They all shewed
evident marks of kind concern about him, with which he was much pleased,
and he exerted himself to be as entertaining as his indisposition
allowed him.
The anxiety of his friends to preserve so estimable a life, as long as
human means might be supposed to have influence, made them plan for him
a retreat from the severity of a British winter, to the mild climate
of Italy. This scheme was at last brought to a serious resolution at
General Paoli's, where I had often talked of it. One essential matter,
however, I understood was necessary to be previously settled, which
was obtaining such an addition to his income, as would be sufficient to
enable him to defray the expence in a manner becoming the first literary
character of a great nation, and independent of all his other merits,
the Authour of THE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. The person
to whom I above all others thought I should apply to negociate this
business, was the Lord Chancellor, because I knew that he highly valued
Johnson, and that Johnson highly valued his Lordship; so that it was no
degradation of my illustrious friend to solicit for him the favour of
such a man.
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