.) I again introduced the fubject of death, and endeavoured to maintain, that the fear of it might be

got

.

got over. I told him, that David Hume had said to me, that he was no more uneafy to think he fhould not be after this life, than that he bad not been before he began to exift.-" Sir (faid Johnson), if he really thinks fo, his perceptions are disturbed: he is mad: if he does not think fo, he lies. He may tell you, he holds his finger in the flathe of a candle, without feeling pain; would you believe him? When he dies, he at least gives up all he has.” — B. "Foote, Sir, told me, that when he was very ill, he was not afraid to die."-7. "It is not true, Sir. Hold a piftol to Foote's breast, or to Hume's breaft, and threaten to kill them, and you'll fee how they behave."-B. "But may we not fortify our minds for the approach of, death.*?" To this queftion he answered, in a paffion, "No, Sir, let it alone. It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lafts fo fhort a

"Here (fays Mr. B.), I am fenfible I was in the wrong, to bring before his view what he ever looked upon with horror; for although when in a celeftial frame, in his Vanity of Hu man Wishes,' he has fuppofed death to be kind Na ure's fignal for retreat,' from this ftate of being to a happier feat,' his thoughts upon this awful change were in general full of difmal apprehenfions. His mind refembled the vaft amphitheatre at Rome. In the center ftood his judgment, which, like a mighty gladiator, combated thofe apprehenfions that, like the wild beafts of the Arena, were all around in cells, ready to be let out upon him. After a conflict, he drives them back into their dens; but not killing them, they were stil affailing him."

time." He added (with an earnest look), "A man knows it must be fo, and fubmits. It will do him no good to whine."

This fubject being resumed on another occafion, Johnson faid, "Some people are not afraid of death, because they look upon falvation as the effect of an abfolute decree, and think they feel in themfelves the marks of fanctification. Others, and those the most rational in my opinion, look upon falvation as conditional; and as they never can be sure that they have complied with the conditions, they are afraid."

A gentleman was mentioned to him as having been formerly gloomy from low fpirits, and much diftreffed by the fear of death, but as be-ing now uniformly placid, and contemplating his diffolution without any perturbation.-" Sir (faid Johnson), this is only a difordered imagination taking a different turn."

To Mrs. Williams, a little before her death, he faid, "Oh! my friend, the approach of death is very dreadful. I am afraid to think on that which I know I cannot avoid. It is in vain to look round and round for that help which cannot be had. Yet we hope and hope, and fancy that he who has lived to-day may live toBut let us learn to derive our hope

morrow.

only from GOD."

Mr.

Mr. Bofwell and Johnson having one day fallen into a very ferious frame of mind, in which mutual expreffions of kindness passed between them, the former talked with regret of the fad inevitable certainty that one of them must survive the other." Yes, Sir (faid Johnfon), that is an affecting confideration. I remember Swift, in one of his letters to Pope, fays, I intend to come over, that we may meet once more; and when we must part, it is what happens to all human beings."-B. "The hope that we shall fee our departed friends again must fupport the mind."-7. "Why, yes Sir."-B." There is a ftrange unwillingness to part with life, independent of ferious fears as to futurity. A reverend friend of ours (naming him) tells me, that he feels an uncafinefs at the thoughts of leaving his houfe, his ftudy, his books.". "This is foolish in

A man need not be uneafy on these grounds; for, as he will retain his confcioufnefs, he may say with the philofopher, Omnia mea mecum porto.'

The horror of death which had always been obfervable in Dr. Johnfon appeared remarkably ftrong one evening. "I ventured to tell him (fays Mr. B.) that I had been, for moments of my life, not afraid of death; therefore I could suppose another man in that state of mind for a

confiderable space of time. He faid, he never had a moment in which death was not terrible to him. He added, that it had been observed, that scarcely any man dies in public but with apparent refolution, from that defire of praise which never quits us." It was observed, that Dr. Dodd feemed to be willing to die, and full of hopes and happiness. "Sir (faid he), Dr. Dodd would have given both his hands and both his legs to have lived. The better a man is, the more afraid is he of death, having a clearer view of infinite purity." He owned, that our being in an unhappy uncertainty as to our falvation, was myfterious; and said, “Ah! we must wait till we are in another ftate of being, to have many things explained to us."Even the powerful mind of Johnson seemed foiled by futurity. But I thought (adds Mr. Boswell) that the gloom of uncertainty in folemn religious fpeculation, being mingled with hope, was yet more confolatory than the emptinefs of infidelity. A man can live in thick air, but perishes in an exhaufted receiver."

Dr. Johnson was once much pleased with a remark made by General Paoli :-"That it is impoffible not to be afraid of death; and that those who at the time of dying are not afraid, are not thinking of death, but of applause, or fomething elfe, which keeps death out of their