Consultations of physicians to be held that day : called again in the evening ; found Mr. Langton with him ; Mr. Sastres and I went together into his chamber ; he was extremely low. ' I am very bad indeed, dear gentlemen,' he said ; ' very bad, very low, very cold, and I think I find my life to fail.' In about a quarter of an hour he dismissed Mr. Sastres and me ; but called me back again, and said that next Sunday, if he lived, he designed to take the sacrament, and wished me, my wife, and son to be there. We left Mr. Langton with him.
Saturday, Dec. 4. Called on him about three : he was much the same ; did not see him, he had much company that day. Called in the evening with Mr. Sastres about eight ; found he was not disposed for company ; Mr. Langton with him ; did not see him.
Sunday, Dec. 5. Went to Bolt Court with Mrs. Hoole after eleven ; found there Sir John Hawkins, Rev. Mr. Strahan, Mrs. Gardiner, and Mr. De Moulins, in the dining-room. After some time the Doctor came to us from the chamber, and saluted us all, thanking us all for this visit to him. He said he found himself very bad, but hoped he should go well through the duty which he was about to do. The sacrament was then administered to all present, Frank being of the number 1 . The Doctor re peatedly desired Mr. Strahan to speak louder; seeming very anxious not to lose any part of the service, in which he joined in very great fervour of devotion. The service over, he again thanked us all for attending him on the occasion ; he said he had taken some opium to enable him to support the fatigue : he seemed quite spent, and lay in his chair some time in a kind of doze : he then got up and retired into his chamber. Mr. Ryland then called on him. I was with them : he said to Mr. Ryland, ' I have taken my viaticum : I hope I shall arrive safe at the end of my journey, and be accepted at last.' He spoke very
1 For the prayer which Johnson a protest against 'ostentatious bounty
composed see ante^ i. 121. and favour to negroes] must, brutal
Hawkins, who said that Frank's fellow that he was, with great in-
' first master had in great humanity dignation have seen the black ser-
made him a Christian,' and whose vant admitted. See also ante, ii.
last words in his Life of Johnson are 124 n. ; Life, iv. 441.
despondingly
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