(Places with question marks are words that I could not decipher the hand writing so I just put what I could make out)
I am now apprehensive for his general health – he still lye(?) the Benefit of Exercise(?); Exercise!(?) returns the doctor I never heard that he lyed (?) any; he might for night(?) I know, walk to the Alehouse – but I believe he was always carried home again. It was however unlucky for those who delighted to echo Johnson’s Sentiments – that he would not endure from them today, what he shapes he had yesterday by his own Manner of treaty(?) the subject made them fond of repeating; and I fancy Mr. B— has not forgotten that though his friend one Evening in a gay Humour talked in Praise of Wine as one of the Blessings permitted by heaven when had with Moderation, to lighten the load of life and give Men strength to endure it; yet when in Consequence of such talk, he thought fit to make a Bacchanalian Diseonese(?) in its forever Mr. Johnson contradicted himself somewhat roughly as I remember, and when to assure himself often: (cut off word) he added there words- you might allow me sir at length that it produces Truth- in Vine Verities you know sir —that’s replied Mr. Johnson, would be lye: left so a Man, who knew he was not a Syar (?) when he was sober. When one talks of giving and taking the lye familiarity, it is impossible to forbear recollecting the Transaction between the Editor of Ojian and the authors of the Journey to the Hebrides: it was naught of value (?) to me however, that Mr. Johnson never bore his antigorite the lightest Degree of Ill Will, he always kept those Laurels which belonged to him as a Writer separate from those which he had to do with as a man: but I never did hear him say in private one malicious Word of a sublick (?) enemy, and of W. Macpherson I once hear him speak respectfully — though his reply to the friend who asked him if any Man living could have written such a book is well known, I have been often rejected — Yes sir, many men, many women, and men Children. I enquired of him myself if their story was authentic and he said it was: I made the same enquiry concerning his acct. of the State of Literature in Scotland, which was rejected up and down at one time by every body—how knowledge was divided among the Scots like bread in a sieged Town, to every man a mouthful, to no man a Belly full.
-Samuel Johnson (Possibly)
I think you transcribed manuscript L very well! The fine print of the original manuscript and the lack of indenting or line breaks makes it seem both intimidating and difficult to read. The only discrepancy I noticed seems to be one that you also caught and marked with a question mark. Nine lines up from the bottom of the post where it says “one malicious Word of a sublick (?) enemy…” I think reads publick enemy in the original manuscript. The handwriting is kind of squished though and the “p” definitely looks like an “s” but I think based on context it makes sense for it to read public enemy.
“Used any” not “lyed any” (your line 2).
“will” not “still” (line 1).
“Manner of Treating” not “Manner of Treaty” (line 7).
“What he shapes” is wrong, but I’m not sure what it says either (lines 6).
“When used with Moderation” not “When had with Moderation” (line 9).
“Discourse” not “Diseonse” (line 11).
“Favor” not “Forever” (line 11).
“These” not “There”
My partner and I were able to make these distinctions based on our combination of comparing known letters to unknown letters and making use of context clues.