Johnson in as easy a manner as almost any of his very numerous
acquaintance.
Mr. Edwards had said to me aside, that Dr. Johnson should have been of
a profession. I repeated the remark to Johnson that I might have his own
thoughts on the subject. JOHNSON. 'Sir, it WOULD have been better that I
had been of a profession. I ought to have been a lawyer.' BOSWELL. 'I
do not think, Sir, it would have been better, for we should not have
had the English Dictionary.' JOHNSON. 'But you would have had Reports.'
BOSWELL. 'Ay; but there would not have been another, who could have
written the Dictionary. There have been many very good Judges. Suppose
you had been Lord Chancellor; you would have delivered opinions with
more extent of mind, and in a more ornamented manner, than perhaps any
Chancellor ever did, or ever will do. But, I believe, causes have been
as judiciously decided as you could have done.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir.
Property has been as well settled.'
Johnson, however, had a noble ambition floating in his mind, and had,
undoubtedly, often speculated on the possibility of his supereminent
powers being rewarded in this great and liberal country by the highest
honours of the state.
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