He said that he would rather have his pension doubled than a
grant of a thousand pounds; 'For, (said he,) though probably I may
not live to receive as much as a thousand pounds, a man would have
the consciousness that he should pass the remainder of his life in
splendour, how long soever it might be.' Considering what a moderate
proportion an income of six hundred pounds a year bears to innumerable
fortunes in this country, it is worthy of remark, that a man so truly
great should think it splendour.
As an instance of extraordinary liberality of friendship, he told us,
that Dr. Brocklesby had upon this occasion offered him a hundred a year
for his life. A grateful tear started into his eye, as he spoke this in
a faultering tone.
Sir Joshua and I endeavoured to flatter his imagination with agreeable
prospects of happiness in Italy. 'Nay, (said he,) I must not expect much
of that; when a man goes to Italy merely to feel how he breathes the
air, he can enjoy very little.'
Our conversation turned upon living in the country, which Johnson, whose
melancholy mind required the dissipation of quick successive variety,
had habituated himself to consider as a kind of mental imprisonment.
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