a warm West-Indian climate,
where you have a bright sun, quick vegetation, luxuriant foliage,
luscious fruits; but where the same heat sometimes produces thunder,
lightning, earthquakes, in a terrible degree.

April 17, being Good Friday, I waited on Johnson, as usual. I observed
at breakfast that although it was a part of his abstemious discipline
on this most solemn fast, to take no milk in his tea, yet when Mrs.
Desmoulins inadvertently poured it in, he did not reject it. I talked of
the strange indecision of mind, and imbecility in the common occurrences
of life, which we may observe in some people. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, I am
in the habit of getting others to do things for me.' BOSWELL. 'What,
Sir! have you that weakness?' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir. But I always think
afterwards I should have done better for myself.'

I expressed some inclination to publish an account of my Travels
upon the continent of Europe, for which I had a variety of materials
collected. JOHNSON. 'I do not say, Sir, you may not publish your
travels; but I give you my opinion, that you would lessen yourself
by it. What can you tell of countries so well known as those upon the
continent of Europe, which you have visited?' BOSWELL. 'But I can
give an entertaining narrative, with many incidents, anecdotes, jeux
d'esprit, and remarks, so as to make very pleasant reading.' JOHNSON.
'Why, Sir, most modern travellers in Europe who have published their
travels, have been laughed at: I would not have you added to the number.
The world is now not contented to be merely entertained by a traveller's
narrative; they want to learn something. Now some of my friends asked
me, why I did not give some account of my travels in France. The reason
is plain; intelligent readers had seen more of France than I had. YOU
might have liked my travels in France, and THE CLUB might have liked
them; but, upon the whole, there would have been more ridicule than good
produced by them.' BOSWELL. 'I cannot agree with you, Sir. People would
like to read what you say of any thing. Suppose a face has been painted
by fifty painters before; still we love to see it done by Sir Joshua.'
JOHNSON. 'True, Sir, but Sir Joshua cannot paint a face when he has
not time to look on it.' BOSWELL. 'Sir, a sketch of any sort by him is
valuable. And, Sir, to talk to you in your own style (raising my voice,
and shaking my head,) you SHOULD have given us your travels in France. I
am SURE I am right, and THER