336 A Biographical Sketch of Dr. Johnson
His constitution was totally broken, and no art of the physician or surgeon could protract his existence beyond the i3th of December. When he was opened, one of his kidneys was found decayed. He never complained of disorder in that region ; and probably it was not the immediate cause of his dissolution. It might be thought that so strong and muscular a body might have lasted many years longer. For Johnson drank nothing but water, and lemonade (by way of indulgence), for many years, almost uninterruptedly, without the taste of any fermented liquor : and he was often abstinent from animal food x , and kept down feverish symptoms by dietetic management. Of Addison and Pope he used to observe, perhaps to remind himself, that they ate and drank too much, and thus shortened their days 2 . It was thought by many, who dined at the same table, that he had too great an appetite 3 . This might now and then be the case, but not till he had subdued his enemy by famine. But his bulk seemed to require now and then to be repaired by kitchen physic. To great old age not one in a thousand arrives. How few were the years of Johnson in comparison of those of Jenkins and Parr 4 ! But perhaps Johnson had more of life, by his intenseness of living. Most people die of disease. He was all his life preparing himself for death : but particularly in the last stage of his asthma and dropsy. ' Take care of your soul don't live such a life as I have done don't let your business or dissi pation make you neglect your sabbath ' were now his constant inculcations 5 . Private and publick prayer, when his visitors were his audience, were his constant exercises. He cannot be said to have been weary of the weight of existence, for he
1 On July 10, 1780, he wrote to The death of Pope was imputed by Mrs. Thrale : ' Last week I saw some of his friends to a silver sauce- flesh but twice, and I think fish once, pan, it which it was his delight to the rest was pease.' Letters, ii. 184. heat potted lampreys.' Ib. viii. 310. See ib. ii. 143. 3 Life, iv. 330.
2 ' From the coffee-house Addison 4 It was confidently asserted that went again to a tavern, where he Henry Jenkins was born in 1501 and often sat late, and drank too much died in 1670 and that Thomas Parr wine.' Works, vii. 449. ' The death was born in 1483 and died in 1635. of great men is not always propor- 5 Life, iv. 410, 413-14, 416 ; ante, tioned to the lustre of their lives. ... ii. 157.
declared
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