Its mere duration in time is some testimony to the value of the friendship, the more so when we remember that Boswell when he died himself was but fifty-five years old. The friend who was the hero of Boswell's youth, and his constant adviser, saw within the space of a few years the beginning of his professional life at the Scotch Bar, the publication of his first serious book, his marriage to an admirable lady, and his election to the Literary Club; he died but two years after Boswell had become the Laird of Auchinleck, at a time when he was showing an increased activity, and before the political and legal hopes that he indulged had brought about by their failure the disappointment of his later life. From the few facts which have been related here something may be gleaned, if not a complete conception of the part which Johnson played in Boswell's life. Boswell has revealed himself as a friend and in particular as the friend of Johnson. So great a devotion is a real asset in life. Whatever its definite value may be as regards events, and it is often small, it serves to fix more clearly and fuse together the intricate moving forms of a land of dreams into a simple mundane shape. It may be an end in itself. And devotion in Boswell's case belonged to the essence of his genius. It was an important part of that abnormal ingredient in him which was to blaze forth in an imperishable flame. What Johnson accomplished for Boswell was primarily in the realm of ideals. The aspirations of Boswell were concentrated by his admiration. But what was the final result? When Johnson died, the ship that carried that heavy load of Boswell's hopes was sailing steadily towards a definite harbour, though not the harbour he intended to reach: what had Johnson to do with this? Was his the hand at the helm?--the breath in the sails? [Footnote 1: _Life of Reynolds_, ii, p. 12.] [Footnote 2: _Letters of Horace Walpole_, v, p. 85.] [Footnote 3: _Memoirs of Hannah More_, i, p. 213.] [Footnote 4: The evidence for what is stated in this sentence and the next is discussed later under Boswell's biographical qualities.] [Footnote 5: _London Magazine_, xlvii, 106.] [Footnote 6: _Piozzi Letters_, i, 198.] [Footnote 7: _Campbell's Diary_, p. 70.] [Footnote 8: _Life of Johnson_, iv, pp. 378-80.] [Footnote 9: It must be remembered that Boswell spent nearly two months with Johnson in this last year. In March he wrote to Dr. Percy about going to London, 'chiefly to attend upon Dr. Johnson with respectful attention.' (Nichols, _Literary History_, vii, p. 302.]) [Footnote 10: _Life of Johnson_, iv, p. 339.] CHAPTER V