THE JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES

WITH SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D. 

by

James Boswell

DEDICATION TO EDMOND MALONE, ESQ. 

My Dear Sir, In every narrative, whether historical or biographical, authenticityis of the utmost consequence. Of this I have ever been so firmlypersuaded, that I inscribed a former work to that person who was thebest judge of its truth. I need not tell you I mean General Paoli;who, after his great, though unsuccessful, efforts to preserve theliberties of his country, has found an honourable asylum in Britain, where he has now lived many years the object of Royal regard andprivate respect; and whom I cannot name without expressing my verygrateful sense of the uniform kindness which he has been pleased toshew me. 

The friends of Doctor Johnson can best judge, from internal evidence, whether the numerous conversations which form the most valuable partof the ensuing pages, are correctly related. To them, therefore I wishto appeal, for the accuracy of the portrait here exhibited to theworld. 

As one of those who were intimately acquainted with him, you have atide to this address. You have obligingly taken the trouble to perusethe original manuscript of this tour, and can vouch for the strictfidelity of the present publication. Your literary alliance with ourmuch lamented friend, in consequence of having undertaken to renderone of his labours more complete, by your edition of Shakespeare, awork which I am confident will not disappoint the expectations of thepublick, gives you another claim. But I have a still more powerfulinducement to prefix your name to this volume, as it gives me anopportunity of letting the world know that I enjoy the honour andhappiness of your friendship; and of thus publickly testifying thesincere regard with which I am. 

My dear Sir, Your very faithful and obedient servant, James Boswell. London, 20 September 1785. 

"He was of an admirable pregnancy of wit, and that pregnancy muchimproved by continual study from his childhood; by which he had gottensuch a promptness in expressing his mind, that his extemporal speecheswere little inferior to his premeditated writings. Many, no doubt, hadread as much and perhaps more than he; but scarce ever any concoctedhis reading into judgement as he did. "--Baker's Chronicle

Dr Johnson had for many years given me hopes that we should gotogether, and visit the Hebrides. Martin's Account of those islandshad impressed us with a notion that we might there contemplate asystem of life almost totally different from what we had beenaccustomed to see; and, to find simplicity and wildness, and all thecircumstances of remote time or place, so near to our native greatisland, was an object within the reach of reasonable curiosity. DrJohnson has said in his Journey, 'that he scarcely remembered how thewish to visit the Hebrides was excited'; but he told me, in summer, 1763, that his father put Martin's Account into his hands when he wasvery young, and that he was much pleased with it. We reckoned therewould be some inconveniencies and hardships, and perhaps a littledanger; but these we were persuaded were magnified in the imaginationof every body. When I was at Ferney, in 1764, I mentioned our designto Voltaire. He looked at me, as if I had talked of going to the NorthPole, and said, 'You do not insist on my accompanying you?' 'No, sir. ''Then I am very willing you should go. ' I was not afraid that ourcurious expedition would be prevented by such apprehensions; but Idoubted that it would not be possible to prevail on Dr Johnson torelinquish, for some time, the felicity of a London life, which, to aman who can enjoy it with full intellectual relish, is apt to makeexistence in any narrower sphere seem insipid or irksome. I doubtedthat he would not be willing to come down from his elevated state ofphilosophical dignity; from a superiority of wisdom among the wise, and of learning among the learned; and from flashing his wit uponminds bright enough to reflect it. 

He had disappointed my expectations so long, that I began to despair;but in spring, 1773, he talked of coming to Scotland that year with somuch firmness, that I hoped he was at last in earnest. I knew that, ifhe were once launched from the metropolis, he would go forward verywell; and I got our common friends there to assist in setting himafloat. To Mrs Thrale in particular, whose enchantment over him seldomfailed, I was much obliged. It was, 'I'll give thee a wind. ' 'Thou artkind. ' To attract him, we had invitations from the chiefs Macdonaldand Macleod; and, for additional aid, I wrote to Lord Elibank, DrWilliam Robertson, and Dr Beattie. 

To Dr Robertson, so far as my letter concerned the present subject, Iwrote as follows:

Our friend, Mr Samuel Johnson, is in great health and spirits; and, Ido think, has a serious resolution to visit Scotland this year. Themore attraction, however, the better; and therefore, though I know hewill be happy to meet you there, it will forward the scheme, if, inyour answer to this, you express yourself concerning it with thatpower of which you are so happily possessed, and which may be sodirected as to operate strongly upon him. 

His answer to that part of my letter was quite as I could have wished. It was written with the address and persuasion of the historian ofAmerica. 

When I saw you last, you gave us some hopes that you might prevailwith Mr Johnson to make that excursion to Scotland, with theexpectation of which we have long flattered ourselves. If he couldorder matters so, as to pass some time in Edinburgh, about the closeof the summer session, and then visit some of the Highland scenes, Iam confident he would be pleased with the grand features of nature inmany parts of this country: he will meet with many persons here whorespect him, and some whom I am persuaded he will think not unworthyof his esteem. I wish he would make the experiment. He sometimescracks his jokes upon us; but he will find that we can distinguishbetween the stabs of malevolence, and 'the rebukes of the righteous, which are like excellent oil [footnote: Our friend Edmund Burke, whoby this time had received some pretty severe strokes from Dr Johnson, on account of the unhappy difference in their politicks, upon myrepeating this passage to him, exclaimed, 'Oil of vitriol!'], andbreak not the head'. Offer my best compliments to him, and assure himthat I shall be happy to have the satisfaction of seeing him under myroof. 

To Dr Beattie I wrote, The chief intention of this letter is to inform you, that I nowseriously believe Mr Samuel Johnson will visit Scotland this year: butI wish that every power of attraction may be employed to secure ourhaving so valuable an acquisition, and therefore I hope you willwithout delay write to me what I know you think, that I may read it tothe mighty sage, with proper emphasis, before I leave London, which Imust soon. He talks of you with the same warmth that he did last year. We are to see as much of Scotland as we can, in the months of Augustand September. We shall not be long of being at Marischal College[footnote: This, I find, is a Scotticism. I should have said, 'It willnot be long before we shall be at Marischal College. ']. He isparticularly desirous of seeing some of the Western Islands. 

Dr Beattie did better: ipse venit. He was, however, so polite as towave his privilege of nil mihi rescribus, and wrote from Edinburgh, asfollows:

Your very kind and agreeable favour of the 20th of April overtook mehere yesterday, after having gone to Aberdeen, which place I leftabout a week ago. I am to set out this day for London, and hope tohave the honour of paying my respects to Mr Johnson and you, about aweek or ten days hence. I shall then do what I can, to enforce thetopick you mentioned; but at present I cannot enter upon it, as I amin a very great hurry; for I intend to begin my journey within an houror two. 

He was as good as his word, and threw some pleasing motives into thenorthern scale. But, indeed, Mr Johnson loved all that he heard fromone whom he tells us, in his Lives of the Poets, Gray found 'a poet, aphilosopher, and a good man'. 

My Lord Elibank did not answer my letter to his lordship for sometime. The reason will appear, when we come to the Isle of Sky. I shallthen insert my letter, with letters from his lordship, both to myselfand Mr Johnson. I beg it may be understood, that I insert my ownletters, as I relate my own sayings, rather as keys to what isvaluable belonging to others, than for their own sake. 

Luckily Mr Justice (now Sir Robert) Chambers, who was about to sailfor the East Indies, was going to take leave of his relations atNewcastle, and he conducted Dr Johnson to that town. Mr Scott, ofUniversity College, Oxford, (now Dr Scott, of the Commons) accompaniedhim from thence to Edinburgh. With such propitious convoys did heproceed to my native city. But, lest metaphor should make it besupposed he actually went by sea, I choose to mention that hetravelled in post-chaises, of which the rapid motion was one of hismost favourite amusements. 

Dr Samuel Johnson's character, religious, moral, political, andliterary, nay his figure and manner, are, I believe, more generallyknown than those of almost any man; yet it may not be superfluous hereto attempt a sketch of him. Let my readers then remember that he was asincere and zealous Christian, of high Church of England andmonarchical principles, which he would not tamely suffer to bequestioned; steady and inflexible in maintaining the obligations ofpiety and virtue, both from a regard to the order of society, and froma veneration for the Great Source of all order; correct, nay stern inhis taste; hard to please, and easily offended, impetuous andirritable in his temper, but of a most humane and benevolent heart;having a mind stored with a vast and various collection of learningand knowledge, which he communicated with peculiar perspicuity andforce, in rich and choice expression. He united a most logical headwith a most fertile imagination, which gave him an extraordinaryadvantage in arguing; for he could reason close or wide, as he sawbest for the moment. He could, when he chose it, be the greatestsophist that ever wielded a weapon in the schools of declamation; buthe indulged this only in conversation; for he owned he sometimestalked for victory; he was too conscientious to make errour permanentand pernicious, by deliberately writing it. He was conscious of hissuperiority. He loved praise when it was brought to him; but was tooproud to seek for it. He was somewhat susceptible of flattery. Hismind was so full of imagery, that he might have been perpetually apoet. It has been often remarked, that in his poetical pieces, whichit is to be regretted are so few, because so excellent, his style iseasier than in his prose. There is deception in this: it is noteasier, but better suited to the dignity of verse; as one may dancewith grace, whose motions, in ordinary walking--in the commonstep--are awkward. He had a constitutional melancholy, the clouds ofwhich darkened the brightness of his fancy, and gave a gloomy cast tohis whole course of thinking: yet, though grave and awful in hisdeportment, when he thought it necessary or proper, he frequentlyindulged himself in pleasantry and sportive sallies. He was prone tosuperstition, but not to credulity. Though his imagination mightincline him to a belief of the marvellous, and the mysterious, hisvigorous reason examined the evidence with jealousy. He had a loudvoice, and a slow deliberate utterance, which no doubt gave someadditional weight to the sterling metal of his conversation. LordPembroke said once to me at Wilton, with a happy pleasantry, and sometruth, that 'Dr Johnson's sayings would not appear so extraordinary, were it not for his bow-wow way': but I admit the truth of this onlyon some occasions. The Messiah, played upon the Canterbury organ, ismore sublime than when played upon an inferior instrument: but veryslight musick will seem grand, when conveyed to the ear through thatmajestick medium. WHILE THEREFORE DOCTOR JOHNSON'S SAYINGS ARE READ, LET HIS MANNER BE TAKEN ALONG WITH THEM. Let it however be observed, that the sayings themselves are generally great; that, though he mightbe an ordinary composer at times, he was for the most part a Handel. His person was large, robust, I may say approaching to the gigantick, and grown unwieldy from corpulency. His countenance was naturally ofthe craft of an ancient statue, but somewhat disfigured by the scarsof that evil, which, it was formerly imagined, the royal touch couldcure. He was now in his sixty-fourth year, and was become a littledull of hearing. His sight had always been somewhat weak; yet, so muchdoes mind govern, and even supply the deficiency of organs, that hisperceptions were uncommonly quick and accurate. His head, andsometimes also his body, shook with a kind of motion like the effectof a palsy: he appeared to be frequently disturbed by cramps, orconvulsive contractions, [Footnote: Such they appeared to me: butsince the first edition, Sir Joshua Reynolds has observed to me, 'thatDr Johnson's extraordinary gestures were only habits, in which heindulged himself at certain times. When in company, where he was notfree, or when engaged earnestly in conversation, he never gave way tosuch habits, which proves that they were not involuntary', I stillhowever think, that these gestures were involuntary; for surely hadnot that been the case, he would have restrained them in the publickstreets. ] of the nature of that distemper called St Vitus's dance. Hewore a full suit of plain brown clothes, with twisted-hair buttons ofthe same colour, a large bushy greyish wig, a plain shirt, blackworsted stockings, and silver buckles. Upon this tour, whenjourneying, he wore boots, and a very wide brown cloth great coat, with pockets which might have almost held the two volumes of his foliodictionary; and he carried in his hand a large English oak stick. Letme not be censured for mentioning such minute particulars. Every thingrelative to so great a man is worth observing. I remember Dr AdamSmith, in his rhetorical lectures at Glasgow, told us he was glad toknow that Milton wore latchets in his shoes, instead of buckles. WhenI mention the oak stick, it is but letting Hercules have his club;and, by-and-by, my readers will find this stick will bud, and producea good joke. 

This imperfect sketch of 'the combination and the form' of thatWonderful Man, whom I venerated and loved while in this world, andafter whom I gaze with humble hope, now that it has pleased AlmightyGod to call him to a better world, will serve to introduce to thefancy of my readers the capital object of the following journal, inthe course of which I trust they will attain to a considerable degreeof acquaintance with him. 

His prejudice against Scotland was announced almost as soon as hebegan to appear in the world of letters. In his London, a poem, arethe following nervous lines:

For who would leave, unbrib'd, Hibernia's landOr change the rocks of Scotland for the StrandThere none are swept by sudden fate away;But all, whom hunger spares, with age decay. 

The truth is, like the ancient Greeks and Romans, he allowed himselfto look upon all nations but his own as barbarians: not only Hibernia, and Scotland, but Spain, Italy, and France, are attacked in the samepoem. If he was particularly prejudiced against the Scots, it wasbecause they were more in his way; because he thought their success inEngland rather exceeded the due proportion of their real merit; andbecause he could not but seenin them that nationality which I believeno liberal-minded Scotsman will deny. He was indeed, if I may beallowed the phrase, at bottom much of a John Bull; much of a blunt'true born Englishman'. There was a stratum of common clay under therock of marble. He was voraciously fond of good eating; and he had agreat deal of that quality called humour, which gives an oiliness anda gloss to every other quality. 

I am, I flatter myself, completely a citizen of the world. In mytravels through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Corsica, France, I never felt myself from home; and I sincerely love 'every kindred andtongue and people and nation'. I subscribe to what my late trulylearned and philosophical friend Mr Crosbie said, that the English arebetter animals than the Scots; they are nearer the sun; their blood isricher, and more mellow: but when I humour any of them in anoutrageous contempt of Scotland, I fairly own I treat them aschildren. And thus I have, at some moments, found myself obliged totreat even Dr Johnson. 

To Scotland however he ventured; and he returned from it in greathumour, with his prejudices much lessened, and with very gratefulfeelings of the hospitality with which he was treated; as is evidentfrom that admirable work, his Journey to the Western Islands ofScotland, which, to my utter astonishment, has been misapprehended, even to rancour, by many of my countrymen. 

To have the company of Chambers and Scott, he delayed his journey solong, that the court of session, which rises on the eleventh ofAugust, was broke up before he got to Edinburgh. 

On Saturday the fourteenth of August, 1773, late in the evening, Ireceived a note from him, that he was arrived at Boyd's inn, at thehead of the Canongate. I went to him directly. He embraced mecordially; and I exulted in the thought, that I now had him actuallyin Caledonia. Mr Scott's amiable manners, and attachment to ourSocrates, at once united me to him. He told me that, before I came in, the Doctor had unluckily had a bad specimen of Scottish cleanliness. He then drank no fermented liquor. He asked to have his lemonade madesweeter; upon which the waiter, with his greasy fingers, lifted a lumpof sugar, and put it into it. The Doctor, in indignation, threw it outof the window. Scott said, he was afraid he would have knocked thewaiter down. Mr Johnson told me, that such another trick was playedhim at the house of a lady in Paris. He was to do me the honour tolodge under my roof. I regretted sincerely that I had not also a roomfor Mr Scott. Mr Johnson and I walked arm-in-arm up the High Street, to my house in James's court: it was a dusky night: I could notprevent his being assailed by the evening effluvia of Edinburgh. Iheard a late baronet, of some distinction in the political world inthe beginning of the present reign, observe, that 'walking the streetsof Edinburgh at night was pretty perilous, and a good dealodoriferous'. The peril is much abated, by the care which themagistrates have taken to enforce the city laws against throwing foulwater from the windows; but, from the structure of the houses in theold town, which consist of many stories, in each of which a differentfamily lives, and there being no covered sewers, the odour stillcontinues. A zealous Scotsman would have wished Mr Johnson to bewithout one of his five senses upon this occasion. As we marchedslowly along, he grumbled in my ear, 'I smell you in the dark!' But heacknowledged that the breadth of the street, and the loftiness of thebuildings on each side, made a noble appearance. 

My wife had tea ready for him, which it is well known he delighted todrink at all hours, particularly when sitting up late, and of whichhis able defence against Mr Jonas Hanway should have obtained him amagnificent reward from the East India Company. He shewed muchcomplacency upon finding that the mistress of the house was soattentive to his singular habit; and as no man could be more politewhen he chose to be so, his address to her was most courteous andengaging; and his conversation soon charmed her into a forgetfulnessof his external appearance. 

I did not begin to keep a regular full journal till some days after wehad set out from Edinburgh; but I have luckily preserved a good manyfragments of his Memorabilia from his very first evening in Scotland. 

We had, a little before this, had a trial for murder, in which thejudges had allowed the lapse of twenty years since its commission as aplea in bar, in conformity with the doctrine of prescription in thecivil law, which Scotland and several other countries in Europe haveadopted. He at first disapproved of this; but then he thought therewas something in it, if there had been for twenty years a neglect toprosecute a crime which was KNOWN. He would not allow that a murder, by not being DISCOVERED for twenty years, should escape punishment. Wetalked of the ancient trial by duel. He did not think it so absurd asis generally supposed; 'For, ' said he, 'it was only allowed when thequestion was in equilibria, as when one affirmed and another denied;and they had a notion that Providence would interfere in favour of himwho was in the right. But as it was found that in a duel, he who wasin the right had not a better chance than he who was in the wrong, therefore society instituted the present mode of trial, and gave theadvantage to him who is in the right. '

We sat till near two in the morning, having chatted a good while aftermy wife left us. She had insisted, that to shew all respect to theSage, she would give up her own bed-chamber to him, and take a worse. This I cannot but gratefully mention, as one of a thousand obligationswhich I owe her, since the great obligation of her being pleased toaccept of me as her husband. 

Sunday, 15th August

Mr Scott came to breakfast, at which I introduced to Dr Johnson, andhim, my friend Sir William Forbes, now of Pitsligo; a man of whom toomuch good cannot be said; who, with distinguished abilities andapplication in his profession of a banker, is at once a goodcompanion, and a good Christian; which I think is saying enough. Yetit is but justice to record, that once, when he was in a dangerousillness, he was watched with the anxious apprehension of a generalcalamity; day and night his house was beset with affectionateinquiries; and, upon his recovery, Te deum was the universal chorusfrom the hearts of his countrymen. 

Mr Johnson was pleased with my daughter Veronica, [Footnote: "Thesaint's name of Veronica was introduced into our family through mygreat grandmother Veronica, Countess of Kincardine, a Dutch lady ofthe noble house of Sommelsdyck, of which there is a full account inBayle's Dictionary. The family had once a princely right in Surinam. The governour of that settlement was appointed by the States General, the town of Amsterdam, and Sommelsdyck. The States General haveacquired Sommelsdyck's right; but the family has still great dignityand opulence, and by intermarriages is connected with many other noblefamilies. When I was at the Hague, I was received with all theaffection of kindred. The present Sommelsdyck has an important chargein the Republick, and is as worthy a man as lives. He has honoured mewith his correspondence for these twenty years. My great grandfather, the husband of Countess Veronica, was Alexander, Earl of Kincardine, that eminent Royalist whose character is given by Burnet in hisHistory of his own Times. From him the blood of Bruce flows in myveins. Of such ancestry who would not be proud? And, as Nihil est, nisi hoc sciat alter, is peculiarly true of genealogy, who would notbe glad to seize a fair opportunity to let it be known "] then a childof about four months old. She had the appearance of listening to him. His motions seemed to her to be intended for her amusement; and whenhe stopped, she fluttered, and made a little infantine noise, and akind of signal for him to begin again. She would be held close to him;which was a proof, from simple nature, that his figure was not horrid. Her fondness for him endeared her still more to me, and I declared sheshould have five hundred pounds of additional fortune. 

We talked of the practice of the law. William Forbes said, he thoughtan honest lawyer should never undertake a cause which he was satisfiedwas not a just one. 'Sir, ' said Mr Johnson, 'a lawyer has no businesswith the justice or injustice of the cause which he undertakes, unlesshis client asks his opinion, and then he is bound to give it honestly. The justice or injustice of the cause is to be decided by the judge. Consider, sir; what is the purpose of courts of justice? It is, thatevery man may have his cause fairly tried, by men appointed to trycauses. A lawyer is not to tell what he knows to be a lie: he is notto produce what he knows to be a false deed; but he is not to usurpthe province of the jury and of the judge, and determine what shall bethe effect of evidence--what shall be the result of legal argument. Asit rarely happens that a man is fit to plead his own cause, lawyersare a class of the community, who, by study and experience, haveacquired the art and power of arranging evidence, and of applying tothe points of issue what the law has settled. A lawyer is to do forhis client all that his client might fairly do for himself, if hecould. If, by a superiority of attention, of knowledge, of skill, anda better method of communication, he has the advantage of hisadversary, it is an advantage to which he is entitled. There mustalways be some advantage, on one side or other; and it is better thatadvantage should be had by talents, than by chance. If lawyers were toundertake no causes till they were sure they were just, a man might beprecluded altogether from a trial of his claim, though, were itjudicially examined, it might be found a very just claim. ' This wassound practical doctrine, and rationally repressed a too refinedscrupulosity of conscience. 

Emigration was at this time a common topick of discourse. Dr Johnsonregretted it as hurtful to human happiness: 'For, ' said he, 'itspreads mankind which weakens the defence of a nation, and lessens thecomfort of living. Men, thinly scattered, make a shift, but a badshift, without many things. A smith is ten miles off: they'll dowithout a nail or a staple. A taylor is far from them: they'll botchtheir own clothes. It is being concentrated which produces highconvenience. '

Sir William Forbes, Mr Scott, and I, accompanied Mr Johnson to thechapel, founded by Lord Chief Baron Smith, for the Service of theChurch of England. The Reverend Mr Carre, the senior clergyman, preached from these words, 'Because the Lord reigneth, let the earthbe glad. ' I was sorry to think Mr Johnson did not attend to thesermon, Mr Carre's low voice not being strong enough to reach hishearing. A selection of Mr Carre's sermons has, since his death, beenpublished by Sir William Forbes, and the world has acknowledged theiruncommon merit. I am well assured Lord Mansfield has pronounced themto be excellent. 

Here I obtained a promise from Lord Chief Baron Orde, that he woulddine at my house next day. I presented Mr Johnson to his Lordship, whopolitely said to him, 'I have not the honour of knowing you; but Ihope for it, and to see you at my house. I am to wait on youtomorrow. ' This respectable English judge will be long remembered inScotland, where he built an elegant house, and lived in itmagnificently. His own ample fortune, with the addition of his salary, enabled him to be splendidly hospitable. It may be fortunate for anindividual amongst ourselves to be Lord Chief Baron; and a most worthyman now has the office; but, in my opinion, it is better for Scotlandin general, that some of our publick employments should be filled bygentlemen of distinction from the south side of the Tweed, as we havethe benefit of promotion in England. Such an interchange would make abeneficial mixture of manners, and render our union more complete. Lord Chief Baron Orde was on good terms with us all, in a narrowcountry filled with jarring interests and keen parties; and, though Iwell knew his opinion to be the same with my own, he kept himselfaloof at a very critical period indeed, when the Douglas cause shookthe sacred security of birthright in Scotland to its foundation; acause, which had it happened before the Union, when there was noappeal to a British House of Lords, would have left the great fortressof honours and of property in ruins. 

When we got home, Dr Johnson desired to see my books. He took downOgden's Sermons on Prayer, on which I set a very high value, havingbeen much edified by them, and he retired with them to his room. Hedid not stay long, but soon joined us in the drawing room. I presentedto him Mr Robert Arbuthnot, a relation of the celebrated Dr Arbuthnot, and a man of literature and taste. To him we were obliged for aprevious recommendation, which secured us a very agreeable receptionat St Andrews, and which Dr Johnson, in his Journey, ascribes to 'someinvisible friend'. 

Of Dr Beattie, Mr Johnson said, 'Sir, he has written like a manconscious of the truth, and feeling his own strength. Treating youradversary with respect, is giving him an advantage to which he is notentitled. The greatest part of men cannot judge of reasoning, and areimpressed by character; so that, if you allow your adversary arespectable character, they will think, that though you differ fromhim, you may be in the wrong. Sir, treating your adversary withrespect, is striking soft in a battle. And as to Hume--a man who hasso much conceit as to tell all mankind that they have been bubbled forages, and he is the wise man who sees better than they--a man who hasso little scrupulosity as to venture to oppose those principles whichhave been thought necessary to human happiness--is he to be surprisedif another man comes and laughs at him? If he is the great man hethinks himself, all this cannot hurt him: it is like throwing peasagainst a rock. ' He added 'something much too rough', both as to MrHume's head and heart, which I suppress. Violence is, in my opinion, not suitable to the Christian cause. Besides, I always lived on goodterms with Mr Hume, though I have frankly told him, I was not clearthat it was right in me to keep company with him, 'But', said I, 'howmuch better are you than your books!' He was cheerful, obliging, andinstructive; he was charitable to the poor; and many an agreeable hourhave I passed with him: I have preserved some entertaining andinteresting memoirs of him, particularly when he knew himself to bedying, which I may some time or other communicate to the world. Ishall not, however, extol him so very highly as Dr Adam Smith does, who says, in a letter to Mr Strahan the printer (not a confidentialletter to his friend, but a letter which is published [Footnote: Thisletter, though shattered by the sharp shot of Dr Horne of Oxford'swit, in the character of 'One of the People called Christians', isstill prefixed to Mr Home's excellent History of England, like a poorinvalid on the piquet guard, or like a list of quack medicines sold bythe same bookseller, by whom a work of whatever nature is published;for it has no connection with his History, let it have what it maywith what are called his Philosophical Works. A worthy friend of minein London was lately consulted by a lady of quality, of mostdistinguished merit, what was the best History of England for her sonto read. My friend recommended Hume's. But, upon recollecting that itsusher was a superlative panegyrick on one, who endeavoured to sap thecredit of our holy religion, he revoked his recommendation. I amreally sorry for this ostentatious alliance; because I admire TheTheory of Moral Sentiments, and value the greatest part of An Inquiryinto the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Why should such awriter be so forgetful of human comfort, as to give any countenance tothat dreary infidelity which would' make us poor indeed!'] with allformality): 'Upon the whole, I have always considered him, both in hislife time and since his death, as approaching as nearly to the idea ofa perfectly wise and virtuous man as perhaps the nature of humanfrailty will permit. ' Let Dr Smith consider: Was not Mr Hume blestwith good health, good spirits, good friends, a competent andincreasing fortune? And had he not also a perpetual feast of fame?But, as a learned friend has observed to me, 'What trials did heundergo, to prove the perfection of his virtue? Did he ever experienceany great instance of adversity?' When I read this sentence, deliveredby my old Professor of Moral Philosophy, I could not help exclaimingwith the Psalmist, 'Surely I have now more understanding than myteachers!'

While we were talking, there came a note to me from Dr WilliamRobertson. 

Dear Sir, I have been expecting every day to hear from you, of Dr Johnson'sarrival. Pray, what do you know about his motions? I long to take himby the hand. I write this from the college, where I have only thisscrap of paper. Ever yours, W. R. Sunday. 

It pleased me to find Dr Robertson thus eager to meet Dr Johnson. Iwas glad I could answer, that he was come: and I begged Dr Robertsonmight be with us as soon as he could. Sir William Forbes, Mr Scott, MrArbuthnot, and another gentleman dined with us. 'Come, Dr Johnson, 'said I, 'it is commonly thought that our veal in Scotland is not good. But here is some which I believe you will like. ' There was no catchinghim: JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, what is commonly thought, I should take to betrue. YOUR veal may be good; but that will only be an exception to thegeneral opinion; not a proof against it. '

Dr Robertson, according to the custom of Edinburgh at that time, dinedin the interval between the forenoon and afternoon service, which wasthen later than now; so we had not the pleasure of his company tilldinner was over, when he came and drank wine with us. And then begansome animated dialogue, of which here follows a pretty full note. 

We talked of Mr Burke. Dr Johnson said, he had great variety ofknowledge, store of imagery, copiousness of language. ROBERTSON. 'Hehas wit too. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir; he never succeeds there. 'Tis low;'tis conceit. I used to say. Burke never once made a good joke. 

[Footnote: This was one of the points upon which Dr Johnson wasstrangely heterodox. For, surely, Mr Burke, with his other remarkablequalities, is also distinguished for his wit, and for wit of all kindstoo; not merely that power of language which Pope chooses todenominate wit. 

True wit is Nature to advantage drest;What oft was thought, but ne'er so well exprest. 

but surprising allusions, brilliant sallies of vivacity, and pleasantconceits. His speeches in Parliament are strewed with them. Take, forinstance, the variety which he has given in his wide range, yet exactdetail, when exhibiting his Reform Bill. And his conversation aboundsin wit. Let me put down a specimen. I told him, I had seen, at a bluestocking assembly, a number of ladies sitting round a worthy and tallfriend of ours, listening to his literature. 'Ay, ' said he, 'likemaids round a May-pole. ' I told him, I had found a perfect definitionof human nature, as distinguished from the animal. An ancientphilosopher said, man was a 'two-legged animal without feathers', uponwhich his rival sage had a cock plucked bare, and set him down in theschool before all the disciples, as a 'Philosophick Man'. Dr Franklinsaid, man was 'a tool-making animal', which is very well; for noanimal but man makes a thing, by means of which he can make anotherthing. But this applies to very few of the species. My definition ofman is, 'a Cooking Animal'. The beasts have memory, judgment and allthe faculties and passions of our mind, in a certain degree; but nobeast is a cook. The trick of the monkey using the cat's paw to roasta chestnut is only a piece of shrewd malice in that turpissima bestia, which humbles us so sadly by its similarity to us. Man alone can dressa good dish; and every man whatever is more or less a cook, inseasoning what he himself eats. 'Your definition is good, ' said MrBurke, 'and I now see the full force of the common proverb. "There isREASON in roasting of eggs". ' When Mr Wilkes, in his days oftumultuous opposition, was borne upon the shoulders of the mob. MrBurke (as Mr Wilkes told me himself, with classical admiration, )applied to him what Horace says of Pindar, . .. Numerisque fertur LEGE solutis. 

Sir Joshua Reynolds, who agrees with me entirely as to Mr Burke'sfertility of wit said, that this was 'dignifying a pun'. He alsoobserved, that he has often heard Burke say, in the course of anevening, ten good things, each of which would have served a noted wit(whom he named) to live upon for a twelvemonth. 

I find, since the former edition, that some persons have objected tothe instances which I have given of Mr Burke's wit, as not doingjustice to my very ingenious friend; the specimens produced having, itis alleged, more of conceit than real wit and being merely sportivesallies of the moment, not justifying the encomium which they thinkwith me, he undoubtedly merits. I was well aware, how hazardous it wasto exhibit particular instances of wit, which is of so airy andspiritual a nature as often to elude the hand that attempts to graspit. The excellence and efficacy of a bon mot depend frequently so muchon the occasion on which it is spoken, on the particular manner of thespeaker, on the person of whom it is applied, the previousintroduction, and a thousand minute particulars which cannot be easilyenumerated, that it is always dangerous to detach a witty saying fromthe group to which it belongs, and to see it before the eye of thespectator, divested of those concomitant circumstances, which gave itanimation, mellowness, and relief. I ventured, however, at all hazardsto put down the first instances that occurred to me, as proofs of MrBurke's lively and brilliant fancy; but am very sensible that hisnumerous friends could have suggested many of a superior quality. Indeed, the being in company with him, for a single day, is sufficientto shew that what I have asserted is well founded; and it was onlynecessary to have appealed to all who know him intimately, for acomplete refutation of the heterodox opinion entertained by Dr Johnsonon this subject. HE allowed Mr Burke, as the reader will findhereafter, to be a man of consummate and unrivalled abilities in everylight except that now under consideration; and the variety of hisallusions, and splendour of his imagery, have made such an impressionon ALL THE REST of the world, that superficial observers are apt tooverlook his other merits, and to suppose that wit is his chief andmost prominent excellence; when in fact it is only one of the manytalents that he possesses, which are so various and extraordinary, that it is very difficult to ascertain precisely the rank and value ofeach. ] What I most envy Burke for, is, his being constantly the same. He is never what we call humdrum; never unwilling to begin to talk, nor in haste to leave off. ' BOSWELL. 'Yet he can listen. ' JOHNSON. 'No; I cannot say he is good at that. So desirous is he to talk, that, if one is speaking at this end of the table, he'll speak to somebodyat the other end. Burke, sir, is such a man, that if you met him forthe first time in the street where you were stopped by a drove ofoxen, and you and he stepped aside to take shelter but for fiveminutes, he'd talk to you in such a manner, that, when you parted, youwould say, this is an extraordinary man. Now, you may be long enoughwith me, without finding any thing extraordinary. ' He said, hebelieved Burke was intended for the law; but either had not moneyenough to follow it, or had not diligence enough. He said, he couldnot understand how a man could apply to one thing, and not to another. Robertson said, one man had more judgment, another more imagination. JOHNSON. 'No, sir; it is only, one man has more mind than another. Hemay direct it differently; he may, by accident, see the success of onekind of study, and take a desire to excel in it. I am persuaded that, had Sir Isaac Newton applied to poetry, he would have made a very fineepick poem. I could as easily apply to law as to tragick poetry. 'BOSWELL. 'Yet, sir, you did apply to tragick poetry, not to law. 'JOHNSON. 'Because, sir, I had not money to study law. Sir, the man whohas vigour, may walk to the east, just as well as to the west, if hehappens to tune his head that way. ' BOSWELL. 'But, sir, 'tis likewalking up and down a hill; one man will naturally do the one betterthan the other. A hare will run up a hill best, from her fore-legsbeing short; a dog down. ' JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir; that is from mechanicalpowers. If you make mind mechanical, you may argue in that manner. Onemind is a vice, and holds fast; there's a good memory. Another is afile; and he is a disputant, a controversialist. Another is a razor;and he is sarcastical. ' We talked of Whitefield. He said, he was atthe same college with him, and knew him 'before he began to be betterthan other people' (smiling); that he believed he sincerely meantwell, but had a mixture of politicks and ostentation: whereas Wesleythought of religion only. [Footnote: That cannot be said now, afterthe flagrant part which Mr John Wesley took against our Americanbrethren, when, in his own name, he threw amongst his enthusiasticflock, the very individual combustibles of Dr Johnson's Taxation noTyranny: and after the intolerant spirit which he manifested againstour fellow Christians of the Roman Catholick Communion, for which thatable champion, Father O'Leary, has given him so hearty a drubbing. ButI should think myself very unworthy, if I did not at the same timeacknowledge Mr John Wesley's merit, as a veteran 'Soldier of JesusChrist', who has, I do believe, 'turned many from darkness into light, and from the power of Satan to the living God'. ] Robertson said, Whitefield had strong natural eloquence, which, if cultivated, wouldhave done great things. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, I take it, he was at theheight of what his abilities could do, and was sensible of it. He hadthe ordinary advantages of education; but he chose to pursue thatoratory which is for the mob. ' BOSWELL. 'He had great effect on thepassions. ' JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, I don't think so. He could notrepresent a succession of pathetick images. He vociferated, and madean impression. THERE, again, was a mind like a hammer. ' Dr Johnson nowsaid, a certain eminent political friend of ours was wrong, in hismaxim of sticking to a certain set of MEN on all occasions. 'I can seethat a man may do right to stick to a PARTY, ' said he;' that is tosay, he is a WHIG, or he is a TORY, and he thinks one of those partiesupon the whole the best, and that to make it prevail, it must begenerally supported, though, in particulars, it may be wrong. He takesits faggot of principles, in which there are fewer rotten sticks thanin the other, though some rotten sticks to be sure; and they cannotwell be separated. But, to bind one's self to one man, or one set ofmen (who may be right to-day and wrong to-morrow), without any generalpreference of system, I must disapprove. ' [Footnote: If due attentionwere paid to this observation, there would be more virtue, even inpoliticks. What Dr Johnson justly condemned, has, I am sorry to say, greatly increased in the present reign. At the distance of four yearsfrom this conversation, 21st February 1777, My Lord Archbishop ofYork, in his 'Sermon before the Society for the Propagation of theGospel in Foreign Parts', thus indignantly describes the then state ofparties: 'Parties once had a PRINCIPLE belonging to them, absurdperhaps, and indefensible, but still carrying a notion of DUTY, bywhich honest minds might easily be caught. 

'But they are now COMBINATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS, who, instead of beingthe sons and servants of the community, make a league for advancingtheir PRIVATE INTERESTS. It is their business to hold high the notionof POLITICAL HONOUR. I believe and trust, it is not injurious to say, that such a bond is no better than that by which the lowest andwickedest combinations are held together; and that it denotes the laststage of political depravity. '

To find a thought, which just shewed itself to us from the mind ofJOHNSON, thus appearing again at such a distance of time, and withoutany communication between them, enlarged to full growth in the mind ofMARKHAM, is a curious object of philosophical contemplation. That twosuch great and luminous minds should have been so dark in onecorner--that THEY should have held it to be 'wicked rebellion in theBritish subjects established in America, to resist the abjectcondition of holding all their property at the mercy of Britishsubjects remaining at home, while their allegiance to our common Lordthe King was to be preserved inviolate'--is a striking proof to me, either that 'He who fitteth in Heaven', scorns the loftiness of humanpride, or that the evil spirit, whose personal existence I stronglybelieve, and even in this age am confirmed in that belief by a Fell, nay, by a Hurd, has more power than some choose to allow. ]

He told us of Cooke, who translated Hesiod, and lived twenty years ona translation of Plautus, for which he was always takingsubscriptions; and that he presented Foote to a club, in the followingsingular manner: 'This is the nephew of the gentleman who was latelyhung in chains for murdering his brother. '

In the evening I introduced to Mr Johnson [Footnote: It may beobserved, that I sometimes call my great friend, MR Johnson, sometimesDR Johnson, though he had at this time a doctor's degree from TrinityCollege, Dublin. The University of Oxford afterwards conferred it uponhim by a diploma, in very honourable terms. It was some time before Icould bring myself to call him Doctor; but as he has been long knownby that title, I shall give it to him in the rest of this Journal. ]two good friends of mine, Mr William Nairne, advocate, and Mr Hamiltonof Sundrum, my neighbour in the country, both of whom supped with us. I have preserved nothing of what passed, except that Dr Johnsondisplayed another of his heterodox opinions--a contempt of tragickacting. He said, 'the action of all players in tragedy is bad. Itshould be a man's study to repress those signs of emotion and passion, as they are called. ' He was of a directly contrary opinion to that ofFielding, in his Tom Jones; who makes Partridge say, of Garrick, 'why, I could act as well as he myself. I am sure, if I had seen a ghost, Ishould have looked in the very same manner, and done just as he did. 'For, when I asked him, 'Would not you, sir, start as Mr Garrick does, if you saw a ghost?' He answered, 'I hope not. If I did, I shouldfrighten the ghost. '

Monday, 16th August

Dr William Robertson came to breakfast. We talked of Ogden on Prayer. Dr Johnson said, 'The same arguments which are used against God'shearing prayer, will serve against his rewarding good, and punishingevil. He has resolved, he has declared, in the former case as in thelatter. ' He had last night looked into Lord Hailes's Remarks on theHistory of Scotland. Dr Robertson and I said, it was a pity LordHailes did not write greater things. His lordship had not thenpublished his Annals of Scotland. JOHNSON. 'I remember I was once on avisit at the house of a lady for whom I had a high respect. There wasa good deal of company in the room. When they were gone, I said tothis lady, "What foolish talking have we had!" "Yes, " said she, "butwhile they talked, you said nothing. " I was struck with reproof. Howmuch better is the man who does nothing. Besides, I love anecdotes. Ifancy mankind may come, in time, to write all aphoristically, exceptin narrative; grow weary of preparation, and connection, andillustration, and all those arts by which a big book is made. If a manis to wait till he weaves anecdotes into a system, we may be long ingetting them, and get but a few, in comparison of what we might get. '

Dr Robertson said, the notions of Eupham Macallan. A fanatick woman, of whom Lord Hailes gives a sketch, were still prevalent among some ofthe Presbyterians; and therefore it was right in Lord Hailes, a man ofknown piety, to undeceive them. 

We walked out, that Dr Johnson might see some of the things which wehave to shew at Edinburgh. We went to the Parliament House, where theParliament of Scotland sat, and where the Ordinary Lords of Sessionhold their courts; and to the New Session House adjoining to it, whereour Court of Fifteen (the fourteen Ordinaries, with the Lord Presidentat their head) sit as a court of Review. We went to the Advocates'Library, of which Dr Johnson took a cursory view, and then to what iscalled the Laigh (or Under) Parliament House, where the records ofScotland, which has an universal security by register, are deposited, till the great Register Office be finished. I was pleased to behold DrSamuel Johnson rolling about in this old magazine of antiquities. There was, by this time, a pretty numerous circle of us attending uponhim. Somebody talked of happy moments for composition; and how a mancan write at one time, and not at another. 'Nay, ' said Dr Johnson, 'aman may write at any time, if he will set himself DOGGEDLY [Footnote:This word is commonly used to signify sullenly, gloomily: and in thatsense alone it appears in Dr Johnson's Dictionary. I suppose he meantby it 'with an OBSTINATE RESOLUTION, similar to that of a sullenman'. ] to it. '

I here began to indulge old Scottish sentiments, and to express a warmregret, that, by our union with England, we were no more--ourindependent kingdom was lost. JOHNSON. 'Sir, never talk of yourindependency, who could let your Queen remain twenty years incaptivity, and then be put to death, without even a pretence ofjustice, without your ever attempting to rescue her; and such a Queentoo! as every man of any gallantry of spirit would have sacrificed hislife for. ' Worthy MR JAMES KERR, Keeper of the Records. 'Half ournation was bribed by English money. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, that is nodefence: that makes you worse. ' Good MR BROWN, Keeper of the AdvocatesLibrary. 'We had better say nothing about it. ' BOSWELL. 'You wouldhave been glad, however, to have had us last war, sir, to fight yourbattles!' JOHNSON. 'We should have had you for the same price, thoughthere had been no Union, as we might have had Swiss, or other troops. No, no, I shall agree to a separation. You have only to GO HOME. ' Justas he had said this, I to divert the subject, shewed him the signedassurances of the three successive Kings of the Hanover family, tomaintain the Presbyterian establishment in Scotland. 'We'll give youthat, ' said he, 'into the bargain. '

We next went to the great church of St Giles, which has lost itsoriginal magnificence in the inside, by being divided into four placesof Presbyterian worship. 'Come, ' said Dr Johnson jocularly toPrincipal Robertson, [Footnote: I have hitherto called him Dr WilliamRobertson, to distinguish him from Dr James Robertson, who is soon tomake his appearance. But 'Principal', from his being the head of ourcollege, is his usual designation, and is shorter; so I shall use ithereafter. ] 'let me see what was once a church!' We entered thatdivision which was formerly called the New Church, and of late theHigh Church, so well known by the eloquence of Dr Hugh Blair. It isnow very elegantly fitted up; but it was then shamefully dirty. DrJohnson said nothing at the time; but when we came to the great doorof the Royal Infirmary, where, upon a board, was this inscription, CLEAN YOUR FEET! he turned about slyly, and said, 'There is nooccasion for putting this at the doors of your churches!'

We then conducted him down the Post-house stairs, Parliament Close, and made him look up from the Cow-gate to the highest building inEdinburgh (from which he had just descended), being thirteen floors orstories from the ground upon the back elevation; the front wall beingbuilt upon the edge of the hill, and the back wall rising from thebottom of the hill several stories before it comes to a level with thefront wall. We proceeded to the College, with the Principal at ourhead. Dr Adam Fergusson, whose Essay on the History of Civil Societygives him a respectable place in the ranks of literature, was with us. As the College buildings are indeed very mean, the Principal said toDr Johnson, that he must give them the same epithet that a Jesuit didwhen shewing a poor college abroad: Hae miseriae nostrae. Dr Johnsonwas, however, much pleased with the library, and with the conversationof Dr James Robertson, Professor of Oriental Languages, the Librarian. We talked of Kennicot's edition of the Hebrew Bible, and hoped itwould be quite faithful. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I know not any crime so greatthat a man could contrive to commit, as poisoning the sources ofeternal truth. '

I pointed out to him where there formerly stood an old wall enclosingpart of the college, which I remember bulged out in a threateningmanner, and of which there was a common tradition similar to thatconcerning Bacon's study at Oxford, that it would fall upon some verylearned man. It had some time before this been taken down, that thestreet might be widened, and a more convenient wall built. Dr Johnson, glad of an opportunity to have a pleasant hit at Scottish learning, said, 'they have been afraid it never would fall'. 

We shewed him the Royal Infirmary, for which, and for every otherexertion of generous publick spirit in his power, that noble-mindedcitizen of Edinburgh, George Drummond, will be ever held in honourableremembrance. And we were too proud not to carry him to the Abbey ofHolyrood House, that beautiful piece of architecture, but, alas! thatdeserted mansion of royalty, which Hamilton of Bangour, in one of hiselegant poems, calls

A virtuous palace, where no monarch dwells. 

I was much entertained while Principal Robertson fluently harangued toDr Johnson, upon the spot, concerning scenes of his celebrated Historyof Scotland. We surveyed that part of the palace appropriated to theDuke of Hamilton, as Keeper, in which our beautiful Queen Mary lived, and in which David Rizzio was murdered; and also the State Rooms. DrJohnson was a great reciter of all sorts of things serious or comical. I over-heard him repeating here, in a kind of muttering tone, a lineof the old ballad, 'Johnny Armstrong's Last Good-Night':

'And ran him through the fair body!'[Footnote: The stanza from which he took this line is:But then rose up all Edinburgh, They rose up by thousands three;A cowardly Scot came John behind, And ran him through the fair body!]

We returned to my house, where there met him, at dinner, the Duchessof Douglas, Sir Adolphus Oughton, Lord Chief Baron, Sir WilliamForbes, Principal Robertson, Mr Cullen, advocate. Before dinner, hetold us of a curious conversation between the famous George Faulknerand him. George said that England had drained Ireland of fiftythousand pounds in specie, annually, for fifty years. 'How so, sir!'said Dr Johnson, 'you must have a very great trade?' 'No trade. ' 'Veryrich mines?' 'No mines. ' 'From whence, then, does all this moneycome?' 'Come! why out of the blood and bowels of the poor people ofIreland!'

He seemed to me to have an unaccountable prejudice against Swift; forI once took a liberty to ask him, if Swift had personally offendedhim, and he told me, he had not. He said to-day, 'Swift is clear, buthe is shallow. In coarse humour, he is inferior to Arbuthnot; indelicate humour, he is inferior to Addison: so he is inferior to hiscontemporaries; without putting him against the whole world. I doubtif the Tale of a Tub was his: it has so much more thinking, moreknowledge, more power, more colour, than any of the works which areindisputably his. If it was his, I shall only say, he was impar sibi. '

We gave him as good a dinner as we could. Our Scotch muir-fowl, orgrowse, were then abundant, and quite in season; and, so far as wisdomand wit can be aided by administering agreeable sensations to thepalate, my wife took care that our great guest should not bedeficient. 

Sir Adolphus Oughton, then our Deputy Commander in Chief, who was notonly an excellent officer, but one of the most universal scholars Iever knew, had learned the Erse language, and expressed his belief inthe authenticity of Ossian's poetry. Dr Johnson took the opposite sideof that perplexed question; and I was afraid the dispute would haverun high between them. But Sir Adolphus, who had a very sweet temper, changed the discourse, grew playful, laughed at Lord Monboddo's notionof men having tails, and called him a Judge, a posteriori, whichamused Dr Johnson; and thus hostilities were prevented. 

At supper we had Dr Cullen, his son the advocate, Dr Adam Fergusson, and Mr Crosbie, advocate. Witchcraft was introduced. Mr Crosbie said, he thought it the greatest blasphemy to suppose evil spiritscounteracting the Deity, and raising storms, for instance, to destroyhis creatures. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, if moral evil be consistent withthe government of the Deity, why may not physical evil be alsoconsistent with it? It is not more strange that there should be evilspirits, than evil embodied spirits. And as to storms, we know thereare such things; and it is no worse that evil spirits raise them, thanthat they rise. ' CROSBIE. 'But it is not credible, that witches shouldhave effected what they are said in stories to have done. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, I am not defending their credibility. I am only saying, thatyour arguments are not good, and will not overturn the belief ofwitchcraft. ' (Dr Fergusson said to me, aside, 'He is right. ') 'Andthen, sir, you have all mankind, rude and civilized, agreeing in thebelief of the agency of preternatural powers. You must take evidence:you must consider, that wise and great men have condemned witches todie. ' CROSBIE. 'But an Act of Parliament put an end to witchcraft. 'JOHNSON. 'No, sir; witchcraft had ceased; and therefore an Act ofParliament was passed to prevent persecution for what was notwitchcraft. Why it ceased, we cannot tell, as we cannot tell thereason of many other things. ' Dr Cullen, to keep up the gratificationof mysterious disquisition, with the grave address for which he isremarkable in his companionable as in his professional hours, talked, in a very entertaining manner, of people walking and conversing intheir sleep. I am very sorry I have no note of this. We talked of theOuran-Outang, and of Lord Monboddo's thinking that he might be taughtto speak. Dr Johnson treated this with ridicule. Mr Crosbie said, thatLord Monboddo believed the existence of every thing possible; inshort, that all which is in posse might be found in esse. JOHNSON. 'But, sir, it is as possible that the Ouran-Outang does not speak, asthat he speaks. However, I shall not contest the point. I should havethought it not possible to find a Monboddo; yet HE exists. ' I againmentioned the stage. JOHNSON. 'The appearance of a player, with whom Ihave drunk tea, counteracts the imagination that he is the characterhe represents. Nay, you know, nobody imagines that he is the characterhe represents. They say, "See Garrick! how he looks to-night! See howhe'll clutch the dagger!" That is the buz of the theatre. '

Tuesday, 17th August

Sir William Forbes came to breakfast, and brought with him DrBlacklock, whom he introduced to Dr Johnson, who received him with amost humane complacency. 'Dear Blacklock, I am glad to see you!'Blacklock seemed to be much surprised, when Dr Johnson said, 'it waseasier to him to write poetry than to compose his Dictionary. His mindwas less on the stretch in doing the one than the other. Besides;composing a dictionary requires books and a desk: you can make a poemwalking in the fields, or lying in bed. ' Dr Blacklock spoke ofscepticism in morals and religion, with apparant uneasiness, as if hewished for more certainty. Dr Johnson, who had thought it all over, and whose vigorous understanding was fortified by much experience, thus encouraged the blind bard to apply to higher speculations what wewillingly submit to in common life: in short, he gave him morefamiliarly the able and fair reasoning of Butler's Analogy: 'Why, sir, the greatest concern we have in this world, the choice of ourprofession, must be determined without demonstrative reasoning. Humanlife is not yet so well known, as that we can have it. And take thecase of a man who is ill. I call two physicians: they differ inopinion. I am not to lie down, and die between them: I must dosomething. ' The conversation then turned on atheism; on that horriblebook, Systeme de la Nature; and on the supposition of an eternalnecessity, without design, without a governing mind. JOHNSON. 'If itwere so, why has it ceased? Why don't we see men thus produced aroundus now? Why, at least, does it not keep pace, in some measure, withthe progress of time? If it stops because there is now no need of it, then it is plain there is, and ever has been, an all-powerfulintelligence. But stay!' said he, with one of his satyrick laughs. 'Hal ha! ha! I shall suppose Scotchmen made necessarily, andEnglishmen by choice. '

At dinner this day, we had Sir Alexander Dick, whose amiablecharacter, and ingenious and cultivated mind, are so generally known(he was then on the verge of seventy, and is now (1785) eighty-one, with his faculties entire, his heart warm, and his temper gay); SirDavid Dalrymple; Lord Hailes; Mr Maclaurin, advocate; Dr Gregory, whonow worthily fills his father's medical chair; and my uncle, DrBoswell. This was one of Dr Johnson's best days. He was quite in hiselement. All was literature and taste, without any interruption. LordHailes, who is one of the best philologists in Great Britain, who haswritten papers in the World, and a variety of other works in prose andin verse, both Latin and English, pleased him highly. He told him, hehad discovered the Life of Cheynel, in the Student, to be his. JOHNSON. 'No one else knows it. ' Dr Johnson had, before this, dictatedto me a law-paper, upon a question purely in the law of Scotland, concerning 'vicious intromission', that is to say, intermeddling withthe effects of a deceased person, without a regular title; whichformerly was understood to subject the intermeddler to payment of allthe defunct's debts. The principle has of late been relaxed. DrJohnson's argument was, for a renewal of its strictness. The paper wasprinted, with additions by me, and given into the Court of Session. Lord Hailes knew Dr Johnson's part not to be mine, and pointed outexactly where it began, and where it ended. Dr Johnson said, 'It ismuch, now, that his lordship can distinguish so. '

In Dr Johnson's Vanity of Human Wishes, there is the followingpassage:

The teeming mother, anxious for her race, Begs, for each birth, the fortune of a face:Yet VANE could tell, what ills from beauty spring;And SEDLEY curs'd the charms which pleas'd a king. 

Lord Hailes told him, he was mistaken in the instances he had given ofunfortunate fair ones; for neither Vane nor Sedley had a title to thatdescription. His Lordship has since been so obliging as to send me anote of this, for the communication of which I am sure my readers willthank me. 

The lines in the tenth Satire of Juvenal, according to my alteration, should have run thus:

Yet SHORE [Footnote: Mistress of Edward IV. ] could tell--;And VALIERE [Footnote: Mistress of Louis XIV. ] curs'd--. 

The first was a penitent by compulsion, the second by sentiment;though the truth is, Mademoiselle de la Valiere threw herself (butstill from sentiment) in the King's way. 

'Our friend chose Vane, who was far from being well-looked; andSedley, who was so ugly, that Charles II said, his brother had her byway of penance. '

Mr Maclaurin's learning and talents enabled him to do his part verywell in Dr Johnson's company. He produced two epitaphs upon hisfather, the celebrated mathematician. One was in English, of which DrJohnson did not change one word. In the other, which was in Latin, hemade several alterations. In place of the very words of Virgil, Ubiluctus et pavor et plurima mortis imago, he wrote Ubi luctus regnantet pavor. He introduced the word prorsus into the line Mortalibusprorsus non absit solatium and after Hujus enim scripta evolve, headded, Mentemque tantarum rerum capacem corpori caduco superstitemcrede; which is quite applicable to Dr Johnson himself. [Footnote: MrMaclaurin's epitaph, as engraved on a marble tombstone, in theGray-Friars church-yard, Edinburgh:

Infra situs estCOLIN MACLAURINMathes. Olim in Acad. Edin. Prof. Electus ipso Newtono suadente. H. L. P. F. Non ut nomini paterno consulat, Nam tali auxilio nil eget;Sed ut in hoc infelici campo, Ubi luctus regnant et pavor, Mortalibus prorsus non absit solatium:Hujus enim scripta evolve, Mentemque tantarum rerum capacemCorpori caduco superstitem crede. ]

Mr Murray, advocate, who married a niece of Lord Mansfield's and isnow one of the Judges of Scotland, by the title of Lord Henderland, sat with us a part of the evening; but did not venture to say anything, that I remember, though he is certainly possessed of talentswhich would have enabled him to have shewn himself to advantage, iftoo great anxiety had not prevented him. 

At supper we had Dr Alexander Webster, who, though not learned, hadsuch a knowledge of mankind, such a fund of information andentertainment, so clear a head and such accommodating manners, that DrJohnson found him a very agreeable companion. 

When Dr Johnson and I were left by ourselves, I read to him my notesof the opinions of our Judges upon the questions of Literary Property. He did not like them; and said, 'they make me think of your Judges notwith that respect which I should wish to do'. To the argument of oneof them, that there can be no property in blasphemy or nonsense, heanswered, 'then your rotten sheep are mine! By that rule, when a man'shouse falls into decay, he must lose it. ' I mentioned an argument ofmine, that literary performances are not taxed. As Churchill says, No statesman yet has thought it worth his painsTo tax our labours, or excite our brains;

and therefore they are not property. 'Yet, ' said he, 'we hang a manfor stealing a horse, and horses are not taxed. ' Mr Pitt has since putan end to that argument. 

Wednesday, 18th August

On this day we set out from Edinburgh. We should gladly have had MrScott to go with us; but he was obliged to return to England. I havegiven a sketch of Dr Johnson: my readers may wish to know a little ofhis fellow traveller. Think then, of a gentleman of ancient blood, thepride of which was his predominant passion. He was then in histhirty-third year, and had been about four years happily married. Hisinclination was to be a soldier; but his father, a respectable judge, had pressed him into the profession of the law. He had travelled agood deal, and seen many varieties of human life. He had thought morethan any body supposed, and had a pretty good stock of generallearning and knowledge. He had all Dr Johnson's principles, with somedegree of relaxation. He had rather too little, than too muchprudence, and, his imagination being lively, he often said things ofwhich the effect was very different from the intention. He resembledsometimes

The best good man, with the worst natur'd muse. 

He cannot deny himself the vanity of finishing with the encomium of DrJohnson, whose friendly partiality to the companion of his Tourrepresents him as one, 'whose acuteness would help my inquiry, andwhose gaiety of conversation, and civility of manners, are sufficientto counteract the inconveniences of travel, in countries lesshospitable than we have passed. '

Dr Johnson thought it unnecessary to put himself to the additionalexpense of bringing with him Francis Barber, his faithful blackservant; so we were attended only by my man, Joseph Ritter, aBohemian; a fine stately fellow above six feet high, who had been overa great part of Europe, and spoke many languages. He was the bestservant I ever saw. Let not my readers disdain his introduction! ForDr Johnson gave him this character: 'Sir, he is a civil man, and awise man. '

From an erroneous apprehension of violence, Dr Johnson had provided apair of pistols, some gun-powder, and a quantity of bullets: but uponbeing assured we should run no risk of meeting any robbers, he lefthis arms and ammunition in an open drawer, of which he gave my wifethe charge. He also left in that drawer one volume of a pretty fulland curious Diary of his Life, of which I have a few fragments; butthe book has been destroyed. I wish female curiosity had been strongenough to have had it all transcribed, which might easily have beendone; and I should think the theft, being pro bono publico, might havebeen forgiven. But I may be wrong. My wife told me she never oncelooked into it. She did not seem quite easy when we left her: but awaywe went!

Mr Nairne, advocate, was to go with us as far as St Andrews. It givesme pleasure that, by mentioning his name, I connect his title to thejust and handsome compliment paid him by Dr Johnson, in his book: 'Agentleman who could stay with us only long enough to make us know howmuch we lost by his leaving us. ' When we came to Leith, I talked withperhaps too boasting an air, how pretty the Frith of Forth looked; asindeed, after the prospect from Constantinople, of which I have beentold, and that from Naples, which I have seen, I believe the view ofthat Frith and its environs, from the Castle Hill of Edinburgh, is thefinest prospect in Europe. 'Ay, ' said Dr Johnson, 'that is the stateof the world. Water is the same every where. 

Una est injusti caerula forma maris. [Footnote: Non illic urbes, nontu mirabere silvas: Una est injusti caerula forma maris. 

Ovid. Amor. II. Xi. 

Nor groves nor towns the ruthless ocean shows;Unvaried still its azure surface flows. ]

I told him the port here was the mouth of the river or water of Leith. 'Not LETHE, ' said Mr Nairne. 'Why, sir, ' said Dr Johnson, 'when aScotchman sets out from this port for England, he forgets his nativecountry. ' NAIRNE. 'I hope, sir, you will forget England here. 'JOHNSON. 'Then 'twill be still more Lethe. ' He observed of the pier orquay, 'you have no occasion for so large a one: your trade does notrequire it: but you are like a shopkeeper who takes a shop, not onlyfor what he has to put into it, but that it may be believed he has agreat deal to put into it'. It is very true, that there is now, comparatively, little trade upon the eastern coast of Scotland. Theriches of Glasgow shew how much there is in the west; and perhaps weshall find trade travel westward on a great scale, as well as a small. 

We talked of a man's drowning himself. JOHNSON. 'I should never thinkit time to make away with myself. ' I put the case of Eustace Budgell, who was accused of forging a will, and sunk himself in the Thames, before the trial of its authenticity came on. 'Suppose, sir, ' said I, 'that a man is absolutely sure, that, if he lives a few days longer, he shall be detected in a fraud, the consequence of which will beutter disgrace and expulsion from society. ' JOHNSON. 'Then, sir, lethim go abroad to a distant country; let him go to some place where heis NOT known. Don't let him go to the devil where he IS known!'

He then said, 'I see a number of people bare-footed here: I supposeyou all went so before the Union. Boswell, your ancestors went so, when they had as much land as your family has now. Yet Auchinleck isthe Field of Stones: there would be bad going bare-footed here. Thelairds, however, did it. ' I bought some speldings, fish (generallywhitings) salted and dried in a particular manner, being dipped in thesea and dried in the sun, and eaten by the Scots by way of a relish. He had never seen them, though they are sold in London. I insisted onscottifying [Footnote: My friend, General Campbell, Governour ofMadras, tells me, that they make speldings in the East Indies, particularly at Bombay, where they call them Bambaloes. ] his palate;but he was very reluctant. With difficulty I prevailed with him to leta bit of one of them lie in his mouth. He did not like it. 

In crossing the Frith, Dr Johnson determined that we should land uponInch Keith. On approaching it, we first observed a high rocky shore. We coasted about, and put into a little bay on the north-west. Weclambered up a very steep ascent, on which was very good grass, butrather a profusion of thistles. There were sixteen head of blackcattle grazing upon the island. Lord Hailes observed to me, thatBrantome calls it L'isle des Chevaux, and that it was probably 'aSAFER stable' than many others in his time. The fort, with aninscription on it, MARIA RE 1564, is strongly built. Dr Johnsonexamined it with much attention. He stalked like a giant among theluxuriant thistles and nettles. There are three wells in the island;but we could not find one in the fort. There must probably have beenone, though now filled up, as a garrison could not subsist without it. But I have dwelt too long on this little spot. Dr Johnson afterwardsbade me try to write a description of our discovering Inch Keith, inthe usual style of travellers, describing fully every particular;stating the grounds on which we concluded that it must have once beeninhabited, and introducing many sage reflections; and we should seehow a thing might be covered in words, so as to induce people to comeand survey it. All that was told might be true, and yet in realitythere might be nothing to see. He said, 'I'd have this island. I'dbuild a house, make a good landing-place, have a garden, and vines, and all sorts of trees. A rich man, of a hospitable turn, here, wouldhave many visitors from Edinburgh. ' When we had got into our boatagain, he called to me, 'Come, now, pay a classical compliment to theisland on quitting it. ' I happened luckily, in allusion to thebeautiful Queen Mary, whose name is upon the fort, to think of whatVirgil makes Aeneas say, on having left the country of his charmingDido:

Invitus, regina, tuo de littare cessi. [Footnote: Unhappy queen!Unwilling I forsook your friendly state. DRYDEN]

'Very well hit off!' said he. 

We dined at Kinghorn, and then got into a post-chaise. Mr Nairne andhis servant, and Joseph, rode by us. We stopped at Cupar, and dranktea. We talked of Parliament; and I said, I supposed very few of themembers knew much of what was going on, as indeed very few gentlemenknow much of their own private affairs. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, if a manis not of a sluggish mind, he may be his own steward. If he will lookinto his affairs, he will soon learn. So it is as to publick affairs. There must always be a certain number of men of business inParliament. ' BOSWELL. 'But consider, sir; what is the House ofCommons? Is not a great part of it chosen by peers? Do you think, sir, they ought to have such an influence?' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir. Influencemust ever be in proportion to property; and it is right it should. 'BOSWELL. 'But is there not reason to fear that the common people maybe oppressed?' JOHNSON. 'No, sir. Our great fear is from want of powerin government. Such a storm of vulgar force has broke in. ' BOSWELL. 'It has only roared. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, it has roared, till the Judges inWestminster Hall have been afraid to pronounce sentence in oppositionto the popular cry. You are frightened by what is no longer dangerous, like Presbyterians by popery. ' He then repeated a passage, I think, inButler's Remains, which ends, 'and would cry, Fire! Fire! in Noah'sflood'. [Footnote: The passage quoted by Dr Johnson is in theCharacter of the Assembly-man. Butler's Remains, p. 232, edit. 1754. 'He preaches, indeed, both in season and out of season; for he railsat Popery, when the land is almost lost in Presbytery; and would cryFire! Fire! in Noah's flood. '

There is no reason to believe that this piece was not written byButler, but by Sir John Birkenhead; for Wood, in his AthenaeOxonienses. Vol. II. P. 460. Enumerates it among that gentleman'sworks, and gives the following account of it:

The Assembly-man (or The Character of an Assembly-man) written 1647, LOND. 1662-3, in three sheets in qu. The copy of it was taken from theauthor by those who said they could not rob, because all was theirs;so excised what they liked not; and so mangled and reformed it that itwas no character of an Assembly, but of themselves. At length, afterit had slept several years, the author published it, to avoid falsecopies. It is also reprinted in a book entit. Wit and Loyalty Revived, in a collection of some smart satyrs in verse and prose on the latetimes. LOND. 1682, qu. Said to be written by Abr. Cowley, Sir JohnBirkenhead, and Hudibras, alias Sam. Butler. ' For this information Iam indebted to Mr Reed, of Staple Inn. ]

We had a dreary drive, in a dusky night, to St Andrews, where wearrived late. We found a good supper at Glass's inn, and Dr Johnsonrevived agreeably. He said, 'the collection called The Muses' Welcometo King James (first of England, and sixth of Scotland), on his returnto his native kingdom, shewed that there was then abundance oflearning in Scotland; and that the conceits in that collection, withwhich people find fault, were mere mode'. He added, 'we could not nowentertain a sovereign so; that Buchanan had spread the spirit oflearning amongst us, but we had lost it during the civil wars'. He didnot allow the Latin poetry of Pitcairne so much merit as has beenusually attributed to it; though he owned that one of his pieces, which he mentioned, but which I am sorry is not specified in my notes, was 'very well'. It is not improbable that it was the poem which Priorhas so elegantly translated. 

After supper, we made a procession to Saint Leonard's College, thelandlord walking before us with a candle, and the waiter with alantern. That college had some time before been dissolved; and DrWatson, a professor here (the historian of Phillip II), had purchasedthe ground, and what buildings remained. When we entered his court, itseemed quite academical; and we found in his house very comfortableand genteel accommodation. [Footnote: My Journal, from this dayinclusive, was read by Dr Johnson. ]

Thursday, 19th August

We rose much refreshed. I had with me a map of Scotland, a Bible, which was given me by Lord Mountstuart when we were together in Italy, and Ogden's Sermons on Prayer. Mr Nairne introduced us to Dr Watson, whom we found a well-informed man, of very amiable manners. DrJohnson, after they were acquainted, said, 'I take great delight inhim. ' His daughter, a very pleasing young lady, made breakfast. DrWatson observed, that Glasgow University had fewer home-students, since trade increased, as learning was rather incompatible with it. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, as trade is now carried on by subordinate hands, men in trade have as much leisure as others; and now learning itselfis a trade. A man goes to a bookseller, and gets what he can. We havedone with patronage. In the infancy of learning, we find some greatman praised for it. This diffused it among others. When it becomesgeneral, an author leaves the great, and applies to the multitude. 'BOSWELL. 'It is a shame that authors are not now better patronized. 'JOHNSON. 'No, sir. If learning cannot support a man, if he must sitwith his hands across till somebody feeds him, it is as to him a badthing, and it is better as it is. With patronage, what flattery! Whatfalsehood! While a man is in equilibria, he throws truth among themultitude, and lets them take it as they please: in patronage, he mustsay what pleases his patron, and it is an equal chance whether that betruth or falsehood. ' WATSON. 'But is not the case now, that, insteadof flattering one person, we flatter the age?' JOHNSON. 'No, sir. Theworld always lets a man tell what he thinks, his own way. I wonderhowever, that so many people have written, who might have let italone. That people should endeavour to excel in conversation, I do notwonder; because in conversation praise is instantly reverberated. '

We talked of change of manners. Dr Johnson observed, that our drinkingless than our ancestors was owing to the change from ale to wine. 'Iremember, ' said he, 'when all the DECENT people in Lichfield got drunkevery night, and were not the worse thought of. Ale was cheap, so youpressed strongly. When a man must bring a bottle of wine, he is not insuch haste. Smoking has gone out. To be sure, it is a shocking thing, blowing smoke out of our mouths into other people's mouths, eyes, andnoses, and having the same thing done to us. Yet I cannot account, whya thing which requires so little exertion, and yet preserves the mindfrom total vacuity, should have gone out. Every man has something bywhich he calms himself: beating with his feet, or so. [Footnote: DrJohnson used to practice this himself very much. ] I remember whenpeople in England changed a shirt only once a week: a Pandour, when hegets a shirt, greases it to make it last. Formerly, good tradesmen hadno fire but in the kitchen; never in the parlour, except on Sunday. Myfather, who was a magistrate of Lichfield, lived thus. They neverbegan to have a fire in the parlour, but on leaving off business, orsome great revolution of their life. ' Dr Watson said, the hall was asa kitchen, in old squires' houses. JOHNSON. 'No, sir. The hall was forgreat occasions, and never was used for domestick reflection. ' Wetalked of the Union, and what money it had brought into Scotland. DrWatson observed, that a little money formerly went as far as a greatdeal now. JOHNSON. 'In speculation, it seems that a smaller quantityof money, equal in value to a larger quantity, if equally divided, should produce the same effect. But it is not so in reality. Many moreconveniences and elegancies are enjoyed where money is plentiful, thanwhere it is scarce. Perhaps a great familiarity with it, which arisesfrom plenty, makes us more easily part with it. '

After what Dr Johnson had said of St Andrews, which he had long wishedto see, as our oldest university, and the seat of our Primate in thedays of episcopacy, I can say little. Since the publication of DrJohnson's book, I find that he has been censured for not seeing herethe ancient chapel of St Rule, a curious piece of sacred architecture. But this was neither his fault nor mine. We were both of us abundantlydesirous of surveying such sort of antiquities: but neither of us knewof this. I am afraid the censure must fall on those who did not tellus of it. In every place, where there is any thing worthy ofobservation, there should be a short printed directory for strangers, such as we find in all the towns of Italy, and in some of the towns inEngland. I was told that there is a manuscript account of St Andrews, by Martin, secretary to Archbishop Sharp; and that one Douglas haspublished a small account of it. I inquired at a bookseller's, butcould not get it. Dr Johnson's veneration for the Hierarchy is wellknown. There is no wonder then, that he was affected with a strongindignation, while he beheld the ruins of religious magnificence. Ihappened to ask where John Knox was buried. Dr Johnson burst out, 'Ihope in the high-way. I have been looking at his reformations. '

It was a very fine day. Dr Johnson seemed quite wrapt up in thecontemplation of the scenes which were now presented to him. He kepthis hat off while he was upon any part of the ground where thecathedral had stood. He said well, that 'Knox had set on a mob, without knowing where it would end; and that differing from a man indoctrine was no reason why you should pull his house about his ears'. As we walked in the cloisters, there was a solemn echo, while hetalked loudly of a proper retirement from the world. Mr Nairne said, he had an inclination to retire. I called Dr Johnson's attention tothis, that I might hear his opinion if it was right. JOHNSON. 'Yes, when he has done his duty to society. In general, as every man isobliged not only to "love God, but his neighbour as himself", he mustbear his part in active life; yet there are exceptions. Those who areexceedingly scrupulous (which I do not approve, for I am no friend toscruples), and find their scrupulosity invincible, so that they arequite in the dark, and know not what they shall do, or those who cannot resist temptations, and find they make themselves worse by beingin the world, without making it better, may retire. I never read of ahermit, but in imagination I kiss his feet; never of a monastery, butI could fall on my knees, and kiss the pavement. But I think puttingyoung people there, who know nothing of life, nothing of retirement, is dangerous and wicked. It is a saying as old as Hesiod, [words in Greek] [Footnote: Let youth in deeds, in counsel man engage;Prayer is the proper duty of old age. ]

That is a very noble line: not that young men should not pray, or oldmen not give counsel, but that every season of life has its properduties. I have thought of retiring, and have talked of it to a friend;but I find my vocation is rather to active life. ' I said, SOME youngmonks might be allowed, to shew that it is not age alone that canretire to pious solitude; but he thought this would only shew thatthey could not resist temptation. 

He wanted to mount the steeples, but it could not be done. There areno good inscriptions here. Bad Roman characters he naturally mistookfor half Gothick, half Roman. One of the steeples, which he was toldwas in danger, he wished not to be taken down; 'for, ' said he, 'it mayfall on some of the posterity of John Knox; and no great matter!'Dinner was mentioned. JOHNSON. 'Ay, ay; amidst all these sorrowfulscenes, I have no objection to dinner. '

We went and looked at the castle, where Cardinal Beaton was murdered, and then visited Principal Murison at his college, where is a goodlibrary-room; but the principal was abundantly vain of it, for heseriously said to Dr Johnson, 'you have not such a one in England'. 

The professors entertained us with a very good dinner. Present:Murison, Shaw, Cooke, Hill, Haddo, Watson, Flint, Brown. I observed, that I wondered to see him eat so well, after viewing so manysorrowful scenes of ruined religious magnificence. 'Why, ' said he, 'Iam not sorry, after seeing these gentlemen; for they are not sorry. 'Murison said, all sorrow was bad, as it was murmuring against thedispensations of Providence. JOHNSON. 'Sir, sorrow is inherent inhumanity. As you cannot judge two and two to be either five, or three, but certainly four, so, when comparing a worse present state with abetter which is past, you cannot but feel sorrow. It is not cured byreason, but by the incursion of present objects, which wear out thepast. You need not murmur, though you are sorry. ' MURISON. 'But StPaul says, "I have learnt, in whatever state I am, therewith to becontent. " 'JOHNSON. 'Sir, that relates to riches and poverty; for wesee St Paul, when he had a thorn in the flesh, prayed earnestly tohave it removed; and then he could not be content. ' Murison, thusrefuted, tried to be smart, and drank to Dr Johnson, 'Long may youlecture!' Dr Johnson afterwards, speaking of his not drinking wine, said, 'The Doctor spoke of lecturing' (looking to him). 'I give allthese lectures on water. '

He defended requiring subscription in those admitted to universities, thus: 'As all who come into the country must obey the King, so all whocome into an university must be of the Church. '

And here I must do Dr Johnson the justice to contradict a very absurdand ill-natured story, as to what passed at St Andrews. It has beencirculated, that, after grace was said in English, in the usualmanner, he with the greatest marks of contempt, as if he had held itto be no grace in an university, would not sit down till he had saidgrace aloud in Latin. This would have been an insult indeed to thegentlemen who were entertaining us. But the truth was precisely thus. In the course of conversation at dinner, Dr Johnson, in very goodhumour, said, 'I should have expected to have heard a Latin grace, among so many learned men: we had always a Latin grace at Oxford. Ibelieve I can repeat it. ' Which he did, as giving the learned men inone place a specimen of what was done by the learned men in anotherplace. 

We went and saw the church, in which is Archbishop Sharp's monument. Iwas struck with the same kind of feelings with which the churches ofItaly impressed me. I was much pleased, to see Dr Johnson actually inSt Andrews, of which we had talked so long. Professor Haddo was withus this afternoon, along with Dr Watson. We looked at St Salvador'sCollege. The rooms for students seemed very commodious, and Dr Johnsonsaid, the chapel was the neatest place of worship he had seen. The keyof the library could not be found; for it seems Professor Hill, whowas out of town, had taken it with him. Dr Johnson told a joke he hadheard of a monastery abroad, where the key of the library could neverbe found. 

It was somewhat dispiriting, to see this ancient archiepiscopal citynow sadly deserted. We saw in one of its streets a remarkable proof ofliberal toleration; a nonjuring clergyman, strutting about in hiscanonicals, with a jolly countenance and a round belly, like awell-fed monk. 

We observed two occupations united in the same person, who had hungout two sign-posts. Upon one was, JAMES HOOD, WHITE IRON SMITH (i. E. Tin-plate worker). Upon another, THE ART OF FENCING TAUGHT, BY JAMESHOOD. Upon this last were painted some trees, and two men fencing, oneof whom had hit the other in the eye, to shew his great dexterity; sothat the art was well taught. JOHNSON. 'Were I studying here, I shouldgo and take a lesson. I remember Hope, in his book on this art, says, "the Scotch are very good fencers". '

We returned to the inn, where we had been entertained at dinner, anddrank tea in company with some of the professors, of whose civilitiesI beg leave to add my humble and very grateful acknowledgement to thehonourable testimony of Dr Johnson, in his Journey. 

We talked of composition, which was a favourite topick of Dr Watson's, who first distinguished himself by lectures on rhetorick. JOHNSON. 'Iadvised Chambers, and would advise every young man beginning tocompose, to do it as fast as he can, to get a habit of having his mindto start promptly; it is so much more difficult to improve in speedthan in accuracy. ' WATSON. 'I own I am for much attention to accuracyin composing, lest one should get bad habits of doing it in a slovenlymanner. ' JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, you are confounding DOING inaccuratelywith the NECESSITY of doing inaccurately. A man knows when hiscomposition is inaccurate, and when he thinks fit he'll correct it. But, if a man is accustomed to compose slowly, and with difficulty, upon all occasions, there is danger that he may not compose at all, aswe do not like to do that which is not done easily; and, at any rate, more time is consumed in a small matter than ought to be. ' WATSON. 'DrHugh Blair has taken a week to compose a sermon. ' JOHNSON. 'Then, sir, that is for want of the habit of composing quickly, which I aminsisting one should acquire. ' WATSON. 'Blair was not composing allthe week, but only such hours as he found himself disposed forcomposition. ' JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir, unless you tell me the time he took, you tell me nothing. If I say I took a week to walk a mile, and havehad the gout five days, and been ill otherwise another day, I havetaken but one day. I myself have composed about forty sermons. I havebegun a sermon after dinner, and sent it off by the post that night. Iwrote forty-eight of the printed octavo pages of the life of Savage ata sitting; but then I sat up all night. I have also written six sheetsin a day of translation from the French. ' BOSWELL. 'We have allobserved how one man dresses himself slowly, and another fast. 'JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; it is wonderful how much time some people willconsume in dressing; taking up a thing and looking at it, and layingit down, and taking it up again. Every one should get the habit ofdoing it quickly. I would say to a young divine, "Here is your text;let me see how soon you can make a sermon. " Then I'd say, "Let me seehow much better you can make it. " Thus I should see both his powersand his judgement. '

We all went to Dr Watson's to supper. Miss Sharp, great grandchild ofArchbishop Sharp, was there; as was Mr Craig, the ingenious architectof the new town of Edinburgh, and nephew of Thomson, to whom DrJohnson has since done so much justice, in his Lives of the Poets. 

We talked of memory, and its various modes. JOHNSON. 'Memory will playstrange tricks. One sometimes loses a single word. I once lost fugacesin the Ode Posthume, Posthume. I mentioned to him, that a worthygentleman of my acquaintance actually forgot his own name. JOHNSON. 'Sir. That was a morbid oblivion. '

Friday, 2Oth August

Dr Shaw, the professor of divinity, breakfasted with us. I took out myOgden On Prayer, and read some of it to the company. Dr Johnsonpraised him. 'Abernethy, ' said he, 'allows only of a physical effectof prayer upon the mind, which may be produced many ways, as well asby prayer; for instance, by meditation. Ogden goes farther. In truth, we have the consent of all nations for the efficacy of prayer, whetheroffered up by individuals, or by assemblies; and Revelation has toldus, it will be effectual. ' I said, 'Leechman seemed to incline toAbernethy's doctrine. ' Dr Watson observed, that Leechman meant toshew, that, even admitting no effect to be produced by prayer, respecting the Deity, it was useful to our own minds. He had givenonly a part of his system: Dr Johnson thought he should have given thewhole. 

Dr Johnson enforced the strict observance of Sunday. 'It should bedifferent, ' he observed, 'from another day. People may walk, but notthrow stones at birds. There may be relaxation, but there should be nolevity. '

We went and saw Colonel Nairne's garden and grotto. Here was a fineold plane tree. Unluckily the colonel said, there was but this andanother large tree in the county. This assertion was an excellent cuefor Dr Johnson, who laughed enormously, calling to me to hear it. Hehad expatiated to me on the nakedness of that part of Scotland whichhe had seen. His Journey has been violently abused, for what he hassaid upon this subject. But let it be considered, that, when DrJohnson talks of trees, he means trees of good size, such as he wasaccustomed to see in England; and of these there are certainly veryfew upon the EASTERN COAST of Scotland. Besides, he said, that hemeant to give only a map of the road; and let any traveller observehow many trees, which deserve the name, he can see from the road fromBerwick to Aberdeen. Had Dr Johnson said, 'there are NO trees' uponthis line, he would have said what is colloquially true; because, byno trees, in common speech, we mean few. When he is particular incounting, he may be attacked. I know not how Colonel Nairne came tosay there were but TWO large trees in the county of Fife. I did notperceive that he smiled. There are certainly not a great many; but Icould have shewn him more than two at Balmuto, from whence myancestors came, and which now belongs to a branch of my family. 

The grotto was ingeniously constructed. In the front of it werepetrified stocks of fir, plane, and some other tree. Dr Johnson said, 'Scotland has no right to boast of this grotto: it is owing topersonal merit. I never denied personal merit to many of you. 'Professor Shaw said to me, as we walked, 'This is a wonderful man: heis master of every subject he handles. ' Dr Watson allowed him a verystrong understanding, but wondered at his total inattention toestablished manners, as he came from London. 

I have not preserved, in my Journal, any of the conversation whichpassed between Dr Johnson and Professor Shaw; but I recollect DrJohnson said to me afterwards, 'I took much to Shaw. '

We left St Andrews about noon, and some miles from it observing, atLeuchars, a church with an old tower, we stopped to look at it. Themanse, as the parsonage-house is called in Scotland, was close by. Iwaited on the minister, mentioned our names, and begged he would tellus what he knew about it. He was a very civil old man; but could onlyinform us, that it was supposed to have stood eight hundred years. Hetold us, there was a colony of Danes in his parish; that they hadlanded at a remote period of time, and still remained a distinctpeople. Dr Johnson shrewdly inquired whether they had brought womenwith them. We were not satisfied as to this colony. 

We saw, this day, Dundee and Aberbrothick, the last of which DrJohnson has celebrated in his Journey. Upon the road we talked of theRoman Catholick faith. He mentioned (I think) Tillotson's argumentagainst transubstantiation; 'That we are as sure we see bread and wineonly, as that we read in the Bible the text on which that falsedoctrine is founded. We have only the evidence of our senses for both. If, ' he added, 'God had never spoken figuratively, we might hold thathe speaks literally, when he says, "This is my body". ' BOSWELL. 'Butwhat do you say, sir, to the ancient and continued tradition of theChurch upon this point?' JOHNSON. 'Tradition, sir, has no place, wherethe Scriptures are plain; and tradition cannot persuade a man into abelief of transubstantiation. Able men, indeed, have said theybelieved it. '

This is an awful subject. I did not then press Dr Johnson upon it; norshall I now enter upon a disquisition concerning the import of thosewords uttered by our Saviour, [Footnote: "Then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily. I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the son ofman, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. " See St John'sGospel, chap. Vi. 5 3, and following verses. ] which had such an effectupon many disciples, that they 'went back, and walked no more withhim'. The Catechism and solemn office for Communion, in the Church ofEngland, maintain a mysterious belief in more than a merecommemoration of the death of Christ, by partaking of the elements ofbread and wine. 

Dr Johnson put me in mind, that, at St Andrews, I had defended myprofession very well, when the question had again been started, whether a lawyer might honestly engage with the first side that offershim a fee. 'Sir, ' said I, 'it was with your arguments against SirWilliam Forbes: but it was much that I could wield the arms ofGoliah. '

He said, our judges had not gone deep in the question concerningliterary property. I mentioned Lord Monboddo's opinion, that if a mancould get a work by heart, he might print it, as by such an act themind is exercised. JOHNSON. 'No, sir; a man's repeating it no moremakes it his property, than a man may sell a cow which he driveshome. ' I said, printing an abridgement of a work was allowed, whichwas only cutting the horns and tail off the cow. JOHNSON. 'No, sir;'tis making the cow have a calf. '

About eleven at night we arrived at Montrose. We found but a sorryinn, where I myself saw another waiter put a lump of sugar with hisfingers into Dr Johnson's lemonade, for which he called him 'Rascal!'It put me in great glee that our landlord was an Englishman. I ralliedthe Doctor upon this, and he grew quiet. Both Sir John Hawkins's andDr Burney's History of Musick had then been advertised. I asked ifthis was not unlucky: would not they hurt one another? JOHNSON. 'No, sir. They will do good to one another. Some will buy the one, some theother, and compare them; and so a talk is made about a thing, and thebooks are sold. '

He was angry at me for proposing to carry lemons with us to Sky, thathe might be sure to have his lemonade. 'Sir, ' said he, 'I do not wishto be thought that feeble man who cannot do without any thing. Sir, itis very bad manners to carry provisions to any man's house, as if hecould not entertain you. To an inferior, it is oppressive; to asuperior, it is insolent. '

Having taken the liberty, this evening, to remark to Dr Johnson, thathe very often sat quite silent for a long time, even when in companywith only a single friend, which I myself had sometimes sadlyexperienced, he smiled and said, 'It is true, sir. Tom Tyers' (for sohe familiarly called our ingenious friend, who, since his death, haspaid a biographical tribute to his memory) 'Tom Tyers described me thebest. He once said to me, "Sir, you are like a ghost: you never speaktill you are spoken to" [Footnote: This description of Dr Johnson, appears to have been borrowed from Tom Jones, Book XI. Chap, ii. "Theother, who like a ghost, only wanted to be spoke to, readilyanswered. ' &c. 

Saturday, 21st August

Neither the Rev. Mr Nisbet, the established minister, nor the Rev. MrSpooner, the episcopal minister, were in town. Before breakfast, wewent and saw the town-hall, where is a good dancing-room, and otherrooms for tea-drinking. The appearance of the town from it is verywell; but many of the houses are built with their ends to the street, which looks awkward. When we came down from it, I met Mr Gleg, amerchant here. He went with us to see the English chapel. It issituated on a pretty dry spot, and there is a fine walk to it. It isreally an elegant building, both within and without. The organ isadorned with green and gold. Dr Johnson gave a shilling extraordinaryto the clerk, saying, 'He belongs to an honest church. ' I put him inmind, that episcopals were but DISSENTERS here; they were onlyTOLERATED. 'Sir, ' said he, 'we are here, as Christians in Turkey. ' Heafterwards went into an apothecary's shop, and ordered some medicinefor himself, and wrote the prescription in technical characters. Theboy took him for a physician. 

I doubted much which road to take, whether to go by the coast, or byLawrence Kirk and Monboddo. I knew Lord Monboddo and Dr Johnson didnot love each other: yet I was unwilling not to visit his lordship;and was also curious to see them together. [Footnote: There wereseveral points of similarity between them: learning, clearness ofhead, precision of speech, and a love of research on many subjectswhich people in general do not investigate. Foote paid Lord Monboddothe compliment of saying, that he was 'an Elzevir edition of Johnson'. 

It has been shrewdly observed that Foote must have meant a diminutive, or POCKET edition. ] I mentioned my doubts to Dr Johnson, who said, hewould go two miles out of his way to see Lord Monboddo. I thereforesent Joseph forward, with the following note. 

Montrose, 21 August. My dear Lord, Thus far I am come with Mr Samuel Johnson. We must be at Aberdeento-night. I know you do not admire him so much as I do; but I cannotbe in this country without making you a bow at your old place, as I donot know if I may again have an opportunity of seeing Monboddo. Besides, Mr Johnson says, he would go two miles out of his way to seeLord Monboddo. I have sent forward my servant, that we may know ifyour lordship be at home. I am ever, my dear lord, Most sincerely yours, James Boswell. 

As we travelled onwards from Montrose, we had the Grampion hills inour view, and some good land around us, but void of trees and hedges. Dr Johnson has said ludicrously, in his Journey, that the HEDGES wereof STONE; for, instead of the verdant THORN to refresh the eye, wefound the bare WALL or DIKE intersecting the prospect. He observed, that it was wonderful to see a country so divested, so denuded oftrees. 

We stopped at Lawrence Kirk, where our great grammarian, Ruddiman, wasonce schoolmaster. We respectfully remembered that excellent man andeminent scholar, by whose labours a knowledge of the Latin languagewill be preserved in Scotland, if it shall be preserved at all. LordGardenston, one of our judges, collected money to raise a monument tohim at this place, which I hope will be well executed. I know myfather gave five guineas towards it. Lord Gardenston is the proprietorof Lawrence Kirk, and has encouraged the building of a manufacturingvillage, of which he is exceedingly fond, and has written a pamphletupon it, as if he had founded Thebes, in which, however there are manyuseful precepts strongly expressed. The village seemed to beirregularly built, some of the houses being of clay, some of brick, and some of brick and stone. Dr Johnson observed, they thatched wellhere. 

I was a little acquainted with Mr Forbes, the minister of the parish. I sent to inform him that a gentleman desired to see him. He returnedfor answer, 'that he would not come to a stranger'. I then gave myname, and he came. I remonstrated to him for not coming to a stranger;and, by presenting him to Dr Johnson, proved to him what a strangermight sometimes be. His Bible inculcates 'be not forgetful toentertain strangers', and mentions the same motive. He defendedhimself by saying, he had once come to a stranger who sent for him;and he found him 'a little worth person!'

Dr Johnson insisted on stopping at the inn, as I told him that LordGardenston had furnished it with a collection of books, thattravellers might have entertainment for the mind, as well as the body. He praised the design, but wished there had been more books, and thosebetter chosen. 

About a mile from Monboddo, where you turn off the road, Joseph waswaiting to tell us my lord expected us to dinner. We drove over a wildmoor. It rained, and the scene was somewhat dreary. Dr Johnsonrepeated, with solemn emphasis, Macbeth's speech on meeting thewitches. As we travelled on, he told me, 'Sir, you got into our clubby doing what a man can do. [Footnote: This, I find, is considered asobscure. I suppose Dr Johnson meant, that I assiduously and earnestlyrecommended myself to some of the members, as in a canvass for anelection into Parliament. ] Several of the members wished to keep youout. Burke told me, he doubted if you were fit for it: but, now youare in, none of them are sorry. Burke says, that you have so much goodhumour naturally, it is scarce a virtue. ' BOSWELL. 'They were afraidof you, sir, as it was you who proposed me. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, they knew, that if they refused you, they'd probably never have got in another. I'd have kept them all out. Beauclerk was very earnest for you. 'BOSWELL. 'Beauclerk has a keenness of mind which is very uncommon. 'JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; and every thing comes from him so easily. Itappears to me that I labour, when I say a good thing. ' BOSWELL. 'Youare loud, sir; but it is not an effort of mind. '

Monboddo is a wretched place, wild and naked, with a poor old house;though, if I recollect right, there are two turrets which mark an oldbaron's residence. Lord Monboddo received us at his gate mostcourteously; pointed to the Douglas arms upon his house, and told usthat his great-grandmother was of that family, 'In such houses, ' saidhe, 'our ancestors lived, who were better men than we. ' 'No, no, mylord, ' said Dr Johnson. 'We are as strong as they, and a great dealwiser. ' This was an assault upon one of Lord Monboddo's capitaldogmas, and I was afraid there would have been a violent altercationin the very close, before we got into the house. But his lordship isdistinguished not only for 'ancient metaphysicks', but for ancientpolitesse, la vieille cour, and he made no reply. 

His lordship was drest in a rustick suit, and wore a little round hat;he told us, we now saw him as Farmer Burnett, and we should have hisfamily dinner, a farmer's dinner. He said, 'I should not have forgivenMr Boswell, had he not brought you here, Dr Johnson. ' He produced avery long stalk of corn, as a specimen of his crop, and said, 'You seehere the loetas segetes. ' He added, that Virgil seemed to be asenthusiastick a farmer as he, and was certainly a practical one. JOHNSON. 'It does not always follow, my lord, that a man who haswritten a good poem on an art, has practised it. Philip Miller toldme, that in Philips's "Cyder", a poem, all the precepts were just, andindeed better than in books written for the purpose of instructing;yet Philips had never made cyder. '

I started the subject of emigration. JOHNSON. 'To a man of mere animallife, you can urge no argument against going to America, but that itwill be some time before he will get the earth to produce. But a manof any intellectual enjoyment will not easily go and immerse himselfand his posterity for ages in barbarism. '

He and my lord spoke highly of Homer. JOHNSON. 'He had all thelearning of his age. The shield of Achilles shews a nation in war, anation in peace; harvest sport, nay stealing. ' [Footnote: My note ofthis is much too short. Brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio. Yet as Ihave resolved that THE VERY Journal WHICH DR JOHNSON READ, shall bepresented to the publick, I will not expand the text in anyconsiderable degree, though I may occasionally supply a word tocomplete the sense, as I fill up the blanks of abbreviation in thewriting; neither of which can be said to change the genuine Journal. One of the best criticks of our age conjectures that the imperfectpassage above has probably been as follows: 'In his book we have anaccurate display of a nation in war, and a nation in peace; thepeasant is delineated as truly as the general; nay, evenharvest-sport, and the modes of ancient theft are described. ']MONBODDO. 'Ay, and what we' (looking to me)?'would call aparliament-house scene; a cause pleaded. ' JOHNSON. 'That is part ofthe life of a nation in peace. And there are in Homer such charactersof heroes, and combinations of qualities of heroes, that the unitedpowers of mankind ever since have not produced any but what are to befound there. ' MONBODDO. 'Yet no character is described. ' JOHNSON. 'No;they all develope themselves. Agamemnon is always a gentleman-likecharacter; he has always . That the ancients held so, is plainfrom this; that Euripides, in his Hecuba, makes him the person tointerpose. ' [Footnote: Dr Johnson modestly said, he had not read Homerso much as he wished he had done. But this conversation shews how wellhe was acquainted with the Moeonian bard; and he has shewn it stillmore in his criticism upon Pope's Homer, in his Life of that poet. Myexcellent friend, Mr Langton, told me, he was once present at adispute between Dr Johnson and Mr Burke, on the comparative merits ofHomer and Virgil, which was carried on with extraordinary abilities onboth sides. Dr Johnson maintained the superiority of Homer. ] MONBODDO. 'The history of manners is the most valuable. I never set a high valueon any other history. ' JOHNSON. 'Nor I; and therefore I esteembiography, as giving us what comes near to ourselves, what we can turnto use. ' BOSWELL. 'But in the course of general history, we findmanners. In wars, we see the dispositions of people, their degrees ofhumanity, and other particulars. ' JOHNSON. 'Yes; but then you musttake all the facts to get this; and it is but a little you get. 'MONBODDO. 'And it is that little which makes history valuable. ' Bravo!thought I; they agree like two brothers. MONBODDO. 'I am sorry, DrJohnson, you were not longer at Edinburgh, to receive the homage ofour men of learning. ' JOHNSON. 'My lord, I received great respect andgreat kindness. ' BOSWELL. 'He goes back to Edinburgh after our tour. 'We talked of the decrease of learning in Scotland, and the Muses'Welcome. JOHNSON. 'Learning is much decreased in England, in myremembrance. ' MONBODDO. 'You, sir, have lived to see its decrease inEngland, I its extinction in Scotland. ' However, I brought him toconfess that the High School of Edinburgh did well. JOHNSON. 'Learninghas decreased in England, because learning will not do so much for aman as formerly. There are other ways of getting preferment. Fewbishops are now made for their learning. To be a bishop, a man must belearned in a learned age, factious in a factious age; but always ofeminence. Warburton is an exception; though his learning alone did notraise him. He was first an antagonist to Pope, and helped Theobald topublish his Shakspeare; but, seeing Pope the rising man, when Crousazattacked his Essay on Man, for some faults which it has, and somewhich it has not, Warburton defended it in the Review of that time. This brought him acquainted with Pope, and he gained his friendship. Pope introduced him to Allen, Allen married him to his niece: so, byAllen's interest and his own, he was made a bishop. But then hislearning was the sine qua non: he knew how to make the most of it; butI do not find by any dishonest means. ' MONBODDO. 'He is a great man. 'JOHNSON. 'Yes; he has great knowledge, great power of mind. Hardly anyman brings greater variety of learning to bear upon his point. 'MONBODDO. 'He is one of the greatest lights of your church. ' JOHNSON. 'Why, we are not so sure of his being very friendly to us. He blazes, if you will, but that is not always the steadiest light. Lowth isanother bishop who has risen by his learning. '

Dr Johnson examined young Arthur, Lord Monboddo's son, in Latin. Heanswered very well; upon which he said, with complacency, 'Get yougone! When King James comes back, [Footnote: I find, some doubt hasbeen entertained concerning Dr Johnson's meaning here. It is to besupposed that he meant, 'when a king shall again be entertained inScotland'. ] you shall be in the "Muses' Welcome"!' My lord and DrJohnson disputed a little, whether the savage or the London shopkeeperhad the best existence; his lordship, as usual, preferring the savage. My lord was extremely hospitable, and I saw both Dr Johnson and himliking each other better every hour. 

Dr Johnson having retired for a short time, his lordship spoke of hisconversation as I could have wished. Dr Johnson had said, 'I have donegreater feats with my knife than this;' though he had eaten a veryhearty dinner. My lord, who affects or believes he follows anabstemious system, seemed struck with Dr Johnson's manner of living. Ihad a particular satisfaction in being under the roof of Monboddo, mylord being my father's old friend, and having been always very good tome. We were cordial together. He asked Dr Johnson and me to stay allnight. When I said we must be at Aberdeen, he replied, 'Well, I amlike the Romans: I shall say to you, "Happy to come--happy todepart!"' He thanked Dr Johnson for his visit. JOHNSON. 'I littlethought, when I had the honour to meet your lordship in London, that Ishould see you at Monboddo. ' After dinner, as the ladies were goingaway, Dr Johnson would stand up. He insisted that politeness was ofgreat consequence in society. 'It is, ' said he, 'fictitiousbenevolence. It supplies the place of it amongst those who see eachother only in publick, or but little. Depend upon it, the want of itnever fails to produce something disagreeable to one or other. I havealways applied to good breeding, what Addison in his Cato says ofhonour:

 Honour's a sacred tie; the law of Kings; The noble mind's distinguishing perfection, That aids and strengthens Virtue where it meets her. And imitates her actions where she is not. 

When he took up his large oak stick, he said, 'My lord, that'sHomerick;' thus pleasantly alluding to his lordship's favouritewriter. 

Gory, my lord's black servant, was sent as our guide, to conduct us tothe high road. The circumstance of each of them having a black servantwas another point of similarity between Johnson and Monboddo. Iobserved how curious it was to see an African in the north ofScotland, with little or no difference of manners from those of thenatives. Dr Johnson laughed to see Gory and Joseph riding togethermost cordially. 'Those two fellows, ' said he, 'one from Africa, theother from Bohemia, seem quite at home. ' He was much pleased with LordMonboddo to-day. He said, he would have pardoned him for a fewparadoxes, when he found he had so much that was good: but that, fromhis appearance in London, he thought him all paradox; which would notdo. He observed, that his lordship had talked no paradoxes to-day. 'And as to the savage and the London shopkeeper, " said he, 'I don'tknow but I might have taken the side of the savage equally, had anybody else taken the side of the shopkeeper. ' He had said to my lord, in opposition to the value of the savage's courage, that it was owingto his limited power of thinking, and repeated Pope's verses, in which'Macedonia's madman' is introduced, and the conclusion is, Yet ne'er looks forward farther than his nose. 

I objected to the last phrase, as being low. JOHNSON. 'Sir, it isintended to be low: it is satire. The expression is debased, to debasethe character. '

When Gory was about to part from us, Dr Johnson called to him, 'MrGory, give me leave to ask you a question! Are you baptized?' Gorytold him he was, and confirmed by the Bishop of Durham. He then gavehim a shilling. 

We had tedious driving this afternoon, and were somewhat drowsy. Lastnight I was afraid Dr Johnson was beginning to faint in hisresolution; for he said, 'If we must ride much, we shall not go; andthere's an end on't. ' To-day, when he talked of Sky with spirit, Isaid, 'Why, sir, you seemed to me to despond yesterday. You are adelicate Londoner; you are a maccaroni; you can't ride. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, I shall ride better than you. I was only afraid I should notfind a horse able to carry me. ' I hoped then there would be no fear ofgetting through our wild tour. 

We came to Aberdeen at half an hour past eleven. The New Inn, we weretold, was full. This was comfortless. The waiter, however, asked ifone of our names was Boswell, and brought me a letter left at the inn:it was from Mr Thrale, enclosing one to Dr Johnson. Finding who I was, we were told they would contrive to lodge us by putting us for a nightinto a room with two beds. The waiter said to me in the broad strongAberdeenshire dialect, 'I thought I knew you, by your likeness to yourfather. ' My father puts up at the New Inn, when on his circuit. Littlewas said to-night. I was to sleep in a little press-bed in DrJohnson's room. I had it wheeled out into the dining-room, and thereI lay very well. 

Sunday, 22d August

I sent a message to Professor Thomas Gordon, who came and breakfastedwith us. He had secured seats for us at the English chapel. We found arespectable congregation, and an admirable organ, well played by MrTait. 

We walked down to the shore. Dr Johnson laughed to hear thatCromwell's soldiers taught the Aberdeen people to make shoes andstockings, and to plant cabbages. He asked, if weaving the plaids wasever a domestick art in the Highlands, like spinning or knitting. Theycould not inform him here. But he conjectured probably, that wherepeople lived so remote from each other, it was likely to be adomestick art; as we see it was among the ancients, from Penelope. Iwas sensible to-day, to an extraordinary degree, of Dr Johnson'sexcellent English pronunciation. I cannot account for its striking memore now than any other day: but it was as if new to me; and Ilistened to every sentence which he spoke, as to a musicalcomposition. Professor Gordon gave him an account of the plan ofeducation in his college. Dr Johnson said, it was similar to that atOxford. Waller the poet's great grandson was studying here. Dr Johnsonwondered that a man should send his son so far off, when there were somany good schools in England. He said, 'At a great school there is allthe splendour and illumination of many minds; the radiance of all isconcentrated in each, or at least reflected upon each. But we must ownthat neither a dull boy, nor an idle boy, will do so well at a greatschool as at a private one. For at a great school there are alwaysboys enough to do well easily, who are sufficient to keep up thecredit of the school; and after whipping being tried to no purpose, the dull or idle boys are left at the end of a class, having theappearance of going through the course, but learning nothing at all. Such boys may do good at a private school, where constant attention ispaid to them, and they are watched. So that the question of publick orprivate education is not properly a general one; but whether one orthe other is best for MY SON. '

We were told the present Mr Waller was a plain country gentleman; andhis son would be such another. I observed, a family could not expect apoet but in a hundred generations. 'Nay, ' said Dr Johnson, 'not onefamily in a hundred can expect a poet in a hundred generations. ' Hethen repeated Dryden's celebrated lines, Three poets in three distant ages born, &c. 

and a part of a Latin translation of it done at Oxford: he did notthen say by whom. [Footnote: London, 2d May, 1778. Dr Johnsonacknowledged that he was himself the authour of the translation abovealluded to, and dictated it to me as follows:

 Quos laudet vales Graius Romanus et Anglus Tres tria temporibus secla dedere suis. Sublime ingenium Graius; Romanus habebat Carmen grande sonans; Anglus utrumque tulit. Nil majus Natura capit: clarare priores Quae potuere duos tertius unus habet. ]

He received a card, from Sir Alexander Gordon, who had been hisacquaintance twenty years ago in London, and who, 'if forgiven for notanswering a line from him', would come in the afternoon. Dr Johnsonrejoiced to hear of him, and begged he would come and dine with us. Iwas much pleased to see the kindness with which Dr Johnson receivedhis old friend Sir Alexander; a gentleman of good family, Lismore, butwho had not the estate. The King's College here made him Professor ofMedicine, which affords him a decent subsistence. He told us that thevalue of the stockings exported from Aberdeen was, in peace, a hundredthousand pounds; and amounted, in time of war, to one hundred andseventy thousand pounds. Dr Johnson asked, what made the difference?Here we had a proof of the comparative sagacity of the two professors. Sir Alexander answered, 'Because there is more occasion for them inwar. ' Professor Thomas Gordon answered, 'Because the Germans, who areour great rivals in the manufacture of stockings, are otherwiseemployed in time of war. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, you have given a very goodsolution. '

At dinner, Dr Johnson ate several plate-fulls of Scotch broth, withbarley and peas in it, and seemed very fond of the dish. I said, 'Younever ate it before. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir; but I don't care how soon Ieat it again. ' My cousin, Miss Dallas, formerly of Inverness, wasmarried to Mr Riddoch, one of the ministers of the English chapelhere. He was ill, and confined to his room; but she sent us a kindinvitation to tea, which we all accepted. She was the same lively, sensible, cheerful woman, as ever. Dr Johnson here threw out somejokes against Scotland. He said, 'You go first to Aberdeen; then toEnbru (the Scottish pronunciation of Edinburgh); then to Newcastle, tobe polished by the colliers; then to York; then to London. ' And helaid hold of a little girl, Stuart Dallas, niece to Mrs Riddoch, and, representing himself as a giant, said, he would take her with him!telling her, in a hollow voice, that he lived in a cave, and had a bedin the rock, and she should have a bed cut opposite to it!

He thus treated the point, as to prescription of murder in Scotland. 'A jury in England would make allowance for deficiencies of evidence, on account of lapse of time: but a general rule that a crime shouldnot be punished, or tried for the purpose of punishment, after twentyyears, is bad. It is cant to talk of the King's advocate delaying aprosecution from malice. How unlikely is it the King's advocate shouldhave malice against persons who commit murder, or should even knowthem at all. If the son of the murdered man should kill the murdererwho got off merely by prescription, I would help him to make hisescape; though, were I upon his jury, I would not acquit him. I wouldnot advise him to commit such an act. On the contrary, I would bid himsubmit to the determination of society, because a man is bound tosubmit to the inconveniences of it, as he enjoys the good: but theyoung man, though politically wrong, would not be morally wrong. Hewould have to say, "Here I am amongst barbarians, who not only refuseto do justice, but encourage the greatest of all crimes. I amtherefore in a state of nature: for, so far as there is now law, it isa state of nature: and consequently, upon the eternal and immutablelaw of justice, which requires that he who sheds man's blood shouldhave his blood shed, I will stab the murderer of my father. "' We wentto our inn, and sat quietly. Dr Johnson borrowed, at Mr Riddoch's, avolume of Massilon's Discourses on the Psalms: but I found he readlittle in it. Ogden too he sometimes took up, and glanced at; butthrew it down again. I then entered upon religious conversation. Neverdid I see him in a better frame: calm, gentle, wise, holy. I said, 'Would not the same objection hold against the Trinity as againsttransubstantiation?' 'Yes, ' said he, 'if you take three and one in thesame sense. If you do, to be sure you cannot believe it: but the threepersons in the Godhead are Three in one sense, and One in another. Wecannot tell how; and that is the mystery!'

I spoke of the satisfaction of Christ. He said his notion was, that itdid not atone for the sins of the world; but, by satisfying divinejustice, by shewing that no less than the Son of God suffered for sin, it shewed to men and innumerable created beings, the heinousness ofit, and therefore rendered it unnecessary for divine vengeance to beexercised against sinners, as it otherwise must have been; that inthis way it might operate even in favour of those who had never heardof it: as to those who did hear of it, the effect it should producewould be repentance and piety, by impressing upon the mind a justnotion of sin: that original sin was the propensity to evil, which nodoubt was occasioned by the fall. He presented this solemn subject ina new light to me, [Footnote: My worthy, intelligent, and candidfriend, Dr Kippis, informs me, that several divines have thusexplained the mediation of our Saviour. What Dr Johnson now delivered, was but a temporary opinion; for he afterwards was fully convinced ofthe propitiatory sacrifice, as I shall shew at large in my futurework, The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D. ] and rendered much morerational and clear the doctrine of what our Saviour has done for us, as it removed the notion of imputed righteousness in co-operating;whereas by this view, Christ has done all already that he had to do, or is ever to do, for mankind, by making his great satisfaction; theconsequences of which will affect each individual according to theparticular conduct of each. I would illustrate this by saying, thatChrist's satisfaction resembles a sun placed to shew light to men, sothat it depends upon themselves whether they will walk the right wayor not, which they could not have done without that sun, 'the sun ofrighteousness'. There is, however, more in it than merely givinglight--'a light to lighten the Gentiles': for we are told, there is'healing under his wings'. Dr Johnson said to me, 'Richard Baxtercommends a treatise by Grotius, De Satisfactione Christi. I have neverread it: but I intend to read it; and you may read it. ' I remarked, upon the principle now laid down, we might explain the difficult andseemingly hard text, 'They that believe shall be saved; and they thatbelieve not shall be damned. ' They that believe shall have such animpression made upon their minds, as will make them act so that theymay be accepted by God. 

We talked of one of our friends taking ill, for a length of time, ahasty expression of Dr Johnson's to him, on his attempting toprosecute a subject that had a reference to religion, beyond thebounds within which the Doctor thought such topicks should be confinedin a mixed company. JOHNSON. 'What is to become of society, if afriendship of twenty years is to be broken off for such a cause?' AsBacon says, Who then to frail mortality shall trust, But limns the water, or but writes in dust. 

I said, he should write expressly in support of Christianity; forthat, although a reverence for it shines through his works in severalplaces, that is not enough. 'You know, ' said I, 'what Grotius hasdone, and what Addison has done. You should do also. ' He replied, 'Ihope I shall. '

Monday, 23d August

Principal Campbell, Sir Alexander Gordon, Professor Gordon, andProfessor Ross, visited us in the morning, as did Dr Gerard, who hadcome six miles from the country on purpose. We went and saw theMarischal College, [Footnote: Dr Beattie was so kindly entertained inEngland, that he had not yet returned home. ] and at one o'clock wewaited on the magistrates in the town hall, as they had invited us inorder to present Dr Johnson with the freedom of the town, whichProvost Jopp did with a very good grace. Dr Johnson was much pleasedwith this mark of attention, and received it very politely. There wasa pretty numerous company assembled. It was striking to hear all ofthem drinking?'Dr Johnson! Dr Johnson!' in the town-hall of Aberdeen, and then to see him with his burgess-ticket, or diploma, [Footnote: DrJohnson's burgess-ticket was in these words:

Aberdoniae, vigesimo tertio die mensis Augusti, anno Domini millesimoseptingentesimo septuagesimo tertio, in presentia honorabiliumvirorum, Jacobi Jopp, armigeri, praepositi, Adami Duff, GulielmiYoung, Georgii Marr, et Gulielmi Forbes, Balivorum, Gulielmi RainieDecani guildae, et Joannis Nicoll Thesaurarii dicti burgi. 

Quo die vir generosus et doctrina clarus, Samuel Johnson, LL. D. Receptus et admissus fuit in municipes et fratres guildae praefatiburgi de Aberdeen. In deditissimi amoris et affectus ac eximiaeobservantiae tesseram, quibus dicti Magistratus eum amplectuntur. Extractum per me, ALEX. CARNEGIE. ] in his hat, which he wore as hewalked along the street, according to the usual custom. It gave megreat satisfaction to observe the regard, and indeed fondness too, which every body here had for my father. 

While Sir Alexander Gordon conducted Dr Johnson to old Aberdeen, Professor Gordon and I called on Mr Riddoch, whom I found to be agrave worthy clergyman. He observed, that, whatever might be said ofDr Johnson while he was alive, he would, after he was dead, be lookedupon by the world with regard and astonishment, on account of hisDictionary. 

Professor Gordon and I walked over to the Old College, which DrJohnson had seen by this time. I stepped into the chapel, and lookedat the tomb of the founder, Archbishop Elphinston, of whom I shallhave occasion to write in my History of James IV of Scotland, thepatron of my family. 

We dined at Sir Alexander Gordon's. The Provost, Professor Ross, Professor Dunbar, Professor Thomas Gordon, were there. After dinnercame in Dr Gerard, Professor Leslie, Professor Macleod. We had littleor no conversation in the morning; now we were but barren. Theprofessors seemed afraid to speak. 

Dr Gerard told us that an eminent printer was very intimate withWarburton. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, he has printed some of his works, andperhaps bought the property of some of them. The intimacy is such asone of the professors here may have with one of the carpenters who isrepairing the college. ' 'But, ' said Gerard, 'I saw a letter from himto this printer, in which he says, that the one half of the clergy ofthe Church of Scotland are fanaticks, and the other half infidels. 'JOHNSON. 'Warburton has accustomed himself to write letters just as hespeaks, without thinking any more of what he throws out. When I readWarburton first, and observed his force, and his contempt of mankind, I thought he had driven the world before him; but I soon found thatwas not the case; for Warburton, by extending his abuse, rendered itineffectual. '

He told me, when we were by ourselves, that he thought it very wrongin the printer, to shew Warburton's letter, as it was raising a bodyof enemies against him. He thought it foolish in Warburton to write soto the printer; and added, 'Sir, the worst way of being intimate, isby scribbling. ' He called Warburton's Doctrine of Grace a poorperformance, and so he said was Wesley's Answer. 'Warburton, ' heobserved, 'had laid himself very open. In particular, he was weakenough to say, that, in some disorders of the imagination, people hadspoken with tongues, had spoken languages which they never knewbefore; a thing as absurd as to say, that, in some disorders of theimagination, people had been known to fly. '

I talked of the difference of genius, to try if I could engage Gerardin a disquisition with Dr Johnson; but I did not succeed. I mentioned, as a curious fact, that Locke had written verses. JOHNSON. 'I know ofnone, sir, but a kind of exercise prefixed to Dr Sydenham's Works, inwhich he has some conceits about the dropsy, in which water andburning are united; and how Dr Sydenham removed fire by drawing offwater, contrary to the usual practice, which is to extinguish fire bybringing water upon it. I am not sure that there is a word of allthis; but it is such kind of talk. ' [Footnote: All this, as Dr Johnsonsuspected at the time, was the immediate invention of his own livelyimagination; for there is not one word of it in Mr Locke'scomplimentary performance. My readers will, I have no doubt, like tobe satisfied, by comparing them: and, at any rate, it may entertainthem to read verses composed by our great metaphysician, when aBachelor in Physick. 

AUCTORI, IN TRACTATUM EJUS DE FEBRIBUS. 

 Febriles aestus, victumque ardoribus orbem Flevit, non tantis par Medicina malis. Et post mille artes, medicae tentamina curae, Ardet adhuc Febris; nec velit arte regi. Praeda sumus flammis; solum hoc speramus ab igne, Ut restet paucus, quem capit urna, cinis. Dum quaerit medicus febris caussamque, modumque, Flammarum et tenebras, et sine luce faces; Quas tractat patitur flammas, et febre calescens, Corruit ipse suis victima rapta focis. Qui tardos potuit morbos, artusque trementes, Sistere, febrili se videt igne rapi. Sic faber exesos fulsit tibicine muros; Dum trahit antiquas lenta ruina domos. Sed si flamma vorax miseras incenderit aedes, Unica flagrantes tunc sepelire salus. Fit fuga, tectonicas nemo tunc invocat artes; Cum perit artificis non minus usta domus. Se tandem Sydenham febrisque Scholaeque furori]

We spoke of Fingal. Dr Johnson said calmly, 'If the poems were reallytranslated, they were certainly first written down. Let Mr Macphersondeposite the manuscript in one of the colleges at Aberdeen, wherethere are people who can judge; and, if the professors certify theauthenticity, then there will be an end of the controversy. If he doesnot take this obvious and easy method, he gives the best reason todoubt; considering too, how much is against it a priori. '

We sauntered after dinner in Sir Alexander's garden, and saw hislittle grotto, which is hung with pieces of poetry written in a fairhand. It was

 [Footnote: Opponens, morbi quaerit, et artis opem. Non temere incusat tectae putedinis ignes; Nec fictus, febres qui fovet, humor erit, Non bilem ille movet, nulla hic pituita; Salutis Quae spes, si fallax ardeat intus aqua Nec doctas magno rixas ostentat hiatu, Quis ipsis major febribus ardor inest. Innocuas placide corpus jubet urere flammas, Et justo rapidos temperat igne focos. Quid febrim exstinguat; varius quid postulat usus, Solari aegrotos, qua potes arte, docet. Hactenus ipsa suum timuit Natura calorem, Dum saepe incerto, quo calet, igne perit: Dum reparat tacitos male provida sanguinis ignes, Praelusit busto, fit calor iste rogus. Jam secura suas foveant praecordia flammas, Quem Natura negat, dat Medicina modum. Nec solum faciles compescit sanguinis aestus, Dum dubia est inter spemque metumque salus; Sed fatale malum domuit, quodque astra malignum Credimus, iratam vel genuisse Stygem. Extorsit Lachesi cultros, Pestique venenum Abstulit, et tantos non sinit esse metus. Quis tandem arte nova domitam mitescere Pestem Credat, et antiquas ponere posse minas Post tot mille neces, cumulataque funera busto, Victa jacet, parvo vulnere, dira Lues. Aetheriae quanquam spargunt contagia flammae, Quicquid inest istis ignibus, ignis erit. Delapsae coelo flammae licet acrius urant, Has gelida exstingui non nisi morte putas Tu meliora paras victrix Medicina; tuusque, Pestis qua superat cuncta, triumphus eris. Vive liber, victis febrilibus ignibus; unus Te simul et mundum qui manet, ignis erit. J. LOCK, A. M. Ex. Aede Christi, Oxon. ]

agreeable to observe the contentment and kindness of this quiet, benevolent man. Professor Macleod was brother to Macleod of Talisker, and brother-in-law to the Laird of Col. He gave me a letter to youngCol. I was weary of this day, and began to think wishfully of beingagain in motion. I was uneasy to think myself too fastidious, whilst Ifancied Dr Johnson quite satisfied. But he owned to me that he wasfatigued and teased by Sir Alexander's doing too much to entertainhim. I said, it was all kindness. JOHNSON. 'True, sir: but sensationis sensation. ' BOSWELL. 'It is so: we feel pain equally from thesurgeon's probe, as from the sword of the foe. '

We visited two booksellers' shops, and could not find ArthurJohnston's Poems. We went and sat near an hour at Mr Riddoch's. Hecould not tell distinctly how much education at the college herecosts, which disgusted Dr Johnson. I had pledged myself that we shouldgo to the inn, and not stay supper. They pressed us, but he wasresolute. I saw Mr Riddoch did not please him. He said to me, afterwards, 'Sir, he has no vigour in his talk. ' But my friend shouldhave considered that he himself was not in good humour; so that it wasnot easy to talk to his satisfaction. We sat contentedly at our inn. He then became merry, and observed how little we had either heard orsaid at Aberdeen: that the Aberdonians had not started a single mawkin(the Scottish word for hare) for us to pursue. 

Tuesday, 24th August

We set out about eight in the morning, and breakfasted at Ellon. Thelandlady said to me, 'Is not this the great Doctor that is going aboutthrough the country?' I said, 'Yes. ' 'Ay, ' said she, 'we heard of him, I made an errand into the room on purpose to see him. There'ssomething great in his appearance: it is a pleasure to have such a manin one's house; a man who does so much good. If I had thought of it, Iwould have shewn him a child of mine, who has had a lump on his throatfor some time. ' 'But, ' said I, 'he is not a doctor of physick. ' 'Is hean oculist?' said the landlord. 'No, ' said I, 'he is only a verylearned man. ' LANDLORD. 'They say he is the greatest man in England, except Lord Mansfield. ' Dr Johnson was highly entertained with this, and I do think he was pleased too. He said, 'I like the exception: tohave called me the greatest man in England, would have been anunmeaning compliment: but the exception marked that the praise was inearnest; and, in SCOTLAND, the exception must be LORD MANSFIELD, or--SIR JOHN PRINGLE. '

He told me a good story of Dr Goldsmith. Graham, who wrote Telemachus, a Masque, was sitting one night with him and Dr Johnson, and was halfdrunk. He rattled away to Dr Johnson: 'You are a clever fellow, to besure; but you cannot write an essay like Addison, or verses like theRape of the Lock. ' At last he said, [Footnote: I am sure I haverelated this story exactly as Dr Johnson told it to me: but a friendwho has often heard him tell it, informs me that he usually introduceda circumstance which ought not to be omitted. 'At last, sir, Graham, having now got to about the pitch of looking at one man, and talkingto another, said DOCTOR &c. 'What effect. ' Dr Johnson used to add, 'this had on Goldsmith, who was as irascible as a hornet, may beeasily conceived. '] 'DOCTOR, I should be happy to see you at Eaton. ''I shall be glad to wait on you, ' answered Goldsmith. 'No, ' saidGraham, ''tis not you I mean, Dr MINOR; 'tis Dr MAJOR, there. 'Goldsmith was excessively hurt by this. He afterwards spoke of ithimself. 'Graham, ' said he, 'is a fellow to make one commit suicide. '

We had received a polite invitation to Slains castle. We arrived therejust at three o'clock, as the bell for dinner was ringing. Though, from its being just on the north-east Ocean, no trees will grow here, Lord Errol has done all that can be done. He has cultivated his fieldsso as to bear rich crops of every kind, and he has made an excellentkitchen-garden, with a hot-house. I had never seen any of the family:but there had been a card of invitation written by the honourableCharles Boyd, the earl's brother. We were conducted into the house, and at the dining-room door were met by that gentleman, whom both ofus at first took to be Lord Errol; but he soon corrected our mistake. My lord was gone to dine in the neighbourhood, at an entertainmentgiven by Mr Irvine of Drum. Lady Errol received us politely, and wasvery attentive to us during the time of dinner. There was nobody attable but her ladyship, Mr Boyd, and some of the children, theirgovernour and governess. Mr Boyd put Dr Johnson in mind of havingdined with him at Cumming the Quaker's, along with Mr Hall and MissWilliams: this was a bond of connection between them. For me, MrBoyd's acquaintance with my father was enough. After dinner, LadyErrol favoured us with a sight of her young family, whom she madestand up in a row. There were six daughters and two sons. It was avery pleasing sight. 

Dr Johnson proposed our setting out. Mr Boyd said, he hoped we wouldstay all night; his brother would be at home in the evening, and wouldbe very sorry if he missed us. Mr Boyd was called out of the room. Iwas very desirous to stay in so comfortable a house, and I wished tosee Lord Errol. Dr Johnson, however, was right in resolving to go, ifwe were not asked again, as it is best to err on the safe side in suchcases, and to be sure that one is quite welcome. To my great joy, whenMr Boyd returned, he told Dr Johnson that it was Lady Errol who hadcalled him out, and said that she would never let Dr Johnson into thehouse again, if he went away that night; and that she had ordered thecoach, to carry us to view a great curiosity on the coast, after whichwe should see the house. We cheerfully agreed. 

Mr Boyd was engaged, in 1745-6, on the same side with many unfortunatemistaken noblemen and gentlemen. He escaped, and lay concealed for ayear in the island of Arran, the ancient territory of the Boyds. Hethen went to France, and was about twenty years on the continent. Hemarried a French lady, and now lived very comfortably at Aberdeen, andwas much at Slains castle. He entertained us with great civility. Hehad a pompousness or formal plenitude in his conversation which I didnot dislike. Dr Johnson said, there was too much elaboration in histalk. It gave me pleasure to see him, a steady branch of the family, setting forth all its advantages with much zeal. He told us that LadyErrol was one of the most pious and sensible women in the island; hada good head, and as good a heart. He said, she did not use force orfear in educating her children. JOHNSON. 'Sir, she is wrong; I wouldrather have the rod to be the general terror to all, to make themlearn, than tell a child, if you do thus or thus, you will be moreesteemed than your brothers or sisters. The rod produces an effectwhich terminates itself. A child is afraid of being whipped, and getshis task, and there's an end on't; whereas, by exciting emulation, andcomparisons of superiority, you lay the foundation of lastingmischief; you make brothers and sisters hate each other. '

During Mr Boyd's stay in Arran, he had found a chest of medical books, left by a surgeon there, and had read them till he acquired some skillin physick, in consequence of which he is often consulted by the poor. There were several here waiting for him as patients. We walked roundthe house till stopped by a cut made by the influx of the sea. Thehouse is built quite upon the shore; the windows look upon the mainocean, and the King of Denmark is Lord Errol's nearest neighbour onthe north-east. 

We got immediately into the coach, and drove to Dunbui, a rock nearthe shore, quite covered with sea-fowls; then to a circular bason oflarge extent, surrounded with tremendous rocks. On the quarter nextthe sea, there is a high arch in the rock, which the force of thetempest has driven out. This place is called Buchan's Buller, or theBuller of Buchan, and the country people call it the Pot. Mr Boyd saidit was so called from the French Bouloir. It may be more simply tracedfrom Boiler in our own language. We walked round this monstrouscauldron. In some places, the rock is very narrow; and on each sidethere is a sea deep enough for a man of war to ride in; so that it issomewhat horrid to move along. However, there is earth and grass uponthe rock, and a kind of road marked out by the print of feet; so thatone makes it out pretty safely: yet it alarmed me to see Dr Johnsonstriding irregularly along. He insisted on taking a boat, and sailinginto the Pot. We did so. He was stout, and wonderfully alert. TheBuchan-men all shewing their teeth, and speaking with that strangesharp accent which distinguishes them, was to me a matter ofcuriosity. He was not sensible of the difference of pronunciation inthe south and north of Scotland, which I wondered at. 

As the entry into the Buller is so narrow that oars cannot be used asyou go in, the method taken is to row very hard when you come near it, and give the boat such a rapidity of motion that it glides in. DrJohnson observed what an effect this scene would have had, were weentering into an unknown place. There are caves of considerable depth;I think, one on each side. The boatmen had never entered either ofthem far enough to know the size. Mr Boyd told us that it is customaryfor the company at Peterhead well, to make parties, and come and dinein one of the caves here. 

He told us, that, as Slains is at a considerable distance fromAberdeen, Lord Errol, who has a very large family, resolved to have asurgeon of his own. With this view he educated one of his tenant'ssons, who is now settled in a very neat house and farm just by, whichwe saw from the road. By the salary which the earl allows him, and thepractice which he has had, he is in very easy circumstances. He hadkept an exact account of all that had been laid out on his education, and he came to his lordship one day, and told him that he had arrivedat a much higher situation than ever he expected; that he was now ableto repay what his lordship had advanced, and begged he would accept ofit. The earl was pleased with the generous gratitude and genteel offerof the man; but refused it. Mr Boyd also told us, Cumming the Quakerfirst began to distinguish himself, by writing against Dr Leechman onprayer, to prove it unnecessary, as God knows best what should be, andwill order it without our asking--the old hackneyed objection. 

When we returned to the house we found coffee and tea in thedrawing-room. Lady Errol was not there, being, as I supposed, engagedwith her young family. There is a bow-window fronting the sea. DrJohnson repeated the ode, Jam satis terris, while Mr Boyd was with hispatients. He spoke well in favour of entails, to preserve lines of menwhom mankind are accustomed to reverence. His opinion was that so muchland should be entailed as that families should never fall intocontempt, and as much left free as to give them all the advantages ofproperty in case of any emergency. 'If, ' said he, 'the nobility aresuffered to sink into indigence, they of course become corrupt; theyare ready to do whatever the king chooses; therefore it is fit theyshould be kept from becoming poor, unless it is fixed that when theyfall below a certain standard of wealth they shall lose theirpeerages. We know the House of Peers have made noble stands, when theHouse of Commons durst not. The two last years of Parliament they darenot contradict the populace. '

This room is ornamented with a number of fine prints, and with a wholelength picture of Lord Errol, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. This led DrJohnson and me to talk of our amiable and elegant friend, whosepanegyrick he concluded by saying, 'Sir Joshua Reynolds, sir, is themost invulnerable man I know; the man with whom if you should quarrel, you would find the most difficulty how to abuse. '

Dr Johnson observed, the situation here was the noblest he had everseen, better than Mount Edgecumbe, reckoned the first in England;because, at

Mount Edgecumbe, the sea is bounded by land on the other side, and, though there is there the grandeur of a fleet, there is also theimpression of there being a dock-yard, the circumstances of which arenot agreeable. At Slains is an excellent old house. The noble ownerhas built of brick, along the square in the inside, a gallery, both onthe first and second story, the house being no higher; so that he hasalways a dry walk, and the rooms, to which formerly there was noapproach but through each other, have now all separate entries fromthe gallery, which is hung with Hogarth's works, and other prints. Wewent and sat a while in the library. There is a valuable numerouscollection. It was chiefly made by Mr Falconer, husband to the lateCountess of Errol in her own right. This earl has added a good manymodern books. 

About nine the earl came home. Captain Gordon of Park was with him. His lordship put Dr Johnson in mind of their having dined together inLondon, along with Mr Beauclerk. I was exceedingly pleased with LordErrol. His dignified person and agreeable countenance, with the mostunaffected affability, gave me high satisfaction. From perhaps aweakness, or, as I rather hope, more fancy and warmth of feeling thanis quite reasonable, my mind is ever impressed with admiration forpersons of high birth, and I could, with the most perfect honesty, expatiate on Lord Errol's good qualities; but he stands in no need ofmy praise. His agreeable manners and softness of address preventedthat constraint which the idea of his being Lord High Constable ofScotland might otherwise have occasioned. He talked very easily andsensibly with his learned guest. I observed that Dr Johnson, though heshewed that respect to his lordship, which, from principle, he alwaysdoes to high rank, yet, when they came to argument, maintained thatmanliness which becomes the force and vigour of his understanding. Toshew external deference to our superiors, is proper: to seem to yieldto them in opinion, is meanness. [Footnote: Lord Chesterfield, in hisletters to his son, complains of one who argued in an indiscriminatemanner with men of all ranks. Probably the noble lord had felt withsome uneasiness what it was to encounter stronger abilities than hisown. If a peer will engage at foils with his inferior in station, hemust expect that his inferior in station will avail himself of everyadvantage; otherwise it is not a fair trial of strength and skill. Thesame will hold in a contest of reason, or of wit. A certain kingentered the lists of genius with Voltaire. The consequence was, that, though the king had great and brilliant talents, Voltaire had such asuperiority that his majesty could not bear it; and the poet wasdismissed, or escaped, from that court. In the reign of James I ofEngland. Crichton, Lord Sanquhar, a peer of Scotland, from a vainambition to excel a fencing-master in his own art, played at rapierand dagger with him. The fencing-master, whose fame and bread were atstake, put out one of his lordship's eyes. Exasperated at this. LordSanquhar hired ruffians, and had the fencing-master assassinated; forwhich his lordship was capitally tried, condemned, and hanged. Notbeing a peer of England, he was tried by the name of Robert Crichton, Esq. ; but he was admitted to be a baron of three hundred yearsstanding. See the State Trials; and the History of England by Hume, who applauds the impartial justice executed upon a man of high rank. ]The earl said grace, both before and after supper, with much decency. He told us a story of a man who was executed at Perth, some years ago, for murdering a woman who was with child by him, and a former child hehad by her. His hand was cut off: he was then pulled up; but the ropebroke, and he was forced to lie an hour on the ground, till anotherrope was brought from Perth, the execution being in a wood at somedistance, at the place where the murders were committed. 'There, ' saidmy lord, 'I see the hand of Providence. ' I was really happy here. Isaw in this nobleman the best dispositions and best principles; and Isaw him, in my mind's eye, to be the representative of the ancientBoyds of Kilmarnock. I was afraid he might have urged drinking, as, Ibelieve, he used formerly to do, but he drank port and water out of alarge glass himself, and let us do as we pleased. He went with us toour rooms at night; said, he took the visit very kindly; and told me, my father and he were very old acquaintances; that I now knew the wayto Slains, and he hoped to see me there again. 

I had a most elegant room; but there was a fire in it which blazed;and the sea, to which my windows looked, roared; and the pillows weremade of the feathers of some sea-fowl, which had to me a disgreeablesmell: so that, by all these causes, I was kept awake a good while. Isaw, in imagination, Lord Errol's father, Lord Kilmarnock (who wasbeheaded on Tower Hill in 1746), and I was somewhat dreary. But thethought did not last long, and I fell asleep. 

Wednesday, 25th August

We got up between seven and eight, and found Mr Boyd in thedining-room, with tea and coffee before him, to give us breakfast. Wewere in an admirable humour. Lady Errol had given each of us a copy ofan ode by Beattie, on the birth of her son, Lord Hay. Mr Boyd asked DrJohnson, how he liked it. Dr Johnson, who did not admire it, got offvery well, by taking it out, and reading the second and third stanzesof it with much melody. This, without his saying a word, pleased MrBoyd. He observed, however, to Dr Johnson, that the expression as tothe family of Errol, A thousand years have seen it shine compared with what went before, was an anticlimax, and that it would have been better

Ages have seen, etc. 

Dr Johnson said, 'So great a number as a thousand is better. Doluslatet in universalibus. Ages might be only two ages. ' He talked of theadvantage of keeping up the connections of relationship, which producemuch kindness. 'Every man, ' said he, 'who comes into the world, hasneed of friends. If he has to get them for himself, half his life isspent, before his merit is known. Relations are a man's ready friendswho support him. When a man is in real distress, he flies into thearms of his relations. An old lawyer, who had much experience inmaking wills, told me, that after people had deliberated long, andthought of many for their executors, they settled at last by fixing ontheir relations. This shews the universality of the principle. '

I regretted the decay of respect for men of family, and that a Nabobnow would carry an election from them. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, the Nabobwill carry it by means of his wealth, in a country where money ishighly valued, as it must be where nothing can be had without money;but, if it comes to personal preference, the man of family will alwayscarry it. There is generally a scoundrelism about a low man. ' Mr Boydsaid, that was a good ism. 

I said, I believed mankind were happier in the ancient feudal state ofsubordination, than they are in the modern state of independency. JOHNSON. To be sure, the CHIEF was: but we must think of the number ofindividuals. That THEY were less happy, seems plain; for that statefrom which all escape as soon as they can, and to which none returnafter they have left it, must be less happy; and this is the case withthe state of dependance on a chief or great man. '

I mentioned the happiness of the French in their subordination, by thereciprocal benevolence and attachment between the great and those inlower rank. Mr Boyd gave us an instance of their gentlemanly spirit. An old Chevalier de Malthe, of ancient noblesse, but in lowcircumstances, was in a coffee-house at Paris, where was Julien, thegreat manufacturer at the Gobelins, of the fine tapestry, so muchdistinguished both for the figures and the colours. The chevalier'scarriage was very old. Says Julien, with a plebeian insolence, 'Ithink, sir, you had better have your carriage new painted. ' Thechevalier looked at him with indignant contempt, and answered, 'Well, sir. You may take it home and DYE it!' All the coffee-house rejoicedat Julien's confusion. 

We set out about nine. Dr Johnson was curious to see one of thosestructures which northern antiquarians call a Druid's temple. I had arecollection of one at Strichen; which I had seen fifteen years ago:so we went four miles out of our road, after passing Old Deer, andwent thither. Mr Fraser, the proprietor, was at home, and shewed it tous. But I had augmented it in my mind; for all that remains is twostones set up on end, with a long one laid upon them, as was usual andone stone at a little distance from them. That stone was the capitalone of the circle which surrounded what now remains. Mr Fraser wasvery hospitable. [Footnote: He is the worthy son of a worthy father, the late Lord Strichen, one of our judges, to whose kind notice I wasmuch obliged. Lord Strichen was a man not only honest, but highlygenerous: for after his succession to the family estate, he paid alarge sum of debts contracted by his predecessor, which he was notunder any obligation to pay. Let me here, for the credit of Ayrshire, my own county, record a noble instance of liberal honesty in WilliamHutchison, drover, in Lanehead, Kyle, who formerly obtained a fulldischarge from his creditors upon a composition of his debts: but uponbeing restored to good circumstances, invited his creditors lastwinter to a dinner, without telling the reason, and paid them theirfull sums, principal and interest. They presented him with a piece ofplate, with an inscription to commemorate this extraordinary instanceof true worth; which should make some people in Scotland blush, while, though mean themselves, they strut about under the protection of greatalliance conscious of the wretchedness of numbers who have lost bythem, to whom they never think of making reparation, but indulgethemselves and their families in most unsuitable expence. ] There was afair at Strichen; and he had several of his neighbours from it atdinner. One of them, Dr Fraser, who had been in the army, rememberedto have seen Dr Johnson at a lecture on experimental philosophy, atLichfield. The doctor recollected being at the lecture; and he wassurprised to find here somebody who knew him. 

Mr Fraser sent a servant to conduct us by a short passage into thehigh-road. I observed to Dr Johnson, that I had a most disagreeablenotion of the life of country gentlemen; that I left Mr Fraser justnow, as one leaves a prisoner in a jail. Dr Johnson said, that I wasright in thinking them unhappy; for that they had not enough to keeptheir minds in motion. 

I started a thought this afternoon which amused us a great part of theway. 'If, ' said I, 'our club should come and set up in St Andrews, as acollege, to teach all that each of us can, in the several departmentsof learning and taste, we should rebuild the city: we should draw awonderful concourse of students. ' Dr Johnson entered fully into thespirit of this project. We immediately fell to distributing theoffices. I was to teach civil and Scotch law; Burke, politicks andeloquence; Garrick, the art of publick speaking; Langton was to be ourGrecian, Colman our Latin professor; Nugent to teach physick; LordCharlemont, modern history; Beauclerk, natural philosophy; Vesey, Irish antiquities, or Celtick learning;[Footnote: Since the firstedition, it has been suggested by one of the clubs, who knew Mr Veseybetter than Dr Johnson and I, that we did not assign him a properplace; for he was quite unskilled in Irish antiquities and Celticklearning, but might with propriety have been made professor ofarchitecture, which he understood well, and has left a very goodspecimen of his knowledge and taste in that art, by an elegant housebuilt on a plan of his own formation, at Lucan, a few miles fromDublin. ] Jones, Oriental learning; Goldsmith, poetry and ancienthistory; Chamier, commercial politicks; Reynolds, painting, and thearts which have beauty for their object; Chambers, the law of England. Dr Johnson at first said. 'I'll trust theology to nobody but myself. 'But, upon due consideration, that Percy is a clergyman, it was agreedthat Percy should teach practical divinity and British antiquities; DrJohnson himself, logick, metaphysicks and scholastick divinity. Inthis manner did we amuse ourselves, each suggesting, and each varyingor adding, till the whole was adjusted. Dr Johnson said, we onlywanted a mathematician since Dyer died, who was a very good one; butas to every thing else, we should have a very capital university, [Footnote: Our club, originally at the Turk's Head, Gerrard Street, then at Prince's, Sackville Street, now at Baxter's Dover Street, which at Mr Garrick's funeral acquired a name for the first time, andwas called The Literary Club, was instituted in 1764, and now consistsof thirty-five members. It has, since 1773, been greatly augmented;and though Dr Johnson with justice observed, that, by losingGoldsmith, Garrick, Nugent, Chamier, Beauclerk, we had lost what wouldmake an eminent club, yet when I mention, as an accession, Mr Fox, DrGeorge Fordyce, Sir Charles Bunbury, Lord Offory, Mr Gibbon, Dr AdamSmith, Mr R. B. Sheridan, the Bishops of Kilaloe and St Asaph, DeanMarlay, Mr Steevens, Mr Dunning, Sir Joseph Banks, Dr Scott of theCommons, Earl Spencer, Mr Windham of Norfolk, Lord Elliot, Mr Malone, Dr Joseph Warton, the Rev. Thomas Warton, Lord Lucan, Mr Burke junior, Lord Palmerston, Dr Burney, Sir William Hamilton, and Dr Warren, itwill be acknowledged that we might establish a second university ofhigh reputation. ]

We got at night to Banff. I sent Joseph on to Duff house: but EarlFife was not at home, which I regretted much, as we should have had avery elegant reception from his lordship. We found here but anindifferent inn. [Footnote: Here, unluckily the windows had nopullies; and Dr Johnson, who was constantly eager for fresh air, hadmuch struggling to get one of them kept open. Thus he had a notionimpressed upon him, that this wretched defect was general in Scotland;in consequence of which he has erroneously enlarged upon it in hisJourney. I regretted that he did not allow me to read over his bookbefore it was printed. I should have changed very little; but I shouldhave suggested an alteration in a few places where he has laid himselfopen to be attacked. I hope I should have prevailed with him to omitor soften his assertion, that 'a Scotsman must be a sturdy moralist, who does not prefer Scotland to truth', for I really think it is notfounded; and it is harshly said. ] Dr Johnson wrote a long letter toMrs Thrale. I wondered to see him write so much so easily. He verifiedhis own doctrine that 'a man may always write when he will set himselfDOGGEDLY to it'. 

Thursday, 26th August

We got a fresh chaise here, a very good one, and very good horses. Webreakfasted at Cullen. They set down dried haddocks broiled, alongwith our tea. I ate one; but Dr Johnson was disgusted by the sight ofthem, so they were removed. Cullen has a comfortable appearance, though but a very small town, and the houses mostly poor buildings. 

I called on Mr Robertson, who has the charge of Lord Findlater'saffairs, and was formerly Lord Monboddo's clerk, was three times inFrance with him, and translated Condamine's Account of the SavageGirl, to which his lordship wrote a preface, containing severalremarks of his own. Robertson said, he did not believe so much as hislordship did; that it was plain to him, the girl confounded what sheimagined with what she remembered: that, besides, she perceivedCondamine and Lord Monboddo forming theories, and she adapted herstory to them. 

Dr Johnson said, 'It is a pity to see Lord Monboddo publish suchnotions as he has done; a man of sense, and of so much elegantlearning. There would be little in a fool doing it; we should onlylaugh; but when a wise man does it, we are sorry. Other people havestrange notions; but they conceal them. If they have tails, they hidethem; but Monboddo is as jealous of his tail as a squirrel. ' I shallhere put down some more remarks of Dr Johnson's on Lord Monboddo, which were not made exactly at this time, but come in well fromconnection. He said, he did not approve of a judge's calling himselfFARMER Burnett, [Footnote: It is the custom in Scotland for the judgesof the Court of Session to have the title of LORDS, from theirestates: thus Mr Burnett is Lord MONBODDO, as Mr Home was Lord KAMES. There is something a little aukward in this; for they are denominatedin deeds by their NAMES, with the addition of one of the Senators ofthe College of Justice'; and subscribe their Christian and surname, asJAMES BURNETT, HENRY HOME, even in judicial acts. ] and going aboutwith a little round hat. He laughed heartily at his lordship's sayinghe was an ENTHUSIASTICAL farmer; 'for, ' said he, 'what can he do infarming by his ENTHUSIASM?' Here, however, I think Dr Johnsonmistaken. He who wishes to be successful, or happy, ought to beenthusiastical, that is to say, very keen in all the occupations ordiversions of life. An ordinary gentleman-farmer will be satisfiedwith looking at his fields once or twice a day: an enthusiasticalfarmer will be constantly employed on them; will have his mindearnestly engaged; will talk perpetually of them. But Dr Johnson hasmuch of the nil admirari in smaller concerns. That survey of lifewhich gave birth to his Vanity of Human Wishes early sobered his mind. Besides, so great a mind as his cannot be moved by inferior objects:an elephant does not run and skip like lesser animals. 

Mr Robertson sent a servant with us, to shew us through LordFindlater's wood, by which our way was shortened, and we saw some partof his domain, which is indeed admirably laid out. Dr Johnson did notchoose to walk through it. He always said, that he was not come toScotland to see fine places, of which there were enough in England;but wild objects--mountains, waterfalls, peculiar manners; in short, things which he had not seen before. I have a notion that he at notime has had much taste for rural beauties. I have myself very little. 

Dr Johnson said, there was nothing more contemptible than a countrygentleman living beyond his income, and every year growing poorer andpoorer. He spoke strongly of the influence which a man has by beingrich. 'A man, ' said he, 'who keeps his money, has in reality more usefrom it, than he can have by spending it. ' I observed that this lookedvery like a paradox; but he explained it thus: 'If it were certainthat a man would keep his money locked up for ever, to be sure hewould have no influence; but, as so many want money, and he has thepower of giving it, and they know not but by gaining his favour theymay obtain it, the rich man will always have the greatest influence. He again who lavishes his money, is laughed at as foolish, and in agreat degree with justice, considering how much is spent from vanity. Even those who partake of a man's hospitality, have but a transientkindness for him. If he has not the command of money, people know hecannot help them, if he would; whereas the rich man always can, if hewill, and for the chance of that, will have much weight. ' BOSWELL. 'But philosophers and satirists have all treated a miser ascontemptible. ' JOHNSON. 'He is so philosophically; but not in thepractice of life. ' BOSWELL. 'Let me see now--I do not know theinstances of misers in England, so as to examine into theirinfluence. ' JOHNSON. 'We have had few misers in England. ' BOSWELL. 'There was Lowther. " JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, Lowther, by keeping hismoney, had the command of the county, which the family has now lost, by spending it. [Footnote: I do not know what was at this time thestate of the parliamentary interest of the ancient family of Lowther;a family before the Conquest: but all the nation knows it to be veryextensive at present. A due mixture of severity and kindness, oeconomyand munificence, characterizes its present Representative. ] I take it, he lent a great deal; and that is the way to have influence, and yetpreserve one's wealth. A man may lend his money upon very goodsecurity, and yet have his debtor much under his power. ' BOSWELL. 'Nodoubt, sir. He can always distress him for the money; as no manborrows, who is able to pay on demand quite conveniently. '

We dined at Elgin, and saw the noble ruins of the cathedral. Though itrained much, Dr Johnson examined them with a most patient attention. He could not here feel any abhorrence at the Scottish reformers, forhe had been told by Lord Hailes, that it was destroyed before theReformation, by the Lord of Badenoch, [Footnote: NOTE, by Lord Hailes:'The cathedral of Elgin was burnt by the Lord of Badenoch, because theBishop of Moray had pronounced an award not to his liking. Theindemnification that the see obtained, was that the Lord of Badenochstood for three days bare footed at the great gate of the cathedral. The story is in the Chartulary of Elgin. '] who had a quarrel with thebishop. The bishop's house, and those of the other clergy, which arestill pretty entire, do not seem to have been proportioned to themagnificence of the cathedral, which has been of great extent, and hadvery fine carved work. The ground within the walls of the cathedral isemployed as a burying-place. The family of Gordon have their vaulthere; but it has nothing grand. 

We passed Gordon Castle [Footnote: I am not sure whether the duke wasat home. But, not having the honour of being much known to his grace, I could not have presumed to enter his castle, though to introduceeven so celebrated a stranger. We were at any rate in a hurry to getforward to the wildness which we came to see. Perhaps, if this noblefamily had still preserved that sequestered magnificence which theymaintained when Catholicks, corresponding with the Grand Duke ofTuscany, we might have been induced to have procured proper letters ofintroduction, and devoted some time to the contemplation of venerablesuperstitious state. ] this forenoon, which has a princely appearance. Fochabers, the neighbouring village, is a poor place, many of thehouses being ruinous; but it is remarkable, they have in generalorchards well stored with apple-trees. Elgin has what in England arecalled piazzas, that run in many places on each side of the street. Itmust have been a much better place formerly. Probably it had piazzasall along the town, as I have seen at Bologna. I approved much of suchstructures in a town, on account of their conveniency in wet weather. Dr Johnson disapproved of them, 'because, ' said he, 'it makes theunder story of a house very dark, which greatly over-balances theconveniency, when it is considered how small a part of the year itrains; how few are usually in the street at such times; that many whoare might as well be at home; and the little that people suffer, supposing them to be as much wet as they commonly are in walking astreet'. 

We fared but ill at our inn here; and Dr Johnson said, this was thefirst time he had seen a dinner in Scotland that he could not eat. 

In the afternoon, we drove over the very heath where Macbeth met thewitches, according to tradition. Dr Johnson again solemnly repeated

 '"How far is't called to Fores? What are these, So wither'd, and so wild in their attire That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth. And yet are on't "'

He repeated a good deal more of Macbeth. His recitation was grand andaffecting, and, as Sir Joshua Reynolds has observed to me, had no moretone than it should have: it was the better for it. He then parodiedthe 'All-hail' of the witches to Macbeth, addressing himself to me. Ihad purchased some land called Dalblair; and, as in Scotland it iscustomary to distinguish landed men by the name of their estates, Ihad thus two titles, Dalblair and Young Auchinleck. So my friend, inimitation of

 All hail Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!

condescended to amuse himself with uttering

 All hail Dalblair! hail to thee, Laird of Auchinleck!

We got to Fores at night, and found an admirable inn, in which DrJohnson was pleased to meet with a landlord who styled himself'Wine-Cooper, from London'. 

Friday, 27th August

It was dark when we came to Fores last night; so we did not see whatis called King Duncan's monument. I shall now mark some gleanings ofDr Johnson's conversation. I spoke of Leonidas, and said there weresome good passages in it. JOHNSON. 'Why, you must SEEK for them. ' Hesaid, Paul Whitehead's Manners was a poor performance. Speaking ofDerrick, he told me he had a kindness for him, and had often said, that if his letters had been written by one of a more establishedname, they would have been thought very pretty letters. 

This morning I introduced the subject of the origin of evil. JOHNSON. 'Moral evil is occasioned by free will, which implies choice betweengood and evil. With all the evil that there is, there is no man butwould rather be a free agent, than a mere machine without the evil;and what is best for each individual, must be best for the whole. If aman would rather be the machine, I cannot argue with him. He is adifferent being from me. ' BOSWELL. 'A man, as a machine, may haveagreeable sensations; for instance, he may have pleasure in musick. 'JOHNSON, 'No, sir, he can not have pleasure in musick; at least nopower of producing musick; for he who can produce musick may let italone: he who can play upon a fiddle may break it: such a man is not amachine. ' This reasoning satisfied me. It is certain, there cannot bea free agent, unless there is the power of being evil as well as good. We must take the inherent possibilities of things into consideration, in our reasonings or conjectures concerning the works of God. 

We came to Nairn to breakfast. Though a county town and royal burgh, it is a miserable place. Over the room where we sat, a girl wasspinning wool with a great wheel, and singing, an Erse song: 'I'llwarrant you, ' said Dr Johnson, 'one of the songs of Ossian. ' He thenrepeated these lines:

'"Verse sweetens toil, however rude the sound. All at her work the village maiden sings; Nor, while she turns the giddy wheel around Revolves the sad vicissitude of things. "'

I thought I had heard these lines before. JOHNSON. 'I fancy not, sir;for they are in a detached poem, the name of which I do not remember, written by one Giffard, a parson. '

I expected Mr Kenneth M'Aulay, the minister of Calder, who publishedthe history of St Kilda, a book which Dr Johnson liked, would have metus here, as I had written to him from Aberdeen. But I received aletter from him, telling me that he could not leave home, as he was toadminister the sacrament the following Sunday, and earnestlyrequesting to see us at his manse. 'We'll go, ' said Dr Johnson; whichwe accordingly did. Mrs M'Aulay received us, and told us her husbandwas in the church distributing tokens. [Footnote: In Scotland, thereis a great deal of preparation before administering the sacrament. Theminister of the parish examines the people as to their fitness, and tothose of whom he approves gives little pieces of tin, stamped with thename of the parish, as TOKENS, which they must produce beforereceiving it. This is a species of priestly power, and sometimes maybe abused. I remember a lawsuit brought by a person against his parishminister, for refusing him admission to that sacred ordinance. ] Wearrived between twelve and one o'clock, and it was near three beforehe came to us. 

Dr Johnson thanked him for his book, and said 'it was a very prettypiece of topography'. M'Aulay did not seem much to mind thecompliment. From his conversation, Dr Johnson was persuaded that hehad not written the book which goes under his name. I myself alwayssuspected so; and I have been told it was written by the learned DrJohn M'Pherson of Sky, from the materials collected by M'Aulay. DrJohnson said privately to me, 'There is a combination in it of whichM'Aulay is not capable. ' However, he was exceedingly hospitable; and, as he obligingly promised us a route for our tour through the WesternIsles, we agreed to stay with him all night. 

After dinner, we walked to the old castle of Calder (pronouncedCawder), the Thane of Cawdor's seat. I was sorry that my friend, this'prosperous gentleman', was not there. The old tower must be of greatantiquity. There is a draw-bridge, --what has been a moat--and anancient court. There is a hawthorn-tree, which rises like a woodenpillar through the rooms of the castle; for, by a strange conceit, thewalls have been built round it. The thickness of the walls, the smallslaunting windows, and a great iron door at the entrance on the secondstory as you ascend the stairs, all indicate the rude times in whichthis castle was erected. There were here some large venerable trees. 

I was afraid of a quarrel between Dr Johnson and Mr M'Aulay, whotalked slightingly of the lower English clergy. The Doctor gave him afrowning look, and said, 'This is a day of novelties: I have seen oldtrees in Scotland, and I have heard the English clergy treated withdisrespect. '

I dreaded that a whole evening at Caldermanse would be heavy; however, Mr Grant, an intelligent and well-bred minister in the neighbourhood, was there, and assisted us by his conversation. Dr Johnson, talking ofhereditary occupations in the Highlands, said, 'There is no harm insuch a custom as this; but it is wrong to enforce it, and oblige a manto be a taylor or a smith, because his father has been one. ' Thiscustom, however, is not peculiar to our Highlands; it is well knownthat in India a similar practice prevails. 

Mr M'Aulay began a rhapsody against creeds and confessions. Dr Johnsonshewed, that 'what he called "imposition", was only a voluntarydeclaration of agreement in certain articles of faith, which a churchhas a right to require, just as any other society can insist oncertain rules being observed by its members. Nobody is compelled to beof the church, as nobody is compelled to enter into a society. ' Thiswas a very clear and just view of the subject: but, M'Aulay could notbe driven out of his track. Dr Johnson said, 'Sir, you are a BIGOT TOLAXNESS. '

Mr M'Aulay and I laid the map of Scotland before us; and he pointedout a rout for us from Inverness, by Fort Augustus, to Glenelg, Sky, Mull, Icolmkill, Lorn, and Inveraray, which I wrote down. As my fatherwas to begin the northern circuit about the 18th of September, it wasnecessary for us to make our tour with great expedition, so as to getto Auchinleck before he set out, or to protract it, so as not to bethere till his return, which would be about the 10th of October. ByM'Aulay's calculation, we were not to land in Lorn till the 20th ofSeptember. I thought that the interruptions by bad days, or byoccasional excursions, might make it ten days later; and I thoughttoo, that we might perhaps go to Benbecula, and visit Clanranald, which would take a week of itself. 

Dr Johnson went up with Mr Grant to the library, which consisted of atolerable collection; but the Doctor thought it rather a lady'slibrary, with some Latin books in it by chance, than the library of aclergyman. It had only two of the Latin fathers, and one of the Greekfathers in Latin. I doubted whether Dr Johnson would be present at aPresbyterian prayer. I told Mr M'Aulay so, and said that the Doctormight sit in the library while we were at family worship. Mr M'Aulaysaid, he would omit it, rather than give Dr Johnson offence: but Iwould by no means agree that an excess of politeness, even to so greata man, should prevent what I esteem as one of the best piousregulations. I know nothing more beneficial, more comfortable, moreagreeable, than that the little societies of each family shouldregularly assemble, and unite in praise and prayer to our heavenlyFather, from whom we daily receive so much good, and may hope for morein a higher state of existence. I mentioned to Dr Johnson theover-delicate scrupulosity of our host. He said, he had no objectionto hear the prayer. This was a pleasing surprise to me; for he refusedto go and hear Principal Robertson preach. 'I will hear him, ' said he, 'if he will get up into a tree and preach; but I will not give asanction, by my presence, to a Presbyterian assembly. '

Mr Grant having prayed, Dr Johnson said, his prayer was a very goodone; but objected to his not having introduced the Lord's Prayer. Hetold us, that an Italian of some note in London said once to him, 'Wehave in our service a prayer called the Pater Noster, which is a veryfine composition. I wonder who is the author of it. ' A singularinstance of ignorance in a man of some literature and general inquiry!

Saturday, 28th August

Dr Johnson had brought a Sallust with him in his pocket fromEdinburgh. He gave it last night to Mr M'Aulay's son, a smart younglad about eleven years old. Dr Johnson had given an account of theeducation at Oxford, in all its gradations. The advantage of beingservitor to a youth of little fortune struck Mrs M'Aulay much. Iobserved it aloud. Dr Johnson very handsomely and kindly said, that, if they would send their boy to him, when he was ready for theuniversity, he would get him made a servitor, and perhaps would domore for him. He could not promise to do more; but would undertake forthe servitorship. [Footnote: Dr Johnson did not neglect what he hadundertaken. By his interest with the Rev. Dr Adams, master of PembrokeCollege, Oxford, where he was educated for some time, he obtained aservitorship for young M'Aulay. But it seems he had other views; and Ibelieve went abroad. ]

I should have mentioned that Mr White, a Welchman, who has been manyyears factor (i. E. Steward) on the estate of Calder, drank tea with uslast night, and upon getting a note from Mr M'Aulay, asked us to hishouse. We had not time to accept of his invitation. He gave us aletter of introduction to Mr Ferne, master of stores at Fort George. He shewed it to me. It recommended 'two celebrated gentlemen; no lessthan Dr Johnson, AUTHOR OF HIS DICTIONARY, and Mr Boswell, known atEdinburgh by the name of Paoli'. He said, he hoped I had no objectionto what he had written; if I had, he would alter it. I thought it wasa pity to check his effusions, and acquiesced; taking care, however, to seal the letter, that it might not appear that I had read it. 

A conversation took place, about saying grace at breakfast (as we doin Scotland) as well as at dinner and supper; in which Dr Johnsonsaid, 'It is enough if we have stated seasons of prayer; no matterwhen. A man may as well pray when he mounts his horse, or a woman whenshe milks her cow, (which Mr Grant told us is done in the Highlands), as at meals; and custom is to be followed. ' [Footnote: He could notbear to have it thought that, in any instance whatever, the Scots aremore pious than the English. I think grace as proper at breakfast asat any other meal. It is the pleasantest meal we have. Dr Johnson hasallowed the peculiar merit of breakfast in Scotland. ]

We proceeded to Fort George. When we came into the square, I sent asoldier with the letter to Mr Ferne. He came to us immediately, andalong with him came Major Brewse of the Engineers, pronounced BRUCE. He said he believed it was originally the same Norman name with Bruce. That he had dined at a house in London, where were three Bruces, oneof the Irish line, one of the Scottish line, and himself of theEnglish line. He said he was shewn it in the Herald's office speltfourteen different ways. I told him the different spellings of myname. Dr Johnson observed, that there had been great disputes aboutthe spelling of Shakspear's name; at last it was thought it would besettled by looking at the original copy of his will; but, uponexamining it, he was found to have written it himself no less thanthree different ways. 

Mr Ferne and Major Brewse first carried us to wait on Sir Eyre Coote, whose regiment, the 37th, was lying here, and who then commanded thefort. He asked us to dine with him, which we agreed to do. 

Before dinner we examined the fort. The Major explained thefortification to us, and Mr Ferne gave us an account of the stores. DrJohnson talked of the proportions of charcoal and salt-petre in makinggunpowder, of granulating it, and of giving it a gloss. He made a verygood figure upon these topicks. He said to me afterwards, that he hadtalked OSTENTATIOUSLY. We reposed ourselves a little in Mr Ferne'shouse. He had every thing in neat order as in England; and a tolerablecollection of books. I looked into Pennant's Tour in Scotland. He sayslittle of this fort; but that 'the barracks, &c. Form severalstreets'. This is aggrandizing. Mr Ferne observed, if he had said theyform a square, with a row of buildings before it, he would have givena juster description. Dr Johnson remarked, 'how seldom descriptionscorrespond with realities; and the reason is, that people do not writethem till some time after, and then their imagination has addedcircumstances'. 

We talked of Sir Adolphus Oughton. The Major said, he knew a greatdeal for a military man. JOHNSON. 'Sir, you will find few men, of anyprofession, who know more. Sir Adolphus is a very extraordinary man; aman of boundless curiosity and unwearied diligence. '

I know not how the Major contrived to introduce the contest betweenWarburton and Lowth. JOHNSON. 'Warburton kept his temper all along, while Lowth was in a passion. Lowth published some of Warburton'sletters. Warburton drew HIM on to write some very abusive letters, andthen asked his leave to publish them; which he knew Lowth could notrefuse, after what he had done. So that Warburton contrived that heshould publish, apparently with Lowth's consent, what could not butshew Lowth in a disadvantageous light. ' [Footnote: Here Dr Johnsongave us part of a conversation held between a Great Personage and him, in the library at the Queen's Palace, to the course of which thiscontest was considered. I have been at great pains to get thatconversation as perfectly preserved as possible. It may perhaps atsome future time be given to the publick. ]

At three the drum beat for dinner. I, for a little while, fanciedmyself a military man, and it pleased me. We went to Sir Eyre Coote's, at the governour's house, and found him a most gentleman-like man. Hislady is a very agreeable woman, with an uncommonly mild and sweet toneof voice. There was a pretty large company: Mr Ferne, Major Brewse, and several officers. Sir Eyre had come from the East Indies by land, through the Desarts of Arabia. He told us, the Arabs could live fivedays without victuals, and subsist for three weeks on nothing else butthe blood of their camels, who could lose so much of it as wouldsuffice for that time, without being exhausted. He highly praised thevirtue of the Arabs; their fidelity, if they undertook to conduct anyperson; and said, they would sacrifice their lives rather than let himbe robbed. Dr Johnson, who is always for maintaining the superiorityof civilized over uncivilized men, said, 'Why, sir, I can see nosuperiour virtue in this. A serjeant and twelve men, who are my guard, will die, rather than that I shall be robbed. ' Colonel Pennington, ofthe 37th regiment, took up the argument with a good deal of spirit andingenuity. PENNINGTON. 'But the soldiers are compelled to this, byfear of punishment. ' JOHNSON. 'Well, sir, the Arabs are compelled bythe fear of infamy. ' PENNINGTON. 'The soldiers have the same fear ofinfamy, and the fear of punishment besides; so have less virtue;because they act less voluntarily. ' Lady Coote observed very well, that it ought to be known if there was not, among the Arabs, somepunishment for not being faithful on such occasions. 

We talked of the stage. I observed, that we had not now such a companyof actors as in the last age; Wilks, Booth, &c. &c. JOHNSON. 'Youthink so, because there is one who excels all the rest so much: youcompare them with Garrick, and see the deficiency. Garrick's greatdistinction is his universality. He can represent all modes of life, but that of an easy fine-bred gentleman. ' PENNINGTON. 'He should giveover playing young parts. ' JOHNSON. 'He does not take them now; but hedoes not leave off those which he has been used to play, because hedoes them better than any one else can do them. If you had generationsof actors, if they swarmed like bees, the young ones might drive offthe old. Mrs Gibber, I think, got more reputation than she deserved, as she had a great sameness; though her expression was undoubtedlyvery fine. Mrs Clive was the best player I ever saw. Mrs Pritchard wasa very good one; but she had something affected in her manner: Iimagine she had some player of the former age in her eye, whichoccasioned it. '

Colonel Pennington said, Garrick sometimes failed in emphasis; as forinstance, in Hamlet, I will speak DAGGERS to her; but use NONE, instead of

 I will SPEAK daggers to her; but USE none. 

We had a dinner of two complete courses, variety of wines, and theregimental band of musick playing in the square, before the window, after it. I enjoyed this day much. We were quite easy and cheerful, DrJohnson said, 'I shall always remember this fort with gratitude. ' Icould not help being struck with some admiration, at finding upon thisbarren sandy point, such buildings, such a dinner, such company: itwas like enchantment. Dr Johnson, on the other hand, said to me morerationally, that it did not strike HIM as any thing extraordinary;because he knew, here was a large sum of money expended in building afort; here was a regiment. If there had been less than what we found, it would have surprized him. HE looked coolly and deliberately throughall the gradations: my warm imagination jumped from the barren sandsto the splendid dinner and brilliant company, to borrow the expressionof an absurd poet, Without ands or ifs, I leapt from off the sands upon the cliffs. 

The whole scene gave me a strong impression of the power andexcellence of human art. 

We left the fort between six and seven o'clock: Sir Eyre Coote, Colonel Pennington, and several more, accompanied us down stairs, andsaw us into our chaise. There could not be greater attention paid toany visitors. Sir Eyre spoke of the hardships which Dr Johnson hadbefore him. BOSWELL. 'Considering what he has said of us, we must makehim feel something rough in Scotland. ' Sir Eyre said to him, 'You mustchange your name, sir. ' BOSWELL. 'Ay, to Dr M'Gregor. '

We got safely to Inverness, and put up at Mackenzie's inn. Mr Keith, the collector of Excise here, my old acquaintance at Ayr, who had seenus at the fort, visited us in the evening, and engaged us to dine withhim next day, promising to breakfast with us, and take us to theEnglish chapel; so that we were at once commodiously arranged. 

Not finding a letter here that I expected, I felt a momentaryimpatience to be at home. Transient clouds darkened my imagination, and in those clouds I saw events from which I shrunk; but a sentenceor two of the Rambler's conversation gave me firmness, and Iconsidered that I was upon an expedition for which I had wished foryears, and the recollection of which would be a treasure to me forlife. 

Sunday, 29th August

Mr Keith breakfasted with us. Dr Johnson expatiated rather toostrongly upon the benefits derived to Scotland from the Union, and thebad state of our people before it. I am entertained with his copiousexaggeration upon that subject; but I am uneasy when people are by, who do not know him as well as I do, and may be apt to think himnarrow-minded. [Footnote: It is remarkable that Dr Johnson read thisgentle remonstrance, and took no notice of it to me. ] I thereforediverted the subject. 

The English chapel, to which we went this morning, was but mean. Thealtar was a bare fir table, with a coarse stool for kneeling on, covered with a piece of thick sail-cloth doubled, by way of cushion. The congregation was small. Mr Tait, the clergyman, read prayers verywell, though with much of the Scotch accent. He preached on 'Love yourEnemies'. It was remarkable that, when talking of the connectionsamongst men, he said, that some connected themselves with men ofdistinguished talents, and since they could not equal them, tried todeck themselves with their merit, by being their companions. Thesentence was to this purpose. It had an odd coincidence with whatmight be said of my connecting myself with Dr Johnson. 

After church, we walked down to the Quay. We then went to Macbeth'scastle. I had a romantick satisfaction in seeing Dr Johnson actuallyin it. It perfectly corresponds with Shakspeare's description, whichSir Joshua Reynolds has so happily illustrated, in one of his notes onour immortal poet:

 This castle hath a pleasant seat: the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle sense, &c. 

Just as we came out of it, a raven perched on one of the chimney-tops, and croaked. Then I repeated

 '. .. The raven himself is hoarse. That croaks the fatal enterance of Duncan Under my battlements. '

We dined at Mr Keith's. Mrs Keith was rather too attentive to DrJohnson, asking him many questions about his drinking only water. Herepressed that observation, by saying to me, 'You may remember thatLady Errol took no notice of this. '

Dr Johnson has the happy art (for which I have heard my father praisethe old Earl of Aberdeen) of instructing himself, by making every manhe meets tell him something of what he knows best. He led Keith totalk to him of the Excise in Scotland, and, in the course ofconversation, mentioned that his friend Mr Thrale, the great brewer, paid twenty thousand pounds a year to the revenue; and that he hadfour casks, each of which holds sixteen hundred barrels--above athousand hogsheads. 

After this there was little conversation that deserves to beremembered. I shall therefore here again glean what I have omitted onformer days. Dr Gerard, at Aberdeen, told us, that when he was inWales, he was shewn a valley inhabited by Danes, who still retaintheir own language, and are quite a distinct people. Dr Johnsonthought it could not be true, or all the kingdom must have heard ofit. He said to me, as we travelled, 'these people, sir, that Gerardtalks of, may have somewhat of a PEREGRINITY in their dialect, whichrelation has augmented to a different language'. I asked him ifperegrinity was an English word: he laughed, and said, 'No. ' I toldhim this was the second time that I had heard him coin a word. WhenFoote broke his leg, I observed that it would make him fitter fortaking off George Faulkner as Peter Paragragh, poor George having awooden leg. Dr Johnson at that time said, 'George will rejoice at theDEPEDITATION of Foote'; and when I challenged that word, laughed, andowned he had made it, and added that he had not made above three orfour in his dictionary. [Footnote: When upon the subject of thisPEREGRINITY, he told me some particulars concerning the compilation ofhis Dictionary, and concerning his throwing off Lord Chesterfield'spatronage, of which very erroneous accounts have been circulated. These particulars, with others which he afterwards gave me--as alsohis celebrated letter to lord Chesterfield, which he dictated to me--Ireserve for his Life. ]

Having conducted Dr Johnson to our inn, I begged permission to leavehim for a little, that I might run about and pay some short visits toseveral good people of Inverness. He said to me, 'You have all theold-fashioned principles, good and bad. ' I acknowledge I have. That ofattention to relations in the remotest degree, or to worthy persons, in every state whom I have once known, I inherit from my father. Itgave me much satisfaction to hear every body at Inverness speak of himwith uncommon regard. Mr Keith and Mr Grant, whom we had seen at MrM'Aulay's, supped with us at the inn. We had roasted kid, which DrJohnson had never tasted before. He relished it much. 

Monday, 30th August

This day we were to begin our EQUITATION, as I said; for _I_ wouldneeds make a word too. It is remarkable, that my noble, and to me mostconstant friend, the Earl of Pembroke (who, if there is too much easeon my part, will please to pardon what his benevolent, gay, socialintercourse, and lively correspondence, have insensibly produced) hassince hit upon the very same word. The title of the first edition ofhis lordship's very useful book was, in simple terms, A Method ofBreaking Horses and Teaching Soldiers to Ride. The title of the secondedition is, Military Equitation. 

We might have taken a chaise to Fort Augustus, but, had we not hiredhorses at Inverness, we should not have found them afterwards: so weresolved to begin here to ride. We had three horses, for Dr Johnson, myself, and Joseph, and one which carried our portmanteaus, and twoHighlanders who walked along with us, John Hay and Lauchland Vass, whom Dr Johnson has remembered with credit in his Journey, though hehas omitted their names. Dr Johnson rode very well. 

About three miles beyond Inverness, we saw, just by the road, a verycomplete specimen of what is called a Druid's temple. There was adouble circle, one of very large, the other of smaller stones. DrJohnson justly observed, that, 'to go and see one druidical temple isonly to see that it is nothing, for there is neither art nor power init; and seeing one is quite enough'. 

It was a delightful day. Lochness, and the road upon the side of it, shaded with birch trees, and the hills above it, pleased us much. Thescene was as sequestered and agreeably wild as could be desired, andfor a time engrossed all our attention. 

To see Dr Johnson in any new situation is always an interesting objectto me; and, as I saw him now for the first time on horseback, jauntingabout at his ease in quest of pleasure and novelty, the very differentoccupations of his former laborious life, his admirable productions, his London, his Rambler, &c. &c. Immediately presented themselves tomy mind, and the contrast made a strong impression on my imagination. 

When we had advanced a good way by the side of Lochness, I perceived alittle hut, with an old looking woman at the door of it. I thoughthere might be a scene that would amuse Dr Johnson: so I mentioned itto him. 'Let's go in, ' said he. We dismounted, and we and our guidesentered the hut. It was a wretched little hovel of earth only, Ithink, and for a window had only a small hole, which was stopped witha piece of turf, that was taken out occasionally to let in light. Inthe middle of the room or space which we entered, was a fire of peat, the smoke going out at a hole in the roof. She had a pot upon it, withgoat's flesh, boiling. There was at one end under the same roof, butdivided by a kind of partition made of wattles, a pen or fold in whichwe saw a good many kids. 

Dr Johnson was curious to know where she slept. I asked one of theguides, who questioned her in Erse. She answered with a tone ofemotion, saying (as he told us) she was afraid we wanted to go to bedto her. This coquetry, or whatever it may be called, of so wretched abeing, was truly ludicrous. Dr Johnson and I afterwards were merryupon it. I said, it was he who alarmed the poor woman's virtue. 'No, sir, ' said he, 'she'll say, '"There came a wicked young fellow, a wilddog, who I believe would have ravished me, had there not been with hima grave old gentleman, who repressed him: but when he gets out of thesight of his tutor, I'll warrant you he'll spare no woman he meets, young or old. "' 'No, sir, ' I replied, 'she'll say, "There was aterrible ruffian who would have forced me, had it not been for a civildecent young man who, I take it, was an angel sent from heaven toprotect me. "'

Dr Johnson would not hurt her delicacy, by insisting on 'seeing herbedchamber', like Archer in The Beaux' Stratagem. But my curiosity wasmore ardent; I lighted a piece of paper, and went into the place wherethe bed was. There was a little partition of wicker, rather moreneatly done than that for the fold, and close by the wall was a kindof bedstead of wood with heath upon it by way of bed; at the foot ofwhich I saw some sort of blankets or covering rolled up in a heap. Thewoman's name was Fraser; so was her husband's. He was a man of eighty. Mr Fraser of Balnain allows him to live in this hut, and keep sixtygoats, for taking care of his woods, where he then was. They had fivechildren, the eldest only thirteen. Two were gone to Inverness to buymeal; the rest were looking after the goats. This contented family hadfour stacks of barley, twenty-four sheaves in each. They had a fewfowls. We were informed that they lived all the spring without meal, upon milk and curds and whey alone. What they get for their goats, kids, and fowls, maintains them during the rest of the year. 

She asked us to sit down and take a dram. I saw one chair. She saidshe was as happy as any woman in Scotland. She could hardly speak anyEnglish except a few detached words. Dr Johnson was pleased at seeing, for the first time, such a state of human life. She asked for snuff. It is her luxury, and she uses a great deal. We had none; but gave hersix pence a piece. She then brought out her whisky bottle. I tastedit; as did Joseph and our guides: so I gave her sixpence more. Shesent us away with many prayers in Erse. 

We dined at a publick house called the General's Hut, from GeneralWade, who was lodged there when he commanded in the North. Near it isthe meanest parish kirk I ever saw. It is a shame it should be on ahigh road. After dinner, we passed through a good deal of mountainouscountry. I had known Mr Trapaud, the deputy governour of FortAugustus, twelve years ago, at a circuit at Inverness, where my fatherwas judge. I sent forward one of our guides, and Joseph, with a cardto him, that he might know Dr Johnson and I were coming up, leaving itto him to invite us or not. It was dark when we arrived. The inn waswretched. Government ought to build one, or give the residentgovernour an additional salary; as in the present state of things, hemust necessarily be put to a great expence in entertaining travellers. Joseph announced to us, when we alighted, that the governour waitedfor us at the gate of the fort. We walked to it. He met us, and withmuch civility conducted us to his house. It was comfortable to findourselves in a well built little square, and a neatly furnished house, in good company, and with a good supper before us; in short, with allthe conveniencies of civilized life in the midst of rude mountains. Mrs Trapaud, and the governour's daughter, and her husband. CaptainNewmarsh, were all most obliging and polite. The governour hadexcellent animal spirits, the conversation of a soldier, and somewhatof a Frenchman, to which his extraction entitles him. He is brother toGeneral Cyrus Trapaud. We passed a very agreeable evening. 

Tuesday, 31st August

The governour has a very good garden. We looked at it, and at the restof the fort, which is but small, and may be commanded from a varietyof hills around. We also looked at the galley or sloop belonging tothe fort, which sails upon the Loch, and brings what is wanted for thegarrison. Captains Urie and Darippe, of the 15th regiment of foot, breakfasted with us. They had served in America, and entertained DrJohnson much with an account of the Indians. He said, he could make avery pretty book out of them, were he to stay there. Governour Trapaudwas much struck with Dr Johnson. 'I like to hear him, ' said he; 'it isso majestick. I should be glad to hear him speak in your court. ' Hepressed us to stay dinner; but I considered that we had a rude roadbefore us, which we could more easily encounter in the morning, andthat it was hard to say when we might get up, were we to sit down togood entertainment, in good company: I therefore begged the governourwould excuse us. Here too, I had another very pleasing proof how muchmy father is regarded. The governour expressed the highest respect forhim, and bade me tell him, that, if he would come that way on thenorthern circuit, he would do him all the honours of the garrison. 

Between twelve and one we set out, and travelled eleven miles, througha wild country, till we came to a house in Glenmorison, called Anoch, kept by a M'Queen. [Footnote: A M'Queen is a Highland mode ofexpression. An Englishman would say ONE M'Queen. But where there areclans or tribes of men, distinguished by patronymick surnames, theindividuals of each are considered as if they were of differentspecies, at least as much as nations are distinguished; so that aM'QUEEN, a M'DONALD, a M'LEAN, is said, as we say a Frenchman, anItalian, a Spaniard. ] Our landlord was a sensible fellow: he hadlearnt his grammar, and Dr Johnson justly observed, that 'a man is thebetter for that as long as he lives. ' There were some books here: aTreatise against Drunkenness, translated from the French; a volume ofthe Spectator; a volume of Prideaux's Connection, and Cyrus's Travels. M'Queen said he had more volumes; and his pride seemed to be muchpiqued that we were surprised at his having books. 

Near to this place we had passed a party of soldiers, under aserjeant's command, at work upon the road. We gave them two shillingsto drink. They came to our inn, and made merry in the barn. We wentand paid them a visit, Dr Johnson saying, 'Come, let's go and give 'emanother shilling a-piece. ' We did so; and he was saluted 'My Lord' byall of them. He is really generous, loves influence, and has the wayof gaining it. He said, 'I am quite feudal, sir. ' Here I agree withhim. I said, I regretted I was not the head of a clan; however, thoughnot possessed of such an hereditary advantage, I would alwaysendeavour to make my tenants follow me. I could not be a PATRIARCHALchief, but I would be a FEUDAL chief. 

The poor soldiers got too much liquor. Some of them fought, and leftblood upon the spot, and cursed whisky next morning. The house herewas built of thick turfs, and thatched with thinner turfs and heath. It had three rooms in length, and a little room which projected. Wherewe sat, the side-walls were WAINSCOTTED, as Dr Johnson said, withwicker, very neatly plaited. Our landlord had made the whole with hisown hands. 

After dinner, M'Queen sat by us a while, and talked with us. He said, all the Laird of Glenmorison's people would bleed for him, if theywere well used; but that seventy men had gone out of the Glen toAmerica. That he himself intended to go next year; for that the rentof his farm, which twenty years ago was only five pounds, was nowraised to twenty pounds. That he could pay ten pounds, and live; butno more. Dr Johnson said, he wished M'Queen Laird of Glenmorison, andthe laird to go to America. M'Queen very generously answered, heshould be sorry for it; for the laird could not shift for himself inAmerica as he could do. 

I talked of the officers whom we had left to day; how much servicethey had seen, and how little they got for it, even of fame. JOHNSON. 'Sir, a soldier gets as little as any man can get. ' BOSWELL. 'Goldsmith has acquired more fame than all the officers last war, whowere not Generals. ' JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, you will find ten thousand fitto do what they did, before you find one who does what Goldsmith hasdone. You must consider, that a thing is valued according to itsrarity. A pebble that paves the street is in itself more useful thanthe diamond upon a lady's finger. ' I wish our friend Goldsmith hadheard this. 

I yesterday expressed my wonder that John Hay, one of our guides, whohad been pressed aboard a man of war, did not choose to continue in itlonger than nine months, after which time he got off. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, no man will be a sailor, who has contrivance enough to gethimself into a jail; for, being in a ship is being in a jail, with thechance of being drowned. '

We had tea in the afternoon, and our landlord's daughter, a modestcivil girl, very neatly drest, made it for us. She told us, she hadbeen a year at Inverness, and learnt reading and writing, sewing, knotting, working lace, and pastry. Dr Johnson made her a present of abook which he had bought at Inverness. [Footnote: This book has givenrise to much inquiry, which has ended in ludicrous surprise. Severalladies, wishing to learn the kind of reading which the great and goodDr Johnson esteemed most fit for a young woman, desired to know whatbook he had selected for this Highland nymph. They never adverted, 'said he, 'that I had no CHOICE in the matter. I have said that Ipresented her with a book which I HAPPENED to have about me. ' And whatwas this book? My readers, prepare your features for merriment. It wasCocker's Arithmetick! Wherever this was mentioned, there was a loudlaugh, at which Dr Johnson, when present used sometimes to be a littleangry. One day, when we were dining at General Oglethorpe's, where wehad many a valuable day, I ventured to interrogate him, 'But, sir, isit not somewhat singular that you should HAPPEN to have Cocker'sArithmetick about you on your journey? What made you buy such a bookat Inverness?' He gave me a very sufficient answer. 'Why, sir, if youare to have but one book with you upon a Journey, let it be a book ofscience. When you have read through a book of entertainment, you knowit, and it can do no more for you; but a book of science isinexhaustible. ']

The room had some deals laid across the joists, as a kind of ceiling. There were two beds in the room, and a woman's gown was hung on a ropeto make a curtain of separation between them. Joseph had sheets, whichmy wife had sent with us, laid on them. We had much hesitation, whether to undress, or lie down with our clothes on. I said at last. 'I'll plunge in! There will be less harbour for vermin about me, whenI am stripped!' Dr Johnson said, he was like one hesitating whether togo into the cold bath. At last he resolved too. I observed, he mightserve a campaign. JOHNSON. 'I could do all that can be done bypatience: whether I should have strength enough, I know not. ' He wasin excellent humour. To see the Rambler as I saw him tonight, was reallyan amusement. I yesterday told him, I was thinking of writing a poeticalletter to him. On his Return from Scotland, in the stile of Swift'shumorous epistle in the character of Mary Gulliver to her husband, Captain Lemuel Gulliver, on his return to England from the country ofthe Houyhnhums:

 At early morn I to the market haste, Studious in ev'ry thing to please thy taste. A curious FOWL and SPARAGRASS I chose; (For I remember you were fond of those:) Three shillings cost the first, the last sev'n groats; Sullen you turn from both, and call for OATS. 

He laughed, and asked in whose name I would write it. I said, in MrsThrale's. He was angry. 'Sir, if you have any sense of decency ordelicacy, you won't do that!' BOSWELL. 'Then let it be in Cole's, thelandlord of the Mitre tavern; where we have so often sat together. 'JOHNSON. 'Ay, that may do. '

After we had offered up our private devotions, and had chatted alittle from our beds, Dr Johnson said, 'God bless us both, for JesusChrist's sake! Good night!' I pronounced 'Amen. ' He fell asleepimmediately. I was not so fortunate for a long time. I fancied myselfbit by innumerable vermin under the clothes; and that a spider wastravelling from the wainscot towards my mouth. At last I fell intoinsensibility. 

Wednesday, 1st September

I awaked very early. I began to imagine that the landlord, being aboutto emigrate, might murder us to get our money, and lay it upon thesoldiers in the barn. Such groundless fears will arise in the mind, before it has resumed its vigour after sleep! Dr Johnson had had thesame kind of ideas; for he told me afterwards, that he considered somany soldiers, having seen us, would be witnesses, should any harm bedone, and that circumstance, I suppose, 'he considered as a security. When I got up, I found him sound asleep in his miserable stye, as Imay call it, with a coloured handkerchief tied round his head. Withdifficulty could I awaken him. It reminded me of Henry the Fourth'sfine soliloquy on sleep; for there was here as 'uneasy a pallet' asthe poet's imagination could possibly conceive. 

A red coat of the 15th regiment, whether officer, or only serjeant, Icould not be sure, came to the house, in his way to the mountains toshoot deer, which it seems the Laird of Glenmorison does not hinderany body to do. Few, indeed, can do them harm. We had him to breakfastwith us. We got away about eight. M'Queen walked some miles to give usa convoy. He had, in 1745, joined the Highland army at Fort Augustus, and continued in it till after the battle of Culloden. As he narratedthe particulars of that ill-advised, but brave attempt, I could notrefrain from tears. There is a certain association of ideas in my mindupon that subject, by which I am strongly affected. The very Highlandnames, or the sound of a bagpipe; will stir my blood, and fill me witha mixture of melancholy and respect for courage; with pity for anunfortunate and superstitious regard for antiquity, and thoughtlessinclination for war; in short, with a crowd of sensations with whichsober rationality has nothing to do. 

We passed through Glensheal, with prodigious mountains on each side. We saw where the battle was fought in the year 1719; Dr Johnson ownedhe was now in a scene of as wild nature as he could see; but hecorrected me sometimes in my inaccurate observations. 'There, ' said I, 'is a mountain like a cone. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir. It would be called soin a book; and when a man comes to look at it, he sees it is not so. It is indeed pointed at the top; but one side of it is larger than theother. ' Another mountain I called immense. JOHNSON. 'No; it is no morethan a considerable protuberance. '

We came to a rich green valley, comparatively speaking, and stopped awhile to let our horses rest and eat grass. [Footnote: Dr Johnson, inhis Journey, thus beautifully describes his situation here: 'I satdown on a bank, such as a writer of romance might have delighted tofeign. I had, indeed, no trees to whisper over my head; but a clearrivulet streamed at my feet. The day was calm, the air soft, and allwas rudeness, silence, and solitude. Before me, and on either side, were high hills, which, by hindering the eye from ranging, forced themind to find entertainment for itself. Whether I spent the hour well, I know not: for here I first conceived the thought of this narration. 'The Critical Reviewers, with a spirit and expression worthy of thesubject, say, 'We congratulate the publick on the event with whichthis quotation concludes, and are fully persuaded that the hour inwhich the entertaining traveller conceived this narrative will beconsidered, by every reader of taste, as a fortunate event in theannals of literature. Were it suitable to the talk in which we are atpresent engaged, to indulge ourselves in a poetical flight, we wouldinvoke the winds of the Caledonian mountains to blow for ever, withtheir softest breezes, on the bank where our author reclined, andrequest of Flora, that it might be perpetually adorned with the gayestand most fragrant productions of the year. '] We soon afterwards cameto Auchnasheal, a kind of rural village, a number of cottages beingbuilt together, as we saw all along in the Highlands. We passed manymiles this day without seeing a house, but only little summer-huts, called shielings. Evan Campbell, servant to Mr Murchison, factor tothe Laird of Macleod in Glenelg, ran along with us to-day. He was avery obliging fellow. At Auchnasheal, we sat down on a green turf-seatat the end of a house; they brought us out two wooden dishes of milk, which we tasted. One of them was frothed like a syllabub. I saw awoman preparing it with such a stick as is used for chocolate, and inthe same manner. We had a considerable circle about us, men, women andchildren, all M'Craas, Lord Seaforth's people. Not one of them couldspeak English. I observed to Dr Johnson, it was much the same as beingwith a tribe of Indians. JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; but not so terrifying. ' Igave all who chose it, snuff and tobacco. Governour Trapaud had madeus buy a quantity at Fort Augustus, and put them up in small parcels. I also gave each person a bit of wheat bread, which they had nevertasted before. I then gave a penny apiece to each child. I told DrJohnson of this; upon which he called to Joseph and our guides, forchange for a shilling, and declared that he would distribute among thechildren. Upon this being announced in Erse, there was a great stir;not only did some children come running down from neighbouring huts, but I observed one black-haired man, who had been with us all along, had gone off, and returned, bringing a very young child. My fellowtraveller then ordered the children to be drawn up in a row; and hedealt about his copper, and made them and their parents all happy. Thepoor M'Craas, whatever may be their present state, were ofconsiderable estimation in the year 1715, when there was a line in asong. 

And aw the brave M'Craas are coming. 

[Footnote: The M'Craas, or Macraes, were since that time brought intothe king's army, by the late Lord Seaforth. When they lay in Edinburghcastle in 1778, and were ordered to embark for Jersey, they with anumber of other men in the regiment, for different reasons, butespecially an apprehension that they were to be sold to the East-IndiaCompany, though enlisted not to be sent out of Great-Britain withouttheir own consent, made a determined mutiny and encamped upon thelofty mountain, Arthur's Seat, where they remained three days andthree nights; bidding defiance to all the force in Scotland. At lastthey came down, and embarked peaceably, having obtained formalarticles of capitulation, signed by Sir Adolphus Oughton, commander inchief, General Skene, deputy commander, the Duke of Buccleugh, and theEarl of Dunmore, which quieted them. Since the secession of theCommons of Rome to the Mons Sacer, a more spirited exertion has notbeen made. I gave great attention to it from first to last, and havedrawn up a particular account of it. Those brave fellows have sinceserved their country effectually at Jersey, and also in the EastIndies, to which, alter being better informed, they voluntarily agreedto go. ]

There was great diversity in the faces of the circle around us: Somewere as black and wild in their appearance as any American savageswhatever. One woman was as comely almost as the figure of Sappho, aswe see it painted. We asked the old woman, the mistress of the housewhere we had the milk, (which by the bye, Dr Johnson told me, for Idid not observe it myself, was built not of turf, but of stone, ) whatwe should pay. She said, what we pleased. One of our guides asked her, in Erse, if a shilling was enough. She said, 'Yes. ' But some of themen bade her ask more. This vexed me; because it shewed a desire toimpose upon strangers, as they knew that even a shilling was highpayment. The woman, however, honestly persisted in her price; so Igave her half a crown. Thus we had one good scene of life uncommon tous. The people were very much pleased, gave us many blessings, andsaid they had not had such a day since the old Laird of Macleod'stime. 

Dr Johnson was much refreshed by this repast. He was pleased when Itold him he would make a good chief. He said, 'Were I a chief, I woulddress my servants better than myself, and knock a fellow down if helooked saucy to a Macdonald in rags: but I would not treat men asbrutes. I would let them know why all of my clan were to haveattention paid to them. I would tell my upper servants why, and makethem tell the others. '

We rode on well, till we came to the high mountain called theRattakin, by which time both Dr Johnson and the horses were a gooddeal fatigued. It is a terrible steep climb, notwithstanding the roadis formed slanting along it; however, we made it out. On the top of itwe met Captain M'Leod of Balmenoch (a Dutch officer who had come fromSky) riding with his sword slung across him. He asked, 'Is this MrBoswell?' which was a proof that we were expected. Going down the hillon the other side was no easy task. As Dr Johnson was a great weight, the two guides agreed that he should ride the horses alternately. Hay's were the two best, and the Doctor would not ride but upon one orother of them, a black or a brown. But, as Hay complained much afterascending the Rattakin, the Doctor was prevailed with to mount one ofVass's greys. As he rode upon it down hill, it did not go well; and hegrumbled. I walked on a little before, but was excessively entertainedwith the method taken to keep him in good humour. Hay led the horse'shead, talking to Dr Johnson as much as he could; and (having heardhim, in the forenoon, express a pastoral pleasure on seeing the goatsbrowzing) just when the Doctor was uttering his displeasure, thefellow cried, with a very Highland accent, 'See such pretty goats!'Then he whistled, WHU! and made them jump. Little did he conceive whatDoctor Johnson was. Here now was a common ignorant Highland clownimagining that he could divert, as one does a child, DR SAMUELJOHNSON! The ludicrousness, absurdity, and extraordinary contrastbetween what the fellow fancied, and the reality, was truly comick. Itgrew dusky; and we had a very tedious ride for what was called fivemiles; but I am sure would measure ten. We had no conversation. I wasriding forward to the inn at Glenelg, on the shore opposite to Sky, that I might take proper measures, before Dr Johnson, who was nowadvancing in dreary silence, Hay leading his horse, should arrive. Vass also walked by the side of his horse, and Joseph followed behind:as therefore he was thus attended, and seemed to be in deepmeditation, I thought there could be no harm in leaving him for alittle while. He called me back with a tremendous shout, and wasreally in a passion with me for leaving him. I told him my intentions, but he was not satisfied, and said, 'Do you know, I should as soonhave thought of picking a pocket, as doing so. ' BOSWELL. 'I amdiverted with you, sir. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, I could never be diverted withincivility. Doing such a thing, makes one lose confidence in him whohas done it, as one cannot tell what he may do next. ' Hisextraordinary warmth confounded me so much, that I justified myselfbut lamely to him; yet my intentions were not improper. I wished toget on, to see how we were to be lodged, and how we were to get aboat; all which I thought I could best settle myself, without hishaving any trouble. To apply his great mind to minute particulars, iswrong: it is like taking an immense balance, such as is kept on quaysfor weighing cargoes of ships, to weigh a guinea. I knew I had neatlittle scales, which would do better; and that his attention to everything which falls in his way, and his uncommon desire to be always inthe right, would make him weigh, if he knew of the particulars: it wasright therefore for me to weigh them, and let him have them only ineffect. I however continued to ride by him, finding he wished I shoulddo so. 

As we passed the barracks at Bernea, I looked at them wishfully, assoldiers have always every thing in the best order: but there was onlya serjeant and a few men there. We came on to the inn at Glenelg. There was no provender for our horses: so they were sent to grass, with a man to watch them. A maid shewed us up stairs into a room dampand dirty, with bare walls, a variety of bad smells, a coarse blackgreasy fir table, and forms of the same kind; and out of a wretchedbed started a fellow from his sleep, like Edgar in King Lear, 'PoorTom's a-cold'. [Footnote: It is amusing to observe the differentimages which this being presented to Dr Johnson and me. The Doctor, inhis Journey, compares him to a Cyclops. ]

This inn was furnished with not a single article that we could eithereat or drink; but Mr Murchison, factor to the Laird of Macleod inGlenelg, sent us a bottle of rum and some sugar, with a politemessage, to acquaint us, that he was very sorry that he did not hearof us till we had passed his house, otherwise he should have insistedon our sleeping there that night; and that, if he were not obliged toset out for Inverness early next morning, he would have waited uponus. Such extraordinary attention from this gentleman, to entirestrangers, deserves the most honourable commemoration. 

Our bad accommodation here made me uneasy, and almost fretful. DrJohnson was calm. I said, he was so from vanity. JOHNSON. 'No, sir, itis from philosophy. ' It pleased me to see that the Rambler couldpractise so well his own lessons. 

I resumed the subject of my leaving him on the road, and endeavouredto defend it better. He was still violent upon that head, and said, 'Sir, had you gone on, I was thinking that I should have returned withyou to Edinburgh, and then have parted from you, and never spoken toyou more. '

I sent for fresh hay, with which we made beds for ourselves, each in aroom, equally miserable. Like Wolfe, we had a 'choice ofdifficulties'. Dr Johnson made things easier by comparison. AtM'Queen's, last night, he observed, that few were so well lodged in aship. To-night he said, we were better than if we had been upon thehill. He lay down buttoned up in his great coat. I had my sheetsspread on the hay, and my clothes and great coat laid over me, by wayof blankets. 

Thursday, 2d September

I had slept ill. Dr Johnson's anger had affected me much. I consideredthat, without any bad intention, I might suddenly forfeit hisfriendship; and was impatient to see him this morning. I told him howuneasy he had made me, by what he had said, and reminded him of hisown remark at Aberdeen, upon old friendships being hastily broken off. He owned, he had spoken to me in passion; that he would not have donewhat he threatened; and that, if he had, he should have been ten timesworse than I; that forming intimacies, would indeed be 'limning thewater', were they liable to such sudden dissolution; and he added, 'Let's think no more on't. ' BOSWELL. 'Well then, sir, I shall be easy. Remember, I am to have fair warning in case of any quarrel. You arenever to spring a mine upon me. It was absurd in me to believe you. 'JOHNSON. 'You deserved about as much, as to believe me from night tomorning. ' After breakfast, we got into a boat for Sky. It rained muchwhen we set off, but cleared up as we advanced. One of the boatmen, who spoke English, said, that a mile at land was two miles at sea. Ithen observed, that from Glenelg to Armidale in Sky, which was ourpresent course, and is called twelve, was only six miles: but this hecould not understand. 'Well, ' said Dr Johnson, 'never talk to me ofthe native good sense of the Highlanders. Here is a fellow who callsone mile two, and yet cannot comprehend that twelve such imaginarymiles make in truth but six. '

We reached the shore of Armidale before one o'clock. Sir AlexanderM'Donald came down to receive us. He and his lady (formerly MissBosville of Yorkshire) were then in a house built by a tenant at thisplace, which is in the district of Slate, the family mansion herehaving been burned in Sir Donald Macdonald's time. 

The most ancient seat of the chief of the Macdonalds in the Isle ofSky was at Duntulm, where there are the remains of a stately castle. The principal residence of the family is now at Mugstot, at whichthere is a considerable building. Sir Alexander and Lady Macdonald hadcome to Armidale in their way to Edinburgh, where it was necessary forthem to be soon after this time. 

Armidale is situated on a pretty bay of the narrow sea, which flowsbetween the main land of Scotland and the Isle of Sky. In front thereis a grand prospect of the rude mountains of Moidart and Knoidart. Behind are hills gently rising and covered with a finer verdure than Iexpected to see in this climate, and the scene is enlivened by anumber of little clear brooks. 

Sir Alexander Macdonald having been an Eton scholar, and being agentleman of talents, Dr Johnson had been very well pleased with himin London. But my fellow traveller and I were now full of the oldHighland spirit, and were dissatisfied at hearing of racked rents andemigration; and finding a chief not surrounded by his clan. Dr Johnsonsaid, 'Sir, the Highland chiefs should not be allowed to go farthersouth than Aberdeen. A strong-minded man, like Sir James Macdonald, may be improved by an English education; but in general, they will betamed into insignificance. '

We found here Mr Janes of Aberdeenshire, a naturalist. Janes said hehad been at Dr Johnson's in London, with Ferguson the astronomer. JOHNSON. 'It is strange that, in such distant places, I should meetwith any one who knows me. I should have thought I might hide myselfin Sky. '

Friday, 3d September

This day proving wet, we should have passed our time veryuncomfortably, had we not found in the house two chests of books, which we eagerly ransacked. After dinner, when I alone was left attable with the few Highland gentlemen who were of the company, havingtalked with very high respect of Sir James Macdonald, they were all somuch affected as to shed tears. One of them was Mr Donald Macdonald, who had been lieutenant of grenadiers in the Highland regiment, raisedby Colonel Montgomery, now Earl of Eglintoune, in the war before last;one of those regiments which the late Lord Chatham prided himself inhaving brought from 'the mountains of the north': by doing which hecontributed to extinguish in the Highlands the remains of disaffectionto the present Royal Family. From this gentleman's conversation, Ifirst learnt how very popular his Colonel was among the Highlanders;of which I had such continued proofs, during the whole course of mytour, that on my return I could not help telling the noble Earlhimself, that I did not before know how great a man he was. 

We were advised by some persons here to visit Rasay, in our way toDunvegan, the seat of the Laird of Macleod. Being informed that theRev. Mr Donald M'Queen was the most intelligent man in Sky, and havingbeen favoured with a letter of introduction to him, by the learned SirJames Foulis, I sent it to him by an express, and requested he wouldmeet us at Rasay; and at the same time enclosed a letter to the Lairdof Macleod, informing him that we intended in a few days to have thehonour of waiting on him at Dunvegan. 

Dr Johnson this day endeavoured to obtain some knowledge of the stateof the country; but complained that he could get no distinctinformation about any thing, from those with whom he conversed. 

Saturday, 4th September

My endeavours to rouse the English-bred chieftain, in whose house wewere, to the feudal and patriarchal feelings, proving ineffectual, DrJohnson this morning tried to bring him to our way of thinking. JOHNSON. 'Were I in your place, sir, in seven years I would make thisan independant island. I would roast oxen whole, and hang out a flagas a signal to the Macdonalds to come and get beef and whisky. ' SirAlexander was still starting difficulties. JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir; if youare born to object, I have done with you. Sir, I would have a magazineof arms. ' SIR ALEXANDER. 'They would rust. ' JOHNSON. 'Let there be mento keep them clean. Your ancestors did not use to let their armsrust. '

We attempted in vain to communicate to him a portion of ourenthusiasm. He bore with so polite a good-nature our warm, and whatsome might call Gothick, expostulations, on this subject, that Ishould not forgive myself, were I to record all that Dr Johnson'sardour led him to say. This day was little better than a blank. 

Sunday, 5th September

I walked to the parish church of Slate, which is a very poor one. There are no church bells in the island. I was told there were oncesome; what has become of them, I could not learn. The minister notbeing at home, there was no service. I went into the church and sawthe monument of Sir James Macdonald, which was elegantly executed atRome, and has the following inscription, written by his friend, GeorgeLord Lyttelton:

To the memory Of SIR JAMES MACDONALD, BART. Who in the flower of youth, Had attained to so eminent a degree of knowledge in Mathematics, Philosophy, Languages, And in every other branch of useful and polite learning. As few have acquired in a long life Wholly devoted to study: Yet to this erudition he joined What can rarely be found with it. Great talents for business, Great propriety of behaviour, Great politeness of manners! His eloquence was sweet, correct, and flowing; His memory vast and exact; His judgement strong and acute; All which endowments, united With the most amiable temper And every private virtue, Procured him, not only in his own country, But also from foreign nations, The highest marks of esteem. In the year of our Lord 1766, The 25th of his life, After a long and extremely painful illness, Which he supported with admirable patience and fortitude, He died at Rome, Where, notwithstanding the difference of religion. Such extraordinary honours were paid to his memory, As had never graced that of any other British subject, Since the death of Sir Philip Sydney. The fame he left behind him is the best consolation To his afflicted family, And to his countrymen in this isle. For whose benefit he had planned Many useful improvements, Which his fruitful genius suggested. And his active spirit promoted. Under the sober direction Of a clear and enlightened understanding. Reader, bewail our loss, And that of all Britain. In testimony of her love, And as the best return she can make To her departed son. For the constant tenderness and affection Which, even to his last moments, He shewed for her. His much afflicted mother. The LADY MARGARET MACDONALD, Daughter to the EARL of EGLINTOUNE, Erected this Monument, A. D. 1768. 

[Footnote: This extraordinary young man, whom I had the pleasure ofknowing intimately, having been deeply regretted by his country, themost minute particulars concerning him must be interesting to many. Ishall therefore insert his two last letters to his mother. LadyMargaret Macdonald, which her ladyship has been pleased to communicateto me. 

Rome, July 9th, 1766. 

My Dear Mother, Yesterday's post brought me your answer to the first letter in which Iacquainted you of my illness. Your tenderness and concern upon thataccount are the same I have always experienced, and to which I haveoften owed my life. Indeed it never was in so great danger as it hasbeen lately; and though it would have been a very great comfort to meto have had you near me, yet perhaps I ought to rejoice, on youraccount, that you had not the pain of such a spectacle. I have beennow a week in Rome, and wish I could continue to give you the samegood accounts of my recovery as I did in my last: but I must own thatfor three days past. I have been in a very weak and miserable state, which however seems to give no uneasiness to my physician. My stomachhas been greatly out of order, without any visible cause; and thepalpitation does not decrease. I am told that my stomach will soonrecover its tone, and that the palpitation must cease in time. So I amwilling to believe; and with this hope support the little remains ofspirits which I can be supposed to have, on the forty-seventh day ofsuch an illness. Do not imagine I have relapsed--I only recover slowerthan I expected. If my letter is shorter than usual, the cause of itis a dose of physick, which has weakened me so much to-day, that I amnot able to write a long letter. I will make up for it next post, andremain always

Your most sincerely affectionate son, J. Macdonald. 

He grew gradually worse; and on the night before his death he wrote asfollows from Frescati:

My Dear Mother, Though I did not mean to deceive you in my last letter from Rome, yetcertainly you would have very little reason to conclude of the verygreat and constant danger I have gone through ever since that time. Mylife, which is still almost entirely desperate, did not at that timeappear to me so, otherwise I should have represented, in its truecolours, a fact which acquires very little horror by that means, andcomes with redoubled force by deception. There is no circumstance ofdanger and pain of which I have not had the experience, for acontinued series of above a fortnight; during which time I havesettled my affairs, after my death, with as much distinctness as thehurry and the nature of the thing could admit of. In case of theworst, the Abbe Grant will be my executor in this part of the world, and Mr Mackenzie in Scotland, where my object has been to make you andmy younger brother as independent of the eldest as possible. ]

Dr Johnson said, the inscription should have been in Latin, as everything intended to be universal and permanent, should be. 

This being a beautiful day, my spirits were cheered by the mere effectof climate. I had felt a return of spleen during my stay at Armidale, and had it not been that I had Dr Johnson to contemplate, I shouldhave sunk into dejection; but his firmness supported me. I looked athim, as a man whose head is turning giddy at sea looks at a rock, orany fixed object. I wondered at his tranquillity. He said, 'Sir, whena man retires into an island, he is to turn his thoughts intirely toanother world. He has done with this. ' BOSWELL. 'It appears to me, sir, to be very difficult to unite a due attention to this world, andthat which is to come; for, if we engage eagerly in the affairs oflife, we are apt to be totally forgetful of a future state; and, onthe other hand, a steady contemplation of the awful concerns ofeternity renders all objects here so insignificant, as to make usindifferent and negligent about them. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, Dr Cheyne haslaid down a rule to himself on this subject, which should be imprintedon every mind: "To neglect nothing to secure my eternal peace, morethan if I had been certified I should die within the day: nor to mindany thing that my secular obligations and duties demanded of me, lessthan if I had been ensured to live fifty years more. "

I must here observe, that though Dr Johnson appeared now to bephilosophically calm, yet his genius did not shine forth as incompanies, where I have listened to him with admiration. The vigour ofhis mind was, however, sufficiently manifested, by his discovering nosymptoms of feeble relaxation in the dull, 'weary, flat andunprofitable' state in which we now were placed. 

I am inclined to think that it was on this day he composed thefollowing Ode upon the Isle of Sky, which a few days afterwards heshewed me at Raysay:

ODA

 Ponti profundis clausa recessibus, Strepens procellis, rupibus obsita, Quam grata defesso virentem Skia sinum nebulosa pandis. 

 His cura, credo, sedibus exulat; His blanda certe pax habitat locis: Non ira, non moeror quietis Insidias meditatur horis. 

 At non cavata rupe latescere, Menti nec aegrae montibus aviis Prodest vagari, nec frementes E scopulo numerare fluctus

 Humana virtus non sibi sufficit, Datur nee aequum cuique animum sibi Parare posse, ut Stoicorum Secta crepet nimis alta fallax. 

 Exaestuantis pectoris impetum. Rex summe, solus tu regis arbiter, Mentisque, te tollente, surgunt, Te recidunt moderante fluctus. 

[Footnote: VARIOUS READINGS. Line 2. In the manuscript. Dr Johnson, instead of rupibus obsita, had written imbribus uvida. And uvidanubibus, but struck them both out. Lines 15 & 16. Instead of these twolines, he had written, but afterwards struck out, the following:

 Parare posse, utcunque jactet Grandiloquus nimis alta Zeno. ]

After supper, Dr Johnson told us, that Isaac Hawkins Browne drankfreely for thirty years, and that he wrote his poem, De AnimiImmortalitate, in some of the last of these years. I listened to thiswith the eagerness of one, who, conscious of being himself fond ofwine, is glad to hear that a man of so much genius and good thinkingas Browne had the same propensity. 

Monday, 6th September

We set out, accompanied by Mr Donald M'Leod (late of Canna) as ourguide. We rode for some time along the district of Slate, near theshore. The houses in general are made of turf, covered with grass. Thecountry seemed well peopled. We came into the district of Strath, andpassed along a wild moorish tract of land till we arrived at theshore. There we found good verdure, and some curious whin-rocks, orcollections of stones like the ruins of the foundations of oldbuildings. We saw also three cairns of considerable size. 

About a mile beyond Broadfoot, is Corrichatachin, a farm of SirAlexander Macdonald's, possessed by Mr M'Kinnon, [Footnote: That myreaders may have my narrative in the style of the country throughwhich I am travelling, it is proper to inform them, that the chief ofa clan is denominated by his SURNAME alone, as M'Leod, M'Kinnon. M'Intosh. To prefix MR to it would be a degradation from THE M'Leod, &c. My old friend, the Laird of M'Farlane, the great antiquary, tookit highly amiss, when General Wade called him Mr M'Farlane. Dr Johnsonsaid, he could not bring himself to use this mode of address: itseemed to him to be too familiar, as it is the way in which, in allother places, intimates or inferiors are addressed. When the chiefshave TITLES, they are denominated by them, as SIR JAMES GRANT. SIRALLAN M'LEAN. The other Highland gentlemen, of landed property, aredenominated by their ESTATES, as RASAY, BOISDALE; and the wives of allof them have the title of ladies. The TACKSMEN, or principal tenants, are named by their farms, as KINGSBURGH, CORRICHATACHIN; and theirwives are called the MISTRESS of Kingsburgh, the MISTRESS ofCorrichatachin. Having given this explanation, I am at liberty to usethat mode of speech which generally prevails in the Highlands and theHebrides. ] who received us with a hearty welcome, as did his wife, whowas what we call in Scotland a LADY-LIKE woman. Mr Pennant, in thecourse of his tour to the Hebrides, passed two nights at thisgentleman's house. On its being mentioned, that a present had herebeen made to him of a curious specimen of Highland antiquity, DrJohnson said, 'Sir, it was more than he deserved: the dog is a Whig. '

We here enjoyed the comfort of a table plentifully furnished, thesatisfaction of which was heightened by a numerous and cheerfulcompany; and we for the first time had a specimen of the joyous socialmanners of the inhabitants of the Highlands. They talked in their ownancient language, with fluent vivacity, and sung many Erse songs withsuch spirit, that, though Dr Johnson was treated with the greatestrespect and attention, there were moments in which he seemed to beforgotten. For myself, though but a lowlander, having picked up a fewwords of the language, I presumed to mingle in their mirth, and joinedin the choruses with as much glee as any of the company. Dr Johnsonbeing fatigued with his journey, retired early to his chamber, wherehe composed the following Ode, addressed to Mrs Thrale:

Oda

 Permeo terras, ubi nuda rupes Saxeas miscet nebulis ruinas, Torva ubi rident steriles coloni Rura labores. 

 Pervagor gentes, hominum ferorum Vita ubi nullo decorata cultu Squallet informis, tugurique fumis Foeda latescit. 

 Inter erroris salebrosa longi, Inter ignotae strepitus loquelae, Quot modis mecum, quid agat, requiro, Thralia dulcis

 Seu viri curas pia nupta mulcet, Seu fovet mater sobolem benigna. Sive cum libris novitate pascet Sedula mentem;

 Sit memor nostri, fideique merces, Stet fides constans, meritoque blandum Thraliae discant resonare nomen Littora Skiae. 

Scriptum in Skia, Sept. 6, 1773. 

Tuesday, 7th September

Dr Johnson was much pleased with his entertainment here. There weremany good books in the house: Hector Boethius in Latin; Cave's Livesof the Fathers; Baker's Chronicle; Jeremy Collier's Church History; DrJohnson's small Dictionary; Craufurd's Officers of State, and severalmore: a mezzotinto of Mrs Brooks the actress (by some strange chancein Sky); and also a print of Macdonald of Clanranald, with a Latininscription about the cruelties after the battle of Culloden, whichwill never be forgotten. 

It was a very wet stormy day; we were therefore obliged to remainhere, it being impossible to cross the sea to Rasay. 

I employed a part of the forenoon in writing this Journal. The rest ofit was somewhat dreary, from the gloominess of the weather, and theuncertain state which we were in, as we could not tell but it mightclear up every hour. Nothing is more painful to the mind than a stateof suspence, especially when it depends upon the weather, concerningwhich there can be so little calculation. As Dr Johnson said of ourweariness on the Monday at Aberdeen, 'Sensation is sensation. 'Corrichatachin, which was last night a hospitable house, was, in mymind, changed to-day into a prison. After dinner I read some of DrMacpherson's Dissertations on the Ancient Caledonians. I was disgustedby the unsatisfactory conjectures as to antiquity, before the days ofrecord. I was happy when tea came. Such, I take it, is the state ofthose who live in the country. Meals are wished for from the cravingsof vacuity of mind, as well as from the desire of eating. I was hurtto find even such a temporary feebleness, and that I was so far frombeing that robust wise man who is sufficient for his own happiness. Ifelt a kind of lethargy of indolence. I did not exert myself to get DrJohnson to talk, that I might not have the labour of writing down hisconversation. He inquired here, if there were any remains of thesecond sight. Mr M'Pherson, Minister of Slate, said, he was RESOLVEDnot to believe it, because it was founded on no principle. JOHNSON. 'There are many things then, which we are sure are true, that you willnot believe. What principle is there, why a loadstone attracts iron?Why an egg produces a chicken by heat? Why a tree grows upwards, whenthe natural tendency of all things is downwards? Sir, it depends uponthe degree of evidence that you have. ' Young Mr M'Kinnon mentioned oneM'Kenzie, who is still alive, who had often fainted in his presence, and when he recovered, mentioned visions which had been presented tohim. He told Mr M'Kinnon, that at such a place he should meet afuneral, and that such and such people would be the bearers, namingfour; and three weeks afterwards he saw what M'Kenzie had predicted. The naming the very spot in a country where a funeral comes a longway, and the very people as bearers, when there are so many out ofwhom a choice may be made, seems extraordinary. We should have sentfor M'Kenzie, had we not been informed that he could speak no English. Besides, the facts were not related with sufficient accuracy. 

Mrs M'Kinnon, who is a daughter of old Kingsburgh, told us that herfather was one day riding in Sky, and some women, who were at work ina field on the side of the road, said to him, they had heard twotaiscks (that is, two voices of persons about to die), and what wasremarkable, one of them was an ENGLISH taisck, which they never heardbefore. When he returned, he at that very place met two funerals, andone of them was that of a woman who had come from the main land, andcould speak only English. This, she remarked, made a great impressionupon her father. 

How all the people here were lodged, I know not. It was partly done byseparating man and wife, and putting a number of men in one room, andof women in another. 

Wednesday, 8th September

When I waked, the rain was much heavier than yesterday; but the windhad abated. By breakfast, the day was better, and in a little while itwas calm and clear. I felt my spirits much elated. The propriety ofthe expression, 'the sunshine of the breast', now struck me withpeculiar force; for the brilliant rays penetrated into my very soul. We were all in better humour than before. Mrs M'Kinnon, withunaffected hospitality and politeness, expressed her happiness inhaving such company in her house, and appeared to understand andrelish Dr Johnson's conversation, as indeed all the company seemed todo. When I knew she was old Kingsburgh's daughter, I did not wonder atthe good appearance which she made. 

She talked as if her husband and family would emigrate, rather than beoppressed by their landlord; and said, 'how agreeable would it be, ifthese gentlemen should come in upon us when we are in America'. Somebody observed that Sir Alexander Macdonald was always frightenedat sea. JOHNSON. 'HE is frightened at sea; and his tenants arefrightened when he comes to land. '

We resolved to set out directly after breakfast. We had about twomiles to ride to the sea-side, and there we expected to get one of theboats belonging to the fleet of bounty herring-busses then on thecoast, or at least a good country fishing-boat. But while we werepreparing to set out, there arrived a man with the following card fromthe Reverend Mr Donald M'Queen:

Mr M'Queen's compliments to Mr Boswell, and begs leave to acquaint himthat, fearing the want of a proper boat, as much as the rain ofyesterday, might have caused a stop, he is now at Skianwden withMacgillichallum's [Footnote: The Highland expression for Laird ofRasay. ] carriage, to convey him and Dr Johnson to Rasay, where theywill meet with a most hearty welcome, and where Macleod, being on avisit, now attends their motions. --Wednesday afternoon. 

This card was most agreeable; it was a prologue to that hospitable andtruly polite reception which we found at Rasay. In a little whilearrived Mr Donald M'Queen himself; a decent minister, an elderly manwith his own black hair, courteous, and rather slow of speech, butcandid, sensible and well informed, nay learned. Along with him came, as our pilot, a gentleman whom I had a great desire to see, Mr MalcolmMacleod, one of the Rasay family, celebrated in the year 1745-6. Hewas now sixty-two years of age, hale, and well proportioned, with amanly countenance, tanned by the weather, yet having a ruddiness inhis cheeks, over a great part of which his rough beard extended. Hiseye was quick and lively, yet his look was not fierce, but he appearedat once firm and good-humoured. He wore a pair of brogues, tartan hosewhich came up only near to his knees, and left them bare, a purplecamblet kilt, a black waistcoat, a short green cloth coat bound withgold cord, a yellowish bushy wig, a large blue bonnet with a goldthread button. I never saw a figure that gave a more perfectrepresentation of a Highland Gentleman. I wished much to have apicture of him just as he was. I found him frank and POLITE, in thetrue sense of the word. 

The good family at Corrichatachin said, they hoped to see us on ourreturn. We rode down to the shore; but Malcolm walked with gracefulagility. 

We got into Rasay's CARRIAGE, which was a good strong open boat madein Norway. The wind had now risen pretty high, and was against us; butwe had four stout rowers, particularly a Macleod, a robust, black-haired fellow, half naked, and bear-headed, something between awild Indian and an English tar. Dr Johnson sat high on the stern, likea magnificent Triton. Malcolm sung an Erse song, the chorus of whichwas 'Hatyin foam foam eri', with words of his own. The tune resembled'Owr the muir amang the heather', the boatmen and Mr M'Queen chorused, and all went well. At length Malcolm himself took an oar, and rowedvigorously. We sailed along the coast of Scalpa, a rugged island, about four miles in length. Dr Johnson proposed that he and I shouldbuy it, and found a good school, and an episcopal church (Malcolmsaid, he would come to it), and have a printing-press, where he wouldprint all the Erse that could be found. Here I was strongly struckwith our long projected scheme of visiting the Hebrides beingrealized. I called to him, 'We are contending with seas;' which Ithink were the words of one of his letters to me. 'Not much, ' said he;and though the wind made the sea lash considerably upon us, he was notdiscomposed. After we were out of the shelter of Scalpa, and in thesound between it and Rasay, which extended about a league, the windmade the sea very rough. I did not like it. JOHNSON. 'This now is theAtlantick. If I should tell at a tea table in London, that I havecrossed the Atlantick in an open boat, how they'd shudder, and what afool they'd think me to expose myself to such danger. ' He thenrepeated Horace's ode, Otium Divos rogat in patenti Prensus Aegaeo. .. 

In the confusion and hurry of this boisterous sail, Dr Johnson'sspurs, of which Joseph had charge, were carried over-board into thesea, and lost. This was the first misfortune that had befallen us. DrJohnson was a little angry at first, observing that 'there wassomething wild in letting a pair of spurs be carried into the sea outof a boat'; but then he remarked, that, as Janes the naturalist hadsaid upon losing his pocket book, it was rather an inconvenience thana loss. He told us, he now recollected that he dreamt the nightbefore, that he put his staff into a river, and chanced to let it go, and it was carried down the stream and lost. 'So now you see, ' saidhe, 'that I have lost my spurs; and this story is better than many ofthose which we have concerning second sight and dreams. ' Mr M'Queensaid he did not believe in second sight; that he never met with anywell attested instances; and if he should, he should impute them tochance; because all who pretend to that quality often fail in theirpredictions, though they take a great scope, and sometimes interpretliterally, sometimes figuratively, so as to suit the events. He toldus, that, since he came to be minister of the parish where he now is, the belief of witchcraft, or charms, was very common, insomuch that hehad many prosecutions before his session (the parochial ecclesiasticalcourt) against women, for having by these means carried off the milkfrom people's cows. He disregarded them; and there is not now theleast vestige of that superstition. He preached against it; and inorder to give a strong proof to the people that there was nothing init, he said from the pulpit, that every woman in the parish waswelcome to take the milk from his cows, provided she did not touchthem. 

Dr Johnson asked him as to Fingal. He said he could repeat somepassages in the original, that he heard his grandfather had a copy ofit; but that he could not affirm that Ossian composed all that poem asit is now published. This came pretty much to what Dr Johnson hadmaintained; though he goes farther, and contends that it is no betterthan such an epick poem as he could make from the song of Robin Hood;that is to say, that, except a few passages, there is nothing trulyancient but the names and some vague traditions. Mr M'Queen alledgedthat Homer was made up of detached fragments. Dr Johnson denied this;observing, that it had been one work originally, and that you couldnot put a book of the Iliad out of its place; and he believed the samemight be said of the Odyssey. 

The approach to Rasay was very pleasing. We saw before us a beautifulbay, well defended by a rocky coast; a good family mansion; a fineverdure about it, with a considerable number of trees; and beyond ithills and mountains in gradation of wildness. Our boatmen sung withgreat spirit. Dr Johnson observed, that naval musick was very ancient. As we came near the shore, the singing of our rowers was succeeded bythat of reapers, who were busy at work, and who seemed to shout asmuch as to sing, while they worked with a bounding activity. Just aswe landed, I observed a cross, or rather the ruins of one, upon arock, which had to me a pleasing vestige of religion. I perceived alarge company coming out from the house. We met them as we walked up. There were Rasay himself; his brother Dr Macleod; his nephew the Lairdof M'Kinnon; the Laird of Macleod; Colonel Macleod of Talisker, anofficer in the Dutch service, a very genteel man, and a faithfulbranch of the family; Mr Macleod of Muiravenside, best known by thename of Sandie Macleod, who was long in exile on account of the partwhich he took in 1745; and several other persons. We were welcomedupon the green, and conducted into the house, where we were introducedto Lady Rasay, who was surrounded by a numerous family, consisting ofthree sons and ten daughters. The Laird of Rasay is a sensible, polite, and most hospitable gentleman. I was told that his island ofRasay, and that of Rona (from which the eldest son of the family hashis title), and a considerable extent of land which he has in Sky, donot altogether yield him a very large revenue: and yet he lives ingreat splendour; and so far is he from distressing his people, that, in the present rage for emigration, not a man has left his estate. 

It was past six o'clock when we arrived. Some excellent brandy wasserved round immediately, according to the custom of the Highlands, where a dram is generally taken every day. They call it a scatch. On aside-board was placed for us, who had come off the sea, a substantialdinner, and a variety of wines. Then we had coffee and tea. I observedin the room several elegantly bound books and other marks of improvedlife. Soon afterwards a fiddler appeared, and a little ball began. Rasay himself danced with as much spirit as any man, and Malcolmbounded like a roe. Sandie Macleod, who has at times an excessive flowof spirits, and had it now, was, in his days of absconding, known bythe name of M'Cruslick, which it seems was the designation of a kindof wild man in the Highlands, something between Proteus and DonQuixotte; and so he was called here. He made much jovial noise. DrJohnson was so delighted with this scene, that he said, 'I know nothow we shall get away. ' It entertained me to observe him sitting by, while we danced, sometimes in deep meditation, sometimes smilingcomplacently, sometimes looking upon Hooke's Roman History, andsometimes talking a little amidst the noise of the ball, to Mr DonaldM'Queen, who anxiously gathered knowledge from him. He was pleasedwith M'Queen and said to me, 'This is a critical man, sir. There mustbe great vigour of mind to make him cultivate learning so much in theisle of Sky, where he might do without it. It is wonderful how many ofthe new publications he has. There must be a snatch of everyopportunity. ' Mr M'Queen told me that his brother (who is the fourthgeneration of the family following each other as ministers of theparish of Snizort) and he joined together, and bought from time totime such books as had reputation. Soon after we came in, a black cockand grey hen, which had been shot, were shewn, with their feathers on, to Dr Johnson, who had never seen that species of bird before. We hada company of thirty at supper; and all was good humour and gaiety, without intemperance. 

Thursday, 9th September

At breakfast this morning, among a profusion of other things, therewere oat-cakes, made of what is called graddaned meal, that is, mealmade of grain separated from the husks, and toasted by fire, insteadof being threshed and kiln dried. This seems to be bad management, asso much fodder is consumed by it. Mr M'Queen however defended it, bysaying, that it is doing the thing much quicker, as one operationeffects what is otherwise done by two. His chief reason however was, that the servants of Sky are, according to him, a faithless pack, andsteal what they can; so that much is saved by the corn passing butonce through their hands, as at each time they pilfer some. It appearsto me, that the graddaning is a strong proof of the laziness of thehighlanders, who will rather make fire act for them, at the expence offodder, than labour themselves. There was also, what I cannot helpdisliking at breakfast, cheese: it is the custom over all theHighlands to have it; and it often smells very strong, and poisons toa certain degree the elegance of an Indian repast. The day wasshowery; however, Rasay and I took a walk, and had some cordialconversation. I conceived a more than ordinary regard for this worthygentleman. His family has possessed this island above four hundredyears. It is the remains of the estate of Macleod of Lewis, whom herepresents. When we returned, Dr Johnson walked with us to see the oldchapel. He was in fine spirits. He said, 'This is truely thepatriarchal life: this is what we came to find. '

After dinner, M'Cruslick, Malcolm, and I, went out with guns, to tryif we could find any black-cock; but we had no sport, owing to a heavyrain. I saw here what is called a Danish fort. Our evening was passedas last night was. One of our company, I was told, had hurt himself bytoo much study, particularly of infidel metaphysicians, of which hegave a proof, on second sight being mentioned. He immediately retailedsome of the fallacious arguments of Voltaire and Hume against miraclesin general. Infidelity in a Highland gentleman appeared to mepeculiarly offensive. I was sorry for him, as he had otherwise a goodcharacter. I told Dr Johnson that he had studied himself intoinfidelity. JOHNSON. 'Then he must study himself out of it again. Thatis the way. Drinking largely will sober him again. '

Friday, 10th September

Having resolved to explore the island of Rasay, which could be doneonly on foot, I last night obtained my fellow-traveller's permissionto leave him for a day, he being unable to take so hardy a walk. OldMr Malcolm M'Cleod, who had obligingly promised to accompany me, wasat my bedside between five and six. I sprang up immediately, and heand I, attended by two other gentlemen, traversed the country duringthe whole of this day. Though we had passed over not less thanfour-and-twenty miles of very rugged ground, and had a Highland danceon the top of Dun Can, the highest mountain in the island, we returnedin the evening not at all fatigued, and piqued ourselves at not beingoutdone at the nightly ball by our less active friends, who hadremained at home. 

My survey of Rasay did not furnish much which can interest my readers;I shall therefore put into as short a compass as I can, theobservations upon it, which I find registered in my journal. It isabout fifteen English miles long, and four broad. On the south side isthe laird's family seat, situated on a pleasing low spot. The oldtower of three stories, mentioned by Martin, was taken down soon after1746, and a modern house supplies its place. There are very goodgrass-fields and corn-lands about it, well dressed. I observed, however, hardly any inclosures, except a good garden plentifullystocked with vegetables, and strawberries, raspberries, currants, &c. 

On one of the rocks just where we landed, which are not high, there isrudely carved a square, with a crucifix in the middle. Here, it issaid, the lairds of Rasay, in old times, used to offer up theirdevotions. I could not approach the spot, without a gratefulrecollection of the event commemorated by this symbol. 

A little from the shore, westward, is a kind of subterraneous house. There has been a natural fissure, or separation of the rock, runningtowards the sea, which has been roofed over with long stones, andabove them turf has been laid. In that place the inhabitants used tokeep their oars. There are a number of trees near the house, whichgrow well; some of them of a pretty good size. They are mostly planeand ash. A little to the west of the house is an old ruinous chapel, unroofed, which never has been very curious. We here saw some humanbones of an uncommon size. There was a heel-bone, in particular, which Dr Macleod said was such, that if the foot was in proportion, itmust have been twenty-seven inches long. Dr Johnson would not look atthe bones. He started back from them with a striking appearance ofhorrour. Mr M'Queen told us, it was formerly much the custom, in theseisles, to have human bones lying above ground, especially in thewindows of churches. On the south of the chapel is the family buryingplace. Above the door, on the east end of it, is a small bust or imageof the Virgin Mary, carved upon a stone which makes part of the wall. There is no church upon the island. It is annexed to one of theparishes of Sky; and the minister comes and preaches either in Rasay'shouse, or some other house, on certain Sundays. I could not but valuethe family seat more, for having even the ruins of a chapel close toit. There was something comfortable in the thought of being so near apiece of consecrated ground. Dr Johnson said, 'I look with reverenceupon every place that has been set apart for religion'; and he keptoff his hat while he was within the walls of the chapel. 

The eight crosses, which Martin mentions as pyramids for deceasedladies, stood in a semicircular line, which contained within it thechapel. They marked out the boundaries of the sacred territory withinwhich an asylum was to be had. One of them, which we observed upon ourlanding, made the first point of the semicircle. There are few of themnow remaining. A good way farther north, there is a row of buildingsabout four feet high: they run from the shore on the east along thetop of a pretty high eminence, and so down to the shore on the west, in much the same direction with the crosses. Rasay took them to be themarks for the asylum; but Malcolm thought them to be false sentinels, a common deception, of which instances occur in Martin, to makeinvaders imagine an island better guarded. Mr Donald M'Queen, justlyin my opinion, supposed the crosses which form the inner circle to bethe church's land-marks. 

The south end of the island is much covered with large stones or rockystrata. The laird has enclosed and planted part of it with firs, andhe shewed me a considerable space marked out for additionalplantations. 

Dun Can is a mountain three computed miles from the laird's house. Theascent to it is by consecutive risings, if that expression may be usedwhen vallies intervene, so that there is but a short rise at once; butit is certainly very high above the sea. The palm of altitude isdisputed for by the people of Rasay and those of Sky; the formercontending for Dun Can, the latter for the mountains in Sky, overagainst it. We went up the east side of Dun Can pretty easily. It ismostly rocks all around, the points of which hem the summit of it. Sailors, to whom it is a good object as they pass along, call itRasay's cap. Before we reached this mountain, we passed by two lakes. Of the first, Malcolm told me a strange fabulous tradition. He said, there was a wild beast in it, a sea-horse, which came and devoured aman's daughter; upon which the man lighted a great fire, and had a sowroasted at it, the smell of which attracted the monster. In the firewas put a spit. The man lay concealed behind a low wall of loosestones, and he had an avenue formed for the monster, with two rows oflarge flat stones, which extended from the fire over the summit of thehill, till it reached the side of the loch. The monster came, and theman with the red-hot spit destroyed it. Malcolm shewed me the littlehiding-place, and the rows of stones. He did not laugh when he toldthis story. I recollect having seen in the Scots Magazine, severalyears ago, a poem upon a similar tale, perhaps the same, translatedfrom the Erse, or Irish, called Albin and the Daughter of Mey. 

There is a large tract of land, possessed as a common, in Rasay. Theyhave no regulations as to the number of cattle. Every man puts upon itas many as he chooses. From Dun Can northward, till you reach theother end of the island, there is much good natural pastureunincumbered by stones. We passed over a spot, which is appropriatedfor the exercising ground. In 1745, a hundred fighting men werereviewed here, as Malcolm told me, who was one of the officers thatled them to the field. They returned home all but about fourteen. Whata princely thing is it to be able to furnish such a band! Rasay hasthe true spirit of a chief. He is, without exaggeration, a father tohis people. 

There is plenty of lime-stone in the island, a great quarry offree-stone, and some natural woods, but none of any age, as they cutthe trees for common country uses. The lakes, of which there are many, are well stocked with trout. Malcolm catched one of four-and-twentypounds weight in the loch next to Dun Can, which, by the way, iscertainly a Danish name, as most names of places in these islands are. 

The old castle, in which the family of Rasay formerly resided, issituated upon a rock very near the sea: the rock is not one mass ofstone, but a concretion of pebbles and earth, so firm that it does notappear to have mouldered. In this remnant of antiquity I found nothingworthy of being noticed, except a certain accommodation rarely to befound at the modern houses of Scotland, and which Dr Johnson and Ifought for in vain at the Laird of Rasay's new-built mansion, wherenothing else was wanting. I took the liberty to tell the laird it wasa shame there should be such a deficiency in civilized times. Heacknowledged the justice of the remark. But perhaps some generationsmay pass before the want is supplied. Dr Johnson observed to me, howquietly people will endure an evil, which they might at any time veryeasily remedy; and mentioned as an instance, that the present familyof Rasay had possessed the island for more than four-hundred years, and never made a commodious landing place, though a few men withpickaxes might have cut an ascent of stairs out of any part of therock in a week's time. 

The north end of Rasay is as rocky as the south end. From it I saw thelittle Isle of Fladda, belonging to Rasay, all fine green ground; andRona, which is of so rocky a soil that it appears to be a pavement. Iwas told however that it has a great deal of grass, in theinterstices. The laird has it all in his own hands. At this end of theisland of Rasay is a cave in a striking situation. It is in a recessof a great cleft, a good way up from the sea. Before it the oceanroars, being dashed against monstrous broken rocks; grand and awefulpropugnacula. On the right hand of it is a longitudinal cave, very lowat the entrance, but higher as you advance. The sea having scooped itout, it seems strange and unaccountable that the interior part, wherethe water must have operated with less force, should be loftier thanthat which is more immediately exposed to its violence. The roof of itis all covered with a kind of petrifications formed by drops, whichperpetually distil from it. The first cave has been a place of muchsafety. I find a great difficulty in describing visible objects. Imust own too that the old castle and cave, like many other things, ofwhich one hears much, did not answer my expectations. People are everywhere apt to magnify the curiosities of their country. 

This island has abundance of black cattle, sheep, and goats; a goodmany horses, which are used for ploughing, carrying out dung, andother works of husbandry. I believe the people never ride. There areindeed no roads through the island, unless a few detached beatentracks deserve that name. Most of the houses are upon the shore; sothat all the people have little boats, and catch fish. There is greatplenty of potatoes here. There are black-cock in extraordinaryabundance, moor-fowl, plover and wild pigeons, which seemed to me tobe the same as we have in pigeon-houses, in their state of nature. Rasay has no pigeon-house. There are no hares nor rabbits in theisland, nor was there ever known to be a fox, till last year, when onewas landed on it by some malicious person, without whose aid he couldnot have got thither, as that animal is known to be a very badswimmer. He has done much mischief. There is a great deal of fishcaught in the sea round Rasay; it is a place where one may live inplenty, and even in luxury. There are no deer; but Rasay told us hewould get some. 

They reckon it rains nine months in the year in this island, owing toits being directly opposite to the western coast of Sky, where thewatery clouds are broken by high mountains. The hills here, and indeedall the healthy grounds in general, abound with the sweet-smellingplant which the highlanders call gaul, and (I think) with dwarfjuniper in many places. There is enough of turf, which is their fuel, and it is thought there is a mine of coal. Such are the observationswhich I made upon the island of Rasay, upon comparing it with thedescription given by Martin, whose book we had with us. 

There has been an ancient league between the families of Macdonald andRasay. Whenever the head of either family dies, his sword is given tothe head of the other. The present Rasay has the late Sir JamesMacdonald's sword. Old Rasay joined the Highland army in 1745, butprudently guarded against a forfeiture, by previously conveying hisestate to the present gentleman, his eldest son. On that occasion, SirAlexander, father of the late Sir James Macdonald, was very friendlyto his neighbour. 'Don't be afraid, Rasay, ' said he; 'I'll use all myinterest to keep you safe; and if your estate should be taken, I'llbuy it for the family. ' And he would have done it. 

Let me now gather some gold dust--some more fragments of Dr Johnson'sconversation, without regard to order of time. He said, he thoughtvery highly of Bentley; that no man now went so far in the kinds oflearning that he cultivated; that the many attacks on him were owingto envy, and to a desire of being known, by being in competition withsuch a man; that it was safe to attack him, because he never answeredhis opponents, but let them die away. It was attacking a man who wouldnot beat them, because his beating them would make them live thelonger. And he was right not to answer; for, in his hazardous methodof writing, he could not but be often enough wrong; so it was betterto leave things to their general appearance, than own himself to haveerred in particulars. He said, Mallet was the prettiest drest puppetabout town, and always kept good company. That, from his way oftalking, he saw, and always said, that he had not written any part ofthe Life of the Duke of Marlborough, though perhaps he intended to doit at some time, in which case he was not culpable in taking thepension. That he imagined the duchess furnished the materials for herApology, which Hooke wrote, and Hooke furnished the words and theorder, and all that in which the art of writing consists. That theduchess had not superior parts, but was a bold frontless woman, whoknew how to make the most of her opportunities in life. That Hooke gota LARGE sum of money for writing her Apology. That he wondered Hookeshould have been weak enough to insert so profligate a maxim, as thatto tell another's secret to one's friend, is no breach of confidence;though perhaps Hooke, who was a virtuous man, as his History shews, and did not wish her well, though he wrote her Apology, might see itsill tendency, and yet insert it at her desire. He was acting onlyministerially. I apprehend, however, that Hooke was bound to give hisbest advice. I speak as a lawyer. Though I have had clients whosecauses I could not, as a private man, approve; yet, if I undertookthem, I would not do any thing that might be prejudicial to them, evenat their desire, without warning them of their danger. 

Saturday, 11th September

It was a storm of wind and rain; so we could not set out. I wrote someof this Journal, and talked awhile with Dr Johnson in his room, andpassed the day, I cannot well say how, but very pleasantly. I was hereamused to find Mr Cumberland's comedy of the Fashionable Lover, inwhich he has very well drawn a Highland character, Colin M'Cleod, ofthe same name with the family under whose roof we now were. Dr Johnsonwas much pleased with the Laird of Macleod, who is indeed a mostpromising youth, and with a noble spirit struggles with difficulties, and endeavours to preserve his people. He has been left with anincumbrance of forty thousand pounds debt, and annuities to the amountof thirteen hundred pounds a year. Dr Johnson said, 'If he gets thebetter of all this, he'll be a hero; and I hope he will. I have notmet with a young man who had more desire to learn, or who has learntmore. I have seen nobody that I wish more to do a kindness to thanMacleod. ' Such was the honourable elogium, on this young chieftain, pronounced by an accurate observer, whose praise was never lightlybestowed. 

There is neither justice of peace, nor constable in Rasay. Sky has MrM'Cleod of Ulinish, who is the sheriff substitute, and no otherjustice of peace. The want of the execution of justice is much feltamong the islanders. Macleod very sensibly observed, that taking awaythe heritable jurisdictions had not been of such service in theislands, as was imagined. They had not authority enough in lieu ofthem. What could formerly have been settled at once, must now eithertake much time and trouble, or be neglected. Dr Johnson said, 'Acountry is in a bad state, which is governed only by laws; because athousand things occur for which laws cannot provide, and whereauthority ought to interpose. Now destroying the authority of thechiefs set the people loose. It did not pretend to bring any positivegood, but only to cure some evil; and I am not well enough acquaintedwith the country to know what degree of evil the heritablejurisdictions occasioned. ' I maintained hardly any; because the chiefsgenerally acted right, for their own sakes. 

Dr Johnson was now wishing to move. There was not enough ofintellectual entertainment for him, after he had satisfyed hiscuriosity, which he did, by asking questions, till he had exhaustedthe island; and where there was so numerous a company, mostly youngpeople, there was such a flow of familiar talk, so much noise, and somuch singing and dancing, that little opportunity was left for hisenergetick conversation. He seemed sensible of this; for when I toldhim how happy they were at having him there, he said, 'Yet we have notbeen able to entertain them much. ' I was fretted, from irritability ofnerves, by M'Cruslick's too obstreperous mirth. I complained of it tomy friend, observing we should be better if he was gone. 'No, sir, 'said he. 'He puts something into our society, and takes nothing out ofit. ' Dr Johnson, however, had several opportunities of instructing thecompany; but I am sorry to say, that I did not pay sufficientattention to what passed, as his discourse now turned chiefly onmechanicks, agriculture and such subjects, rather than on science andwit. Last night Lady Rasay shewed him the operation of wawking cloth, that is, thickening it in the same manner as is done by a mill. Hereit is performed by women, who kneel upon the ground, and rub it withboth their hands, singing an Erse song all the time. He was askingquestions while they were performing this operation, and, amidst theirloud and wild howl, his voice was heard even in the room above. 

They dance here every night. The queen of our ball was the eldest MissMacleod, of Rasay, an elegant well-bred woman, and celebrated for herbeauty over all those regions, by the name of Miss Flora Rasay. [Footnote: She had been some time at Edinburgh, to which she againwent, and was married to my worthy neighbour, Colonel Mure Campbell, now Earl of Loudoun; but she died soon afterwards, leaving onedaughter. ] There seemed to be no jealousy, no discontent among them;and the gaiety of the scene was such, that I for a moment doubtedwhether unhappiness had any place in Rasay. But my delusion was soondispelled, by recollecting the following lines of my fellow-traveller:

 Yet hope not life from grief or danger free, Nor think the doom of man revers'd for thee!

Sunday, 12th September

It was a beautiful day, and although we did not approve of travellingon Sunday, we resolved to set out, as we were in an island from whenceone must take occasion as it serves. Macleod and Talisker sailed in aboat of Rasay's for Sconser, to take the shortest way to Dunvegan. M'Cruslick went with them to Sconser, from whence he was to go toSlate, and so to the main land. We were resolved to pay a visit atKingsburgh, and see the celebrated Miss Flora Macdonald, who ismarried to the present Mr Macdonald of Kingsburgh; so took that road, though not so near. All the family, but Lady Rasay, walked down to theshore to see us depart. Rasay himself went with us in a large boat, with eight oars, built in his island; as did Mr Malcolm M'Cleod, MrDonald M'Queen, Dr Macleod, and some others. We had a most pleasantsail between Rasay and Sky; and passed by a cave, where Martin saysfowls were caught by lighting fire in the mouth of it. Malcolmremembers this. But it is not now practised, as few fowls come intoit. 

We spoke of death. Dr Johnson on this subject observed, that theboastings of some men, as to dying easily, were idle talk, proceedingfrom partial views. I mentioned Hawthornden's Cypress Grove, where itis said that the world is a mere show; and that it is unreasonable fora man to wish to continue in the show-room, after he has seen it. Lethim go cheerfully out, and give place to other spectators. JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir, if he is sure he is to be well, after he goes out of it. But if he is to grow blind after he goes out of the show-room, andnever to see any thing again; or if he does not know whither he is togo next, a man will not go cheerfully out of a show-room. No wise manwill be contented to die, if he thinks he is to go into a state ofpunishment. Nay, no wise man will be contented to die, if he thinks heis to fall into annihilation: for however unhappy any man's existencemay be, he yet would rather have it, than not exist at all. No; thereis no rational principle by which a man can die contented, but a trustin the mercy of God, through the merits of Jesus Christ. ' This shortsermon, delivered with an earnest tone, in a boat upon the sea, whichwas perfectly calm, on a day appropriated to religious worship, whileevery one listened with an air of satisfaction, had a most pleasingeffect upon my mind. 

Pursuing the same train of serious reflection, he added, that itseemed certain that happiness could not be found in this life, becauseso many had tried to find it, in such a variety of ways, and had notfound it. 

We reached the harbour of Portree, in Sky, which is a large and goodone. There was lying in it a vessel to carry off the emigrants, calledthe Nestor. It made a short settlement of the differences between achief and his clan:

 . .. Nestor componere lites Inter Peleiden festinat & inter Atriden. 

We approached her, and she hoisted her colours. Dr Johnson and MrM'Queen remained in the boat: Rasay and I, and the rest went on boardof her. She was a very pretty vessel, and, as we were told, thelargest in Clyde. Mr Harrison, the captain shewed her to us. The cabinwas commodious, and even elegant. There was a little library, finelybound. Portree has its name from King James the Fifth having landedthere in his tour through the Western Isles, Ree in Erse being King, as Re is in Italian; so it is Port-Royal. There was here a tolerableinn. On our landing, I had the pleasure of finding a letter from home;and there were also letters to Dr Johnson and me, from Lord Elibank, which had been sent after us from Edinburgh. His lordship's letter tome was as follows:

Dear Boswell, I flew to Edinburgh the moment I heard of Mr Johnson's arrival; but sodefective was my intelligence, that I came too late. It is but justiceto believe, that I could never forgive myself, nor deserve to beforgiven by others, if I was to foil in any mark of respect to thatvery great genius. --I hold him in the highest veneration: for thatvery reason I was resolved to take no share in the merit, perhapsguilt, of inticing him to honour this country with a visit. --I couldnot persuade myself there was any thing in Scotland worthy to have aSummer of Samuel Johnson bestowed on it; but since he has done us thatcompliment, for heaven's sake inform me of your motions. I will attendthem most religiously; and though I should regret to let Mr Johnson goa mile out of his way on my account, old as I am, I shall be glad togo five hundred miles to enjoy a day of his company. Have the charityto send a council-post [Footnote: A term in Scotland for a specialmessenger, such as was formerly sent with dispatches by the lords ofthe council. ] with intelligence; the post does not suit us in thecountry. At any rate write to me. I will attend you in the north, whenI shall know where to find you. 

I am, My dear Boswell, Your sincerely Obedient humble servant, ELIBANK. August 21st, 1773. 

The letter to Dr Johnson was in these words:

Dear Sir, I was to have kissed your hands at Edinburgh, the moment I heard ofyou; but you were gone. 

I hope my friend Boswell will inform me of your motions. It will becruel to deprive me an instant of the honour of attending you. As Ivalue you more than any King in Christendom, I will perform that dutywith infinitely greater alacrity than any courtier. I can contributebut little to your entertainment; but, my sincere esteem for you givesme some tide to the opportunity of expressing it. 

I dare say you are by this time sensible that things are pretty muchthe same, as when Buchanan complained of being born solo et seculoinerudito. Let me hear of you, and be persuaded that none of youradmirers is more sincerely devoted to you, than, Dear Sir, Your most obedient, And most humble servant, ELIBANK. 

Dr Johnson, on the following Tuesday, answered for both of us, thus:

My Lord, On the rugged shore of Skie, I had the honour of your lordship'sletter, and can with great truth declare, that no place is so gloomybut that it would be cheered by such a testimony of regard, from amind so well qualified to estimate characters, and to deal outapprobation in its due proportions. If I have more than my share, itis your lordship's fault; for I have always reverenced your judgmenttoo much, to exalt myself in your presence by any false pretensions. 

Mr Boswell and I are at present at the disposal of the winds, andtherefore cannot fix the time at which we shall have the honour ofseeing your lordship. But we should either of us think ourselvesinjured by the supposition that we would miss your lordship'sconversation, when we could enjoy it; for I have often declared that Inever met you without going away a wiser man. 

I am, my Lord, Your lordship's most obedient And most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON. 

At Portree, Mr Donald M'Queen went to church and officiated in Erse, and then came to dinner. Dr Johnson and I resolved that we shouldtreat the company, so I played the landlord, or master of the feast, having previously ordered Joseph to pay the bill. 

Sir James Macdonald intended to have built a village here, which wouldhave done great good. A village is like a heart to a country. Itproduces a perpetual circulation, and gives the people an opportunityto make profit of many little articles, which would otherwise be in agood measure lost. We had here a dinner, et praeterea nihil. DrJohnson did not talk. When we were about to depart, we found thatRasay had been before-hand with us, and that all was paid: I wouldfain have contested this matter with him, but seeing him resolved, Ideclined it. We parted with cordial embraces from him and worthyMalcolm. In the evening Dr Johnson and I remounted our horses, accompanied by Mr M'Queen and Dr Macleod. It rained very hard. We rodewhat they call six miles, upon Rasay's lands in Sky, to Dr Macleod'shouse. On the road Dr Johnson appeared to be somewhat out of spirits. When I talked of our meeting Lord Elibank, he said, 'I cannot be withhim much. I long to be again in civilized life; but can stay but for ashort while' (he meant at Edinburgh). He said, 'Let us go to Dunveganto-morrow. ' 'Yes, ' said I, 'if it is not a deluge. ' 'At any rate, ' hereplied. This shewed a kind of fretful impatience; nor was it to bewondered at, considering our disagreeable ride. I feared he would giveup Mull and Icolmkill, for he said something of his apprehensions ofbeing detained by bad weather in going to Mull and Iona. However Ihoped well. We had a dish of tea at Dr Macleod's, who had a prettygood house, where was his brother, a half-pay officer. His lady was apolite, agreeable woman. Dr Johnson said, he was glad to see that hewas so well married, for he had an esteem for physicians. The doctoraccompanied us to Kingsburgh, which is called a mile farther; but thecomputation of Sky has no connection whatever with real distance. 

I was highly pleased to see Dr Johnson safely arrived at Kingsburgh, and received by the hospitable Mr Macdonald, who, with a mostrespectful attention, supported him into the house. Kingsburgh wascompletely the figure of a gallant highlander, exhibiting 'thegraceful mien and manly looks', which our popular Scotch song hasjustly attributed to that character. He had his tartan plaid thrownabout him, a large blue bonnet with a knot of black ribband like acockade, a brown short coat of a kind of duffil, a tartan waistoatwith gold buttons and gold button-holes, a bluish philibeg, and tartanhose. He had jet black hair tied behind, and was a large stately man, with a steady sensible countenance. 

There was a comfortable parlour with a good fire, and a dram wentround. By and by supper was served, at which there appeared the ladyof the house, the celebrated Miss Flora Macdonald. She is a littlewoman, of a genteel appearance, and uncommonly mild and well bred. Tosee Dr Samuel Johnson, the great champion of the English Tories, salute Miss Flora Macdonald in the isle of Sky, was a striking sight;for though somewhat congenial in their notions, it was very improbablethey should meet here. 

Miss Flora Macdonald (for so I shall call her) told me, she heard uponthe main land, as she was returning home about a fortnight before, that Mr Boswell was coming to Sky, and one Mr Johnson, a young Englishbuck, with him. He was highly entertained with this fancy. Giving anaccount of the afternoon which we passed at Anock, he said, 'I, beinga BUCK, had miss in to make tea. ' He was rather quiescent tonight, andwent early to bed. I was in a cordial humour, and promoted a cheerfulglass. The punch was excellent. Honest Mr M'Queen observed that I wasin high glee, 'my governour being gone to bed'. Yet in reality myheart was grieved, when I recollected that Kingsburgh was embarrassedin his affairs, and intended to go to America. However, nothing butwhat was good was present, and I pleased myself in thinking that sospirited a man should be well every where. I slept in the same roomwith Dr Johnson. Each had a neat bed, with tartan curtains, in anupper chamber. 

Monday, 13th September

The room where we lay was a celebrated one. Dr Johnson's bed was thevery bed in which the grandson of the unfortunate King James theSecond [Footnote: I do not call him the Prince of Wales, or thePrince, because I am quite satisfied that the right which the House ofStuart had to the throne is extinguished. I do not call him thePretender, because it appears to me as an insult to one who is stillalive, and, I suppose, thinks very differently. It may be aparliamentary expression; but it is not a gentlemanly expression. IKNOW, and I exult in having it in my power to tell, that the ONLYPERSON in the world who is intitled to be offended at this delicacy, thinks and feels as I do; and has liberality of mind and generosity ofsentiment enough to approve of my tenderness for what even HAS BEENBlood Royal. That he is A PRINCE by COURTESY, cannot be denied;because his mother was the daughter of Sobiesky, king of Poland. Ishall, therefore, ON THAT ACCOUNT ALONE, distinguish him by the nameof PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD. ] lay, on one of the nights after the failureof his rash attempt in 1745-6, while he was eluding the pursuit of theemissaries of government, which had offered thirty thousand pounds asa reward for apprehending him. To see Dr Samuel Johnson lying in thatbed, in the isle of Sky, in the house of Miss Flora Macdonald, struckme with such a group of ideas as it is not easy for words to describe, as they passed through the mind. He smiled and said, 'I have had noambitious thoughts in it. ' [Footnote: This perhaps, was said inallusion to some lines ascribed to Pope, on his lying, at John Duke ofArgyle's, at Adderbury, in the same bed in which Wilmot, Earl ofRochester, had slept. 

 With no poetick ardour fir'd, I press the bed where Wilmot lay. That here he liv'd; or here expir'd. Begets no numbers, grave or gay. ]

The room was decorated with a great variety of maps and prints. Amongothers, was Hogarth's print of Wilkes grinning, with the cap ofliberty on a pole by him. That too was a curious circumstance in thescene this morning; such a contrast was Wilkes to the above group. Itreminded me of Sir William Chambers's Account of Oriental Gardening, in which we are told all odd, strange, ugly, and even terribleobjects, are introduced, for the sake of variety; a wild extravaganceof taste which is so well ridiculed in the celebrated Epistle to him. The following lines of that poem immediately occurred to me;

 Here too, O king of vengeance! in thy fane, Tremendous Wilkes shall rattle his gold chain. 

Upon the table in our room I found in the morning a slip of paper, onwhich Dr Johnson had written with his pencil these words:

 Quantum cedat virtutibus aurum. [Footnote: With virtue weigh'd, what worthless trash is gold!]

What he meant by writing them I could not tell. [Footnote: Since thefirst edition of this book, an ingenious friend has observed to me, that Dr Johnson had probably been thinking on the reward which wasoffered by government for the apprehension of the grandson of KingJames II and that he meant by these words to express his admiration ofthe Highlanders, whose fidelity and attachment had resisted the goldentemptation that had been held out to them. ] He had caught cold a dayor two ago, and the rain yesterday having made it worse, he was becomevery deaf. At breakfast he said, he would have given a good dealrather than not have lain in that bed. I owned he was the lucky man;and observed, that without doubt it had been contrived between MrsMacdonald and him. She seemed to acquiesce; adding, 'You know youngBUCKS are always favourites of the ladies. ' He spoke of Prince Charlesbeing here, and asked Mrs Macdonald, 'WHO was with him? We were told, madam, in England, there was one Miss Flora Macdonald with him. ' Shesaid, 'they were very right'; and perceiving Dr Johnson's curiosity, though he had delicacy enough not to question her, very obliginglyentertained him with a recital of the particulars which she herselfknew of that escape, which does so much honour to the humanity, fidelity, and generosity, of the Highlanders. Dr Johnson listened toher with placid attention, and said, 'All this should be writtendown. '

From what she told us, and from what I was told by others personallyconcerned, and from a paper of information which Rasay was so good asto send me, at my desire, I have compiled the following abstract, which, as it contains some curious anecdotes, will, I imagine not beuninteresting to my readers, and even, perhaps, be of some use tofuture historians. 

Prince Charles Edward, after the battle of Culloden, was conveyed towhat is called the Long Island, where he lay for some time concealed. But intelligence having been obtained where he was, and a number oftroops having come in quest of him, it became absolutely necessary forhim to quit that country without delay. Miss Flora Macdonald, then ayoung lady, animated by what she thought the sacred principle ofloyalty, offered, with the magnanimity of a heroine, to accompany himin an open boat to Sky, though the coast they were to quit was guardedby ships. He dressed himself in women's clothes, and passed as hersupposed maid, by the name of Betty Bourke, an Irish girl. They gotoff undiscovered, though several shots were fired to bring them to, and landed at Mugstot, the seat of Sir Alexander Macdonald. SirAlexander was then at Fort Augustus, with the Duke of Cumberland; buthis lady was at home. Prince Charles took his post upon a hill nearthe house. Flora Macdonald waited on Lady Margaret, and acquainted herof the enterprise in which she was engaged. Her ladyship, whose activebenevolence was ever seconded by superior talents, shewed a perfectpresence of mind, and readiness of invention, and at once settled thatPrince Charles should be conducted to old Rasay, who was himselfconcealed with some select friends. The plan was instantlycommunicated to Kingsburgh, who was dispatched to the hill to informthe Wanderer, and carry him refreshments. When Kingsburgh approached, he started up, and advanced, holding a large knotted stick, and inappearance ready to knock him down, till he said, 'I am Macdonald ofKingsburgh, come to serve your highness. ' The Wanderer answered, 'Itis well, ' and was satisfied with the plan. 

Flora Macdonald dined with Lady Margaret, at whose table there sat anofficer of the army, stationed here with a party of soldiers, to watchfor Prince Charles in case of his flying to the isle of Sky. Sheafterwards often laughed in good humour with this gentleman, on herhaving so well deceived him. 

After dinner, Flora Macdonald on horseback, and her supposed maid, andKingsburgh, with a servant carrying some linen, all on foot, proceededtowards that gentleman's house. Upon the road was a small rivuletwhich they were obliged to cross. The Wanderer, forgetting his assumedsex, that his clothes might not be wet, held them up a great deal toohigh. Kingsburgh mentioned this to him, observing, it might make adiscovery. He said he would be more careful for the future. He was asgood as his word; for the next brook they crossed, he did not hold uphis clothes at all, but let them float upon the water. He was veryawkward in his female dress. His size was so large, and his strides sogreat, that some women whom they met reported that they had seen avery big woman, who looked like a man in woman's clothes, and thatperhaps it was (as they expressed themselves) the PRINCE, after whomso much search was making. 

At Kingsburgh he met with a most cordial reception; seemed gay atsupper, and after it indulged himself in a cheerful glass with hisworthy host. As he had not had his clothes off for a long time, thecomfort of a good bed was highly relished by him, and he slept soundlytill next day at one o'clock. 

The mistress of Corrichatachin told me, that in the forenoon she wentinto her father's room, who was also in bed, and suggested to him herapprehensions that a party of the military might come up, and that hisguest had better not remain here too long. Her father said, 'Let thepoor man repose himself after his fatigues; and as for me, I care not, though they take off this old grey head ten or eleven years soonerthan I should die in the course of nature. ' He then wrapped himself inthe bed-clothes, and again fell fast asleep. 

On the afternoon of that day, the Wanderer, still in the same dress, set out for Portree, with Flora Macdonald and a man servant. His shoesbeing very bad, Kingsburgh provided him with a new pair, and taking upthe old ones, said, 'I will faithfully keep them till you are safelysettled at St James's. I will then introduce myself by shaking them atyou, to put you in mind of your night's entertainment and protectionunder my roof. ' He smiled, and said, 'Be as good as your word!'Kingsburgh kept the shoes as long as he lived. After his death, azealous Jacobite gentleman gave twenty guineas for them. Old MrsMacdonald, after her guest had left the house, took the sheets inwhich he had lain, folded them carefully, and charged her daughterthat they should be kept unwashed, and that, when she died, her bodyshould be wrapped in them as a winding sheet. Her will was religiouslyobserved. 

Upon the road to Portree, Prince Charles changed his dress, and put onman's clothes again; a tartan short coat and a waistcoat, withphilibeg and short hose, a plaid, and a wig and bonnet. 

Mr Donald M'Donald, called Donald Roy, had been sent express to thepresent Rasay, then the young laird, who was at that time at hissister's house, about three miles from Portree, attending his brother, Dr Macleod, who was recovering of a wound he had received at thebattle of Culloden. Mr M'Donald communicated to young Rasay the planof conveying the Wanderer to where old Rasay was; but was told thatold Rasay had fled to Knoidart, a part of Glengary's estate. There wasthen a dilemma what should be done. Donald Roy proposed that he shouldconduct the Wanderer to the main land; but young Rasay thought it toodangerous at that time, and said it would be better to conceal him inthe island of Rasay, till old Rasay could be informed where he was, and give his advice what was best. But the difficulty was, how to gethim to Rasay. They could not trust a Portree crew, and all the Rasayboats had been destroyed, or carried off by the military except twobelonging to Malcolm M'Leod, which he had concealed somewhere. 

Dr Macleod being informed of this difficulty, said he would risk hislife once more for Prince Charles; and it having occurred, that therewas a little boat upon a fresh water lake in the neighbourhood, youngRasay and Dr Macleod, with the help of some women, brought it to thesea, by extraordinary exertion, across a Highland mile of land, onehalf of which was bog, and the other a steep precipice. 

These gallant brothers, with the assistance of one little boy, rowedthe small boat to Rasay, where they were to endeavour to find CaptainM'Leod, as Malcolm was then called, and get one of his good boats, with which they might return to Portree, and receive the Wanderer; or, in case of not finding him, they were to make the small boat serve, though the danger was considerable. 

Fortunately, on their first landing, they found their cousin Malcolm, who, with the utmost alacrity, got ready one of his boats, with twostrong men. John M'Kenzie, and Donald M'Friar. Malcolm, being theoldest man, and most cautious, said, that as young Rasay had nothitherto appeared in the unfortunate business, he ought not to run anyrisk; but that Dr Macleod and himself, who were already publicklyengaged, should go on this expedition. Young Rasay answered, with anoath, that he would go, at the risk of his life and fortune. 'In God'sname then, ' said Malcolm, 'let us proceed. ' The two boatmen, however, now stopped short, till they should be informed of their destination;and M'Kenzie declared he would not move an oar till he knew where theywere going. Upon which they were both sworn to secrecy; and thebusiness being imparted to them, they were eager to put off to seawithout loss of time. The boat soon landed about half a mile from theinn at Portree. 

All this was negotiated before the Wanderer got forward to Portree. Malcolm M'Leod, and M'Friar, were dispatched to look for him. In ashort time he appeared, and went into the publick house. Here DonaldRoy, whom he had seen at Mugstot, received him, and informed him ofwhat had been concerted. He wanted silver for a guinea, but thelandlord had only thirteen shillings. He was going to accept of thisfor his guinea; but Donald Roy very judiciously observed, that itwould discover him to be some great man; so he desisted. He slippedout of the house, leaving his fair protectress, whom he never againsaw; and Malcolm Macleod was presented to him by Donald Roy, as acaptain in his army. Young Rasay and Dr Macleod had waited, inimpatient anxiety, in the boat. When he came, their names wereannounced to him. He would not permit the usual ceremonies of respect, but saluted them as his equals. 

Donald Roy staid in Sky, to be in readiness to get intelligence, andgive an alarm in case the troops should discover the retreat to Rasay;and Prince Charles was then conveyed in a boat to that island in thenight. He slept a little upon the passage, and they landed aboutday-break. There was some difficulty in accommodating him with alodging, as almost all the houses in the island had been burnt bysoldiery. They repaired to a little hut, which some shepherds hadlately built, and having prepared it as well as they could, and made abed of heath for the stranger, they kindled a fire, and partook ofsome provisions which had been sent with him from Kingsburgh. It wasobserved, that he would not taste wheat-bread, or brandy, whileoat-bread and whisky lasted; 'for these, ' said he, 'are my owncountry's bread and drink'. This was very engaging to the Highlanders. 

Young Rasay being the only person of the company that durst appearwith safety, he went in quest of something fresh for them to eat; butthough he was amidst his own cows, sheep, and goats, he could notventure to take any of them for fear of a discovery, but was obligedto supply himself by stealth. He therefore caught a kid, and broughtit to the hut in his plaid, and it was killed and drest, and furnishedthem a meal which they relished much. The distressed Wanderer, whosehealth was now a good deal impaired by hunger, fatigue, and watching, slept a long time, but seemed to be frequently disturbed. Malcolm toldme he would start from broken slumbers, and speak to himself indifferent languages, French, Italian, and English. I must howeveracknowledge, that it is highly probable that my worthy friend Malcolmdid not know precisely the difference between French and Italian. Oneof his expressions in English was, 'O God! Poor Scotland!'

While they were in the hut, M'Kenzie and M'Friar, the two boatmen, were placed as sentinels upon different eminences; and one day anincident happened, which must not be omitted. There was a manwandering about the island, selling tobacco. Nobody knew him, and hewas suspected to be a spy. M'Kenzie came running to the hut, and toldthat this suspected person was approaching. Upon which the threegentlemen, young Rasay, Dr Macleod, and Malcom, held a council of warupon him, and were unanimously of opinion that he should instantly beput to death. Prince Charles, at once assuming a grave and even severecountenance, said, 'God forbid that we should take away a man's life, who may be innocent, while we can preserve our own. ' The gentlemenhowever persisted in their resolution, while he as strenuouslycontinued to take the merciful side. John M'Kenzie, who sat watchingat the door of the hut, and overheard the debate, said in Erse, 'Well, well; he must be shot. You are the king, but we are the parliament, and will do what we choose. ' Prince Charles, seeing the gentlemensmile, asked what the man had said, and being told it in English, heobserved that he was a clever fellow, and, notwithstanding theperilous situation in which he was, laughed loud and heartily. Luckilythe unknown person did not perceive that there were people in the hut, at least did not come to it, but walked on past it, unknowing of hisrisk. It was afterwards found out that he was one of the Highlandarmy, who was himself in danger. Had he come to them, they wereresolved to dispatch him; for, as Malcolm said to me, 'We could notkeep him with us, and we durst not let him go. In such a situation, Iwould have shot my brother, if I had not been sure of him. ' JohnM'Kenzie was at Rasay's house, when we were there. [Footnote: This oldScottish Member of Parliament, I am Informed, is still living (1785). ]About eighteen years before, he hurt one of his legs when dancing, andbeing obliged to have it cut off, he now was going about with a woodenleg. The story of his being a Member of Parliament is not yetforgotten. I took him out a little way from the house, gave him ashilling to drink Rasay's health, and led him into a detail of theparticulars which I have just related. With less foundation, somewriters have traced the idea of a parliament, and of the Britishconstitution, in rude and early times. I was curious to know if he hadreally heard, or understood, any thing of that subject, which, had hebeen a greater man, would probably have been eagerly maintained. 'Why, John, ' said I, 'did you think the king should be controuled by aparliament?' He answered, 'I thought, sir, there were many voicesagainst one. '

The conversation then turning on the times, the Wanderer said, that tobe sure, the life he had led of late was a very hard one; but he wouldrather live in the way he now did, for ten years, than fall into thehands of his enemies. The gentlemen asked him, what he thought hisenemies would do with him, should he have the misfortune to fall intotheir hands. He said, he did not believe they would dare to take hislife publickly, but he dreaded being privately destroyed by poison orassassination. He was very particular in his inquiries about the woundwhich Dr Macleod had received at the battle of Culloden, from a ballwhich entered at one shoulder, and went cross to the other. The doctorhappened still to have on the coat which he wore on that occasion. Hementioned, that he himself had his horse shot under him at Culloden;that the ball hit the horse about two inches from his knee, and madehim so unruly that he was obliged to change him for another. He threwout some reflections on the conduct of the disastrous affair atCulloden, saying, however, that perhaps it was rash in him to do so. Iam now convinced that his suspicions were groundless; for I have had agood deal of conversation upon the subject with my very worthy andingenious friend, Mr Andrew Lumisden, who was under secretary toPrince Charles, and afterwards principal secretary to his father atRome, who, he assured me, was perfectly satisfied both of theabilities and honour of the generals who commanded the highland armyon that occasion. Mr Lumisden has written an account of the threebattles in 1745-6, at once accurate and classical. Talking of thedifferent Highland corps, the gentlemen who were present wished tohave his opinion which were the best soldiers. He said, he did notlike comparisons among those corps: they were all best. 

He told his conductors, he did not think it advisable to remain longin any one place; and that he expected a French ship to come for himto Lochbroom, among the Mackenzies. It then was proposed to carry himin one of Malcolm's boats to Lochbroom, though the distance wasfifteen leagues coastwise. But he thought this would be too dangerous, and desired that at any rate, they might first endeavour to obtainintelligence. Upon which young Rasay wrote to his friend, Mr M'Kenzieof Applecross, but received an answer, that there was no appearance ofany French ship. 

It was therefore resolved that they should return to Sky, which theydid, and landed in Strath, where they reposed in a cow-house belongingto Mr Niccolson of Scorbreck. The sea was very rough, and the boattook in a good deal of water. The Wanderer asked if there was danger, as he was not used to such a vessel. Upon being told there was not, hesung an Erse song with much vivacity. He had by this time acquired agood deal of the Erse language. 

Young Rasay was now dispatched to where Donald Roy was, that theymight get all the intelligence they could; and the Wanderer, with muchearnestness, charged Dr Macleod to have a boat ready, at a certainplace about seven miles off, as he said he intended it should carryhim upon a matter of great consequence; and gave the doctor a case, containing a silver spoon, knife, and fork, saying, 'keep you thattill I see you', which the doctor understood to be two days from thattime. But all these orders were only blinds; for he had another planin his head, but wisely thought it safest to trust his secrets to nomore persons than was absolutely necessary. Having then desiredMalcolm to walk with him a little way from the house, he soon openedhis mind, saying, 'I deliver myself to you. Conduct me to the Laird ofM'Kinnon's country. ' Malcolm objected that it was very dangerous, asso many parties of soldiers were in motion. He answered. 'There isnothing now to be done without danger. ' He then said, that Malcolmmust be the master, and he the servant; so he took the bag, in whichhis linen was put up, and carried it on his shoulder; and observingthat his waistcoat, which was of scarlet tartan, with a gold twistbutton, was finer than Malcolm's, which was of a plain ordinarytartan, he put on Malcolm's waistcoat, and gave him his; remarking atthe same time, that it did not look well that the servant should bebetter dressed than the master. 

Malcolm, though an excellent walker, found himself excelled by PrinceCharles, who told him, he should not much mind the parties that werelooking for him, were he once but a musquet shot from them; but thathe was somewhat afraid of the highlanders who were against him. He waswell used to walking in Italy, in pursuit of game; and he was even nowso keen a sportsman, that, having observed some partridges, he wasgoing to take a shot; but Malcolm cautioned him against it, observingthat the firing might be heard by the tenders who were hovering uponthe coast. 

As they proceeded through the mountains, taking many a circuit toavoid any houses, Malcolm, to try his resolution, asked him what theyshould do, should they fall in with a party of soldiers: he answered. 'Fight to be sure!' Having asked Malcolm if he should be known in hispresent dress, and Malcolm having replied he would, he said, 'ThenI'll blacken my face with powder. ' 'That, ' said Malcolm, 'woulddiscover you at once. '

'Then, ' said he, 'I must be put in the greatest dishabille possible. 'So he pulled off his wig, tied a handkerchief round his head, and puthis night-cap over it, tore the ruffles from his shirt, took thebuckles out of his shoes, and made Malcolm fasten them with strings;but still Malcolm thought he would be known. 'I have so odd a face, 'said he, 'that no man ever saw me but he would know me again. '

He seemed unwilling to give credit to the horrid narrative of menbeing massacred in cold blood, after victory had declared for the armycommanded by the Duke of Cumberland. He could not allow himself tothink that a general could be so barbarous. 

When they came within two miles of M'Kinnon's house, Malcolm asked ifhe chose to see the laird. 'No, ' said he, 'by no means. I knowM'Kinnon to be as good and as honest a man as any in the world, but heis not fit for my purpose at present. You must conduct me to someother house; but let it be a gentleman's house. ' Malcolm thendetermined that they should go to the house of his brother-in-law, MrJohn M'Kinnon, and from thence be conveyed to the main land ofScotland, and claim the assistance of Macdonald of Scothouse. TheWanderer at first objected to this, because Scothouse was cousin to aperson of whom he had suspicions. But he acquiesced in Malcolm'sopinion. 

When they were near Mr John M'Kinnon's house, they met a man of thename of Ross, who had been a private soldier in the Highland army. Hefixed his eyes steadily on the Wanderer in his disguise, and having atonce recognized him, he clapped his hands, and exclaimed, 'Alas! isthis the case?' Finding that there was now a discovery, Malcolm asked, 'What's to be done?' 'Swear him to secrecy, ' answered Prince Charles. Upon which Malcolm drew his dirk, and on the naked blade, made himtake a solemn oath, that he would say nothing of his having seen theWanderer, till his escape should be made publick. 

Malcolm's sister, whose house they reached pretty early in themorning, asked him who the person was that was along with him. He saidit was one Lewis Caw, from Crieff, who being a fugitive like himself, for the same reason, he had engaged him as his servant, but that hehad fallen sick. 'Poor man!' said she, 'I pity him. At the same timemy heart warms to a man of his appearance. ' Her husband was gone alittle way from home; but was expected every minute to return. She setdown to her brother a plentiful Highland breakfast. Prince Charlesacted the servant very well, sitting at a respectful distance, withhis bonnet off. Malcolm then said to him, 'Mr Caw, you have as muchneed of this as I have; there is enough for us both: you had betterdraw nearer and share with me. ' Upon which he rose, made a profoundbow, sat down at table with his supposed master, and eat veryheartily. After this there came in an old woman, who, after the modeof ancient hospitality, brought warm water, and washed Malcolm's feet. He desired her to wash the feet of the poor man who attended him. Sheat first seemed averse to this, from pride, as thinking him beneathher, and in the periphrastick language of the highlanders and theIrish, said warmly, 'Though I wash your father's son's feet, whyshould I wash his father's son's feet?' She was however persuaded todo it. 

They then went to bed, and slept for some time; and when Malcolmawaked, he was told that Mr John M'Kinnon, his brother-in-law, was insight. He sprang out to talk to him before he shoulld see PrinceCharles. After saluting him, Malcolm, pointing to the sea, said, 'What, John, if the prince should be prisoner on board one of thosetenders?' 'God forbid!' replied John. 'What if we had him here?' saidMalcolm. 'I wish we had, ' answered John; 'we should take care of him. ''Well, John, ' said Malcolm, 'he is in your house. ' John, in atransport of joy, wanted to run directly in, and pay his obeisance;but Malcolm stopped him, saying, 'Now is your time to behave well, anddo nothing that can discover him. ' John composed himself, and havingsent away all his servants upon different errands, he was introducedinto the presence of his guest, and was then desired to go and getready a boat lying near his house, which, though but a small leakyone, they resolved to take, rather than go to the Laird of M'Kinnon. John M'Kinnon, however, thought otherwise; and upon his return toldthem, that his chief and Lady M'Kinnon were coming in the laird'sboat. Prince Charles said to his trusty Malcolm. 'I am sorry for this, but must make the best of it. ' M'Kinnon then walked up from the shore, and did homage to the Wanderer. His lady waited in a cave, to whichthey all repaired, and were entertained with cold meat and wine. MrMalcolm M'Leod being now superseded by the Laird of M'Kinnon, desiredleave to return, which was granted him, and Prince Charles wrote ashort note, which he subscribed 'James Thompson', informing hisfriends that he had got away from Sky, and thanking them for theirkindness; and he desired this might be speedily conveyed to youngRasay and Dr Macleod, that they might not wait longer in expectationof seeing him again. He bade a cordial adieu to Malcolm, and insistedon his accepting of a silver stock-buckle, and ten guineas from hispurse, though, as Malcolm told me, it did not appear to contain aboveforty. Malcolm at first begged to be excused, saying, that he had afew guineas at his service; but Prince Charles answered, 'You willhave need of money. I shall get enough when I come upon the mainland. '

The Laird of M'Kinnon then conveyed him to the opposite coast ofKnoidart. Old Rasay, to whom intelligence had been sent, was crossingat the same time to Sky; but as they did not know of each other, andeach had apprehensions, the two boats kept aloof. 

These are the particulars which I have collected concerning theextraordinary concealment and escapes of Prince Charles, in theHebrides. He was often in imminent danger. The troops traced him fromthe Long Island, across Sky, to Portree, but there lost him. 

Here I stop, having received no farther authentic information of hisfatigues and perils before he escaped to France. Kings and subjectsmay both take a lesson of moderation from the melancholy fate of theHouse of Stuart; that kings may not suffer degradation and exile, andsubjects may not be harrassed by the evils of a disputed succession. 

Let me close the scene on that unfortunate House with the elegant andpathetick reflections of Voltaire, in his Histoire Generale. 'Que leshommes prives, ' says that brilliant writer, speaking of PrinceCharles, 'qui se croyent malheureux, jettent les yeux sur ce prince etses ancetres. '

In another place he thus sums up the sad story of the family ingeneral:

II n'y a aucun exemple dans l'histoire d'une maison si longtemsinfortunee. Le premier des Rois d'Ecosse, qui eut le nom de Jacques, apres avoir ete dix-huit ans prisonnier en Angleterre, mourutassassine, avec sa femme, par la main de ses sujets. Jacques II, sonfils, fut tue a vingt-neuf ans en combattant centre les Anglois. Jacques III, mis en prison par son peuple, fut tue ensuite par lesrevoltes, dans une battaille. Jacques IV perit dans un combat qu'ilperdit. Marie Stuart, sa petite fille, chassee, de son trone, fugitiveen Angleterre, ayant langui dix-huit ans en prison, se vit condamnee amort par des juges Anglais, et eut la tete tranchee. Charles I, petitfils de Marie, Roi d'Ecosse et d'Angleterre, vendu par les Ecossois, et juge a mort par les Anglais, mourut sur un echauffaut dans la placepublique. Jacques, son fils, septieme du nom, et deuxieme enAngleterre, fut chasse de ses trois royaumes; et pour comble demalheur on contesta a son fils sa naissance; le fils ne tenta deremonter sur le trone de ces peres, que pour faire perir ses amis pardes bourreaux; et nous avons vu le Prince Charles Edouard, reunuissanten vain les vertus de ses peres, et le courage du Roy Jean Sobieski, son ayeul maternel, executer les exploits et essuyer les malheurs lesplus incroyables. Si quelque chose justifie ceux qui croyent unefatalite a laquelle rien ne peut se soustraire, c'est cette suitecontinuelle de malheurs qui a persecute la maison de Stuart, pendantplus de trois-cent annees. 

The gallant Malcolm was apprehended in about ten days after theyseparated, put aboard a ship and carried prisoner to London. He said, the prisoners in general were very ill treated in their passage; butthere were soldiers on board who lived well, and sometimes invited himto share with them: that he had the good fortune not to be thrown intojail, but was confined in the house of a messenger, of the name ofDick. To his astonishment, only one witness could be found againsthim, though he had been so openly engaged; and therefore, for want ofsufficient evidence, he was set at liberty. He added, that he thoughthimself in such danger, that he would gladly have compounded forbanishment. Yet, he said, he should never be so ready for death as hethen was. There is philosophical truth in this. A man will meet deathmuch more firmly at one time than another. The enthusiasm even of amistaken principle warms the mind, and sets it above the fear ofdeath; which in our cooler moments, if we really think of it, cannotbut be terrible, or at least very awful. 

Miss Flora Macdonald being then also in London, under the protectionof Lady Primrose, that lady provided a post-chaise to convey her toScotland, and desired she might choose any friend she pleased toaccompany her. She chose Malcolm. 'So, ' said he, with a triumphantair, 'I went to London to be hanged, and returned in a post-chaisewith Miss Flora Macdonald. '

Mr Macleod of Muiravenside, whom we saw at Rasay, assured us thatPrince Charles was in London in 1759, and that there was then a planin agitation for restoring his family. Dr Johnson could scarcelycredit this story, and said, there could be no probable plan at thattime. Such an attempt could not have succeeded, unless the King ofPrussia had stopped the army in Germany; for both the army and thefleet would, even without orders, have fought for the King, to whomthey had engaged themselves. 

Having related so many particulars concerning the grandson of theunfortunate King James the Second; having given due praise to fidelityand generous attachment, which, however erroneous the judgement maybe, are honourable for the heart; I must do the highlanders thejustice to attest, that I found every where amongst them a highopinion of the virtues of the King now upon the throne, and an honestdisposition to be faithful subjects to his majesty, whose family hadpossessed the sovereignty of this country so long, that a change, evenfor the abdicated family, would now hurt the best feelings of all hissubjects. 

The abstract point of right would involve us in a discussion of remoteand perplexed questions; and after all, we should have no clearprinciple of decision. That establishment, which, from politicalnecessity, took place in 1688, by a breach in the succession of ourkings, and which, whatever benefits may have accrued from it, certainly gave a shock to our monarchy, the able and constitutionalBlackstone, wisely rests on the solid footing of authority: 'Ourancestors having most indisputably a competent jurisdiction to decidethis great and important question, and having, in fact decided it, itis now become our duty, at this distance of time, to acquiesce intheir determination. ' [Footnote: Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book I. Chap. 3. ]

Mr Paley, the present Archdeacon of Carlisle, in his Principles ofMoral and Political Philosophy, having, with much clearness ofargument, shewn the duty of submission to civil government to befounded neither on an indefeasible jus divinum, nor on COMPACT, but onEXPEDIANCY, lays down this rational position:

Irregularity in the first foundation of a state, or subsequentviolence, fraud, or injustice, in getting possession of the supremepower, are not sufficient reasons for resistance, after the governmentis once peaceably settled. No subject of the British Empire conceiveshimself engaged to vindicate the justice of the Norman claim orconquest, or apprehends that his duty in any manner depends upon thatcontroversy. So likewise, if the house of Lancaster, or even theposterity of Cromwell, had been at this day seated upon the throne ofEngland, we should have been as little concerned to enquire how thefounder of the family came there. [Footnote: Book VI. Chap. 3. Since Ihave quoted Mr Archdeacon Paley upon one subject, I cannot buttranscribe, from his excellent work, a distinguished passage insupport of the Christian Revelation. After shewing, in decent butstrong terms, the unfairness of the INDIRECT attempts of moderninfidels to unsettle and perplex religious principles, andparticularly the irony, banter, and sneer, of one whom he politelycalls 'an eloquent historian', the archdeacon thus expresses himself:

'Seriousness is not constraint of thought; nor levity, freedom. Everymind which wishes the advancement of truth and knowledge, in the mostimportant of all human researches, must abhor this licentiousness, asviolating no less the laws of reasoning than the rights of decency. There is but one description of men to whose principles it ought to betolerable. I mean that class of reasoners who can see LITTLE inChristianity even supposing it to be true. To such adversaries weaddress this reflection. Had Jesus Christ delivered no otherdeclaration than the following, "The hour is coming in the which allthat are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, --they that have done well unto the resurrection of life, and theythat have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation, " he hadpronounced a message of inestimable importance, and well worthy ofthat splendid apparatus of prophecy and miracles with which hismission was introduced and attested--a message in which the wisest ofmankind would rejoice to find an answer to their doubts, and rest totheir inquiries. It is idle to say that a future state had beendiscovered already. It had been discovered as the Copernican Systemwas; it was one guess amongst many. He alone discovers who PROVES; andno man can prove this point but the teacher who testifies by miraclesthat his doctrine comes from God' (Book V. Chap. 9). 

If infidelity be disingenuously dispersed in every shape that islikely to allure, surprise, or beguile the imagination--in a fable, atale, a novel, a poem, in books of travels, of philosophy, of naturalhistory, as Mr Paley has well observed--I hope it is fair in me thusto meet such poison with an unexpected antidote, which I cannot doubtwill be found powerful. ]

In conformity with this doctrine, I myself, though fully persuadedthat the House of Stuart had originally no right to the crown ofScotland; for that Baliol, and not Bruce, was the lawful heir; shouldyet have thought it very culpable to have rebelled, on that account, against Charles the First, or even a prince of that house much nearerthe time, in order to assert the claim of the posterity of Baliol. 

However convinced I am of the justice of that principle, which holdsallegiance and protection to be reciprocal, I do however acknowledge, that I am not satisfied with the cold sentiment which would confinethe exertions of the subject within the strict line of duty. I wouldhave every breast animated with the FERVOUR of loyalty; with thatgenerous attachment which delights in doing somewhat more than isrequired, and makes 'service perfect freedom'. And, therefore, as ourmost gracious Sovereign, on his accession to the throne, gloried inbeing born a Briton; so, in my more private sphere, Ego me nuncdenique natum gratulor. I am happy that a disputed succession nolonger distracts our minds; and that a monarchy, established by law, is now so sanctioned by time, that we can fully indulge those feelingsof loyalty which I am ambitious to excite. They are feelings whichhave ever actuated the inhabitants of the Highlands and the Hebrides. The plant of loyalty is there in full vigour, and the Brunswick graftnow flourishes like a native shoot. To that spirited race of people Imay with propriety apply the elegant lines of a modern poet, on the'facile temper of the beauteous sex':

 Like birds new-caught, who flutter for a time. And struggle with captivity in vain; But by-and-by they rest, they smooth their plumes. And to NEW MASTERS sing their former notes. [Footnote: Agis, a tragedy, by John Home. ]

Surely such notes are much better than the querulous growlings ofsuspicious Whigs and discontented Republicans. 

Kingsburgh conducted us in his boat, across one of the lochs, as theycall them, or arms of the sea, which flow in upon all the coasts ofSky, to a mile beyond a place called Grishinish. Our horses had beensent round by land to meet us. By this sail we saved eight miles ofbad riding. Dr Johnson said, 'When we take into the computation whatwe have saved, and what we have gained, by this agreeable sail, it isa great deal. ' He observed, 'it is very disagreeable riding in Sky. The way is so narrow, one only at a time can travel, so it is quiteunsocial; and you cannot indulge in meditation by yourself, becauseyou must be always attending to the steps which your horse takes. 'This was a just and clear description of its inconveniencies. 

The topick of emigration being again introduced, Dr Johnson said, that'a rapacious chief would make a wilderness of his estate'. Mr DonaldM'Queen told us, that the oppression, which then made so much noise, was owing to landlords listening to bad advice in the letting of theirlands; that interested and designed people flattered them with goldendreams of much higher rents than could reasonably be paid; and thatsome of the gentlemen tacksmen, or upper tenants, were themselves inpart the occasion of the mischief, by over-rating the farms of others. That many of the tacksmen, rather than comply with exorbitant demands, had gone off to America, and impoverished the country, by draining itof its wealth; and that their places were filled by a number of poorpeople, who had lived under them, properly speaking, as servants, paidby a certain proportion of the produce of the lands, though calledsub-tenants. I observed, that if the men of substance were oncebanished from a Highland estate, it might probably be greatly reducedin its value; for one bad year might ruin a set of poor tenants, andmen of any property would not settle in such a country, unless fromthe temptation of getting land extremely cheap; for an inhabitant ofany good county in Britain, had better go to America than to theHighlands or the Hebrides. Here, therefore was a consideration thatought to induce a chief to act a more liberal part, from a mere motiveof interest, independent of the lofty and honourable principle ofkeeping a clan together, to be in readiness to serve his king. Iadded, that I could not help thinking a little arbitrary power in thesovereign, to control the bad policy and greediness of the chiefs, might sometimes be of service. In France a chief would not bepermitted to force a number of the king's subjects out of the country. Dr Johnson concurred with me, observing, that 'were an oppressivechieftain a subject of the French king, he would probably beadmonished by a LETTER'. 

During our sail, Dr Johnson asked about the use of the dirk, withwhich he imagined the highlanders cut their meat. He was told, theyhad a knife and fork besides, to eat with. He asked, how did the womendo? and was answered, some of them had a knife and fork too; but ingeneral the men, when they had cut their meat, handed their knives andforks to the women, and they themselves eat with their fingers. Theold tutor of Macdonald always eat fish with his fingers, alledgingthat a knife and fork gave it a bad taste. I took the liberty toobserve to Dr Johnson, that he did so. 'Yes, ' said he; 'but it isbecause I am short-sighted, and afraid of bones, for which reason I amnot fond of eating many kinds of fish, because I must use my fingers. '

Dr M'Pherson's Dissertations on Scottish Antiquities, which he hadlooked at when at Corrichatachin, being mentioned, he remarked, that'you might read half an hour, and ask yourself what you had beenreading: there were so many words to so little matter, that there wasno getting through the book'. As soon as we reached the shore, we tookleave of Kingsburgh, and mounted our horses. We passed through a wildmoor, in many places so soft that we were obliged to walk, which wasvery fatiguing to Dr Johnson. Once he had advanced on horseback to avery bad step. There was a steep declivity on his left, to which hewas so near, that there was not room for him to dismount in the usualway. He tried to alight on the other side, as if he had been a 'youngbuck' indeed, but in the attempt he fell at his length upon theground; from which, however, he got up immediately without being hurt. During this dreary ride, we were sometimes relieved by a view ofbranches of the sea, that universal medium of connection amongstmankind. A guide, who had been sent with us from Kingsburgh, exploredthe way (much in the same manner as, I suppose, is pursued in thewilds of America) by observing certain marks known only to theinhabitants. We arrived at Dunvegan late in the afternoon. The greatsize of the castle, which is partly old and partly new, and is builtupon a rock close to the sea, while the land around it presentsnothing but wild, moorish, hilly, and craggy appearances, gave a rudemagnificence to the scene. Having dismounted, we ascended a flight ofsteps, which was made by the late Macleod, for the accomodation ofpersons coming to him by land, there formerly being, for security, noother access to the castle but from the sea; so that visitors who cameby the land were under the necessity of getting into a boat, andsailed round to the only place where it could be approached. We wereintroduced into a stately dining-room, and received by Lady Macleod, mother of the laird, who, with his friend Talisker, having beendetained on the road, did not arrive till some time after us. 

We found the lady of the house a very polite and sensible woman, whohad lived for some time in London, and had there been in Dr Johnson'scompany. After we had dined, we repaired to the drawing-room, wheresome of the young ladies of the family, with their mother, were attea. This room had formerly been the bed-chamber of Sir RoderickMacleod, one of the old lairds; and he chose it, because, behind it, there was a considerable cascade, the sound of which disposed him tosleep. Above his bed was this inscription: SIR RORIE M'LEOD OFDUNVEGAN, KNIGHT. GOD SEND GOOD REST! Rorie is the contraction ofRoderick. He was called Rorie More, that is, great Rorie, not from hissize, but from his spirit. Our entertainment here was in so elegant astyle, and reminded my fellow-traveller so much of England, that hebecame quite joyous. He laughed, and said, 'Boswell, we came in at thewrong end of this island. ' 'Sir, ' said I, 'it was best to keep thisfor the last. ' He answered, 'I would have it both first and last. '

Tuesday, 14th September

Dr Johnson said in the morning, 'Is not this a fine lady?' There wasnot a word now of his 'impatience to be in civilized life'; thoughindeed I should beg pardon--he found it here. We had slept well, andlain long. After breakfast we surveyed the castle, and the garden. MrBethune, the parish minister, Magnus M'Leod, of Claggan, brother toTalisker, and M'Leod, of Bay, two substantial gentlemen of the clan, dined with us. We had admirable venison, generous wine; in a word, allthat a good table has. This was really the hall of a chief. LadyM'Leod had been much obliged to my father, who had settled byarbitration, a variety of perplexed claims between her and herrelation, the Laird of Brodie, which she now repaid by particularattention to me. M'Leod started the subject of making women do penancein the church for fornication. JOHNSON. 'It is right, sir. Infamy isattached to the crime, by universal opinion, as soon as it is known. Iwould not be the man who would discover it, if I alone knew it, for awoman may reform; nor would I commend a parson who divulges a woman'sfirst offence; but being once divulged, it ought to be infamous. Consider, of what importance to society the chastity of women is. Uponthat all the property in the world depends. We hang a thief forstealing a sheep; but the unchastity of a woman transfers sheep, andfarm and all, from the right owner. I have much more reverence for acommon prostitute than for a woman who conceals her guilt. Theprostitute is known. She cannot deceive: she cannot bring a strumpetinto the arms of an honest man, without his knowledge. ' BOSWELL. 'There is, however, a great difference between the licentiousness of asingle woman, and that of a married woman. ' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; thereis a great difference between stealing a shilling, and stealing athousand pounds; between simply taking a man's purse, and murderinghim first, and then taking it. But when one begins to be vicious, itis easy to go on. Where single women are licentious, you rarely findfaithful married women. ' BOSWELL. 'And yet we are told that in somenations in India, the distinction is strictly observed. ' JOHNSON. 'Nay, don't give us India. That puts me in mind of Montesquieu, who isreally a fellow of genius too in many respects; whenever he wants tosupport a strange opinion, he quotes you the practice of Japan or ofsome other distant country, of which he knows nothing. To supportpolygamy, he tells you of the island of Formosa, where there are tenwomen born for one man. He had but to suppose another island, wherethere are ten men born for one woman, and so make a marriage betweenthem. ' [Footnote: What my friend treated as so wild a supposition, hasactually happened in the western islands of Scotland, if we maybelieve Martin, who tells it of the islands of Col and Tyr-yi, andsays that it is proved by the parish registers. ]

At supper, Lady Macleod mentioned Dr Cadogan's book on the gout. JOHNSON. 'It is a good book in general, but a foolish one inparticulars. It is good in general, as recommending temperance andexercise, and cheerfulness. In that respect it is only Dr Cheyne'sbook told in a new way; and there should come out such a book everythirty years, dressed in the mode of the times. It is foolish, inmaintaining that the gout is not hereditary, and that one fit of it, when gone, is like a fever when gone. ' Lady Macleod objected that theauthor does not practice what he teaches. [Footnote: This was ageneral reflection against Dr Cadogan, when his very popular book wasfirst published. It was said, that whatever precepts he might give toothers, he himself indulged freely in the bottle. But I have since hadthe pleasure of becoming acquainted with him, and, if his owntestimony may be believed (and I have never heard it impeached), hiscourse of life, has been conformable to his doctrine. ] JOHNSON. 'Icannot help that, madam. That does not make his book the worse. Peopleare influenced more by what a man says, if his practice is suitable toit, because they are blockheads. The more intellectual people are, thereadier will they attend to what a man tells them. If it is just, theywill follow it, be his practice what it will. No man practises so wellas he writes. I have, all my life long, been lying till noon; yet Itell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobodywho does not rise early will ever do any good. Only consider! You reada book; you are convinced by it; you do not know the authour. Supposeyou afterwards know him, and find that he does not practice what heteaches; are you to give up your former conviction At this rate youwould be kept in a state of equilibrium, when reading every book, tillyou knew how the authour practised. ' 'But, ' said Lady M'Leod, 'youwould think better of Dr Cadogan, if he acted according to hisprinciples. ' JOHNSON. 'Why, madam, to be sure, a man who acts in theface of light, is worse than a man who does not know so much; yet Ithink no man should be the worse thought of for publishing goodprinciples. There is something noble in publishing truth, though itcondemns one's self. ' I expressed some surprize at Cadogan'srecommending good humour, as if it were quite in our power to attainit. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, a man grows better humoured as he grows older. He improves by experience. When young, he thinks himself of greatconsequence, and every thing of importance. As he advances in life, helearns to think himself of no consequence, and little things of littleimportance; and so he becomes more patient, and better pleased. Allgood humour and complaisance are acquired. Naturally a child seizesdirectly what it sees, and thinks of pleasing itself only. By degrees, it is taught to please others, and to prefer others; and that thiswill ultimately produce the greatest happiness. If a man is notconvinced of that, he never will practice it. Common language speaksthe truth as to this: we say, a person is well BRED. 

As it is said, that all material motion is primarily in a right line, and is never per circuitum, never in another form, unless by someparticular cause; so it may be said intellectual motion is. ' LadyM'Leod asked, if no man was naturally good. JOHNSON. 'No, madam, nomore than a wolf. ' BOSWELL. 'Nor no woman, sir?' JOHNSON. 'No, sir. 'Lady M'Leod started at this, saying, in a low voice, 'This is worsethan Swift. '

M'Leod of Ulinish had come in the afternoon. We were a jovial companyat supper. The laird, surrounded by so many of his clan, was to me apleasing sight. They listened with wonder and pleasure, while DrJohnson harangued. I am vexed that I cannot take down his full trainof eloquence. 

Wednesday, 15th September

The gentlemen of the clan went away early in the morning to theharbour of Lochbradale, to take leave of some of their friends whowere going to America. It was a very wet day. We looked at RorieMore's horn, which is a large cow's horn, with the mouth of itornamented with silver curiously carved. It holds rather more than abottle and a half. Every laird of M'Leod, it is said, must, as a proofof his manhood, drink it off full of claret, without laying it down. From Rorie More many of the branches of the family are descended; inparticular, the Talisker branch; so that his name is much talked of. We also saw his bow, which hardly any man now can bend, and hisglaymore, which was wielded with both hands, and is of a prodigioussize. We saw here some old pieces of iron armour, immensely heavy. Thebroadsword now used, though called the glaymore (i. E. The greatsword), is much smaller than that used in Rorie More's time. There ishardly a target now to be found in the Highlands. After the disarmingact, they made them serve as covers to their butter-milk barrels; akind of change, like beating spears into pruning-hooks. Sir GeorgeMackenzie's Works (the folio edition) happened to lie in a window inthe dining room. I asked Dr Johnson to look at the CharacteresAdvocatorum. He allowed him power of mind, and that he understood verywell what he tells; but said, that there was too much declamation, andthat the Latin was not correct. He found fault with approprinquabant, in the character of Gilmour. I tried him with the opposition betweengloria and palma, in the comparison between Gilmour and Nisbet, whichLord Hailes, in his Catalogue of the Lords of Session, thinksdifficult to be understood. The words are, penes ittum gloria, peneshunc palma. In a short Account of the Kirk of Scotland, which Ipublished some years ago, I applied these words to the two contendingparties, and explained them thus: 'The popular party has mosteloquence; Dr Robertson's party most influence. ' I was very desirousto hear Dr Johnson's explication. JOHNSON. 'I see no difficulty. Gilmour was admired for his parts; Nisbet carried his cause by theskill in law. Palma is victory. ' I observed, that the character ofNicholson, in this book resembled that of Burke: for it is said, inone place, in omnes lusos & jocos se saepe resolvebat; [Footnote: Heoften indulged himself in every species of pleasantry and wit. ] and, in another, sed accipitris more e conspectu aliquando astantiumsublimi se protrahens volatu, in praedam miro impetu descendebat. [Footnote: But like the hawk, having soared with a lofty flight to aheight which the eye could not reach, he was want to swoop upon hisquarry with wonderful rapidity. ] JOHNSON. 'No, sir; I never heardBurke make a good joke in my life. ' BOSWELL. 'But, sir, you will allowhe is a hawk. ' Dr Johnson, thinking that I meant this of his joking, said, 'No, sir, he is not the hawk there. He is the beetle in themire. ' I still adhered to my metaphor. 'But he SOARS as the hawk. 'JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; but he catches nothing. ' M'Leod asked, what is theparticular excellence of Burke's eloquence? JOHNSON. 'Copiousness andfertility of allusion; a power of diversifying his matter, by placingit in various relations. Burke has great information, and greatcommand of language; though, in my opinion, it has not in everyrespect the highest elegance. ' BOSWELL. 'Do you think, sir, that Burkehas read Cicero much?' JOHNSON. 'I don't believe it, sir. Burke hasgreat knowledge, great fluency of words, and great promptness ofideas, so that he can speak with great illustration on any subjectthat comes before him. He is neither like Cicero, nor likeDemosthenes, nor like any one else, but speaks as well as he can. '

In the 65th page of the first volume of Sir George Mackenzie, DrJohnson pointed out a paragraph beginning with 'Aristotle', and toldme there was an error in the text, which he bade me try to discover. Iwas lucky enough to hit it at once. As the passage is printed, it issaid that the devil answers EVEN in ENGINES. I corrected it to--EVERin AENIGMAS. 'Sir, ' said he, 'you are a good critick. This would havebeen a great thing to do in the text of an ancient authour. '

Thursday, 16th September

Last night much care was taken of Dr Johnson, who was still distressedby his cold. He had hitherto most strangely slept without a night-cap. Miss M'Leod made him a large flannel one, and he was prevailed with todrink a little brandy when he was going to bed. He has great virtue, in not drinking wine or any fermented liquor, because, as heacknowledged to us, he could not do it in moderation. Lady M'Leodwould hardly believe him, and said, 'I am sure, sir, you would notcarry it too far. ' JOHNSON. 'Nay, madam, it carried me. I took theopportunity of a long illness to leave it off. It was then prescribedto me not to drink wine; and having broken off the habit, I have neverreturned to it. '

In the argument on Tuesday night, about natural goodness, Dr Johnsondenied that any child was better than another, but by difference ofinstruction; though, in consequence of greater attention being paid toinstruction by one child than another, and of a variety ofimperceptible causes, such as instruction being counteracted byservants, a notion was conceived, that of two children, equally welleducated, one was naturally much worse than another. He owned, thismorning, that one might have a greater aptitude to learn than another, and that we inherit dispositions from our parents. 'I inherited, ' saidhe, 'a vile melancholy from my father, which has made me mad all mylife, at least not sober. ' Lady M'Leod wondered he should tell this. 'Madam, ' said I, 'he knows that with that madness he is superior toother men. '

I have often been astonished with what exactness and perspicuity hewill explain the process of any art. He this morning explained to usall the operation of coining, and, at night, all the operation ofbrewing, so very clearly, that Mr M'Queen said, when he heard thefirst, he thought he had been bred in the Mint; when he heard thesecond, that he had been bred a brewer. 

I was elated by the thought of having been able to entice such a manto this remote part of the world. A ludicrous, yet just imagepresented itself to my mind, which I expressed to the company. Icompared myself to a dog who has got hold of a large piece of meat, and runs away with it to a corner, where he may devour it in peace, without any fear of others taking it from him. 'In London, Reynolds, Beauclerk, and all of them, are contending who shall enjoy DrJohnson's conversation. We are feasting upon it, undisturbed, atDunvegan. '

It was still a storm of wind and rain. Dr Johnson however walked outwith M'Leod, and saw Rorie More's cascade in full perfection. ColonelM'Leod, instead of being all life and gaiety, as I have seen him, wasat present grave, and somewhat depressed by his anxious concern aboutM'Leod's affairs, and by finding some gentlemen of the clan by nomeans disposed to act a generous or affectionate part to their chiefin his distress, but bargaining with him as with a stranger. However, he was agreeable and polite, and Dr Johnson said, he was a verypleasing man. My fellow-traveller and I talked of going to Sweden;and, while we were settling our plan, I expressed a pleasure in theprospect of seeing the king. JOHNSON. 'I doubt, sir, if he would speakto us. ' Colonel M'Leod said, 'I am sure Mr Boswell would speak toHIM. ' But, seeing me a little disconcerted by his remark, he politelyadded, 'and with great propriety'. Here let me offer a short defenceof that propensity in my disposition, to which this gentleman alluded. It has procured me much happiness. I hope it does not deserve so harda name as either forwardness or impudence. If I know myself, it isnothing more than an eagerness to share the society of mendistinguished either by their rank or their talents, and a diligenceto attain what I desire. If a man is praised for seeking knowledge, though mountains and seas are in his way, may he not be pardoned, whose ardour, in the pursuit of the same object, leads him toencounter difficulties as great, though of a different kind?

After the ladies were gone from table, we talked of the highlandersnot having sheets; and this led us to consider the advantage ofwearing linen. JOHNSON. 'All animal substances are less cleanly thanvegetables. Wool, of which flannel is made, is an animal substance;flannel therefore is not so cleanly as linen. I remember I used tothink tar dirty; but when I knew it to be only a preparation of thejuice of the pine, I thought so no longer. It is not disagreeable tohave the gum that oozes from a plumb-tree upon your fingers, becauseit is vegetable, but if you have any candle-grease, any tallow uponyour fingers, you are uneasy till you rub it off. I have oftenthought, that, if I kept a seraglio, the ladies should all wear linengowns, or cotton--I mean stuffs made of vegetable substances. I wouldhave no silk; you cannot tell when it is clean: it will be very nastybefore it is perceived to be so. Linen detects its own dirtiness. '

To hear the grave Dr Samuel Johnson, 'that majestick teacher of moraland religious wisdom', while sitting solemn in an arm-chair in theIsle of Sky, talk, ex cathedra, of his keeping a seraglio, andacknowledge that the supposition had OFTEN been in his thoughts, struck me so forcibly with ludicrous contrast, that I could not butlaugh immoderately. He was too proud to submit, even for a moment, tobe the object of ridicule, and instantly retaliated with such keensarcastick wit, and such a variety of degrading images, of every oneof which I was the object, that, though I can bear such attacks aswell as most men, I yet found myself so much the sport of all thecompany, that I would gladly expunge from my mind every trace of thissevere retort. 

Talking of our friend Langton's house in Lincolnshire, he said, 'theold house of the family was burnt. A temporary building was erected inits room; and to this day they have been always adding as the familyincreased. It is like a shirt made for a man when he was a child, andenlarged always as he grows older. '

We talked to-night of Luther's allowing the Landgrave of Hesse twowives, and that it was with the consent of the wife to whom he wasfirst married. JOHNSON. 'There was no harm in this, so far as she wasonly concerned, because volenti non fit injuria. But it was an offenceagainst the general order of society, and against the law of theGospel, by which one man and one woman are to be united. No man canhave two wives, but by preventing somebody else from having one. '

Friday, 17th September

After dinner yesterday, we had a conversation upon cunning. M'Leodsaid that he was not afraid of cunning people; but would let them playtheir tricks about him like monkeys. 'But, ' said I, 'they scratch';and Mr M'Queen added, 'they'll invent new tricks, as soon as you findout what they do. ' JOHNSON. 'Cunning has effect from the credulity ofothers, rather than from the abilities of those who are cunning. Itrequires no extraordinary talents to lie and deceive. ' This led us toconsider whether it did not require great abilities to be very wicked. JOHNSON. 'It requires great abilities to have the POWER of being verywicked; but not to BE very wicked. A man who has the power, whichgreat abilities procure him, may use it well or ill; and it requiresmore abilities to use it well, than to use it ill. Wickedness isalways easier than virtue; for it takes the short cut to every thing. It is much easier to steal a hundred pounds, than to get it by labour, or any other way. Consider only what act of wickedness requires greatabilities to commit it, when once the person who is to do it has thepower; for THERE is the distinction. It requires great abilities toconquer an army, but none to massacre it after it is conquered. '

The weather this day was rather better than any that we had since wecame to Dunvegan. Mr M'Queen had often mentioned a curious piece ofantiquity near this which he called a temple of the goddess Anaitis. Having often talked of going to see it, he and I set out afterbreakfast, attended by his servant, a fellow quite like a savage. Imust observe here, that in Sky there seems to be much idleness; formen and boys follow you, as colts follow passengers upon a road. Theusual figure of a Sky boy, is a lown with bare legs and feet, a dirtykilt, ragged coat and waistcoat, a bare head, and a stick in his hand, which, I suppose, is partly to help the lazy rogue to walk, partly toserve as a kind of a defensive weapon. We walked what is called twomiles, but is probably four, from the castle, till we came to thesacred place. The country around is a black dreary moor on all sides, except to the sea-coast, towards which there is a view through avalley, and the farm of Bay shews some good land. The place itself isgreen ground, being well drained, by means of a deep glen on eachside, in both of which there runs a rivulet with a good quantity ofwater, forming several cascades, which make a considerable appearanceand sound. The first thing we came to was an earthen mound, or dyke, extending from the one precipice to the other. A little farther on, was a strong stone-wall, not high, but very thick, extending in thesame manner. On the outside of it were the ruins of two houses, one oneach side of the entry or gate to it. The wall is built all along ofuncemented stones, but of so large a size as to make a very firm anddurable rampart. It has been built all about the consecrated ground, except where the precipice is deep enough to form an enclosure ofitself. The sacred spot contains more than two acres. There are withinit the ruins of many houses, none of them large, a cairn, and manygraves marked by clusters of stones. Mr M'Queen insisted that the ruinof a small building, standing east and west, was actually the templeof the goddess Anaitis, where her statue was kept, and from whenceprocessions were made to wash it in one of the brooks. There is, itmust be owned, a hollow road visible for a good way from the entrance;but Mr M'Queen, with the keen eye of an antiquary, traced it muchfarther than I could perceive it. There is not above a foot and a halfin height of the walls now remaining; and the whole extent of thebuilding was never, I imagine, greater than an ordinary Highlandhouse. Mr M'Queen has collected a great deal of learning on thesubject of the temple of Anaitis; and I had endeavoured, in myjournal, to state such particulars as might give some idea of it, andof the surrounding scenery; but from the great difficulty ofdescribing visible objects, I found my account so unsatisfactory, thatmy readers would probably have exclaimed

And write about it, Goddess, and about it; and therefore I haveomitted it. When we got home, and were again at table with Dr Johnson, we first talked of portraits. He agreed in thinking them valuable infamilies. I wished to know which he preferred, fine portraits, orthose of which the merit was resemblance. JOHNSON. 'Sir, their chiefexcellence is being like. ' BOSWELL. 'Are you of that opinion as to theportraits of ancestors, whom one has never seen?' JOHNSON. 'It thenbecomes of more consequence that they should be like; and I would havethem in the dress of the times, which makes a piece of history. Oneshould like to see how Rorie More looked. Truth, sir, is of thegreatest value in these things. ' Mr M'Queen observed, that if youthink it of no consequence whether portraits are like, if they are butwell painted, you may be indifferent whether a piece of history istrue or not, if well told. 

Dr Johnson said at breakfast to day, 'that it was but of late thathistorians bestowed pains and attention in consulting records, toattain to accuracy. Bacon, in writing his History of Henry VII, doesnot seem to have consulted any, but to have just taken what he foundin other histories, and blended it with what he learnt by tradition. 'He agreed with me that there should be a chronicle kept in everyconsiderable family, to preserve the characters and transactions ofsuccessive generations. 

After dinner I started the subject of the temple of Anaitis. MrM'Queen had laid stress on the name given to the place by the countrypeople, Ainnit; and added, 'I knew not what to make of this piece ofantiquity, till I met with the Anaitidis delubrum in Lydia, mentionedby Pausanias and the elder Pliny. ' Dr Johnson, with his usualacuteness, examined Mr M'Queen as to the meaning of the word Ainnit, in Erse; and it proved to be a WATER-PLACE, or a place near water, 'which, ' said Mr M'Queen, 'agrees with all the descriptions of thetemples of that goddess, which were situated near rivers, that theremight be water to wash the statue'. JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir, the argumentfrom the name is gone. The name is exhausted by what we see. We haveno occasion to go to a distance for what we can pick up under ourfeet. Had it been an accidental name, the similarity between it andAnaitis might have had something in it; but it turns out to be a merephysiological name. ' Macleod said, Mr M'Queen's knowledge of etymologyhad destroyed his conjecture. JOHNSON. 'You have one possibility foryou, and all possibilities against you. It is possible it may be thetemple of Anaitis. But it is also possible that it may be afortification; or it may be a place of Christian worship, as the firstChristians often chose remote and wild places, to make an impressionon the mind; or, if it was a heathen temple, it may have been builtnear a river, for the purpose of lustration; and there is such amultitude of divinities, to whom it may have been dedicated, that thechance of its being a temple of Anaitis is hardly any thing. It islike throwing a grain of sand upon the sea-shore today, and thinkingyou may find it tomorrow. No, sir, this temple, like many an ill-builtedifice, tumbles down before it is roofed in. ' In his triumph over thereverend antiquarian, he indulged himself in a conceit; for, somevestige of the ALTAR of the goddess being much insisted on in supportof the hypothesis, he said, 'Mr M'Queen is fighting pro aris etfocis. '

It was wonderful how well time passed in a remote castle, and indreary weather. After supper, we talked of Pennant. It was objectedthat he was superficial. Dr Johnson defended him warmly. He said, 'Pennant has greater variety of inquiry than almost any man, and hastold us more than perhaps one in ten thousand could have done, in thetime that he took. He has not said what he was to tell; so you cannotfind fault with him, for what he has not told. If a man comes to lookfor fishes, you cannot blame him if he does not attend to fowls. ''But, ' said Colonel M'Leod, 'he mentions the unreasonable rise ofrents in the Highlands, and says, "the gentlemen are for emptying thebag, without filling it"; for that is the phrase he uses. Why does henot tell how to fill it?' JOHNSON. 'Sir, there is no end of negativecriticism. He tells what he observes, and as much as he chooses. If hetells what is not true, you may find fault with him; but, though hetells that the land is not well cultivated, he is not obliged to tellhow it may be well cultivated. If I tell that many of the highlandersgo bare-footed, I am not obliged to tell how they may get shoes. Pennant tells a fact. He need go no farther, except he pleases. Heexhausts nothing; and no subject whatever has yet been exhausted. ButPennant has surely told a great deal. Here is a man six feet high, andyou are angry because he is not seven. ' Notwithstanding this eloquentOratio pro Pennantio, which they who have read this gentleman's TOURS, and recollect the Savage and the Shopkeeper at Monboddo will probablyimpute to the spirit of contradiction. I still think that he hadbetter have given more attention to fewer things, than have throwntogether such a number of imperfect accounts. 

Saturday, 18th September

Before breakfast, Dr Johnson came up to my room, to forbid me tomention that this was his birthday; but I told him I had done italready; at which he was displeased; I suppose from wishing to havenothing particular done on his account. Lady M'Leod and I got into awarm dispute. She wanted to build a house upon a farm which she hastaken, about five miles from the castle, and to make gardens and otherornaments there; all of which I approved of; but insisted that theseat of the family should always be upon the rock of Dunvegan. JOHNSON. 'Ay, in time we'll build all round this rock. You may make avery good house at the farm; but it must not be such as to tempt theLaird of M'Leod to go thither to reside. Most of the great families ofEngland have a secondary residence, which is called a jointure-house:let the new house be of that kind. ' The lady insisted that the rockwas very inconvenient; that there was no place near it where a goodgarden could be made; that it must always be the rude place; that itwas a Herculean labour to make a dinner here. I was vexed to find thealloy of modern refinement in a lady who had so much old familyspirit. 'Madam, ' said I, 'if once you quit this rock, there is noknowing where you may settle. You move five miles first, then to StAndrews, as the late laird did; then to Edinburgh; and so on till youend at Hampstead, or in France. No, no; keep to the rock: it is thevery jewel of the estate. It looks as if it had been let down fromheaven by the four corners, to be the residence of a chief. Have allthe comforts and conveniencies of life upon it, but never leave RorieMore's cascade. ' 'But, ' said she, 'is it not enough if we keep it?Must we never have more convenience than Rorie More had? He had hisbeef brought to dinner in one basket, and his bread in another. Whynot as well be Rorie More all over, as live upon his rock? And shouldnot we tire, in looking perpetually on this rock? It is very well foryou, who have a fine place, and every thing easy, to talk thus, andthink of chaining honest folks to a rock. You would not live upon ityourself. ' 'Yes, madam, ' said I, 'I would live upon it, were I Lairdof M'Leod, and should be unhappy if I were not upon it. ' JOHNSON (witha strong voice, and most determined manner). 'Madam, rather than quitthe old rock, Boswell would live in the pit; he would make his bed inthe dungeon. ' I felt a degree of elation, at finding my resolutefeudal enthusiasm thus confirmed by such a sanction. The lady waspuzzled a little. She still returned to her pretty farm--rich ground, fine garden. 'Madam, ' said Dr Johnson, 'were they in Asia, I would notleave the rock. ' My opinion on this subject is still the same. Anancient family residence ought to be a primary object; and though thesituation of Dunvegan be such that little can be done here ingardening, or pleasure-ground, yet, in addition to the venerationacquired by the lapse of time, it has many circumstances of naturalgrandeur, suited to the seat of a Highland chief: it has the sea, islands, rocks, hills, a noble cascade; and when the family is againin opulence, something may be done by art. 

Mr Donald M'Queen went away today, in order to preach at Bracadalenext day. We were so comfortably situated at Dunvegan, that Dr Johnsoncould hardly be moved from it. I proposed to him that we should leaveit on Monday. 'No, sir, ' said he, 'I will not go before Wednesday. Iwill have some more of this good. ' However, as the weather was at thisseason so bad, and so very uncertain, and we had a great deal to doyet, Mr M'Queen and I prevailed with him to agree to set out onMonday, if the day should be good. Mr M'Queen though it wasinconvenient for him to be absent from his harvest, engaged to wait onMonday at Ulinish for us. When he was going away, Dr Johnson said, 'Ishall ever retain a great regard for you'; then asked him if he hadthe Rambler. Mr M'Queen said, 'No; but my brother has it' JOHNSON. 'Have you the Idler?' M'QUEEN. 'No, sir. ' JOHNSON. 'Then I will orderone for you at Edinburgh, which you will keep in remembrance of me. 'Mr M'Queen was much pleased with this. He expressed to me, in thestrongest terms, his admiration of Dr Johnson's wonderful knowledge, and every other quality for which he is distinguished. I asked MrM'Queen, if he was satisfied with being a minister in Sky. He said hewas; but he owned that his forefathers having been so long there, andhis having been born there, made a chief ingredient in forming hiscontentment. I should have mentioned, that on our left hand, betweenPortree and Dr Macleod's house, Mr M'Queen told me there had been acollege of the Knights Templars; that tradition said so; and thatthere was a ruin remaining of their church, which had been burnt: butI confess Dr Johnson has weakened my belief in remote tradition. Inthe dispute about Anaitis, Mr M'Queen said, Asia Minor was peopled byScythians, and, as they were the ancestors of the Celts, the samereligion might be in Asia Minor and Sky. JOHNSON. 'Alas! sir, what cana nation that has not letters tell of its original? I have alwaysdifficulty to be patient when I hear authors gravely quoted, as givingaccounts of savage nations, which accounts they had from the savagesthemselves. What can the M'Craas tell about themselves a thousandyears ago? There is no tracing the connection of ancient nations, butby language; and therefore I am always sorry when any language islost, because languages are the pedigree of nations. If you find thesame language in distant countries, you may be sure that theinhabitants of each have been the same people; that is to say, if youfind the languages a good deal the same; for a word here and therebeing the same, will not do. Thus Butler, in his Hudibras, rememberingthat Penguin, in the Straits of Magellan, signifies a bird with awhite head, and that the same word has, in Wales, the signification ofa white-headed wench (PEN head, and GUIN white), by way of ridicule, concludes that the people of those Straits are Welch. '

A young gentleman of the name of M'Lean, nephew to the Laird of theIsle of Muck, came this morning; and, just as we sat down to dinner, came the Laird of the Isle of Muck himself, his lady, sister toTalisker, two other ladies their relations, and a daughter of the lateM'Leod of Hamer, who wrote a treatise on the second sight, under thedesignation of Theophilus Insulanus. It was somewhat droll to hearthis laird called by his title. Muck would have founded ill; so he wascalled Isle of Muck, which went off with great readiness. The name, asnow written, is unseemly, but is not so bad in the original Erse, which is MOUACH, signifying the Sows' Island. Buchanan calls it InsulaPorcorum. It is so called from its form. Some call it Isle of MONK. The laird insists that this is the proper name. It was formerlychurch-land belonging to Icolmkill, and a hermit lived in it. It istwo miles long, and about three quarters of a mile broad. The lairdsaid, he had seven score of souls upon it. Last year he had eightypersons inoculated, mostly children, but some of them eighteen yearsof age. He agreed with the surgeon to come and do it, at half a crowna head. It is very fertile in corn, of which they export some; and itscoasts abound in fish. A taylor comes there six times in a year. Theyget a good blacksmith from the Isle of Egg. 

Sunday, 19th September

It was rather worse weather than any that we had yet. At breakfast DrJohnson said, 'Some cunning men choose fools for their wives, thinkingto manage them, but they always fail. There is a spaniel fool and amule fool. The spaniel fool may be made to do by beating. The mulefool will neither do by words or blows; and the spaniel fool oftenturns mule at last: and suppose a fool to be made do pretty well, youmust have the continual trouble of making her do. Depend upon it, nowoman is the worse for sense and knowledge. ' Whether afterwards hemeant merely to say a polite thing, or to give his opinion, I couldnot be sure; but he added, 'Men know that women are an over-match forthem, and therefore they choose the weakest or most ignorant. If theydid not think so, they never could be afraid of women knowing as muchas themselves. ' In justice to the sex, I think it but candid toacknowledge, that, in a subsequent conversation, he told me that hewas serious in what he had said. 

He came to my room this morning before breakfast, to read my Journal, which he has done all along. He often before said, 'I take greatdelight in reading it. ' Today he said, 'You improve: it grows betterand better. ' I observed, there was a danger of my getting a habit ofwriting in a slovenly manner. 'Sir, ' said he, 'it is not written in aslovenly manner. It might be printed, were the subject fit forprinting. ' [Footnote: As I have faithfully recorded so many minuteparticulars, I hope I shall be pardoned for inserting so flattering anencomium on what is now offered to the publick. ] While Mr Beatonpreached to us in the dining-room, Dr Johnson sat in his own room, where I saw lying before him a volume of Lord Bacon's works, the Decayof Christian Piety, Monboddo's Origin of Language, and Sterne'sSermons. He asked me today, how it happened that we were so littletogether: I told him, my Journal took up much time. Yet, onreflection, it appeared strange to me, that although I will run fromone end of London to another, to pass an hour with him, I should omitto seize any spare time to be in his company, when I am settled in thesame house with him. But my Journal is really a task of much time andlabour, and he forbids me to contract it. 

I omitted to mention, in its place, that Dr Johnson told Mr M'Queenthat he had found the belief of the second sight universal in Sky, except among the clergy, who seemed determined against it. I took theliberty to observe to Mr M'Queen, that the clergy were actuated by akind of vanity. 'The world, ' say they, 'takes us to be credulous men ina remote corner. We'll shew them that we are more enlightened thanthey think. ' The worthy man said, that his disbelief of it was fromhis not finding sufficient evidence; but I could perceive that he wasprejudiced against it. 

After dinner to-day, we talked of the extraordinary fact of LadyGrange's being sent to St Kilda, and confined there for several years, without any means of relief. [Footnote: The true story of this lady, which happened In this century, is as frightfully romantick as if ithad been the fiction of a gloomy fancy. She was the wife of one of theLords of Session in Scotland, a man of the very first blood of hiscountry. For some mysterious reasons, which have never beendiscovered, she was seized and carried off in the dark, she knew notby whom, and by nightly journies was conveyed to the Highland shores, from whence she was transported by sea to the remote rock of St Kilda, where she remained, amongst its few wild inhabitants, a forlornprisoner, but had a constant supply of provisions, and a woman to waiton her. No inquiry was made after her, till she at last found means toconvey a letter to a confidential friend, by the daughter of aCatechist who concealed it in a clue of yarn. Information being thusobtained at Edinburgh, a ship was sent to bring her off; butintelligence of this being received, she was conveyed to M'Leod'sisland of Herries, where she died. 

In Carstares's State Papers, we find an authentick narrative ofConnor, a Catholick priest, who turned Protestant, being seized bysome of Lord Seaforth's people, and detained prisoner in the island ofHerries several years: he was fed with bread and water, and lodged ina house where he was exposed to the rains and cold. Sir James Ogilvywrites (June 18, 1667) that the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Advocate, and himself, were to meet next day, to take effectual methods to havethis redressed. Connor was then still detained (p. 310). This shewswhat private oppression might in the last century be practised in theHebrides. 

In the same collection, the Earl of Argyle gives a picturesque accountof an embassy from 'the great M'Neil of Barra', as that insular chiefused to be denominated. 'I received a letter yesterday from M'Neil ofBarra, who lives very far off, sent by a gentleman in all formality, offering his service, which had made you laugh to see his entry. Hisstyle of his letter runs as if he were of another kingdom' (p. 643). ]Dr Johnson said, if M'Leod would let it be known that he had such aplace for naughty ladies, he might make it a very profitable island. We had, in the course of our tour, heard of St Kilda poetry. DrJohnson observed, 'it must be very poor, because they have very fewimages. ' BOSWELL. 'There may be a poetical genius shewn in combiningthese, and in making poetry of them. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, a man cannot makefire but in proportion as he has fuel. He cannot coin guineas but inproportion as he has gold. ' At tea he talked of his intending to go toItaly in 1775. M'Leod said, he would like Paris better. JOHNSON. 'No, sir; there are none of the French literati now alive, to visit whom Iwould cross a sea. I can find in Buffon's book all that he cansay. '[Footnote: I doubt the justice of my fellow-traveller's remarkconcerning the French literati, many of whom, I am told, haveconsiderable merit in conversation, as well as in their writings. Thatof Monsieur de Buffon, in particular, I am well assured is highlyinstructive and entertaining. ]

After supper he said, 'I am sorry that prize-fighting is gone out;every art should be preserved, and the art of defence is surelyimportant. It is absurd that our soldiers should have swords, and notbe taught the use of them. Prize-fighting made people accustomed notto be alarmed at seeing their own blood, or feeling a little pain froma wound. I think the heavy glaymore was an ill-contrived weapon. A mancould only strike once with it. It employed both his hands, and hemust of course be soon fatigued with wielding it; so that if hisantagonist could only keep playing a while, he was sure of him. Iwould fight with a dirk against Rorie More's sword. I could ward off ablow with a dirk, and then run in upon my enemy. When within thatheavy sword, I have him; he is quite helpless, and I could stab him atmy leisure, like a calf. It is thought by sensible military men, thatthe English do not enough avail themselves of their superior strengthof body against the French; for that must always have a greatadvantage in pushing with bayonets. I have heard an officer say, thatif women could be made to stand, they would do as well as men in amere interchange of bullets from a distance: but, if a body of menshould come close up to them, then to be sure they must be overcome;now (said he), in the same manner the weaker-bodied French must beovercome by our strong soldiers. '

The subject of duelling was introduced. JOHNSON. 'There is no case inEngland where one or other of the combatants MUST die: if you haveovercome your adversary by disarming him, that is sufficient, thoughyou should not kill him; your honour, or the honour of your family, isrestored, as much as it can be by a duel. It is cowardly to force yourantagonist to renew the combat, when you know that you have theadvantage of him by superior skill. You might just as well go and cuthis throat while he is asleep in his bed. When a duel begins, it issupposed there may be an equality; because it is not always skill thatprevails. It depends much on presence of mind; nay on accidents. Thewind may be in a man's face. He may fall. Many such things may decidethe superiority. A man is sufficiently punished, by being called out, and subjected to the risk that is in a duel. ' But on my suggestingthat the injured person is equally subjected to risk, he fairly ownedhe could not explain the rationality of duelling. 

Monday, 20th September

When I awaked, the storm was higher still. It abated about nine, andthe sun shone; but it rained again very soon, and it was not a day fortravelling. At breakfast, Dr Johnson told us, 'there was once a prettygood tavern in Catharine Street in the Strand, where very good companymet in an evening, and each man called for his own half pint of wine, or gill, if he pleased: they were frugal men, and nobody paid but forwhat he himself drank. The house furnished no supper; but a womanattended with mutton-pies, which any body might purchase. I wasintroduced to this company by Cumming the Quaker, and used to go theresometimes when I drank wine. In the last age, when my mother lived inLondon, there were two sets of people, those who gave the wall, andthose who took it; the peaceable and the quarrelsome. When I returnedto Lichfield, after having been in London, my mother asked me, whetherI was one of those who gave the wall, or those who took it. Now, it isfixed that every man keeps to the right; or, if one is taking thewall, another yields it, and it is never a dispute. ' He was verysevere on a lady, whose name was mentioned. He said, he would havesent her to St Kilda. That she was as bad as negative badness couldbe, and stood in the way of what was good: that insipid beauty wouldnot go a great way; and that such a woman might be cut out of acabbage, if there was a skilful artificer. 

M'Leod was too late in coming to breakfast. Dr Johnson said, lazinesswas worse than the toothache. BOSWELL. 'I cannot agree with you, sir;a bason of cold water, or a horse whip, will cure laziness. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir; it will only put off the fit; it will not cure the disease. I have been trying to cure my laziness all my life, and could not doit. ' BOSWELL. 'But if a man does in a shorter time what might be thelabour of a life, there is nothing to be said against him. ' JOHNSON(perceiving at once that I alluded to him and his Dictionary). 'Suppose that flattery to be true, the consequence would be, that theworld would have no right to censure a man; but that will not justifyhim to himself. '

After breakfast, he said to me, 'A Highland chief should now endeavourto do every thing to raise his rents, by means of the industry of hispeople. Formerly, it was right for him to have his house full of idlefellows; they were his defenders, his servants, his dependants, hisfriends. Now they may be better employed. The system of things is nowso much altered, that the family cannot have influence but by riches, because it has no longer the power of ancient feudal times. Anindividual of a family may have it; but it cannot now belong to afamily, unless you could have a perpetuity of men with the same views. M'Leod has four times the land that the Duke of Bedford has. I think, with his spirit, he may in time make himself the greatest man in theking's dominions; for land may always be improved to a certain degree. I would never have any man sell land, to throw money into the funds, as is often done, or to try any other species of trade. Depend uponit, this rage of trade will destroy itself. You and I shall not seeit; but the time will come when there will be an end of it. Trade islike gaming. If a whole company are gamesters, play must cease; forthere is nothing to be won. When all nations are traders, there isnothing to be gained by trade, and it will stop first where it isbrought to the greatest perfection. Then the proprietors of land onlywill be the great men. ' I observed, it was hard that M'Leod shouldfind ingratitude in so many of his people. JOHNSON. 'Sir, gratitude isa fruit of great cultivation; you do not find it among gross people. 'I doubt of this. Nature seems to have implanted gratitude in allliving creatures. The lion, mentioned by Aulus Gellius, had it. [Footnote: Aul. Gellius, Lib. V. C. Xiv. ] It appears to me thatculture, which brings luxury and selfishness with it, has a tendencyrather to weaken than promote this affection. 

Dr Johnson said this morning, when talking of our setting out, that hewas in the state in which Lord Bacon represents kings. He desired theend, but did not like the means. He wished much to get home, but wasunwilling to travel in Sky. 'You are like kings too in this, sir, 'said I, 'that you must act under the direction of others. '

Tuesday, 21st September

The uncertainty of our present situation having prevented me fromreceiving any letters from home for some time, I could not help beinguneasy. Dr Johnson had an advantage over me, in this respect, hehaving no wife or child to occasion anxious apprehensions in his mind. It was a good morning; so we resolved to set out. But, before quittingthis castle, where we have been so well entertained, let me give ashort description of it. 

Along the edge of the rock, there are the remains of a wall, which isnow covered with ivy. A square court is formed by buildings ofdifferent ages, particularly some towers, said to be of greatantiquity; and at one place there is a row of false cannon of stone. There is a very large unfinished pile, four stories high, which wewere told was here when Leod, the first of this family, came from theIsle of Man, married the heiress of the M'Crails, the ancientpossessors of Dunvegan, and afterwards acquired by conquest as muchland as he had got by marriage. He surpassed the house of Austria; forhe was felix both bella genere et nubere. John Breck M'Leod, thegrandfather of the late laird, began to repair the castle, or ratherto complete it: but he did not live to finish his undertaking. Notdoubting, however, that he should do it, he, like those who have hadtheir epitaphs written before they died, ordered the followinginscription, composed by the minister of the parish, to be cut upon abroad stone above one of the lower windows, where it still remains tocelebrate what was not done, and to serve as a memento of theuncertainty of life, and the presumption of man:

Joannes Macleod Beganoduni Dominus gentis suae Philarchus, DurinesiaeHaraiae Vaternesiae, &c: Baro D. Florae Macdonald matrimoniali vinculoconjugatus turrem hanc Beganodunensem proavorum habitaculum longevetustissimum diu penitus labefectatam Anno aerae vulgaris MDCLXXXVIinstauravit. 

 Quern stabilire juvat proavorum tecta vetusta, Omne scelus fugiat, justitiamque colat. Vertit in aerias turres magalia virtus, Inque casas humiles tecta superba nefas. 

M'Leod and Talisker accompanied us. We passed by the parish church ofDurinish. The church-yard is not enclosed, but a pretty murmuringbrook runs along one side of it. In it is a pyramid erected to thememory of Thomas Lord Lovat, by his son Lord Simon, who suffered onTowerhill. It is of free-stone, and, I suppose, about thirty feethigh. There is an inscription on a piece of white marble inserted init, which I suspect to have been the composition of Lord Lovathimself, being much in his pompous style:

This pyramid was erected by SIMON LORD FRASER of LOVAT, in honour ofLord THOMAS his Father, a Peer of Scotland, and Chief of the great andancient clan of the FRASERS. Being attacked for his birthright by thefamily of ATHOLL, then in power and favour with KING WILLIAM, yet, bythe valour and fidelity of his clan, and the assistance of theCAMPBELLS, the old friends and allies of his family, he defended hisbirthright with such greatness and fermety of soul, and such valourand activity, that he was an honour to his name, and a good pattern toall brave Chiefs of clans. He died in the month of May, 1699, in the63d year of his age, in Dunvegan, the house of the LAIRD of MAC LEOD, whose sister he had married: by whom he had the above SIMON LORDFRASER, and several other children. And, for the great love he bore tothe family of MAC LEOD, he desired to be buried near his wife'srelations, in the place where two of her uncles lay. And his son LORDSIMON, to shew to posterity his great affection for his mother'skindred, the brave MAC LEODS, chooses rather to leave his father'sbones with them, than carry them to his own burial-place, near Lovat. 

I have preserved this inscription, though of no great value, thinkingit characteristical of a man who has made some noise in the world. DrJohnson said, it was poor stuff, such as Lord Lovat's butler mighthave written. 

I observed, in this church-yard, a parcel of people assembled at afuneral, before the grave was dug. The coffin, with the corpse in it, was placed on the ground, while the people alternately assisted inmaking a grave. One man, at a little distance, was busy cutting a longturf for it, with the crooked spade which is used in Sky; a veryaukward instrument. The iron part of it is like a plough-coulter. Ithas a rude tree for a handle, in which a wooden pin is placed for thefoot to press upon. A traveller might, without further inquiry, haveset this down as the mode of burying in Sky. I was told, however, thatthe usual way is to have a grave previously dug. 

I observed to-day, that the common way of carrying home their grainhere is in loads on horse-back. They have also a few sleds, or cars, as we call them in Ayrshire, clumsily made, and rarely used. 

We got to Ulinish about six o'clock, and found a very good farm-house, of two stories. Mr M'Leod of Ulinish, the sheriff-substitute of theisland, was a plain honest gentleman, a good deal like an Englishjustice of peace; not much given to talk, but sufficiently sagacious, and somewhat droll. His daughter, though she was never out of Sky, wasa very well-bred woman. Our reverend friend, Mr Donald M'Queen, kepthis appointment, and met us here. 

Talking of Phipps's voyage to the North Pole, Dr Johnson observed, that it 'was conjectured that our former navigators have kept too nearland, and so have found the sea frozen far north, because the landhinders the free motion of the tide; but, in the wide ocean, where thewaves tumble at their full convenience, it is imagined that the frostdoes not take effect'. 

Wednesday, 22d September

In the morning I walked out, and saw a ship, the Margaret of Clyde, pass by with a number of emigrants on board. It was a melancholysight. After breakfast, we went to see what was called a subterraneoushouse, about a mile off. It was upon the side of a rising-ground. Itwas discovered by a fox's having taken up his abode in it, and inchasing him, they dug into it. It was very narrow and low, and seemedabout forty feet in length. Near it, we found the foundations ofseveral small huts, built of stone. Mr M'Queen, who is always formaking every thing as ancient as possible, boasted that it was thedwelling of some of the first inhabitants of the island, and observed, what a curiosity it was to find here a specimen of the houses of theAborigines, which he believed could be found no where else; and it wasplain that they lived without fire. Dr Johnson remarked, that they whomade this were not in the rudest state; for that it was more difficultto make it than to build a house; therefore certainly those who madeit were in possession of houses, and had this only as a hiding-place. It appeared to me, that the vestiges of houses, just by it, confirmedDr Johnson's opinion. 

From an old tower, near this place, is an extensive view of LochBraccadil, and, at a distance, of the isles of Barra and South Uist;and on the landside, the Cuillin, a prodigious range of mountains, capped with rocky pinnacles in a strange variety of shapes. Theyresemble the mountains near Corte in Corsica, of which there is a verygood print. They make part of a great range for deer, which, thoughentirely devoid of trees, is in these countries called a forest. 

In the afternoon, Ulinish carried us in his boat to an islandpossessed by him, where we saw an immense cave, much more deservingthe title of antrum immane than that of the Sybil described by Virgil, which I likewise have visited. It is one hundred and eighty feet long, about thirty feet broad, and at least thirty feet high. This cave, wewere told, had a remarkable echo; but we found none. They said it wasowing to the great rains having made it damp. Such are the excuses bywhich the exaggeration of Highland narratives is palliated. There is aplentiful garden at Ulinish (a great rarity in Sky), and severaltrees; and near the house is a hill, which has an Erse name, signifying 'the hill of strife', where, Mr M'Queen informed us, justice was of old administered. It is like the mons placiti of Scone, or those hills which are called laws, such as Kelly law, North Berwicklaw, and several others. It is singular that this spot should happennow to be the sheriff's residence. 

We had a very cheerful evening, and Dr Johnson talked a good deal onthe subject of literature. Speaking of the noble family of Boyle, hesaid, that all the Lord Orrerys, till the present, had been writers. The first wrote several plays; the second was Bentley's antagonist;the third wrote the Life of Swift, and several other things; his sonHamilton wrote some papers in the Adventurer and World. He told us, hewas well acquainted with Swift's Lord Orrery. He said, he was afeeble-minded man; that, on the publication of Dr Delany's Remarks onhis book, he was so much alarmed that he was afraid to read them. DrJohnson comforted him, by telling him they were both in the right;that Delany had seen most of the good side of Swift, Lord Orrery mostof the bad. M'Leod asked, if it was not wrong in Orrery to expose thedefects of a man with whom he lived in intimacy. JOHNSON. 'Why no, sir, after the man is dead; for then it is done historically. ' Headded, 'If Lord Orrery had been rich, he would have been a veryliberal patron. His conversation was like his writings, neat andelegant, but without strength. He grasped at more than his abilitiescould reach; tried to pass for a better talker, a better writer, and abetter thinker than he was. There was a quarrel between him and hisfather, in which his father was to blame; because it arose from theson's not allowing his wife to keep company with his father'smistress. The old lord shewed his resentment in his will--leaving hislibrary from his son, and assigning, as his reason, that he could notmake use of it. '

I mentioned the affectation of Orrery, in ending all his letters onthe Life of Swift in studied varieties of phrase, and never in thecommon mode of 'I am', &c. An observation which I remember to havebeen made several years ago by old Mr Sheridan. This species ofaffectation in writing, as a foreign lady of distinguished talentsonce remarked to me, is almost peculiar to the English. I took up avolume of Dryden, containing the Conquest of Granada, and severalother plays, of which all the dedications had such studiedconclusions. Dr Johnson said, such conclusions were more elegant, and, in addressing persons of high rank (as when Dryden dedicated to theDuke of York), they were likewise more respectful. I agreed that THEREit was much better: it was making his escape from the royal presencewith a genteel sudden timidity, in place of having the resolution tostand still, and make a formal bow. 

Lord Orrery's unkind treatment of his son in his will, led us to talkof the dispositions a man should have when dying. I said, I did notsee why a man should act differently with respect to those of whom hethought ill when in health, merely because he was dying. JOHNSON. 'Ishould not scruple to speak against a party, when dying; but shouldnot do it against an individual. It is told of Sixtus Quintus, that onhis death-bed, in the intervals of his last pangs, he signeddeath-warrants. ' Mr M'Queen said, he should not do so; he would havemore tenderness of heart. JOHNSON. 'I believe I should not either; butMr M'Queen and I are cowards. It would not be from tenderness ofheart; for the heart is as tender when a man is in health as when heis sick, though his resolution may be stronger. Sixtus Quintus was asovereign as well as a priest; and, if the criminals deserved death, he was doing his duty to the last. You would not think a judge diedill, who should be carried off by an apoplectick fit while pronouncingsentence of death. Consider a class of men whose business it is todistribute death: soldiers, who die scattering bullets. Nobody thinksthey die ill on that account. '

Talking of biography, he said, he did not think that the life of anyliterary man in England had been well written. Beside the commonincidents of life, it should tell us his studies, his mode of living, the means by which he attained to excellence, and his opinion of hisown works. He told us, he had sent Derrick to Dryden's relations, togather materials for his Life; and he believed Derrick had got allthat he himself should have got; but it was nothing. He added, he hada kindness for Derrick, and was sorry he was dead. 

His notion as to the poems published by Mr M'Pherson, as the works ofOssian, was not shaken here. Mr M'Queen always evaded the point ofauthenticity, saying only that Mr M'Pherson's pieces fell far short ofthose he knew in Erse, which were said to be Ossian's. JOHNSON. 'Ihope they do. I am not disputing that you may have poetry of greatmerit; but that M'Pherson's is not a translation from ancient poetry. You do not believe it. I say before you, you do not believe it, thoughyou are very willing that the world should believe it. ' Mr M'Queenmade no answer to this. Dr Johnson proceeded, 'I look upon M'Pherson'sFingal to be as gross an imposition as ever the world was troubledwith. Had it been really an ancient work, a true specimen how menthought at that time, it would have been a curiosity of the firstrate. As a modern production, it is nothing. ' He said, he could neverget the meaning of an Erse song explained to him. They told him, thechorus was generally unmeaning. 'I take it, ' said he, 'Erse songs arelike a song which I remember: it was composed in Queen Elizabeth'stime, on the Earl of Essex; and the burthen was

"Radaratoo, radarate, radara tadara tandore. "'

'But surely, ' said Mr M'Queen, 'there were words to it, which hadmeaning. ' JOHNSON. 'Why, yes, sir, I recollect a stanza, and you shallhave it:

 "O! then bespoke the prentices all, Living in London, both proper and tall, For Essex's sake they would fight all. Radaratoo, radarate, radara, tadara, tandore. "'

[Footnote: This droll quotation, I have since found, was from a songin honour of the Earl of Essex, called 'Queen Elizabeth's Champion', which is preserved in a collection of Old Ballads, in three volumes, published in London in different years, between 1720 and 1730. Thefull verse is as follows:

 Oh! then bespoke the prentices all, Living in London, both proper and tall, In a kind letter sent straight to the Queen, For Essex's sake they would fight all. Raderer too, tandaro te, Raderer, tenderer, tan do re. ]

When Mr M'Queen began again to expatiate on the beauty of Ossian'spoetry, Dr Johnson entered into no further controversy, but, with apleasant smile, only cried, 'Ay, ay; Radaratoo, radarate. '

Thursday, 23d September

I took Fingal down to the parlour in the morning, and tried a testproposed by Mr Roderick M'Leod, son to Ulinish. Mr M'Queen had said hehad some of the poem in the original. I desired him to mention anypassage in the printed book, of which he could repeat the original. Hepointed out one in page 50 of the quarto edition, and read the Erse, while Mr Roderick M'Leod and I looked on the English; and Mr M'Leodsaid, that it was pretty like what Mr M'Queen had recited. But when MrM'Queen read a description of Cuchullin's sword in Erse, together witha translation of it in English verse, by Sir James Foulis, Mr M'Leodsaid, that was much more like than Mr M'Pherson's translation of theformer passage. Mr M'Queen then repeated in Erse a description of oneof the horses in Cuchillin's car. Mr M'Leod said, Mr M'Pherson'sEnglish was nothing like it. 

When Dr Johnson came down, I told him that I had now obtained someevidence concerning Fingal; for that Mr M'Queen had repeated a passagein the original Erse, which Mr M'Pherson's translation was prettylike; and reminded him that he himself had once said, he did notrequire Mr M'Pherson's Ossian to be more like the original than Pope'sHomer. JOHNSON. 'Well, sir, this is just what I always maintained. Hehas found names, and stories, and phrases, nay passages in old songs, and with them has blended his own compositions, and so made what hegives to the world as the translation of an ancient poem. ' If this wasthe case, I observed, it was wrong to publish it as a poem in sixbooks. JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; and to ascribe it to a time too when theHighlanders knew nothing of BOOKS, and nothing of SIX; or perhaps weregot the length of counting six. We have been told, by Condamine, of anation that could count no more than four. This should be told toMonboddo; it would help him. There is as much charity in helping a mandown-hill, as in helping him up-hill. ' BOSWELL. 'I don't think thereis as much charity. ' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir, if his TENDENCY be downwards. Till he is at the bottom, he flounders; get him once there, and he isquiet. Swift tells, that Stella had a trick, which she learned fromAddison, of encouraging a man in absurdity, instead of endeavouring toextricate him. '

Mr M'Queen's answers to the inquiries concerning Ossian were sounsatisfactory, that I could not help observing, that, were heexamined in a court of justice, he would find himself under anecessity of being more explicit. JOHNSON. 'Sir, he has told Blair alittle too much, which is published; and he sticks to it. He is somuch at the head of things here, that he has never been accustomed tobe closely examined; and so he goes on quite smoothly. ' BOSWELL. 'Hehas never had any body to work him. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir; and a man isseldom disposed to work himself; though he ought to work himself, tobe sure. ' Mr M'Queen made no reply. [Footnote: I think it but justiceto say, that I believe Dr Johnson meant to ascribe Mr M'Queen'sconduct to inaccuracy and enthusiasm, and did not mean any severeimputation against him. ]

Having talked of the strictness with which witnesses are examined incourts of justice, Dr Johnson told us, that Garrick, though accustomedto face multitudes, when produced as a witness in Westminster Hall, was so disconcerted by a new mode of publick appearance, that he couldnot understand what was asked. It was a cause where an actor claimed afree benefit; that is to say, a benefit without paying the expence ofthe house; but the meaning of the term was disputed. Garrick wasasked, 'Sir, have you a free benefit?' 'Yes. ' 'Upon what terms haveyou it?' 'Upon. .. The terms. .. Of . .. A FREE BENEFIT. ' He was dismissedas one from whom no information could be obtained. Dr Johnson is oftentoo hard on our friend Mr Garrick. When I asked him, why he did notmention him in the Preface to his Shakspeare, he said, 'Garrick hasbeen liberally paid for any thing he has done for Shakspeare. If Ishould praise him, I should much more praise the nation who paid him. He has not made Shakspeare better known; [Footnote: It has beentriumphantly asked, 'Had not the plays of Shakspeare lain dormant formany years before the appearance of Mr Garrick? Did he not exhibit themost excellent of them frequently for thirty years together, andrender them extremely popular by his own inimitable performance?' Heundoubtedly did. But Dr Johnson's assertion has been misunderstood. Knowing as well as the objectors what has been just stated, he mustnecessarily have meant, that 'Mr Garrick did not as A CRITICK makeShakspeare better known; he did not ILLUSTRATE any one PASSAGE in anyof his plays by acuteness of disquisition, sagacity of conjecture:'and what had been done with any degree of excellence in THAT way wasthe proper and immediate subject of his preface. I may add in supportof this explanation the following anecdote, related to me by one ofthe ablest commentators on Shakspeare, who knew much of Dr Johnson:'Now I have quitted the theatre, ' cries Garrick, 'I will sit down andread Shakspeare. ' ''Tis time you should, ' exclaimed Johnson, 'for Imuch doubt if you ever examined one of his plays from the first sceneto the last. '] he cannot illustrate Shakspeare: So I have reasonsenough against mentioning him, were reasons necessary. There should bereasons FOR it. ' I spoke of Mrs Montague's very high praises ofGarrick. JOHNSON. 'Sir, it is fit she should say so much, and I shouldsay nothing. Reynolds is fond of her book, and I wonder at it; forneither I, nor Beauclerk, nor Mrs Thrale, could get through it. '[Footnote: No man has less inclination to controversy than I have, particularly with a lady. But as I have claimed, and am conscious ofbeing entitled to, credit, for the strictest fidelity, my respect forthe publick obliges me to take notice of an insinuation which tends toimpeach it. 

Mrs Piozzi (late Mrs Thrale), to her Anecdotes of Dr Johnson, addedthe following postscript:

Naples, Feb. 10, 1786. 

Since the foregoing went to the press, having seen a passage from MrBoswell's Tour to the Hebrides, in which it is said, that I could notget through Mrs Montague's Essay on Shakspeare, I do not delay amoment to declare, that, on the contrary, I have always commended itmyself, and heard it commended by every one else; and few things wouldgive me more concern than to be thought incapable of tasting, orunwilling to testify my opinion of its excellence. 

It is remarkable that this postscript is so expressed, as not to pointout the person who said that Mrs Thrale could not get through MrsMontague's book; and therefore I think it necessary to remind MrsPiozzi, that the assertion concerning her was Dr Johnson's, and notmine. The second observation that I shall make on this postscript is, that it does not deny the fact asserted, though I must acknowledgefrom the praise it bestows on Mrs Montague's book, it may have beendesigned to convey that meaning. 

What Mrs Thrale's opinion is or was, or what she may or may not havesaid to Dr Johnson concerning Mrs Montague's book, it is not necessaryfor me to inquire. It is only incumbent on me to ascertain what DrJohnson said to me. I shall therefore confine myself to a very shortstate of the fact. 

The unfavourable opinion of Mrs Montague's book, which Dr Johnson ishere reported to have given, is known to have been that which isuniformly expressed, as many of his friends well remember. So much forthe authenticity of the paragraph, as far as it relates to his ownsentiments. The words containing the assertion, to which Mrs Piozziobjects, are printed from my manuscript Journal, and were taken downat the time. The Journal was read by Dr Johnson, who pointed out someinaccuracies, which I corrected, but did not mention any inaccuracy inthe paragraph in question: and what is still more material, and veryflattering to me, a considerable part of my Journal, containing thisparagraph, WAS READ SEVERAL YEARS AGO BY MRS THRALE HERSELF, who hadit for some time in her possession, and returned it to me, withoutintimating that Dr Johnson had mistaken her sentiments. 

When the first edition of my Journal was passing through the press, itoccurred to me, that a peculiar delicacy was necessary to be observedin reporting the opinion of one literary lady concerning theperformance of another; and I had such scruples on that head, that inthe proof sheet I struck out the name of Mrs Thrale from the aboveparagraph, and two or three hundred copies of my book were actuallyprinted and published without it; of these Sir Joshua Reynolds's copyhappened to be one. But while the sheet was working off, a friend, forwhose opinion I have great respect, suggested that I had no right todeprive Mrs Thrale of the high honour which Dr Johnson had done her, by stating her opinion along with that of Mr Beauclerk, as coincidingwith, and, as it were, sanctioning his own. The observation appearedto me so weighty and conclusive, that I hastened to the printinghouse, and, as a piece of justice, restored Mrs Thrale to that placefrom which a too scrupulous delicacy had excluded her. 

On this simple state of facts I shall make no observation whatever. ]

Last night Dr Johnson gave us an account of the whole process oftanning, and of the nature of milk, and the various operations uponit, as making whey, &c. His variety of information is surprizing; andit gives one much satisfaction to find such a man bestowing hisattention on the useful arts of life. Ulinish was much struck with hisknowledge; and said, 'He is a great orator, sir; it is musick to hearthis man speak. ' A strange thought struck me, to try if he knew anything of an art, or whatever it should be called, which is no doubtvery useful in life, but which lies far out of the way of aphilosopher and poet; I mean the trade of a butcher. I enticed himinto the subject, by connecting it with the various researches intothe manners and customs of uncivilized nations, that have been made byour late navigators into the South Seas. I began with observing, thatMr (now Sir Joseph) Banks tells us, that the art of slaughteringanimals was not known in Otaheite, for, instead of bleeding to deaththeir dogs (a common food with them), they strangle them. This he toldme himself; and I supposed that their hogs were killed in the sameway. Dr Johnson said, 'This must be owing to their not having knives, though they have sharp stones with which they can cut a carcase inpieces tolerably. ' By degrees, he shewed that he knew something evenof butchery. 'Different animals, ' said he, 'are killed differently. Anox is knocked down, and a calf stunned; but a sheep has its throatcut, without any thing being done to stupify it. The butchers have noview to the ease of the animals, but only to make them quiet, fortheir own safety and convenience. A sheep can give them littletrouble. Hales is of opinion, that every animal should be blooded, without having any blow given to it, because it bleeds better. 'BOSWELL. 'That would be cruel. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir; there is not muchpain, if the jugular vein be properly cut. ' Pursuing the subject, hesaid, the kennels of Southwark ran with blood two or three days in theweek; that he was afraid there were slaughter-houses in more streetsin London than one supposes (speaking with a kind of horrour ofbutchering), and yet, he added, 'any of us would kill a cow, ratherthan not have beef. ' I said we COULD not. 'Yes, ' said he, 'any onemay. The business of a butcher is a trade indeed, that is to say, there is an apprenticeship served to it; but it may be learnt in amonth. '

I mentioned a club in London, at the Boar's Head in Eastcheap, thevery tavern where Falstaff and his joyous companions met; the membersof which all assume Shakspeare's characters. One is Falstaff, anotherPrince Henry, another Bardolph, and so on. JOHNSON. 'Don't be of it, sir. Now that you have a name, you must be careful to avoid manythings, not bad in themselves, but which will lessen your character. [Footnote: I do not see why I might not have been of this club withoutlessening my character. But Dr Johnson's caution against supposingone's self concealed in London, may be very useful to prevent somepeople from doing many things, not only foolish, but criminal. ] Thisevery man who has a name must observe. A man who is not publicklyknown may live in London as he pleases, without any notice being takenof him; but it is wonderful how a person of any consequence iswatched. There was a Member of Parliament, who wanted to preparehimself to speak on a question that was to come in the House; and heand I were to talk it over together. He did not wish it should beknown that he talked with me; so he would not let me come to hishouse, but came to mine. Some time after he had made his speech in thehouse, Mrs Cholmondeley, a very airy lady, told me, "Well, you couldmake nothing of him!" naming the gentleman, which was a proof that hewas watched. I had once some business to do for government, and I wentto Lord North's. Precaution was taken that it should not be known. Itwas dark before I went; yet a few days after I was told, "Well, youhave been with Lord North. " That the door of the Prime Minister shouldbe watched, is not strange; but that a Member of Parliament should bewatched, or that my door should be watched, is wonderful. '

We set out this morning on our way to Talisker, in Ulinish's boat, having taken leave of him and his family. Mr Donald M'Queen stillfavoured us with his company, for which we were much obliged to him. As we sailed along Dr Johnson got into one of his fits of railing atthe Scots. He owned that they had been a very learned nation for ahundred years, from about 1550 to about 1650; but that they affordedthe only instance of a people among whom the arts of civil life didnot advance in proportion with learning; that they had hardly anytrade, any money, or any elegance, before the Union; that it wasstrange that, with all the advantages possessed by other nations, theyhad not any of those conveniences and embellishments which are thefruit of industry, till they came in contact with a civilized people. 'We have taught you, ' said he, 'and we'll do the same in time to allbarbarous nations, to the Cherokees, and at last to the Ouran-Outangs'; laughing with as much glee as if Monboddo had been present. BOSWELL. 'We had wine before the Union. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir; you hadsome weak stuff, the refuse of France, which would not make youdrunk. ' BOSWELL. 'I assure you, sir, there was a great deal ofdrunkenness. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir; there were people who died ofdropsies, which they contracted in trying to get drunk. '

I must here gleen some of his conversation at Ulinish, which I haveomitted. He repeated his remark, that a man in a ship was worse than aman in a jail. 'The man in a jail, ' said he, 'has more room, betterfood, and commonly better company, and is in safety. ' 'Ay; but, ' saidMr M'Queen, 'the man in the ship has the pleasing hope of getting toshore. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, I am not talking of a man's getting to shore;but a man while he is in a ship: and then, I say, he is worse than aman while he is in a jail. A man in a jail MAY have the "pleasinghope" of getting out. A man confined for only a limited time, actuallyHAS it. ' M'Leod mentioned his schemes for carrying on fisheries withspirit, and that he would wish to understand the construction ofboats. I suggested that he might go to a dock-yard and work, as Peterthe Great did. JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir, he need not work. Peter the Greathad not the sense to see that the mere mechanical work may be done byany body, and that there is the same art in constructing a vessel, whether the boards are well or ill wrought. Sir Christopher Wren mightas well have served his time to a bricklayer, and first, indeed, to abrick-maker. '

There is a beautiful little island in the Loch of Dunvegan, calledIsa. M'Leod said, he would give it to Dr Johnson, on condition of hisresiding on it three months in the year; nay one month. Dr Johnson washighly amused with the fancy. I have seen him please himself withlittle things, even with mere ideas like the present. He talked agreat deal of this island--how he would build a house there, how hewould fortify it, how he would have cannon, how he would plant, how hewould sally out and TAKE the isle of Muck; and then he laughed withuncommon glee, and could hardly leave off. I have seen him do so at asmall matter that struck him, and was a sport to no one else. MrLangton told me, that one night he did so while the company were allgrave about him: only Garrick, in his significant smart manner, darting his eyes around, exclaimed, 'VERY jocose, to be sure!' M'Leodencouraged the fancy of Dr Johnson's becoming owner of an island; toldhim, that it was the practice in this country to name every man by hislands; and begged leave to drink to him in that mode: 'Island Isa, your health!' Ulinish, Talisker, Mr M'Queen, and I, all joined in ourdifferent manners, while Dr Johnson bowed to each, with much goodhumour. 

We had good weather, and a fine sail this day. The shore was variedwith hills, and rocks, and corn-fields, and bushes, which are heredignified with the name of natural wood. We landed near the house ofFerneley, a farm possessed by another gentleman of the name of M'Leod, who, expecting our arrival, was waiting on the shore, with a horse forDr Johnson. The rest of us walked. At dinner, I expressed to M'Leodthe joy which I had in seeing him on such cordial terms with his clan. 'Government, ' said he, 'has deprived us of our ancient power; but itcannot deprive us of our domestick satisfactions. I would rather drinkpunch in one of their houses' (meaning the houses of his people) 'thanbe enabled by their hardships, to have claret in my own. ' This shouldbe the sentiment of every chieftain. All that he can get by raisinghis rents, is more luxury in his own house. Is it not better to sharethe profits of his estate, to a certain degree, with his kinsmen, andthus have both social intercourse and patriarchal influence?

We had a very good ride, for about three miles, to Talisker, whereColonel M'Leod introduced us to his lady. We found here Mr DonaldM'Lean, the young Laird of Col (nephew to Talisker), to whom Idelivered the letter with which I had been favoured by his uncle, Professor M'Leod, at Aberdeen. He was a little lively young man. Wefound he had been a good deal in England, studying farming, and wasresolved to improve the value of his father's lands, withoutoppressing his tenants, or losing the ancient Highland fashions. 

Talisker is a better place than one commonly finds in Sky. It issituated in a rich bottom. Before it is a wide expanse of sea, on eachhand of which are immense rocks; and, at some distance in the sea, there are three columnal rocks rising to sharp points. The billowsbreak with prodigious force and noise on the coast of Talisker. Thereare here a good many well-grown trees. Talisker is an extensive farm. The possessor of it has, for several generations, been the next heirto M'Leod, as there has been but one son always in that family. Thecourt before the house is most injudiciously paved with the roundblueish-grey pebbles which are found upon the sea-shore; so that youwalk as if upon cannon-balls driven into the ground. 

After supper, I talked of the assiduity of the Scottish clergy, invisiting and privately instructing their parishioners, and observedhow much in this they excelled the English clergy. Dr Johnson wouldnot let this pass. He tried to turn it off, by saying, 'There aredifferent ways of instructing. Our clergy pray and preach. ' M'Leod andI pressed the subject, upon which he grew warm, and broke forth: 'I donot believe your people are better instructed. If they are, it is theblind leading the blind; for your clergy are not instructedthemselves. ' Thinking he had gone a little too far, he checkedhimself, and added, 'When I talk of the ignorance of your clergy, Italk of them as a body: I do not mean that there are not individualswho are learned' (looking at Mr M'Queen). 'I suppose there are suchamong the clergy in Muscovy. The clergy of England have produced themost valuable books in support of religion, both in theory andpractice. What have your clergy done, since you sunk intopresbyterianism? Can you name one book of any value, on a religioussubject, written by them?' We were silent. 'I'll help you. Forbeswrote very well; but I believe he wrote before episcopacy was quiteextinguished. ' And then pausing a little, he said, 'Yes, you haveWishart against Repentance. ' [Footnote: This was a dexterous mode ofdescription, for the purpose of his argument; for what he alluded towas, a sermon published by the learned Dr William Wishart, formerlyprincipal of the college at Edinburgh, to warn men AGAINST confidingin a death-bed REPENTANCE, of the inefficacy of which he entertainednotions very different from those of Dr Johnson. ] BOSWELL. 'But, sir, we are not contending for the superior learning of our clergy, but fortheir superior assiduity. ' He bore us down again, with thunderingagainst their ignorance, and said to me, 'I see you have not been welltaught; for you have not charity. ' He had been in some measure forcedinto this warmth, by the exulting air which I assumed; for, when hebegan, he said, 'Since you will drive the nail!' He again thought ofgood Mr M'Queen, and, taking him by the hand, said, 'Sir, I did notmean any disrespect to you. '

Here I must observe, that he conquered by deserting his ground, andnot meeting the argument as I had put it. The assiduity of theScottish clergy is certainly greater than that of the English. Histaking up the topick of their not having so much learning, was, thoughingenious, yet a fallacy in logick. It was as if there should be adispute whether a man's hair is well dressed, and Dr Johnson shouldsay, 'Sir, his hair cannot be well dressed; for he has a dirty shirt. No man who has not clean linen has his hair well dressed. ' When somedays afterwards he read this passage, he said, 'No, sir; I did not saythat a man's hair could not be well dressed because he has not cleanlinen, but because he is bald. '

He used one argument against the Scottish clergy being learned, whichI doubt was not good. 'As we believe a man dead till we know that heis alive; so we believe men ignorant till we know that they arelearned. ' Now our maxim in law is, to presume a man alive, till weknow he is dead. However, indeed, it may be answered, that we mustfirst know he has lived; and that we have never known the learning ofthe Scottish clergy. Mr M'Queen, though he was of opinion that DrJohnson had deserted the point really in dispute, was much pleasedwith what he said, and owned to me, he thought it very just; and MrsM'Leod was so much captivated by his eloquence, that she told me 'Iwas a good advocate for a bad cause. '

Friday, 24th September

This was a good day. Dr Johnson told us, at breakfast, that he rodeharder at a fox chase than any body. 'The English, ' said he, 'are theonly nation who ride hard a-hunting. A Frenchman goes out upon amanaged horse, and capers in the field, and no more thinks of leapinga hedge than of mounting a breach. Lord Powerscourt laid a wager, inFrance, that he would ride a great many miles in a certain short time. The French academicians set to work, and calculated that, from theresistance of the air, it was impossible. His lordship howeverperformed it. '

Our money being nearly exhausted, we sent a bill for thirty pounds, drawn on Sir William Forbes and Co. To Lochbraccadale, but ourmessenger found it very difficult to procure cash for it; at length, however, he got us value from the master of a vessel which was tocarry away some emigrants. There is a great scarcity of specie in Sky. Mr M'Queen said he had the utmost difficulty to pay his servants'wages, or to pay for any little thing which he has to buy. The rentsare paid in bills, which the drovers give. The people consume a vastdeal of snuff and tobacco, for which they must pay ready money; andpedlers, who come about selling goods, as there is not a shop in theisland, carry away the cash. If there were encouragement given tofisheries and manufacturers, there might be a circulation of moneyintroduced. I got one-and-twenty shillings in silver at Portree, whichwas thought a wonderful store. 

Talisker, Mr M'Queen, and I, walked out, and looked at no less thanfifteen different waterfalls near the house, in the space of about aquarter of a mile. We also saw Cuchullin's well, said to have been thefavourite spring of that ancient hero. I drank of it. The water isadmirable. On the shore are many stones full of crystallizations inthe heart. 

Though our obliging friend, Mr M'Lean, was but the young laird, he hadthe title of Col constantly given him. After dinner he and I walked tothe top of Prieshwell, a very high rocky hill, from whence there is aview of Barra, the Long Island, Bernera, the Loch of Dunvegan, part ofRum, part of Rasay, and a vast deal of the isle of Sky. Col, though hehad come into Sky with an intention to be at Dunvegan, and pass aconsiderable time in the island, most politely resolved first toconduct us to Mull, and then to return to Sky. This was a veryfortunate circumstance; for he planned an expedition for us of morevariety than merely going to Mull. He proposed we should flee theislands of Egg, Muck, Col, and Tyr-yi. In all these islands he couldshew us every thing worth seeing; and in Mull he said he should be asif at home, his father having lands there, and he a farm. 

Dr Johnson did not talk much to-day, but seemed intent in listening tothe schemes of future excursion, planned by Col. Dr Birch, however, being mentioned, he said, he had more anecdotes than any man. I said, Percy had a great many; that he flowed with them like one of thebrooks here. JOHNSON. 'If Percy is like one of the brooks here. Birchwas like the river Thames. Birch excelled Percy in that, as much asPercy excels Goldsmith. ' I mentioned Lord Hailes as a man of anecdote. He was not pleased with him, for publishing only such memorials andletters as were unfavourable for the Stuart family. 'If, ' said he, 'aman fairly warns you, "I am to give all the ill; do you find thegood", he may: but if the object which he professes be to give a viewof a reign, let him tell all the truth. I would tell truth of the twoGeorges, or of that scoundrel, King William. Granger's BiographicalHistory is full of curious anecdote, but might have been better done. The dog is a Whig. I do not like much to see a Whig in any dress; butI hate to see a Whig in a parson's gown. '

Saturday, 25th September

It was resolved that we should set out, in order to return to Slate, to be in readiness to take boat whenever there should be a fair wind. Dr Johnson remained in his chamber writing a letter, and it was longbefore we could get him into motion. He did not come to breakfast, buthad it sent to him. When he had finished his letter, it was twelveo'clock, and we should have set out at ten. When I went up to him, hesaid to me, 'Do you remember a song which begins, "Every island is a prison Strongly guarded by the sea; Kings and princes, for that reason, Prisoners are, as well as we. "'

I suppose he had been thinking of our confined situation. He wouldfain have gone in a boat from hence, instead of riding back to Slate. A scheme for it was proposed. He said, 'We'll not be driven tamelyfrom it': but it proved impracticable. 

We took leave of M'Leod and Talisker, from whom we parted with regret. Talisker, having been bred to physick, had a tincture of scholarshipin his conversation, which pleased Dr Johnson, and he had some verygood books; and being a colonel in the Dutch service, he and his lady, in consequence of having lived abroad, had introduced the ease andpoliteness of the continent into this rude region. 

Young Col was now our leader. Mr M'Queen was to accompany us half aday more. We stopped at a little hut, where we saw an old womangrinding with the quern, the ancient Highland instrument, which it issaid was used by the Romans, but which, being very slow in itsoperation, is almost entirely gone into disuse. 

The walls of the cottages in Sky, instead of being one compacted massof stones, are often formed by two exterior surfaces of stone, filledup with earth in the middle, which makes them very warm. The roof isgenerally bad. They are thatched, sometimes with straw, sometimes withheath, sometimes with fern. The thatch is secured by ropes of straw, or of heath; and, to fix the ropes, there is a stone tied to the endof each. These stones hang round the bottom of the roof, and make itlook like a lady's hair in papers; but I should think that, when thereis wind, they would come down, and knock people on the head. 

We dined at the inn at Sconser, where I had the pleasure to find aletter from my wife. Here we parted from our learned companion, MrDonald M'Queen. Dr Johnson took leave of him very affectionately, saying, 'Dear sir, do not forget me!' We settled, that he should writean account of the Isle of Sky, which Dr Johnson promised to revise. Hesaid, Mr M'Queen should tell all that he could; distinguishing what hehimself knew, what was traditional, and what conjectural. 

We sent our horses round a point of land, that we might shun some verybad road; and resolved to go forward by sea. It was seven o'clock whenwe got into our boat. We had many showers, and it soon grew prettydark. Dr Johnson sat silent and patient. Once he said, as he looked onthe black coast of Sky--black, as being composed of rocks seen in thedusk--'This is very solemn. ' Our boatmen were rude singers, and seemedso like wild Indians, that a very little imagination was necessary togive one an impression of being upon an American river. We landed atStrolimus, from whence we got a guide to walk before us, for twomiles, to Corrichatachin. Not being able to procure a horse for ourbaggage, I took one portmanteau before me, and Joseph another. We hadbut a single star to light us on our way. It was about eleven when wearrived. We were most hospitably received by the master and mistress, who were just going to bed, but, with unaffected ready kindness, madea good fire, and at twelve o'clock at night had supper on the table. 

James Macdonald, of Knockow, Kingsburgh's brother, whom we had seen atKingsburgh, was there. He shewed me a bond granted by the late SirJames Macdonald, to old Kingsburgh, the preamble of which does so muchhonour to the feelings of that much-lamented gentleman, that I thoughtit worth transcribing. It was as follows:--

I, Sir James Macdonald, of Macdonald, Baronet, now, after arriving atmy perfect age, from the friendship I bear to Alexander Macdonald ofKingsburgh, and in return for the long and faithful services done andperformed by him to my deceased father, and to myself during myminority, when he was one of my Tutors and Curators; being resolved, now that the said Alexander Macdonald is advanced in years, tocontribute my endeavours for making his old age placid andcomfortable, therefore he grants him an annuity of fifty poundssterling. 

Dr Johnson went to bed soon. When one bowl of punch was finished, Irose, and was near the door, in my way up stairs to bed; butCorrichatachin said, it was the first time Col had been in his house, and he should have his bowl; and would not I join in drinking it? Theheartiness of my honest landlord, and the desire of doing socialhonour to our very obliging conductor, induced me to sit down again. Col's bowl was finished; and by that time we were well warmed. A thirdbowl was soon made, and that too was finished. We were cordial, andmerry to a high degree; but of what passed I have no recollection, with any accuracy. I remember calling Corrichatachin by the familiarappellation of Corri, which his friends do. A fourth bowl was made, bywhich time Col, and young M'Kinnon, Corrichatachin's son, slipped awayto bed. I continued a little with Corri and Knockow; but at last Ileft them. It was near five in the morning when I got to bed. 

Sunday, 26th September

I awaked at noon, with a severe head-ach. I was much vexed that Ishould have been guilty of such a riot, and afraid of a reproof fromDr Johnson. I thought it very inconsistent with that conduct which Iought to maintain, while the companion of the Rambler. About one hecame into my room, and accosted me, 'What, drunk yet?' His tone ofvoice was not that of severe upbraiding; so I was relieved a little. 'Sir, ' said I, 'they kept me up. ' He answered, 'No, you kept them up, you drunken dog. ' This he said with good-humoured English pleasantry. Soon afterwards, Corrichatachin, Col, and other friends assembledround my bed. Corri had a brandy-bottle and glass with him, andinsisted I should take a dram. 'Ay, ' said Dr Johnson, 'fill him drunkagain. Do it in the morning, that we may laugh at him all day. It is apoor thing for a fellow to get drunk at night, and sculk to bed, andlet his friends have no sport. ' Finding him thus jocular, I becamequite easy; and when I offered to get up, he very good-naturedly said, 'You need be in no such hurry now. ' [Footnote: My ingenuously relatingthis occasional instance of intemperance has I find been made thesubject both of serious criticism and ludicrous banter. With thebanterers I shall not trouble myself, but I wonder that those whopretend to the appellation of serious criticks should not have hadsagacity enough to perceive that here, as in every other part of thepresent work, my principal object was to delineate Dr Johnson'smanners and character. In justice to him I would not omit an anecdote, which, though in some degree to my own disadvantage, exhibits in sostrong a light the indulgence and good humour with which he couldtreat those excesses in his friends, of which he highly disapproved. In some other instances, the criticks have been equally wrong as tothe true motive of my recording particulars, the objections to which Isaw as clearly as they. But it would be an endless talk for an authourto point out upon every occasion the precise object he has in view. Contenting himself with the approbation of readers of discernment andtaste, he ought not to complain that some are found who cannot or willnot understand him. ] I took my host's advice, and drank some brandy, which I found an effectual cure for my head-ach. When I rose, I wentinto Dr Johnson's room, and taking up Mrs M'Kinnon's prayer-book, Iopened it at the twentieth Sunday after Trinity, in the epistle forwhich I read, 'And be not drunk with wine, wherein there is excess. 'Some would have taken this as a divine interposition. 

Mrs M'Kinnon told us at dinner, that old Kingsburgh, her father, wasexamined at Mugstot, by General Campbell, as to the particulars of thedress of the person who had come to his house in woman's clothes, along with Miss Flora M'Donald; as the General had receivedintelligence of that disguise. The particulars were taken down inwriting, that it might be seen how far they agreed with the dress ofthe 'Irish girl' who went with Miss Flora from the Long Island. Kingsburgh, she said, had but one song, which he always sung when hewas merry over a glass. She dictated the words to me, which arefoolish enough:

 Green sleeves and pudding pies, Tell me where my mistress lies, And I'll be with her before the rise, Fiddle and aw' together. 

 May our affairs abroad succeed, And may our king come home with speed, And all pretenders shake for dread, And let HIS health go round. 

 To all our injured friends in need, This side and beyond the Tweed! Let all pretenders shake for dread, And let HIS health go round. Green sleeves, &c. 

While the examination was going on, the present Talisker, who wasthere as one of M'Leod's militia, could not resist the pleasantry ofasking Kingsburgh, in allusion to his only song, 'Had she GREENSLEEVES?' Kingsburgh gave him no answer. Lady Margaret M'Donald wasvery angry at Talisker for joking on such a serious occasion, asKingsburgh was really in danger of his life. Mrs M'Kinnon added thatLady Margaret was quite adored in Sky. That when she travelled throughthe island, the people ran in crowds before her, and took the stonesoff the road, lest her horse should stumble and she be hurt. Herhusband, Sir Alexander, is also remembered with great regard. We weretold that every week a hogshead of claret was drunk at his table. 

This was another day of wind and rain; but good cheer and good societyhelped to beguile the time. I felt myself comfortable enough in theafternoon. I then thought that my last night's riot was no more thansuch a social excess as may happen without much moral blame; andrecollected that some physicians maintained, that a fever produced byit was, upon the whole, good for health: so different are ourreflections on the same subject, at different periods; and such theexcuses with which we palliate what we know to be wrong. 

Monday, 27th September

Mr Donald M'Leod, our original guide, who had parted from us atDunvegan, joined us again to-day. The weather was still so bad that wecould not travel. I found a closet here, with a good many books, beside those that were lying about. Dr Johnson told me, he found alibrary in his room at Talisker; and observed, that it was one of theremarkable things of Sky, that there were so many books in it. 

Though we had here great abundance of provisions, it is remarkablethat Corrichatachin has literally no garden: not even a turnip, acarrot or a cabbage. After dinner, we talked of the crooked spade usedin Sky, already described, and they maintained that it was better thanthe usual garden-spade, and that there was an art in tossing it, bywhich those who were accustomed to it could work very easily with it. 'Nay, ' said Dr Johnson, 'it may be useful in land where there are manystones to raise; but it certainly is not a good instrument for digginggood land. A man may toss it, to be sure; but he will toss a lightspade much better: its weight makes it an incumbrance. A man MAY digany land with it; but he has no occasion for such a weight in digginggood land. You may take a field-piece to shoot sparrows; but all thesparrows you can bring home will not be worth the charge. ' He wasquite social and easy amongst them; and, though he drank no fermentedliquor, toasted Highland beauties with great readiness. Hisconviviality engaged them so much, that they seemed eager to shewtheir attention to him, and vied with each other in crying out, with astrong Celtick pronunciation, 'Toctor Shonson, Toctor Shonson, yourhealth!'

This evening one of our married ladies, a lively pretty little woman, good-humouredly sat down upon Dr Johnson's knee, and, being encouragedby some of the company, put her hands round his neck, and kissed him. 'Do it again, ' said he, 'and let us see who will tire first. ' He kepther on his knee some time, while he and she drank tea. He was now likea BUCK indeed. All the company were much entertained to find him soeasy and pleasant. To me it was highly comick, to see the gravephilosopher--the Rambler--toying with a Highland beauty! But whatcould he do? He must have been surly, and weak too, had he not behavedas he did. He would have been laughed at, and not more respected, though less loved. 

He read to-night, to himself, as he sat in company, a great deal of myJournal, and said to me, 'The more I read of this, I think the morehighly of you. ' The gentlemen sat a long time at their punch, after heand I had retired to our chambers. The manner in which they wereattended struck me as singular: the bell being broken, a smart lad layon a table in the corner of the room, ready to spring up and bring thekettle, whenever it was wanted. They continued drinking, and singingErse songs, till near five in the morning, when they all came into myroom, where some of them had beds. Unluckily for me, they found abottle of punch in a corner, which they drank; and Corrichatachin wentfor another, which they also drank. They made many apologies fordisturbing me. I told them, that, having been kept awake by theirmirth, I had once thoughts of getting up, and joining them again. Honest Corrichatachin said, 'To have had you done so, I would havegiven a cow. '

Tuesday, 28th September

The weather was worse than yesterday. I felt as if imprisoned. DrJohnson said, it was irksome to be detained thus: yet he seemed tohave less uneasiness, or more patience, than I had. What made oursituation worse here was, that we had no rooms that we could command;for the good people had no notion that a man could have any occasionbut for a mere sleeping-place; so, during the day, the bed-chamberswere common to all the house. Servants eat in Dr Johnson's; and minewas a kind of general rendezvous of all under the roof, children anddogs not excepted. As the gentlemen occupied the parlour, the ladieshad no place to sit in, during the day, but Dr Johnson's room. I hadalways some quiet time for writing in it, before he was up; and, bydegrees, I accustomed the ladies to let me sit in it after breakfast, at my Journal, without minding me. 

Dr Johnson was this morning for going to see as many islands as wecould; not recollecting the uncertainty of the season, which mightdetain us in one place for many weeks. He said to me, 'I have more thespirit of adventure than you. ' For my part, I was anxious to get toMull, from whence we might almost any day reach the main land. 

Dr Johnson mentioned, that the few ancient Irish gentlemen yetremaining have the highest pride of family; that Mr Sandford, a friendof his, whose mother was Irish, told him, that O'Hara (who was trueIrish, both by father and mother) and he, and Mr Ponsonby, son to theEarl of Besborough, the greatest man of the three, but of an Englishfamily, went to see one of those ancient Irish, and that hedistinguished them thus: 'O'Hara, you are welcome! Mr Sandford, yourmother's son, is welcome! Mr Ponsonby, you may sit down. '

He talked both of threshing and thatching. He said, it was verydifficult to determine how to agree with a thresher. 'If you pay himby the day's wages, he will thresh no more than he pleases; though, tobe sure, the negligence of a thresher is more easily detected thanthat of most labourers, because he must always make a sound while heworks. If you pay him by the piece, by the quantity of grain which heproduces, he will thresh only while the grain comes freely, and, though he leaves a good deal in the ear, it is not worth while tothresh the straw over again; nor can you fix him to do itsufficiently, because it is so difficult to prove how much less a manthreshes than he ought to do. Here then is a dilemma: but, for mypart, I would engage him by the day; I would rather trust his idlenessthan his fraud. ' He said, a roof thatched with Lincolnshire reedswould last seventy years, as he was informed when in that county; andthat he told this in London to a great thatcher, who said, he believedit might be true. Such are the pains that Dr Johnson takes to get thebest information on every subject. 

He proceeded: 'It is difficult for a farmer in England to find day-labourers, because the lowest manufacturers can always get more than aday-labourer. It is of no consequence how high the wages ofmanufacturers are; but it would be of very bad consequence to raisethe wages of those who procure the immediate necessaries of life, forthat would raise the price of provisions. Here then is a problem forpoliticians. It is not reasonable that the most useful body of menshould be the worst paid; yet it does not appear how it can be orderedotherwise. It were to be wished, that a mode for its being otherwisewere found out. In the mean time, it is better to give temporaryassistance by charitable contributions to poor labourers, at timeswhen provisions are high, than to raise their wages; because, if wagesare once raised, they will never get down again. '

Happily the weather cleared up between one and two o'clock, and we gotready to depart; but our kind host and hostess would not let us gowithout taking a 'snatch', as they called it; which was in truth a verygood dinner. While the punch went round, Dr Johnson kept a closewhispering conference with Mrs M'Kinnon, which, however, was loud enoughto let us hear that the subject of it was the particulars of PrinceCharles's escape. The company were entertained and pleased to observeit. Upon that subject, there was something congenial between the soul ofDr Samuel Johnson, and that of an isle of Sky farmer's wife. It iscurious to see people, how far soever removed from each other in thegeneral system of their lives, come close together on a particular pointwhich is common to each. We were merry with Corrichatachin, on DrJohnson's whispering with his wife. She, perceiving this, humorouslycried, 'I am in love with him. What is it to live and not to love?' Uponher saying something, which I did not hear, or cannot recollect, heseized her hand eagerly, and kissed it. 

As we were going, the Scottish phrase of 'honest man!' which is anexpression of kindness and regard, was again and again applied by thecompany to Dr Johnson. I was also treated with much civility; and Imust take some merit from my assiduous attention to him, and from mycontriving that he shall be easy wherever he goes, that he shall notbe asked twice to eat or drink any thing (which always disgusts him), that he shall be provided with water at his meals, and many suchlittle things, which, if not attended to would fret him. I also may beallowed to claim some merit in leading the conversation: I do not meanleading, as in an orchestra, by playing the first fiddle; but leadingas one does in examining a witness--starting topics, and making himpursue them. He appears to me like a great mill, into which a subjectis thrown to be ground. It requires, indeed, fertile minds to furnishmaterials for this mill. I regret whenever I see it unemployed; butsometimes I feel myself quite barren, and having nothing to throw in. I know not if this mill be a good figure; though Pope makes his mind amill for turning verses. 

We set out about four. Young Corrichatachin went with us. We had afine evening, and arrived in good time at Ostig, the residence of MrMartin M'Pherson, minister of Slate. It is a pretty good house, builtby his father, upon a farm near the church. We were received here withmuch kindness by Mr and Mrs M'Pherson, and his sister, Miss M'Pherson, who pleased Dr Johnson much, by singing Erse songs, and playing on theguittar. He afterwards sent her a present of his Rasselas. In hisbed-chamber was a press stored with books, Greek, Latin, French, andEnglish, most of which had belonged to the father of our host, thelearned Dr M'Pherson; who, though his Dissertations have beenmentioned in a former page as unsatisfactory, was a man ofdistinguished talents. Dr Johnson looked at a Latin paraphrase of thesong of Moses, written by him, and published in the Scots Magazine for1747, and said, 'It does him honour; he has a great deal of Latin, andgood Latin. ' Dr M'Pherson published also in the same magazine, June1739, an original Latin ode, which he wrote from the Isle of Barra, where he was minister for some years. It is very poetical, andexhibits a striking proof how much all things depend upon comparison:for Barra, it seems, appeared to him so much worse than Sky, hisnatale solum, that he languished for its 'blessed mountains', andthought himself buried alive amongst barbarians where he was. Myreaders will probably not be displeased to have a specimen of thisode:

 Hei mihi! quantos patior dolores, Dum procul specto juga ter beata; Dum ferae Barrae steriles arenas Solus oberro. 

 Ingemo, indignor, crucior, quod inter Barbaros Thulen lateam colentes; Torpeo languens, morior sepultus, Carcere coeco. 

After wishing for wings to fly over to his dear country, which was inhis view, from what he calls 'Thule', as being the most western isleof Scotland, except St Kilda; after describing the pleasures ofsociety, and the miseries of solitude, he at last, with becomingpropriety, has recourse to the only sure relief of thinkingmen--Sursum corda, the hope of a better world--and disposes his mindto resignation:

 Interim fiat, tua, rex, voluntas: Erigor sursum quoties subit spes Certa migrandi Solymam supernam, Numinis aulam. 

He concludes in a noble strain of orthodox piety:

 Vita tum demum vocitanda vita est. Tum licet gratos socios habere, Seraphim et sanctos Triadem verendam Concelebrantes. 

Wednesday, 29th September

After a very good sleep, I rose more refreshed than I had been forsome nights. We were now at but a little distance from the shore, andsaw the sea from our windows, which made our voyage seem nearer. MrM'Pherson's manners and address pleased us much. He appeared to be aman of such intelligence and taste as to be sensible of theextraordinary powers of his illustrious guest. He said to me, 'DrJohnson is an honour to mankind; and, if the expression may be used, is an honour to religion. '

Col, who had gone yesterday to pay a visit at Camuscross, joined usthis morning at breakfast. Some other gentlemen also came to enjoy theentertainment of Dr Johnson's conversation. The day was windy andrainy, so that we had just seized a happy interval for our journeylast night. We had good entertainment here, better accommodation thanat Corrichatachin, and time enough to ourselves. The hours slippedalong imperceptibly. We talked of Shenstone. Dr Johnson said, he was agood layer-out of land, but would not allow him to approach excellenceas a poet. He said, he believed he had tried to read all his LovePastorals, but did not get through them. I repeated the stanza, '"She gazed as I slowly withdrew; My path I could hardly discern; So sweetly she bade me adieu, I thought that she bade me return. "'

He said, 'That seems to be pretty. ' I observed that Shenstone, fromhis short maxims in prose, appeared to have some power of thinking;but Dr Johnson would not allow him that merit. He agreed, however, with Shenstone, that it was wrong in the brother of one of hiscorrespondents to burn his letters; 'for, ' said he, 'Shenstone was aman whose correspondence was an honour. ' He was this afternoon full ofcritical severity, and dealt about his censures on all sides. He said, Hammond's Love Elegies were poor things. He spoke contemptuously ofour lively and elegant, though too licentious, lyrick bard, HanburyWilliams, and said, 'he had no fame, but from boys who drank withhim'. 

While he was in this mood, I was unfortunate enough, simply perhaps, but, I could not help thinking, undeservedly, to come within 'thewhiff and wind of his fell sword'. I asked him, if he had ever beenaccustomed to wear a night-cap. He said 'No. ' I asked, if it was bestnot to wear one. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I had this custom by chance, andperhaps no man shall ever know whether it is best to sleep with orwithout a night-cap. ' Soon afterwards he was laughing at somedeficiency in the Highlands, and said, 'One might as well go withoutshoes and stockings. ' Thinking to have a little hit at his owndeficiency, I ventured to add, 'or without a night-cap, sir'. But Ihad better have been silent; for he retorted directly, 'I do not seethe connection there' (laughing). 'Nobody before was ever foolishenough to ask whether it was best to wear a night-cap or not. Thiscomes of being a little wrong-headed. ' He carried the company alongwith him: and yet the truth is, that if he had always worn anight-cap, as is the common practice, and found the Highlanders didnot wear one, he would have wondered at their barbarity; so that myhit was fair enough. 

Thursday, 30th September

There was as great a storm of wind and rain as I have almost everseen, which necessarily confined us to the house; but we were fullycompensated by Dr Johnson's conversation. He said, he did not grudgeBurke's being the first man in the House of Commons, for he was thefirst man every where; but he grudged that a fellow who makes nofigure in company, and has a mind as narrow as the neck of a vinegarcruet, should make a figure in the House of Commons, merely by havingthe knowledge of a few forms, and being furnished with a littleoccasional information. [Footnote: He did not mention the name of anyparticular person; but those who are conversant with the politicalworld will probably recollect more persons than one to whom thisobservation may be applied. ] He told us, the first time he saw DrYoung was at the house of Mr Richardson, the author of Clarissa. Hewas sent for, that the doctor might read to him his Conjectures onOriginal Composition, which he did, and Dr Johnson made his remarks;and he was surprised to find Young receive as novelties, what hethought very common maxims. He said, he believed Young was not a greatscholar, nor had studied regularly the art of writing; that there werevery fine things in his Night Thoughts, though you could not findtwenty lines together without some extravagance. He repeated twopassages from his Love of Fame--the characters of Brunetta and Stella, which he praised highly. He said Young pressed him much to come toWellwyn. He always intended it, but never went. He was sorry whenYoung died. The cause of quarrel between Young and his son, he toldus, was, that his son insisted Young should turn away a clergyman'swidow, who lived with him, and who, having acquired great influenceover the father, was saucy to the son. Dr Johnson said, she could notconceal her resentment at him, for saying to Young, that 'an old manshould not resign himself to the management of any body. ' I asked him, if there was any improper connection between them. 'No, sir, no morethan between two statues. He was past fourscore, and she a very coarsewoman. She read to him, and, I suppose, made his coffee, and frothedhis chocolate, and did such things as an old man wishes to have donefor him. '

Dr Dodridge being mentioned, he observed that 'he was author of one ofthe finest epigrams in the English language. It is in Orton's Life ofhim. The subject is his family-motto, Dum vivimus, vivamus; which, inits primary signification, is, to be sure, not very suitable to aChristian divine; but he paraphrased it thus:

 "Live, while you live, the EPICURE would say, And seize the pleasures of the present day. Live, while you live, the sacred PREACHER cries, And give to God each moment as it flies. Lord, in my views let both united be; I live in PLEASURE, when I live to THEE. "'

I asked if it was not strange that government should permit so manyinfidel writings to pass without censure. JOHNSON. 'Sir, it is mightyfoolish. It is for want of knowing their own power. The present familyon the throne came to the crown against the will of nine tenths of thepeople. Whether those nine tenths were right or wrong, it is not ourbusiness now to inquire. But such being the situation of the royalfamily, they were glad to encourage all who would be their friends. Now you know every bad man is a Whig; every man who has loose notions. The Church was all against this family. They were, as I say, glad toencourage any friends; and therefore, since their accession, there isno instance of any man being kept back on account of his badprinciples; and hence this inundation of impiety. ' I observed that MrHume, some of whose writings were very unfavourable to religion, was, however, a Tory. JOHNSON. 'Sir, Hume is a Tory by chance, as being aScotchman; but not upon a principle of duty; for he has no principle. If he is any thing, he is a Hobbist. '

There was something not quite serene in his humour to night, aftersupper; for he spoke of hastening away to London, without stoppingmuch at Edinburgh. I reminded him, that he had General Oughton andmany others to see. JOHNSON. 'Nay, I shall neither go in jest, norstay in jest. I shall do what is fit. ' BOSWELL. 'Ay, sir, but all Idesire is, that you will let me tell you when it is fit. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, I shall not consult you. ' BOSWELL. 'If you are to run away fromus, as soon as you get loose, we will keep you confined in an island. 'He was, however, on the whole, very good company. Mr Donald M'Leodexpressed very well the gradual impression made by Dr Johnson on thosewho are so fortunate as to obtain his acquaintance. 'When you see himfirst, you are struck with awful reverence; then you admire him; andthen you love him cordially. '

I read this evening some part of Voltaire's History of the War in1741, and of Lord Kames against Hereditary Indefeasible Right. This isa very slight circumstance, with which I should not trouble my reader, but for the sake of observing, that every man should keep minutes ofwhatever he reads. Every circumstance of his studies should berecorded; what books he has consulted; how much of them he has read;at what times; how often the same authors; and what opinions he formedof them, at different periods of his life. Such an account would muchillustrate the history of his mind. 

Friday, 1st October

I shewed to Dr Johnson verses in a magazine, on his Dictionary, composed of uncommon words taken from it:

Little of Anthropopathy has he, &c. "

He read a few of them, and said, 'I am not answerable for all thewords in my Dictionary. ' I told him, that Garrick kept a book of allwho had either praised or abused him. On the subject of his ownreputation, he said, 'Now that I see it has been so current a topick, I wish I had done so too; but it could not well be done now, as somany things are scattered in newspapers. ' He said he was angry at aboy of Oxford, who wrote in his defence against Kenrick; because itwas doing him hurt to answer Kenrick. He was told afterwards, the boywas to come to him to ask a favour. He first thought to treat himrudely, on account of his meddling in that business; but then heconsidered, he had meant to do him all the service in his power, andhe took another resolution; he told him he would do what he could forhim, and did so, and the boy was satisfied. He said, he did not knowhow his pamphlet was done, as he had read very little of it. The boymade a good figure at Oxford, but died. He remarked, that attacks onauthors did them much service. 'A man who tells me my play is verybad, is less my enemy than he who lets it die in silence. A man, whosebusiness it is to be talked of, is much helped at being attacked. 'Garrick, I observed, had been often so helped. JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir;though Garrick had more opportunities than almost any man, to keep thepublick in mind of him, by exhibiting himself to such numbers, hewould not have had so much reputation, had he not been so muchattacked. Every attack produces a defence; and so attention isengaged. There is no sport in mere praise, when people are all of amind. ' BOSWELL. 'Then Hume is not the worse for Seattle's attack?'JOHNSON. 'He is, because Beattie has confuted him. I do not say, butthat there may be some attacks which will hurt an author. Though Humesuffered from Beattie, he was the better for other attacks. ' (Hecertainly could not include in that number those of Dr Adams, and MrTytler. ) BOSWELL. 'Goldsmith is the better for attacks. ' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; but he does not think so yet. When Goldsmith and Ipublished, each of us something, at the same time, we were given tounderstand that we might review each other. Goldsmith was foraccepting the offer. I said, No; set reviewers at defiance. It wassaid to old Bentley, upon the attacks against him, "Why, they'll writeyou down. " "No, sir, " he replied; "depend upon it, no man was everwritten down but by himself. "' He observed to me afterwards, that theadvantages authours derived from attacks, were chiefly in subjects oftaste, where you cannot confute, as so much may be said on eitherside. He told me he did not know who was the authour of the Adventuresof a Guinea, but that the bookseller had sent the first volume to himin manuscript, to have his opinion if it should be printed; and hethought it should. 

The weather being now somewhat better, Mr James M'Donald, factor toSir Alexander M'Donald in Slate, insisted that all the company atOstig should go to the house at Armidale, which Sir Alexander had lefthaving gone with his lady to Edinburgh, and be his guests, till we hadan opportunity of sailing to Mull. We accordingly got there to dinner;and passed our day very cheerfully, being no less than fourteen innumber. 

Saturday, 2d October

Dr Johnson said, that 'a chief and his lady should make their houselike a court. They should have a certain number of the gentlemen'sdaughters to receive their education in the family, to learn pastryand such things from the housekeeper, and manners from my lady. Thatwas the way in the great families in Wales; at Lady Salisbury's, MrsThrale's grandmother, and at Lady Philips's. I distinguish thefamilies by the ladies, as I speak of what was properly theirprovince. There were always six young ladies at Sir John Philips's:when one was married, her place was filled up. There was a largeschool-room, where they learnt needlework and other things. ' Iobserved, that, at some courts in Germany, there were academies forthe pages, who are the sons of gentlemen, and receive their educationwithout any expence to their parents. Dr Johnson said, that mannerswere best learnt at those courts. 'You are admitted with greatfacility to the prince's company, and yet must treat him with muchrespect. At a great court, you are at such a distance that you get nogood. ' I said, 'Very true: a man sees the court of Versailles, as ifhe saw it on a theatre. ' He said, 'The best book that ever was writtenupon good breeding, Il Corteggiano, by Castiglione, grew up at thelittle court of Urbino, and you should read it. ' I am glad always tohave his opinion of books. At Mr M'Pherson's, he commended Whitby'sCommentary, and said, he had heard him called rather lax; but he didnot perceive it. He had looked at a novel, called The Man of theWorld, at Rasay, but thought there was nothing in it. He said to-day, while reading my Journal, 'This will be a great treasure to us someyears hence. '

Talking of a very penurious gentleman of our acquaintance, heobserved, that he exceeded L'Avare in the play. I concurred with him, and remarked that he would do well, if introduced in one of Foote'sfarces; that the best way to get it done, would be to bring Foote tobe entertained at his house for a week, and then it would be facitindignatio. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I wish he had him. I, who have eaten hisbread, will not give him to him, but I should be glad he came honestlyby him. '

He said, he was angry at Thrale, for sitting at General Oglethorpe'swithout speaking. He censured a man for degrading himself to anon-entity. I observed, that Goldsmith was on the other extreme; forhe spoke at all ventures. JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; Goldsmith, rather thannot speak, will talk of what he knows himself to be ignorant, whichcan only end in exposing him. ' 'I wonder, ' said I, 'if he feels thathe exposes himself. If he was with two taylors. .. ' 'Or with twofounders, ' said Dr Johnson, interrupting me, 'he would fall a talkingon the method of making cannon, though both of them would soon seethat he did not know what metal a cannon is made of. ' We were verysocial and merry in his room this forenoon. In the evening the companydanced as usual. We performed, with much activity, a dance which, Isuppose, the emigration from Sky has occasioned. They call it'America'. Each of the couples, after the common involutions andevolutions, successively whirls round in a circle, till all are inmotion; and the dance seems intended to shew how emigration catches, till a whole neighbourhood is set afloat. Mrs M'Kinnon told me, thatlast year when a ship sailed from Portree for America, the people onshore were almost distracted when they saw their relations go off;they lay down on the ground, tumbled, and tore the grass with theirteeth. This year there was not a tear shed. The people on shore seemedto think that they would soon follow. This indifference is a mortalsign for the country. 

We danced to night to the musick of the bagpipe, which made us beatthe ground with prodigious force. I thought it better to endeavour toconciliate the kindness of the people of Sky, by joining heartily intheir amusements, than to play the abstract scholar. I looked on thistour to the Hebrides as a copartnership between Dr Johnson and me. Each was to do all he could to promote its success; and I have somereason to flatter myself, that my gayer exertions were of service tous. Dr Johnson's immense fund of knowledge and wit was a wonderfulsource of admiration and delight to them; but they had it only attimes; and they required to have the intervals agreeably filled up, and even little elucidations of his learned text. I was also fortunateenough frequently to draw him forth to talk, when he would otherwisehave been silent. The fountain was at times locked up, till I openedthe spring. It was curious to hear the Hebridians, when any disputehappened while he was out of the room, saying, 'Stay till Dr Johnsoncomes: say that to HIM!'

Yesterday Dr Johnson said, 'I cannot but laugh, to think of myselfroving among the Hebrides at sixty. I wonder where I shall rove atfourscore!' This evening he disputed the truth of what is said, as tothe people of St Kilda catching cold whenever strangers come. 'How canthere, ' said he, 'be a physical effect without a physical cause?' Headded, laughing, 'the arrival of a ship full of strangers would killthem; for, if one stranger gives them one cold, two strangers mustgive them two colds; and so in proportion. ' I wondered to hear himridicule this, as he had praised M'Aulay 247 for putting it in hisbook: saying, that it was manly in him to tell a fact, howeverstrange, if he himself believed it. He said, the evidence was notadequate to the improbability of the thing; that if a physician, rather disposed to be incredulous, should go to St Kilda, and reportthe fact, then he would begin to look about him. They said, it wasannually proved by M'Leod's steward, on whose arrival all theinhabitants caught cold. He jocularly remarked, 'the steward alwayscomes to demand something from them; and so they fall a coughing. Isuppose the people in Sky all take a cold, when--' (naming a certainperson) 'comes. ' They said, he came only in summer. JOHNSON. 'That isout of tenderness to you. Bad weather and he, at the same time, wouldbe too much. '

Sunday, 3d October

Joseph reported that the wind was still against us. Dr Johnson said, 'A wind, or not a wind? that is the question'; for he can amusehimself at times with a little play of words, or rather sentences. Iremember when he turned his cup at Aberbrothick, where we drank tea, he muttered, Claudite jam rivos, pueri. I must again and againapologize to fastidious readers, for recording such minuteparticulars. They prove the scrupulous fidelity of my Journal. DrJohnson said it was a very exact picture of a portion of his life. 

While we were chatting in the indolent stile of men who were to stayhere all this day at least, we were suddenly roused at being told thatthe wind was fair, that a little fleet of herring-busses was passingby for Mull, and that Mr Simpson's vessel was about to sail. HughM'Donald, the skipper, came to us, and was impatient that we shouldget ready, which we soon did. Dr Johnson, with composure andsolemnity, repeated the observation of Epictetus, that, 'as man hasthe voyage of death before him, whatever may be his employment, heshould be ready at the master's call; and an old man should never befar from the shore, lest he should not be able to get himself ready'. He rode, and I and the other gentlemen walked, about an English mileto the shore, where the vessel lay. Dr Johnson said, he should neverforget Sky, and returned thanks for all civilities. We were carried tothe vessel in a small boat which she had, and we set sail very brisklyabout one o'clock. I was much pleased with the motion for many hours. Dr Johnson grew sick, and retired under cover, as it rained a gooddeal. I kept above, that I might have fresh air, and finding myselfnot affected by the motion of the vessel, I exulted in being a stoutseaman, while Dr Johnson was quite in a state of annihilation. But Iwas soon humbled; for after imagining that I could go with ease toAmerica or the East Indies, I became very sick, but kept above board, though it rained hard. 

As we had been detained so long in Sky by bad weather, we gave up thescheme that Col had planned for us of visiting several islands, andcontented ourselves with the prospect of seeing Mull, and Icolmkilland Inchkenneth, which lie near to it. 

Mr Simpson was sanguine in his hopes for a-while, the wind being fairfor us. He said, he would land us at Icolmkill that night. But whenthe wind failed, it was resolved we should make for the sound of Mull, and land in the harbour of Tobermorie. We kept near the five herringvessels for some time; but afterwards four of them got before us, andone little wherry fell behind us. When we got in full view of thepoint of Ardnamurchan, the wind changed, and was directly against ourgetting into the sound. We were then obliged to tack, and get forwardin that tedious manner. As we advanced, the storm grew greater, andthe sea very rough. Col then began to talk of making for Egg, orCanna, or his own island. Our skipper said, he would get us into theSound. Having struggled for this a good while in vain, he said, hewould push forward till we were near the land of Mull, where we mightcast anchor, and lie till the morning; for although, before this, there had been a good moon, and I had pretty distinctly seen not onlythe land of Mull, but up the Sound, and the country of Morven as atone end of it, the night was now grown very dark. Our crew consistedof one M'Donald, our skipper, and two sailors, one of whom had but oneeye; Mr Simpson himself, Col, and Hugh M'Donald his servant, allhelped. Simpson said, he would willingly go for Col, if young Col orhis servant would undertake to pilot us to a harbour; but, as theisland is low land, it was dangerous to run upon it in the dark. Coland his servant appeared a little dubious. The scheme of running forCanna seemed then to be embraced; but Canna was ten leagues off, allout of our way; and they were afraid to attempt the harbour of Egg. All these different plans were sucessively in agitation. The oldskipper still tried to make for the land of Mull, but then it wasconsidered that there was no place there where we could anchor insafety. Much time was lost in striving against the storm. At last itbecame so rough, and threatened to be so much worse, that Col and hisservant took more courage, and said they would undertake to hit one ofthe harbours in Col. 'Then let us run for it in God's name, ' said theskipper; and instantly we turned towards it. The little wherry whichhad fallen behind us, had hard work. The master begged that, if wemade for Col, we should put out a light to him. Accordingly one of thesailors waved a glowing peat for some time. The various difficultiesthat were started, gave me a good deal of apprehension, from which Iwas relieved, when I found we were to run for a harbour before thewind. But my relief was but of short duration; for I soon heard thatour sails were very bad, and were in danger of being torn in pieces, in which case we should be driven upon the rocky shore of Col. It wasvery dark, and there was a heavy and incessant rain. The sparks of theburning peat flew so much about, that I dreaded the vessel might takefire. Then, as Col was a sportman, and had powder on board, I figuredthat we might be blown up. Simpson and he appeared a littlefrightened, which made me more so; and the perpetual talking, orrather shouting, which was carried on in Erse, alarmed me still more. A man is always suspicious of what is saying in an unknown tongue;and, if fear be his passion at the time, he grows more afraid. Ourvessel often lay so much on one side, that I trembled lest she shouldbe overset, and indeed they told me afterwards, that they had run hersometimes to within an inch of the water, so anxious were they to makewhat haste they could before the night should be worse. I now saw whatI never saw before, a prodigious sea, with immense billows coming upona vessel, so as that it seemed hardly possible to escape. There wassomething grandly horrible in the sight. I am glad I have seen itonce. Amidst all these terrifying circumstances, I endeavoured tocompose my mind. It was not easy to do it; for all the stories that Ihad heard of the dangerous sailing among the Hebrides, which isproverbial, came full upon my recollection. When I thought of thosewho were dearest to me, and would suffer severely, should I be lost, Iupbraided myself, as not having a sufficient cause for putting myselfin such danger. Piety afforded me comfort; yet I was disturbed by theobjections that have been made against a particular providence, and bythe arguments of those who maintain that it is in vain to hope thatthe petitions of an individual, or even of congregations, can have anyinfluence with the Deity; objections which have been often made, andwhich Dr Hawkesworth has lately revived, in his preface to the Voyagesto the South Seas; but Dr Ogden's excellent doctrine on the efficacyof intercession prevailed. 

It was half an hour after eleven before we set ourselves in the coursefor Col. As I saw them all busy doing something, I asked Col, withmuch earnestness, what I could do. He, with a happy readiness, putinto my hand a rope, which was fixed to the top of one of the masts, and told me to hold it till he bade me pull. If I had considered thematter, I might have seen that this could not be of the least service;but his object was to keep me out of the way of those who were busyworking the vessel, and at the same time to divert my fear, byemploying me, and making me think that I was of use. Thus did I standfirm to my post, while the wind and rain beat upon me, alwaysexpecting a call to pull my rope. 

The man with one eye steered; old M'Donald, and Col and his servant, lay upon the fore-castle, looking sharp out for the harbour. It wasnecessary to carry much 'cloth', as they termed it, that is to say, much sail, in order to keep the vessel off the shore of Col. This madeviolent plunging in a rough sea. At last they spied the harbour ofLochiern, and Col cried, 'Thank God, we are safe!' We ran up till wewere opposite to it, and soon afterwards we got into it, and castanchor. 

Dr Johnson had all this time been quiet and unconcerned. He had laindown on one of the beds, and having got free from sickness, wassatisfied. The truth is, he knew nothing of the danger we were in:but, fearless and unconcerned, might have said, in the words which hehas chosen for the motto to his Rambler. 

 Quo me cunque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes. [Footnote: For as the tempest drives, I shape my way. FRANCIS. ]

Once, during the doubtful consultations, he asked whither we weregoing; and upon being told that it was not certain whether to Mull orCol, he cried, 'Col for my money!' I now went down, with Col and MrSimpson, to visit him. He was lying in philosophick tranquillity witha greyhound of Col's at his back, keeping him warm. Col is quite theJuvenis qui gaudet canibus. He had, when we left Talisker, twogreyhounds, two terriers, a pointer, and a large Newfoundlandwater-dog. He lost one of his terriers by the road, but had still fivedogs with him. I was very ill, and very desirous to get to shore. WhenI was told that we could not land that night, as the storm had nowincreased, I looked so miserably, as Col afterwards informed me, thatwhat Shakspeare has made the Frenchman say of the English soldiers, when scantily dieted, 'Piteous they will look, like drowned mice!'might, I believe, have been well applied to me. There was in theharbour, before us, a Campbelltown vessel, the Betty, Kenneth Morisonmaster, taking in kelp, and bound for Ireland. We sent our boat to begbeds for two gentlemen, and that the master would send his boat, whichwas larger than ours. He accordingly did so, and Col and I wereaccommodated in his vessel till the morning. 

Monday, 4th October

About eight o'clock we went in the boat to Mr Simpson's vessel, andtook in Dr Johnson. He was quite well, though he had tasted nothingbut a dish of tea since Saturday night. On our expressing somesurprise at this, he said, that, 'when he lodged in the Temple, andhad no regular system of life, he had fasted for two days at a time, during which he had gone about visiting, though not at the hours ofdinner or supper; that he had drunk tea, but eaten no bread; that thiswas no intentional fasting, but happened just in the course of aliterary life'. 

There was a little miserable publick-house close upon the shore, towhich we should have gone, had we landed last night: but this morningCol resolved to take us directly to the house of Captain LauchlanM'Lean, a descendant of his family, who had acquired a fortune in theEast Indies, and taken a farm in Col. We had about an English mile togo to it. Col and Joseph, and some others, ran to some little horses, called here 'Shelties', that were running wild on a heath, and catchedone of them. We had a saddle with us, which was clapped upon it, and astraw-halter was put on its head. Dr Johnson was then mounted, andJoseph very slowly and gravely led the horse. I said to Dr Johnson, 'Iwish, sir, THE CLUB saw you in this attitude. ' [Footnote: This curiousexhibition may perhaps remind some of my readers of the ludicrouslines, made, during Sir Robert Walpole's administration, on Mr George(afterwards Lord) Littelton, though the figures of the two personagesmust be allowed to be very different:

 But who is this astride the pony; So long, so lean, so lank, so bony Dat be de great orator, Littletony. ]

It was a very heavy rain, and I was wet to the skin. Captain M'Leanhad but a poor temporary house, or rather hut; however, it was a verygood haven to us. There was a blazing peat-fire, and Mrs M'Lean, daughter of the minister of the parish, got us tea. I felt still themotion of the sea. Dr Johnson said, it was not in imagination, but acontinuation of motion on the fluids, like that of the sea itselfafter the storm is over. 

There were some books on the board which served as a chimney-piece. Dr Johnson took up Burnet's History of his own Times. He said, 'Thefirst part of it is one of the most entertaining books in the Englishlanguage; it is quite dramatick: while he went about every where, sawevery where, and heard every where. By the first part, I mean so faras it appears that Burnet himself was actually engaged in what he hastold; and this may be easily distinguished. ' Captain M'Lean censuredBurnet, for his high praise of Lauderdale in a dedication, when heshews him in his history to have been so bad a man. JOHNSON. 'I do notmyself think that a man should say in a dedication what he could notsay in a history. However, allowance should be made; for there is agreat difference. The known style of a dedication is flattery: itprofesses to flatter. There is the same difference between what a mansays in a dedication, and what he says in a history, as between alawyer's pleading a cause, and reporting it. '

The day passed away pleasantly enough. The wind became fair for Mullin the evening, and Mr Simpson resolved to sail next morning: buthaving been thrown into the island of Col, we were unwilling to leaveit unexamined, especially as we considered that the Campbell-townvessel would sail for Mull in a day or two, and therefore wedetermined to stay. 

Tuesday, 5th October

I rose, and wrote my Journal till about nine; and then went to DrJohnson, who sat up in bed and talked and laughed. I said, it wascurious to look back ten years, to the time when we first thought ofvisiting the Hebrides. How distant and improbable the scheme thenappeared! Yet here we were actually among them. 'Sir, ' said he, 'people may come to do any thing almost, by talking of it. I reallybelieve, I could talk myself into building a house upon island Isa, though I should probably never come back again to see it. I couldeasily persuade Reynolds to do it; and there would be no great sin inpersuading him to do it. Sir, he would reason thus: "What will it costme to be there once in two or three summers? Why, perhaps, fivehundred pounds; and what is that, in comparison of having a fineretreat, to which a man can go, or to which he can send a friend " Hewould never find out that he may have this within twenty miles ofLondon. Then I would tell him, that he may marry one of the MissM'Leods, a lady of great family. Sir, it is surprising how people willgo to a distance for what they may have at home. I knew a lady whocame up from Lincolnshire to Knightsbridge with one of her daughtersand gave five guineas a week for a lodging and a warm bath; that is, mere warm water. THAT, you know, could not be had in Lincolnshire! Shesaid, it was made either too hot or too cold there. '

After breakfast, Dr Johnson and I, and Joseph, mounted horses, and Coland the captain walked with us about a short mile across the island. We paid a visit to the Reverend Mr Hector M'Lean. His parish consistsof the islands of Col and Tyr-yi. He was about seventy-seven years ofage, a decent ecclesiastick, dressed in a full suit of black clothes, and a black wig. He appeared like a Dutch pastor, or one of theassembly of divines at Westminster. Dr Johnson observed to meafterwards, 'that he was a fine old man, and was as well-dressed, andhad as much dignity in his appearance as the dean of a cathedral'. Wewere told, that he had a valuable library, though but pooraccomodation for it, being obliged to keep his books in large chests. It was curious to see him and Dr Johnson together. Neither of themheard very distinctly; so each of them talked in his own way, and atthe same time. Mr M'Lean said, he had a confutation of Bayle, byLeibnitz. JOHNSON. 'A confutation of Bayle, sir! What part of Bayle doyou mean? The greatest part of his writings is not confutable: it ishistorical and critical. ' Mr M'Lean said, 'the irreligious part'; andproceeded to talk of Leibnitz's controversy with Clarke, callingLeibnitz a great man. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, Leibnitz persisted inaffirming that Newton called space sensorium numinis, notwithstandinghe was corrected, and desired to observe that Newton's words werequasisensorium numinis. No, sir, Leibnitz was as paltry a fellow as Iknow. Out of respect to Queen Caroline, who patronized him, Clarketreated him too well. '

During the time that Dr Johnson was thus going on, the old ministerwas standing with his back to the fire, cresting up erect, pullingdown the front of his periwig, and talking what a great man Leibnitzwas. To give an idea of the scene, would require a page with twocolumns; but it ought rather to be represented by two good players. The old gentleman said, Clarke was very wicked, for going so much intothe Arian system. 'I will not say he was wicked, ' said Dr Johnson; 'hemight be mistaken. ' M'LEAN. 'He was wicked, to shut his eyes againstthe Scriptures; and worthy men in England have since confuted him toall intents and purposes. ' JOHNSON. 'I know not WHO has confuted himto ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES. ' Here again there was a double talking, each continuing to maintain his own argument, without hearing exactlywhat the other said. 

I regretted that Dr Johnson did not practice the art of accommodatinghimself to different sorts of people. Had he been softer with thisvenerable old man, we might have had more conversation; but hisforcible spirit; and impetuosity of manner, may be said to spareneither sex nor age. I have seen even Mrs Thrale stunned; but I haveoften maintained, that it is better he should retain his own manner. Pliability of address I conceive to be inconsistent with thatmajestick power of mind which he possesses, and which produces suchnoble effects. A lofty oak will not bend like a supple willow. 

He told me afterwards, he liked firmness in an old man, and waspleased to see Mr M'Lean so orthodox. 'At his age, it is too late fora man to be asking himself questions as to his belief. '

We rode to the northern part of the island, where we saw the ruins ofa church or chapel. We then proceeded to a place called Grissipol, orthe Rough Pool. 

At Grissipol we found a good farm house, belonging to the Laird ofCol, and possessed by Mr M'Sweyn. On the beach here there is asingular variety of curious stones. I picked up one very like a smallcucumber. By the by, Dr Johnson told me, that Gay's line in theBeggar's Opera, 'As men should serve a cucumber, ' &c. Has no waggishmeaning, with reference to men flinging away cucumbers as too COOLING, which some have thought; for it has been a common saying of physiciansin England, that a cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed withpepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing. MrM'Sweyn's predecessors had been in Sky from a very remote period, uponthe estate belonging to M'Leod; probably before M'Leod had it. Thename is certainly Norwegian, from Sueno, King of Norway. The presentMr M'Sweyn left Sky upon the late M'Leod's raising his rents. He thengot this farm from Col. 

He appeared to be near fourscore; but looked as fresh, and was asstrong as a man of fifty. His son Hugh looked older; and, as DrJohnson observed, had more the manners of an old man than he. I hadoften heard of such instances, but never saw one before. Mrs M'Sweynwas a decent old gentlewoman. She was dressed in tartan, and couldspeak nothing but Erse. She said, she taught Sir James M'Donald Erse, and would teach me soon. I could now sing a verse of the song Hatyinfoam'eri, made in honour of Allan, the famous Captain of Clanranald, who fell at Sherrif-muir; whose servant, who lay on the field watchinghis master's dead body, being asked next day who that was, answered, 'He was a man yesterday. '

We were entertained here with a primitive heartiness. Whisky wasserved round in a shell, according to the ancient Highland custom. DrJohnson would not partake of it; but, being desirous to do honour tothe modes 'of other times', drank some water out of the shell. 

In the forenoon Dr Johnson said, 'it would require great resignationto live in one of these islands. ' BOSWELL. 'I don't know, sir; I havefelt myself at times in a state of almost mere physical existence, satisfied to eat, drink, and sleep, and walk about, and enjoy my ownthoughts; and I can figure a continuation of this. ' JOHNSON. 'Ay, sir;but if you were shut up here, your own thoughts would torment you: youwould think of Edinburgh or London, and that you could not be there. '

We set out after dinner for Breacacha, the family seat of the Laird ofCol, accompanied by the young laird, who had now got a horse, and bythe younger Mr M'Sweyn, whose wife had gone thither before us, toprepare every thing for our reception, the laird and his family beingabsent at Aberdeen. It is called Breacacha, or the Spotted Field, because in summer it is enamelled with clover and daisies, as youngCol told me. We passed by a place where there is a very large stone, Imay call it a ROCK--'a vast weight for Ajax'. The tradition is, that agiant threw such another stone at his mistress, up to the top of ahill, at a small distance; and that she in return, threw this massdown to him. It was all in sport. Malo me petit lasciva puella. 

As we advanced, we came to a large extent of plain ground. I had notseen such a place for a long time. Col and I took a gallop upon it byway of race. It was very refreshing to me, after having been so longtaking short steps in hilly countries. It was like stretching a man'slegs after being cramped in a short bed. We also passed close by alarge extent of sand-hills, near two miles square. Dr Johnson said, 'he never had the image before. It was horrible, if barrenness anddanger could be so. ' I heard him, after we were in the house ofBreacacha, repeating to himself, as he walked about the room, '"And smother'd in the dusty whirlwind, dies. "'

Probably he had been thinking of the whole of the simile in Cato, ofwhich that is the concluding line; the sandy desart had struck him sostrongly. The sand has of late been blown over a good deal of meadow;and the people of the island say, that their fathers remembered muchof the space which is now covered with sand, to have been undertillage. Col's house is situated on a bay called Breacacha Bay. Wefound here a neat new-built gentleman's house, better than any we hadbeen in since we were at Lord Errol's. Dr Johnson relished it much atfirst, but soon remarked to me, that 'there was nothing becoming achief about it: it was a mere tradesman's box. ' He seemed quite athome, and no longer found any difficulty in using the Highlandaddress; for as soon as we arrived, he said, with a spiritedfamiliarity, 'Now, COL, if you could get us a dish of tea, ' Dr Johnsonand I had each an excellent bed-chamber. We had a dispute which of ushad the best curtains. His were rather the best, being of linen; but Iinsisted that my bed had the best posts, which was undeniable. 'Well, 'said he, 'if you HAVE the best POSTS, we will have you tied to themand whipped. ' I mention this slight circumstance, only to shew howready he is, even in mere trifles, to get the better of hisantagonist, by placing him in a ludicrous view. I have known himsometimes use the same art, when hard pressed in serious disputation. Goldsmith, I remember, to retaliate for many a severe defeat which hehas suffered from him, applied to him a lively saying in one ofCibber's comedies, which puts this part of his character in a stronglight. 'There is no arguing with Johnson; for, IF HIS PISTOL MISSESFIRE, HE KNOCKS YOU DOWN WITH THE BUT-END OF IT. '

Wednesday, 6th October

After a sufficiency of sleep, we assembled at breakfast. We were justas if in barracks. Every body was master. We went and viewed the oldcastle of Col, which is not far from the present house, near theshore, and founded on a rock. It has never been a large feudalresidence, and has nothing about it that requires a particulardescription. Like other old inconvenient buildings of the same age, itexemplified Gray's picturesque lines, Huge windows that exclude the light. And passages that lead to nothing. 

It may however be worth mentioning, that on the second story we saw avault, which was, and still is, the family prison. There was a womanput into it by the laird, for theft, within these ten years; and anyoffender would be confined there yet; for, from the necessity of thething, as the island is remote from any power established by law, thelaird must exercise his jurisdiction to a certain degree. 

We were shewn, in a corner of this vault, a hole, into which Col saidgreater criminals used to be put. It was now filled up with rubbish ofdifferent kinds. He said, it was of a great depth. 'Ay, ' said DrJohnson, smiling, 'all such places, that ARE FILLED UP, were of agreat depth. ' He is very quick in shewing that he does not give creditto careless or exaggerated accounts of things. After seeing thecastle, we looked at a small hut near it. It is called TeighFranchich, i. E. The Frenchman's House. Col could not tell us thehistory of it. A poor man with a wife and children now lived in it. Wewent into it, and Dr Johnson gave them some charity. There was but onebed for all the family, and the hut was very smoky. When he came out, he said to me, 'Et hoc secundum sententiam philosophorum est essebeatus. ' BOSWELL. 'The philosophers, when they placed happiness in acottage, supposed cleanliness and no smoke. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, they didnot think about either. '

We walked a little in the laird's garden, in which endeavours havebeen used to rear some trees; but, as soon as they got above thesurrounding wall, they died. Dr Johnson recommended sowing the seedsof hardy trees, instead of planting. 

Col and I rode out this morning, and viewed a part of the island. Inthe course of our ride, we saw a turnip-field, which he had hoed withhis own hands. He first introduced this kind of husbandry into theWestern islands. We also looked at an appearance of lead, which seemedvery promising. It has been long known; for I found letters to thelate laird, from Sir John Areskine and Sir Alexander Murray, respecting it. 

After dinner came Mr M'Lean, of Corneck, brother to Isle of Muck, whois a cadet of the family of Col. He possesses the two ends of Col, which belong to the Duke of Argyll. Corneck had lately taken a leaseof them at a very advanced rent, rather than let the Campbells get afooting in the island, one of whom had offered nearly as much as he. Dr Johnson well observed, that, 'landlords err much when theycalculate merely what their land MAY yield. The rent must be in aproportionate ratio of what the land may yield, and of the power ofthe tenant to make it yield. A tenant cannot make by his land, butaccording to the corn and cattle which he has. Suppose you should givehim twice as much land as he has, it does him no good, unless he getsalso more stock. It is clear then, that the Highland landlords, wholet their substantial tenants leave them, are infatuated; for the poorsmall tenants cannot give them good rents, from the very nature ofthings. They have not the means of raising more from their farms. 'Corneck, Dr Johnson said, was the most distinct man that he had metwith in these isles; he did not shut his eyes, or put his fingers inhis ears, which he seemed to think was a good deal the mode with mostof the people whom we have seen of late. 

Thursday, 7th October

Captain M'Lean joined us this morning at breakfast. There came on adreadful storm of wind and rain, which continued all day, and ratherincreased at night. The wind was directly against our getting to Mull. We were in a strange state of abstraction from the world: we couldneither hear from our friends, nor write to them. Col had broughtDaille On the Fathers, Lucas On Happiness, and More's Dialogues, fromthe Reverend Mr M'Lean's, and Burnet's History of his own Times, fromCaptain M'Lean's; and he had of his own some books of farming, andGregory's Geometry. Dr Johnson read a good deal of Burnet, and ofGregory, and I observed he made some geometrical notes in the end ofhis pocket-book. I read a little of Young's Six Weeks Tour through theSouthern Counties; and Ovid's Epistles, which I had bought atInverness, and which helped to solace many a weary hour. 

We were to have gone with Dr Johnson this morning to see the mine; butwere prevented by the storm. While it was raging, he said, 'We may beglad we are not damnati ad metalla. '

Friday, 8th October

Dr Johnson appeared to day very weary of our present confinedsituation. He said, 'I want to be on the main land, and go on withexistence. This is a waste of life. '

I shall here insert, without regard to chronology, some of hisconversation at different times. 

'There was a man some time ago, who was well received for two years, among the gentlemen of Northamptonshire, by calling himself mybrother. At last he grew so impudent as by his influence to gettenants turned out of their farms. Allen the printer, who is of thatcounty, came to me, asking, with much appearance of doubtfulness, if Ihad a brother; and upon being assured I had none alive, he told me ofthe imposition, and immediately wrote to the country, and the fellowwas dismissed. It pleased me to hear that so much was got by using myname. It is not every name that can carry double; do both for a man'sself and his brother'(laughing). 'I should be glad to see the fellow. However, I could have done nothing against him. A man can have noredress for his name being used, or ridiculous stories being told ofhim in the news-papers, except he can shew that he has suffereddamage. Some years ago a foolish piece was published, said to bewritten "by S. Johnson". Some of my friends wanted me to be very angryabout this. I said, it would be in vain; for the answer would be, S. Johnson may be Simon Johnson, or Simeon Johnson, or Solomon Johnson;and even if the full name, Samuel Johnson, had been used, it might besaid; "it is not you; it is a much cleverer fellow. "

'Beauclerk and I, and Langton, and Lady Sydney Beauclerk, mother toour friend, were one day driving in a coach by Cuper's Gardens, whichwere then unoccupied. I, in sport, proposed that Beauclerk andLangton, and myself should take them; and we amused ourselves withscheming how we should all do our parts. Lady Sydney grew angry, andsaid, "an old man should not put such things in young people's heads". She had no notion of a joke, sir; had come late into life, and had amighty unpliable understanding. 

'Carte's Life of the Duke of Ormond is considered as a book ofauthority; but it is ill-written. The matter is diffused in too manywords; there is no animation, no compression, no vigour. Two goodvolumes in duodecimo might be made out of the two in folio. '

Talking of our confinement here, I observed, that our discontent andimpatience could not be considered as very unreasonable; for that wewere just in the state of which Seneca complains so grievously, whilein exile in Corsica. 'Yes, ' said Dr Johnson, 'and he was not fartherfrom home than we are. ' The truth is, he was much nearer. 

There was a good deal of rain to-day, and the wind was still contrary. Corneck attended me, while I amused myself in examining a collectionof papers belonging to the family of Col. The first laird was ayounger son of the chieftain M'Lean, and got the middle part of Colfor his patrimony. Dr Johnson having given a very particular accountof the connection between this family and a branch of the family ofCamerons, called M'Lonich, I shall only insert the following document(which I found in Col's cabinet), as a proof of its continuance, evento a late period:

To the Laird of Col. 

Dear Sir, The long-standing tract of firm affectionate friendship 'twixt yourworthy predecessors and ours affords us such assurance, as that we mayhave full relyance on your favour and undoubted friendship, inrecommending the bearer, Ewen Cameron, our cousin, son to the deceastDugall M'Connill of Innermaillie, sometime in Glenpean, to your favourand conduct, who is a man of undoubted honesty and discretion, onlythat he has the misfortune of being alledged to have been accessory tothe killing of one of M'Martin's family about fourteen years ago, uponwhich alledgeance the M'Martins are now so sanguine on revenging, thatthey are fully resolved for the deprivation of his life; to thepreventing of which you are relyed on by us, as the only fitinstrument and a most capable person. Therefore your favour andprotection is expected and intreated, during his good behaviour; andfailing of which behaviour, you'll please to use him as a mostinsignificant person deserves. 

Sir, he had, upon the alledgeance foresaid, been transported, atLochiel's desire, to France, to gratify the M'Martins, and upon hisreturn home, about five years ago, married: But now he is so muchtheatened by the M'Martins, that he is not secure enough to stay wherehe is, being Ardmurchan, which occasions this trouble to you. Wishingprosperity and happiness to attend still yourself, worthy Lady, andgood family, we are, in the most affectionate manner, Dear sir, Your most obliged, affectionate, and most humble servants, DUGALL CAMERON, of Strone. DUGALL CAMERON, of Ban. DUGALL CAMERON, of Inveriskvouilline. DUGALL CAMERON, of Invinvalie. Strone, 11th March, 1737. 

Ewen Cameron was protected, and his son has now a farm from the Lairdof Col, in Mull. 

The family of Col was very loyal in the time of the great Montrose, from whom I found two letters in his own hand-writing. The first is asfollows. 

FOR MY VERY LOVING FRIEND THE LAIRD OF COALL. 

SIR, I must heartily thank you for all your willingness and good affectionto his Majesty's service, and particularly the sending alongs of yourson, to who I will heave ane particular respect, hopeing also that youwill still continue ane goode instrument for the advanceing ther ofthe King's service, for which, and all your former loyal carriages, beconfident you shall find the effects of his Mas favour, as they can bewitnessed you by

Your very faithful friende, MONTROSE. Strethearne, 20 Jan. 1646

The other is, FOR THE LAIRD OF COL. 

SIR, Having occasion to write to your fields, I cannot be forgetful of yourwillingness and good affection to his Majesty's service. I acknowledgeto you, and thank you heartily for it assuring, that in what lies inmy power, you shall find the good. Mean while, I shall expect that youwill continue your loyal endeavours, in wishing those slack peoplethat are about you, to appear more obedient than they do, and loyal intheir prince's service; whereby I assure you, you shall find me ever

Your faithful friend, MONTROSE. Petty, 17 April, 1646. [Footnote: It is observeable that men of the first rank spelt very illin the last century. In the first of these letters I have preservedthe original spelling. ]

I found some uncouth lines on the death of the present laird's father, intituled 'Nature's Elegy upon the Death of Donald Maclean of Col'. They are not worth insertion. I shall only give what is called hisEpitaph, which Dr Johnson said, 'was not so very bad'. 

 Nature's minion. Virtue's wonder, Art's corrective here lyes under. 

I asked, what 'Art's corrective' meant. 'Why, sir, ' said he, 'thatthe laird was so exquisite, that he set Art right, when she waswrong. '

I found several letters to the late Col, from my father's oldcompanion at Paris, Sir Hector M'Lean, one of which was written at thetime of settling the colony in Georgia. It dissuades Col from lettingpeople go there, and assures him there will soon be an opportunity ofemploying them better at home. Hence it appears that emigration fromthe Highlands, though not in such numbers at a time as of late, hasalways been practised. Dr Johnson observed, that, 'the lairds, insteadof improving their country, diminished their people'. 

There are several districts of sandy desart in Col. There areforty-eight lochs of fresh water; but many of them are very small--meerpools. About one half of them, however, have trout and eel. There is agreat number of horses in the island, mostly of a small size. Beingover-stocked, they sell some in Tir-yi, and on the main land. Theirblack cattle, which are chiefly rough-haired, are reckoned remarkablygood. The climate being very mild in winter, they never put their beastsin any house. The lakes are never frozen so as to bear a man; and snownever lies above a few hours. They have a good many sheep, which theyeat mostly themselves, and sell but a few. They have goats in severalplaces. There are no foxes; no serpents, toads, or frogs, nor anyvenomous creature. They have otters and mice here; but had no rats tilllately that an American vessel brought them. There is a rabbit-warren onthe north-east of the island, belonging to the Duke of Argyle. Young Colintends to get some hares, of which there are none at present. There areno black-cock, muir-fowl, nor partridges; but there are snipe, wild-duck, wild-geese, and swans, in winter; wild-pidgeons, plover, andgreat number of starlings; of which I shot some, and found them prettygood eating. Woodcocks come hither, though there is not a tree upon theisland. There are no rivers in Col; but only some brooks, in which thereis a great variety of fish. In the whole isle there are but three hills, and none of them considerable, for a Highland country. The people arevery industrious. Every man can tan. They get oak, and birch-bark, andlime, from the main land. Some have pits; but they commonly use tubs. Isaw brogues very well tanned; and every man can make them. They all makecandles of the tallow of their beasts, both moulded and dipped; and theyall make oil of the livers of fish. The little fish called cuddiesproduce a great deal. They sell some oil out of the island, and they useit much for light in their houses, in little iron lamps, most of whichthey have from England; but of late their own blacksmith makes them. Heis a good workman; but he has no employment in shoeing horses, for theyall go unshod here, except some of a better kind belonging to young Col, which were now in Mull. There are two carpenters in Col; but most of theinhabitants can do something as boat-carpenters. They can all dye. Heathis used for yellow; and for red, a moss which grows on stones. They makebroad-cloth, and tartan, and linen, of their own wool and flax, sufficient for their own use; as also stockings. Their bonnets come fromthe main land. Hard-ware and several small articles are brought annuallyfrom Greenock, and sold in the only shop in the island, which is keptnear the house, or rather hut, used for publick worship, there being nochurch in the island. The inhabitants of Col have increased considerablywithin these thirty years, as appears from the parish registers. Thereare but three considerable tacksmen on Col's part of the island: therest is let to small tenants, some of whom pay so low a rent as four, three, or even two guineas. The highest is seven pounds, paid by afarmer, whose son goes yearly on foot to Aberdeen for education, and insummer returns, and acts as a school-master in Col. Dr Johnson said, 'There is something noble in a young man's walking two hundred miles andback again, every year, for the sake of learning. '

This day a number of people came to Col, with complaints of eachothers' trespasses. Corneck, to prevent their being troublesome, toldthem, that the lawyer from Edinburgh was here, and if they did notagree, he would take them to task. They were alarmed at this; said, they had never been used to go to law, and hoped Col would settlematters himself. In the evening Corneck left us. 

Saturday, 9th October

As, in our present confinement, any thing that had even the name ofcurious was an object of attention, I proposed that Col should show methe great stone, mentioned in a former page, as having been thrown bya giant to the top of a mountain. Dr Johnson, who did not like to beleft alone, said he would accompany us as far as riding waspracticable. We ascended a part of the hill on horseback, and Col andI scrambled up the rest. A servant held our horses, and Dr Johnsonplaced himself on the ground, with his back against a large fragmentof rock. The wind being high, he let down the cocks of his hat, andtied it with his handkerchief under his chin. While we were employedin examining the stone, which did not repay our trouble in getting toit, he amused himself with reading Gataker On Lots and on theChristian Watch, a very learned book, of the last age, which had beenfound in the garret of Col's house, and which he said was a treasurehere. When we descried him from above, he had a most eremiticalappearance; and on our return told us, he had been so much engaged byGataker, that he had never missed us. His avidity for variety ofbooks, while we were in Col, was frequently expressed; and he oftencomplained that so few were within his reach. Upon which I observed tohim, that it was strange he should complain of want of books, when hecould at any time make such good ones. 

We next proceeded to the lead mine. In our way we came to a strand ofsome extent, where we were glad to take a gallop, in which my learnedfriend joined with great alacrity. Dr Johnson, mounted on a large baymare without shoes, and followed by a foal, which had some difficultyin keeping up with him, was a singular spectacle. 

After examining the mine, we returned through a very uncouth district, full of sand hills; down which, though apparent precipices, our horsescarried us with safety, the sand always gently sliding away from theirfeet. Vestiges of houses were pointed out to us, which Col, and twoothers who had joined us, asserted had been overwhelmed with sandblown over them. But, on going close to one of them, Dr Johnson shewedthe absurdity of the notion, by remarking, that 'it was evidently onlya house abandoned, the stones of which had been taken away for otherpurposes; for the large stones, which form the lower part of thewalls, were still standing higher than the sand. If THEY were notblown over, it was clear nothing higher than they could be blownover. ' This was quite convincing to me; but it made not the leastimpression on Col and the others, who were not to be argued out of aHighland tradition. 

We did not sit down to dinner till between six and seven. We livedplentifully here, and had a true welcome. In such a season, goodfiring was of no small importance. The peats were excellent, andburned cheerfully. Those at Dunvegan, which were damp, Dr Johnsoncalled 'a sullen fuel'. Here a Scottish phrase was singularly appliedto him. One of the company having remarked that he had gone out on astormy evening, and brought in a supply of peats from the stack, oldMr M'Sweyn said, 'that was MAIN HONEST!'

Blenheim being occasionally mentioned, he told me he had never seenit: he had not gone formerly; and he would not go now, just as acommon spectator, for his money: he would not put it in the power ofsome man about the Duke of Marlborough to say, 'Johnson was here; Iknew him, but I took no notice of him. ' He said, he should be veryglad to see it, if properly invited, which in all probability wouldnever be the case, as it was not worth his while to seek for it. Iobserved, that he might be easily introduced there by a common friendof ours, nearly related to the duke. He answered, with an uncommonattention to delicacy of feeling, 'I doubt whether our friend be onsuch a footing with the duke as to carry any body there; and I wouldnot give him the uneasiness of seeing that I knew he was not, or evenof being himself reminded of it. '

Sunday, 10th October

There was this day the most terrible storm of wind and rain that Iever remember. It made such an awful impression on us all, as toproduce, for some time, a kind of dismal quietness in the house. Theday was passed without much conversation: only, upon my observing thatthere must be something bad in a man's mind, who does not like to giveleases to his tenants, but wishes to keep them in a perpetual wretcheddependence on his will, Dr Johnson said, 'You are right: it is a man'sduty to extend comfort and security among as many people as he can. Heshould not wish to have his tenants mere Ephemerae--mere beings of anhour. ' BOSWELL. 'But, sir, if they have leases, is there not somedanger that they may grow insolent? I remember you yourself once toldme, an English tenant was so independent, that, --if provoked, he wouldthrow his rent at his landlord. ' JOHNSON. 'Depend upon it, sir, it isthe landlord's own fault, if it is thrown at him. A man may alwayskeep his tenants in dependence enough, though they have leases. Hemust be a good tenant indeed, who will not fall behind in his rent, ifhis landlord will let him; and if he does fall behind, his landlordhas him at his mercy. Indeed, the poor man is always much at the mercyof the rich; no matter whether landlord or tenant. If the tenant letshis landlord have a little rent before-hand, or has lent him money, then the landlord is in his power. There cannot be a greater man thana tenant who has lent money to his landlord; for he has undersubjection the very man to whom he should be subjected. '

Monday, 11th October

We had some days ago engaged the Campbell-town vessel to carry us toMull, from the harbour where she lay. The morning was fine, and thewind fair and moderate; so we hoped at length to get away. 

Mrs M'Sweyn, who officiated as our landlady here, had never been onthe main land. On hearing this, Dr Johnson said to me, before her, 'That is rather being behind-hand with life. I would at least go andsee Glenelg. ' BOSWELL. 'You yourself, sir, have never seen, till now, any thing but your native island. ' JOHNSON. 'But, sir, by seeingLondon, I have seen as much of life as the world can shew. ' BOSWELL. 'You have not seen Pekin. ' JOHNSON. 'What is Pekin? Ten thousandLondoners would DRIVE all the people of Pekin: they would drive themlike deer. '

We set out about eleven for the harbour; but, before we reached it, soviolent a storm came on, that we were obliged again to take shelter inthe house of Captain M'Lean, where we dined, and passed the night. 

Tuesday, 12th October

After breakfast, we made a second attempt to get to the harbour; butanother storm soon convinced us that it would be in vain. CaptainM'Lean's house being in some confusion, on account of Mrs M'Lean beingexpected to lie-in, we resolved to go to Mr M'Sweyn's, where wearrived very wet, fatigued, and hungry. In this situation, we weresomewhat disconcerted by being told that we should have no dinner tilllate in the evening; but should have tea in the mean time. Dr Johnsonopposed this arrangement; but they persisted, and he took the tea veryreadily. He said to me afterwards, 'You must consider, sir, a dinnerhere is a matter of great consequence. It is a thing to be firstplanned, and then executed. I suppose the mutton was brought somemiles off, from some place where they knew there was a sheep killed. '

Talking of the good people with whom we were, he said, 'Life has notgot at all forward by a generation in M'Sweyn's family; for the son isexactly formed upon the father. What the father says, the son says;and what the father looks, the son looks. '

There being little conversation to-night, I must endeavour torecollect what I may have omitted on former occasions. When I boasted, at Rasay, of my independency of spirit, and that I could not bebribed, he said, 'Yes, you may be bribed by flattery. ' At the ReverendMr M'Lean's, Dr Johnson asked him, if the people of Col had anysuperstitions. He said, 'No. ' The cutting peats at the increase of themoon was mentioned as one; but he would not allow it, saying, it wasnot a superstition, but a whim. Dr Johnson would not admit thedistinction. There were many superstitions, he maintained, notconnected with religion; and this was one of them. On Monday we had adispute at the Captain's, whether sand-hills could be fixed down byart. Dr Johnson said, 'How THE DEVIL can you do it?' but instantlycorrected himself, 'How can you do it?' I never before heard him use aphrase of that nature. 

He has particularities which it is impossible to explain. He neverwears a night-cap, as I have already mentioned; but he puts ahandkerchief on his head in the night. The day that we left Talisker, he bade us ride on. He then turned the head of his horse back towardsTalisker, stopped for some time; then wheeled round to the samedirection with ours, and then came briskly after us. He sets open awindow in the coldest day or night, and stands before it. It may dowith his constitution; but most people, amongst whom I am one, wouldsay, with the frogs in the fable, 'This may be sport to you; but it isdeath to us. ' It is in vain to try to find a meaning in every one ofhis particularities, which, I suppose, are mere habits, contracted bychance; of which every man has some that are more or less remarkable. His speaking to himself, or rather repeating, is a common habit withstudious men accustomed to deep thinking; and, in consequence of theirbeing thus rapt, they will even laugh by themselves, if the subjectwhich they are musing on is a merry one. Dr Johnson is often utteringpious ejaculations, when he appears to be talking to himself; forsometimes his voice grows stronger, and parts of the Lord's Prayer areheard. I have sat beside him with more than ordinary reverence on suchoccasions. [Footnote: It is remarkable, that Dr Johnson should haveread this account of some of his own peculiar habits, without sayingany thing on the subject which I hoped he would have done. ]

In our tour, I observed that he was disgusted whenever he met withcoarse manners. He said to me, 'I know not how it is, but I cannotbear low life: and I find others, who have as good a right as I to befastidious, bear it better, by having mixed more with different sortsof men. You would think that I have mixed pretty well too. '

He read this day a good deal of my Journal, written in a small bookwith which he had supplied me, and was pleased, for he said, 'I wishthy books were twice as big. ' He helped me to fill up blanks which Ihad left in first writing it, when I was not quite sure of what he hadsaid, and he corrected any mistakes that I had made. 'They call me ascholar, ' said he, 'and yet how very little literature is there in myconversation. ' BOSWELL. 'That, sir, must be according to your company. You would not give literature to those who cannot taste it. Stay tillwe meet Lord Elibank. '

We had at last a good dinner, or rather supper, and were very wellsatisfied with our entertainment. 

Wednesday, 13th October

Col called me up, with intelligence that it was a good day for apassage to Mull; and just as we rose, a sailor from the vessel arrivedfor us. We got all ready with dispatch. Dr Johnson was displeased atmy bustling, and walking quickly up and down. He said, 'It does nothasten us a bit. It is getting on horseback in a ship. All boys do it;and you are longer a boy than others. ' He himself has no alertness, orwhatever it may be called; so he may dislike it, as Oderunt hilaremtristes. 

Before we reached the harbour, the wind grew high again. However, thesmall boat was waiting, and took us on board. We remained for sometime in uncertainty what to do: at last it was determined, that, as agood part of the day was over, and it was dangerous to be at sea atnight, in such a vessel, and such weather, we should not sail till themorning tide, when the wind would probably be more gentle. We resolvednot to go ashore again, but lie here in readiness. Dr Johnson and Ihad each a bed in the cabbin. Col sat at the fire in the forecastle, with the captain, and Joseph, and the rest. I eat some dry oatmeal, ofwhich I found a barrel in the cabbin. I had not done this since I wasa boy. Dr Johnson owned that he too was fond of it when a boy; acircumstance which I was highly pleased to hear from him, as it gaveme an opportunity of observing that, notwithstanding his joke on thearticle of oats, he was himself a proof that this kind of food was notpeculiar to the people of Scotland. 

Thursday, 14th October

When Dr Johnson awaked this morning, he called, 'Lanky!' having, Isuppose, been thinking of Langton; but corrected himself instantly, and cried, 'Bozzy!' He has a way of contracting the names of hisfriends. Goldsmith feels himself so important now, as to be displeasedat it. I remember one day, when Tom Davies was telling that Dr Johnsonsaid, 'We are all in labour for a name to Goldy's play, ' Goldsmithcried, 'I have often desired him not to call me Goldy. '

Between six and seven we hauled our anchor, and set sail with a fairbreeze; and, after a pleasant voyage, we got safely and agreeably intothe harbour of Tobermorie, before the wind rose, which it always hasdone, for some days, about noon. 

Tobermorie is an excellent harbour. An island lies before it, and itis surrounded by a hilly theatre. The island is too low, otherwisethis would be quite a secure port; but, the island not being asufficient protection, some storms blow very hard here. Not long ago, fifteen vessels were blown from their moorings. There are sometimessixty or seventy sail here: to-day there were twelve or fourteenvessels. To see such a fleet was the next thing to seeing a town. Thevessels were from different places; Clyde, Campbelltown, Newcastle, etc. One was returning to Lancaster from Hamburgh. After having beenshut up so long in Col, the sight of such an assemblage of movinghabitations, containing such a variety of people, engaged in differentpursuits, gave me much gaiety of spirit. When we had landed, DrJohnson said, 'Boswell is now all alive. He is like Antaeus; he getsnew vigour whenever he touches the ground. ' I went to the top of ahill fronting the harbour, from whence I had a good view of it. We hadhere a tolerable inn. Dr Johnson had owned to me this morning, that hewas out of humour. Indeed, he shewed it a good deal in the ship; forwhen I was expressing my joy on the prospect of our landing in Mull, he said, he had no joy, when he recollected that it would be five daysbefore he should get to the main land. I was afraid he would now takea sudden resolution to give up seeing Icolmkill. A dish of tea, andsome good bread and butter, did him service, and his bad humour wentoff. I told him, that I was diverted to hear all the people whom wehad visited in our tour, say, 'Honest man! he's pleased with everything; he's always content!' 'Little do they know, ' said I. Helaughed, and said, 'You rogue!'

We sent to hire horses to carry us across the island of Mull to theshore opposite to Inchkenneth, the residence of Sir Allan M'Lean, uncle to young Col, and chief of the M'Leans, to whose house weintended to go the next day. Our friend Col went to visit his aunt, the wife of Dr Alexander M'Lean, a physician, who lives about a milefrom Tobermorie. 

Dr Johnson and I sat by ourselves at the inn, and talked a good deal. I told him, that I had found, in Leandro Alberti's Description ofItaly, much of what Addison has given us in his Remarks. He said, "Thecollection of passages from the Classicks has been made by anotherItalian: it is, however, impossible to detect a man as a plagiary insuch a case, because all who set about making such a collection mustfind the same passages; but, if you find the same applications inanother book, then Addison's learning in his Remarks tumbles down. Itis a tedious book; and, if it were not attached to Addison's previousreputation, one would not think much of it. Had he written nothingelse, his name would not have lived. Addison does not seem to havegone deep in Italian literature: he shews nothing of it in hissubsequent writings. He shews a great deal of French learning. Thereis, perhaps, more knowledge circulated in the French language than inany other. There is more original knowledge in English. ' 'But theFrench, ' said I, 'have the art of accommodating literature. ' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; we have no such book as Moreri's Dictionary. '" BOSWELL. "Their Ana are good. ' JOHNSON. 'A few of them are good; but we haveone book of that kind better than any of them; Selden's Table-talk. Asto original literature, the French have a couple of tragick poets whogo round the world, Racine and Corneille, and one comick poet, Moliere. '--BOSWELL. 'They have Fenelon. ' JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, Telemachus is pretty well. ' BOSWELL. 'And Voltaire, sir. ' JOHNSON. 'Hehas not stood his trial yet And what makes Voltaire chiefly circulateis collection; such as his Universal History. ' BOSWELL. 'What do yousay to the Bishop of Meaux?' JOHNSON. 'Sir, nobody reads him. '[Footnote: I take leave to enter my strongest protest against thisjudgement Bossuet I hold to be one of the first luminaries of religionand literature. If there are who do not read him, it is full time theyshould begin. ] He would not allow Massillon and Bourdaloue to go roundthe world. In general, however, he gave the French much praise fortheir industry. 

He asked me whether he had mentioned, in any of the papers of theRambler, the description in Virgil of the entrance into Hell, with anapplication to the press; 'for, ' said he, 'I do not much rememberthem'. I told him, 'No. ' Upon which he repeated it:

 Vestibulum ante ipsum, primisque in faucibus orci, Luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Pallentesque habitant Morbi, tristisque Senectus, Et Metus, et malesuada Fames, et turpis Egestas, Terribiles visu formae; Lethumque, Laborque. [Footnote: Just in the gate, and in the jaws of hell, Revengeful cares, and sullen sorrows dwell; And pale diseases, and repining age; Want, fear, and famine's unresisted rage; Here toils and death, and death's half-brother, sleep, Forms terrible to view, their sentry keep. DRYDEN. ]

'Now, ' said he, 'almost all these apply exactly to an authour; allthese are the concomitants of a printing-house. ' I proposed to him todictate an essay on it, and offered to write it. He said, he would notdo it then, but perhaps would write one at some future period. 

The Sunday evening that we sat by ourselves at Aberdeen, I asked himseveral particulars of his early years, which he readily told me; andI wrote them down before him. This day I proceeded in my inquiries, also writing them in his presence. I have them on detached sheets. Ishall collect authentick materials for The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D. ; and, if I survive him, I shall be one who will most faithfully dohonour to his memory. I have now a vast treasure of his conversation, at different times, since the year 1762, when I first obtained hisacquaintance; and, by assiduous inquiry, I can make up for not knowinghim sooner. [Footnote: It is no small satisfaction to me to reflect, that Dr Johnson read this, and, after being apprised of my intention, communicated to me, at subsequent periods, many particulars of hislife, which probably could not otherwise have been preserved. ]

A Newcastle ship-master, who happened to be in the house, intrudedhimself upon us. He was much in liquor, and talked nonsense about hisbeing a man for 'Wilkes and Liberty', and against the ministry. DrJohnson was angry, that 'a fellow should come into OUR company, whowas fit for NO company'. He left us soon. 

Col returned from his aunt, and told us, she insisted that we shouldcome to her house that night. He introduced to us Mr Campbell, theDuke of Argyle's factor in Tyr-yi. He was a genteel, agreeable man. Hewas going to Inveraray, and promised to put letters into thepost-office for us. I now found that Dr Johnson's desire to get on themain land, arose from his anxiety to have an opportunity of conveyingletters to his friends. 

After dinner, we proceeded to Dr M'Lean's, which was about a mile fromour inn. He was not at home, but we were received by his lady anddaughter, who entertained us so well, that Dr Johnson seemed quitehappy. When we had supped, he asked me to give him some paper to writeletters. I begged he would write short ones, and not EXPATIATE, as weought to set off early. He was irritated by this, and said, 'What mustbe done, must be done: the thing is past a joke. ' 'Nay, sir, ' said I, 'write as much as you please; but do not blame me, if we are kept sixdays before we get to the main land. You were very impatient in themorning: but no sooner do you find yourself in good quarters, than youforget that you are to move. ' I got him paper enough, and we parted ingood humour. 

Let me now recollect whatever particulars I have omitted. In themorning I said to him, before we landed at Tobermorie, 'We shall seeDr M'Lean, who has written the History of the M'Leans. ' JOHNSON. 'Ihave no great patience to stay to hear the history of the M'Leans. Iwould rather hear the history of the Thrales. ' When on Mull, I said, 'Well, sir, this is the fourth of the Hebrides that we have beenupon. ' JOHNSON. 'Nay, we cannot boast of the number we have seen. Wethought we should see many more. We thought of sailing about easilyfrom island to island; and so we should, had we come at a betterseason; but we, being wise men, thought it would be summer all theyear where we were. However, sir, we have seen enough to give us apretty good notion of the system in insular life. '

Let me not forget, that he sometimes amused himself with very slightreading; from which, however, his conversation shewed that hecontrived to extract some benefit. At Captain M'Lean's he read a gooddeal in The Charmer, a collection of songs. 

Friday, 15th October

We this morning found that we could not proceed, there being a violentstorm of wind and rain, and the rivers being impassable. When Iexpressed my discontent at our confinement, Dr Johnson said, 'Now thatI have had an opportunity of writing to the main land, I am in no suchhaste. ' I was amused with his being so easily satisfied; for the truthwas, that the gentleman who was to convey our letters, as I was nowinformed, was not to set out for Inveraray for some time; so that itwas probable we should be there as soon as he: however, I did notundeceive my friend, but suffered him to enjoy his fancy. 

Dr Johnson asked, in the evening, to see Dr M'Lean's books. He tookdown Willis De Anima Brutorum, and pored over it a good deal. 

Miss M'Lean produced some Erse poems by John M'Lean, who was a famousbard in Mull, and had died only a few years ago. He could neither readnor write. She read and translated two of them; one, a kind of elegyon Sir John M'Lean's being obliged to fly his country in 1715;another, a dialogue between two Roman Catholick young ladies, sisters, whether it was better to be a nun or to marry. I could not perceivemuch poetical imagery in the translation. Yet all of our company whounderstood Erse, seemed charmed with the original. There may, perhaps, be some choice of expression, and some excellence of arrangement, thatcannot be shewn in translation. 

After we had exhausted the Erse poems, of which Dr Johnson saidnothing, Miss M'Lean gave us several tunes on a spinnet, which, thoughmade so long ago, as in 1667, was still very well toned. She sungalong with it. Dr Johnson seemed pleased with the musick, though heowns he neither likes it, nor has hardly any perception of it. At MrM'Pherson's, in Slate, he told us, that 'he knew a drum from atrumpet, and a bagpipe from a guitar, which was about the extent ofhis knowledge of musick'. To-night he said, that, 'if he had learntmusick, he should have been afraid he would have done nothing else butplay. It was a method of employing the mind, without the labour ofthinking at all, and with some applause from a man's self. '

We had the musick of the bagpipe every day, at Armidale, Dunvegan, andCol. Dr Johnson appeared fond of it, and used often to stand for sometime with his ear close to the great drone. 

The penurious gentleman of our acquaintance, formerly alluded to, afforded us a topick of conversation to-night. Dr Johnson said, Iought to write down a collection of the instances of his narrowness, as they almost exceeded belief. Col told us, that O'Kane, the famousIrish harper, was once at that gentleman's house. He could not find inhis heart to give him any money, but gave him a key for a harp, whichwas finely ornamented with gold and silver, and with a precious stone, and was worth eighty or a hundred guineas. He did not know the valueof it; and when he came to know it, he would fain have had it back;but O'Kane took care that he should not. JOHNSON. 'They exaggerate thevalue; every body is so desirous that he should be fleeced. I am verywilling it should be worth eighty or a hundred guineas; but I do notbelieve it. ' BOSWELL. 'I do not think O'Kane was obliged to give itback. ' JOHNSON. 'No, sir. If a man with his eyes open, and without anymeans used to deceive him, gives me a thing, I am not to let him haveit again when he grows wiser. I like to see how avarice defeatsitself; how, when avoiding to part with money, the miser givessomething more valuable. ' Col said, the gentleman's relations wereangry at his giving away the harp-key, for it had been long in thefamily. JOHNSON. 'Sir, he values a new guinea more than an oldfriend. '

Col also told us, that the same person having come up with a serjeantand twenty men, working on the high road, he entered into discoursewith the serjeant, and then gave him sixpence for the men to drink. The serjeant asked, 'Who is this fellow?' Upon being informed, hesaid, 'If I had known who he was, I should have thrown it in hisface. ' JOHNSON. 'There is much want of sense in all this. He had nobusiness to speak with the serjeant. He might have been in haste, andtrotted on. He had not learnt to be a miser: I believe we must takehim apprentice. ' BOSWELL. 'He would grudge giving half a guinea to betaught' JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir, you must teach him gratis. You must givehim an opportunity to practice your precepts. '

Let me now go back, and glean Johnsoniana. The Saturday before wesailed from Slate, I sat awhile in the afternoon with Dr Johnson inhis room, in a quiet serious frame. I observed, that hardly any manwas accurately prepared for dying; but almost every one left somethingundone, something in confusion; that my father, indeed, told me heknew one man (Carlisle of Limekilns), after whose death all his paperswere found in exact order; and nothing was omitted in his will. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I had an uncle who died so; but such attention requiresgreat leisure, and great firmness of mind. If one was to thinkconstantly of death, the business of life would stand still. I am nofriend to making religion appear too hard. Many good people have doneharm, by giving severe notions of it. In the same way, as to learning:I never frighten young people with difficulties; on the contrary, Itell them that they may very easily get as much as will do very well. I do not indeed tell them that they will be BENTLEYS. '

The night we rode to Col's house, I said, 'Lord Elibank is probablywondering what is become of us. ' JOHNSON. 'No, no; he is not thinkingof us. ' BOSWELL. 'But recollect the warmth with which he wrote. Are wenot to believe a man, when he says he has a great desire to seeanother? Don't you believe that I was very impatient for your comingto Scotland?' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; I believe you were; and I wasimpatient to come to you. A young man feels so, but seldom an oldman. ' I however convinced him that Lord Elibank, who has much of thespirit of a young man, might feel so. He asked me if our jaunt hadanswered expectation. I said it had much exceeded it. I expected muchdifficulty with him, and had not found it 'And, ' he added, 'whereverwe have come, we have been received like princes in their progress. '

He said, he would not wish not to be disgusted in the Highlands; forthat would be to lose the power of distinguishing, and a man mightthen lie down in the middle of them. He wished only to conceal hisdisgust. 

At Captain M'Lean's, I mentioned Pope's friend, Spence. JOHNSON. 'Hewas a weak conceited man. ' [Footnote: Mr Langton thinks this must havebeen the hasty expression of a splenetick moment as he has heard DrJohnson speak of Mr Spence's judgement in criticism with so high adegree of respect, as to shew that this was not his settled opinion ofhim. Let me add that in the preface to the Preceptor, he recommendsSpence's Essay on Pope's Odyssey, and that his admirable lives of theEnglish Poets are much enriched by Spence's Anecdotes of Pope. BOSWELL. 'A good scholar, sir?' JOHNSON. 'Why, no, sir. ' BOSWELL. 'Hewas a pretty scholar. ' JOHNSON. 'You have about reached him. ']

Last night at the inn, when the factor in Tyr-yi spoke of his havingheard that a roof was put on some part of the buildings at Icolmkill, I unluckily said, 'It will be fortunate if we find a cathedral with aroof on it. ' I said this from a foolish anxiety to engage Dr Johnson'scuriosity more. He took me short at once. 'What, sir? How can you talkso? If we shall FIND a cathedral roofed! As if we were going to aterra incognita; when every thing that is at Icolmkill is so wellknown. You are like some New England men who came to the mouth of theThames. "Come, " said they, "let us go up and see what sort ofinhabitants there are here. " They talked, sir, as if they had been togo up the Susquehannah, or any other American river. '

Saturday, 16th October

This day there was a new moon, and the weather changed for the better. Dr Johnson said of Miss M'Lean, 'She is the most accomplished ladythat I have found in the Highlands. She knows French, musick, anddrawing, sews neatly, makes shell-work, and can milk cows; in short, she can do every thing. She talks sensibly, and is the first personwhom I have found, that can translate Erse poetry literally. ' We setout, mounted on little Mull horses. Mull corresponded exactly with theidea which I had always had of it; a hilly country, diversified withheath and grass, and many rivulets. Dr Johnson was not in very goodhumour. He said, it was a dreary country, much worse than Sky. Idiffered from him, 'O, sir, ' said he, 'a most dolorous country!'

We had a very hard journey to-day. I had no bridle for my sheltie, butonly a halter; and Joseph rode without a saddle. At one place, a lochhaving swelled over the road, we were obliged to plunge through prettydeep water. Dr Johnson observed, how helpless a man would be, were hetravelling here alone, and should meet with any accident; and said, 'he longed to get to a country of saddles and bridles'. He was moreout of humour to-day, than he has been in the course of our tour, being fretted to find that his little horse could scarcely support hisweight; and having suffered a loss, which, though small in itself, wasof some consequence to him, while travelling the rugged steeps ofMull, where he was at times obliged to walk. The loss that I allude towas that of the large oak-stick, which, as I formerly mentioned, hehad brought with him from London. It was of great use to him in ourwild peregrination; for, ever since his last illness in 1766, he hashad a weakness in his knees, and has not been able to walk easily. Ithad too the properties of a measure; for one nail was driven into itat the length of a foot; another at that of a yard. In return for theservices it had done him, he said, this morning he would make apresent of it to some museum; but he little thought he was so soon tolose it. As he preferred riding with a switch, it was intrusted to afellow to be delivered to our baggage-man, who followed us at somedistance; but we never saw it more. I could not persuade him out of asuspicion that it had been stolen. 'No, no, my friend, ' said he, 'itis not to be expected that any man in Mull, who has got it, will partwith it. Consider, sir, the value of such a PIECE OF TIMBER here!'

As we travelled this forenoon, we met Dr M'Lean, who expressed muchregret at his having been so unfortunate as to be absent while we wereat his house. 

We were in hopes to get to Sir Allan Maclean's at Inchkenneth, to-night; but the eight miles, of which our road was said to consist, were so very long, that we did not reach the opposite coast of Mulltill seven at night, though we had set out about eleven in theforenoon; and when we did arrive there, we found the wind strongagainst us. Col determined that we should pass the night atM'Quarrie's, in the island of Ulva, which lies between Mull andInchkenneth; and a servant was sent forward to the ferry, to securethe boat for us: but the boat was gone to the Ulva side, and the windwas so high that the people could not hear him call; and the night sodark that they could not see a signal. We should have been in a verybad situation, had there not fortunately been lying in the littlesound of Ulva an Irish vessel, the Bonnetta, of Londonderry, CaptainM'Lure, master. He himself was at M'Quarrie's; but his men obliginglycame with their long-boat, and ferried us over. 

M'Quarrie's house was mean; but we were agreeably surprised with theappearance of the master, whom we found to be intelligent, polite, andmuch a man of the world. Though his clan is not numerous, he is a veryancient chief, and has a burial place at Icolmkill. He told us, hisfamily had possessed Ulva for nine hundred years; but I was distressedto hear that it was soon to be sold for the payment of his debts. 

Captain M'Lure, whom we found here, was of Scotch extraction, andproperly a M'Leod, being descended of some of the M'Leods who wentwith Sir Normand of Bernera to the battle of Worcester, and after thedefeat of the royalists, fled to Ireland, and, to conceal themselves, took a different name. He told me, there was a great number of themabout Londonderry; some of good property. I said, they should nowresume their real name. The Laird of M'Leod should go over, andassemble them, and make them all drink the large horn full, and fromthat time they should be M'Leods. The captain informed us, he hadnamed his ship the Bonnetta, out of gratitude to Providence; for once, when he was sailing to America with a good number of passengers, theship in which he then sailed was becalmed for five weeks, and duringall that time, numbers of the fish bonnetta swam close to her, andwere caught for food; he resolved therefore, that the ship he shouldnext get, should be called the Bonnetta. 

M'Quarrie told us a strong instance of the second sight. He had goneto Edinburgh, and taken a man-servant along with him. An old woman, who was in the house, said one day, 'M'Quarrie will be at home to-morrow, and will bring two gentlemen with him'; and she said, she sawhis servant return in red and green. He did come home next day. He hadtwo gentlemen with him; and his servant had a new red and greenlivery, which M'Quarrie had bought for him at Edinburgh, upon a suddenthought, not having the least intention when he left home to put hisservant in livery, so that the old woman could not have heard anyprevious mention of it. This, he assured us, was a true story. 

M'Quarrie insisted that the mercheta mulierum, mentioned in our oldcharters, did really mean the privilege which a lord of a manor, or abaron, had, to have the first night of all his vassals' wives. DrJohnson said, the belief of such a custom having existed was also heldin England, where there is a tenure called Borough-English, by whichthe eldest child does not inherit, from a doubt of his being the sonof the tenant. [Footnote: Sir William Blackstone says in hisCommentaries, that 'he cannot find that ever this custom prevailed inEngland'; and therefore he is of opinion that it could not have givenrise to Borough-English. ] M'Quarrie told us, that still, on themarriage of each of his tenants, a sheep is due to him; for which thecomposition is fixed at five shillings. I suppose, Ulva is the onlyplace where this custom remains. 

Talking of the sale of an estate of an ancient family, which was saidto have been purchased much under its value by the confidential lawyerof that family, and it being mentioned that the sale would probably beset aside by a suit in equity, Dr Johnson said, 'I am very willingthat this sale should be set aside, but I doubt much whether the suitwill be successful; for the argument for avoiding the sale is foundedon vague and indeterminate principles, as that the price was too low, and that there was a great degree of confidence placed by the sellerin the person who became the purchaser. Now, how low should a pricebe? or what degree of confidence should there be to make a bargain beset aside? a bargain, which is a wager of skill between man and man. If, indeed, any fraud can be proved, that will do. '

When Dr Johnson and I were by ourselves at night, I observed of ourhost, 'aspectum generosum habet. ' 'Et generosum animum, ' he added. Forfear of being overheard in the small Highland houses, I often talkedto him in such Latin as I could speak, and with as much of the Englishaccent as I could assume, so as not to be understood, in case ourconversation should be too loud for the space. 

We had each an elegant bed in the same room; and here it was that acircumstance occurred, as to which he has been strangelymisunderstood. From his description of his chamber, it has erroneouslybeen supposed, that his bed being too short for him, his feet, duringthe night, were in the mire; whereas he has only said, that when heundressed, he felt his feet in the mire: that is, the clay-floor ofthe room, on which he stood before he went into bed, was wet, inconsequence of the windows being broken, which let in the rain. 

Sunday, 17th October

Being informed that there was nothing worthy of observation in Ulva, we took boat, and proceeded to Inchkenneth, where we were introducedby our friend Col to Sir Allan M'Lean, the chief of his clan, and totwo young ladies, his daughters. Inchkenneth is a pretty littleisland, a mile long, and about half a mile broad, all good land. 

As we walked up from the shore, Dr Johnson's heart was cheered by thesight of a road marked with cart-wheels, as on the main land; a thingwhich we had not seen for a long time. It gave us a pleasure similarto that which a traveller feels, when, whilst wandering on what hefears is a desert island, he perceives the print of human feet. 

Military men acquire excellent habits of having all convenienciesabout them. Sir Allan M'Lean, who had been long in the army, and hadnow a lease of the island, had formed a commodious habitation, thoughit consisted but of a few small buildings, only one story high. Hehad, in his little apartments, more things than I could enumerate in apage or two. 

Among other agreeable circumstances, it was not the least, to findhere a parcel of the Caledonian Mercury, published since we leftEdinburgh; which I read with that pleasure which every man feels whohas been for some time secluded from the animated scenes of the busyworld. 

Dr Johnson found books here. He bade me buy Bishop Gastrell'sChristian Institutes, which was lying in the room. He said, 'I do notlike to read any thing on a Sunday, but what is theological; not thatI would scrupulously refuse to look at any thing which a friend shouldshew me in a newspaper; but in general, I would read only what istheological. I read just now some of Drummond's Travels, before Iperceived what books were here. I then took up Derham'sPhysico-Theology. 

Every particular concerning this island having been so well describedby Dr Johnson, it would be superfluous in me to present the publickwith the observations that I made upon it, in my Journal. 

I was quite easy with Sir Allan almost instantaneously. He knew thegreat intimacy that had been between my father and his predecessor, Sir Hector, and was himself of a very frank disposition. After dinner, Sir Allan said he had got Dr Campbell about a hundred subscribers tohis Britannia Elucidata (a work since published under the title of APolitical Survey of Great Britain), of whom he believed twenty weredead, the publication having been so long delayed. JOHNSON. 'Sir, Iimagine the delay of publication is owing to this; that, afterpublication, there will be no more subscribers, and few will send theadditional guinea to get their books: in which they will be wrong; forthere will be a great deal of instruction in the work. I think highlyof Campbell. In the first place, he has very good parts. In the secondplace, he has very extensive reading; not, perhaps, what is properlycalled learning, but history, politicks, and, in short, that popularknowledge which makes a man very useful. In the third place, he haslearned much by what is called the vox viva. He talks with a greatmany people. '

Speaking of this gentleman, at Rasay, he told us, that he one daycalled on him, and they talked of Tull's Husbandry. Dr Campbell saidsomething. Dr Johnson began to dispute it. 'Come, ' said Dr Campbell, 'we do not want to get the better of one another: we want to encreaseeach other's ideas. ' Dr Johnson took it in good part, and theconversation then went on coolly and instructively. His candour inrelating this anecdote does him much credit, and his conduct on thatoccasion proves how easily he could be persuaded to talk from a bettermotive than 'for victory'. 

Dr Johnson here shewed so much of the spirit of a highlander, that hewon Sir Allan's heart: indeed, he has shewn it during the whole of ourtour. One night, in Col, he strutted about the room with a broad-swordand target, and made a formidable appearance; and, another night, Itook the liberty to put a large blue bonnet on his head. His age, hissize, and his bushy grey wig, with this covering on it, presented theimage of a venerable senachi: and, however unfavourable to the LowlandScots, he seemed much pleased to assume the appearance of an ancientCaledonian. We only regretted that he could not be prevailed with topartake of the social glass. One of his arguments against drinking, appears to me not convincing. He urged, that, 'in proportion asdrinking makes a man different from what he is before he has drunk, itis bad; because it has so far affected his reason'. But may it not beanswered, that a man may be altered by it FOR THE BETTER; that hisspirits may be exhilarated, without his reason being affected? On thegeneral subject of drinking, however, I do not mean positively to takethe other side. I am dubius, non improbus. 

In the evening, Sir Allan informed us that it was the custom of hishouse to have prayers every Sunday; and Miss M'Lean read the eveningservice, in which we all joined. I then read Ogden's second and ninthsermons on prayer, which, with their other distinguished excellence, have the merit of being short. Dr Johnson said, that it was the mostagreeable Sunday he had ever passed; and it made such an impression onhis mind, that he afterwards wrote the following Latin verses uponInchkenneth:

INSULA SANCTI KENNETHI

Parva quidem regio, sed relligione priorum

 Nota, Caledonias panditur inter aquas; Voce ubi Cennethus populos domuisse feroces Dicitur, et vanos dedocuisse deos. Huc ego delatus placido per coerula cursu Scire locum volui quid daret itte novi. Illic Leniades humili regnabat in aula, Leniades magnis nobilitatus avis: Una duas habuit casa cum genitore puellas, Quas Amor undarum fingeret esse deas: Non tamen inculti gelidis latuere sub antris, Accola Danubii qualia saevus habet; Mollia non deerant vacuae solatia vitae, Sive libros poscant otia, sive lyram. Luxerat illa dies, legis gens docta supernae Spes hominum ac curas cum procul esse jubet, Ponti inter strepitus sacri non munera cultus Cessarunt; pietas hic quoque cura fuit: Quid quod sacrifici versavit femina libros, Legitimas faciunt pectora pura preces. Quo vagor ulterius? quod ubique requiritur hic est; Hic secura quies, hic et honestus amor. 

Monday, 18th October

We agreed to pass this day with Sir Allan, and he engaged to haveevery thing in order for our voyage to-morrow. 

Being now soon to be separated from our amiable friend young Col, hismerits were all remembered. At Ulva he had appeared in a newcharacter, having given us a good prescription for a cold. On mymentioning him with warmth, Dr Johnson said, 'Col does every thing forus: we will erect a statue to Col. ' 'Yes, ' said I, 'and we will havehim with his various attributes and characters, like Mercury, or anyother of the heathen gods. We will have him as a pilot; we will havehim as a fisherman, as a hunter, as a husbandman, as a physician. '

I this morning took a spade, and dug a little grave in the floor of aruined chapel, near Sir Allan M'Lean's house, in which I buried somehuman bones I found there. Dr Johnson praised me for what I had done, though he owned, he could not have done it. He shewed in the chapel atRasay his horrour at dead men's bones. He shewed it again at Col'shouse. In the charter-room there was a remarkable large shin-bone;which was said to have been a bone of John Garve, one of the lairds. Dr Johnson would not look at it; but started away. 

At breakfast, I asked, 'What is the reason that we are angry at atrader's having opulence?' JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, the reason is (though Idon't undertake to prove that there is a reason), we see no qualitiesin trade that should entitle a man to superiority. We are not angry ata soldier's getting riches, because we see that he possesses qualitieswhich we have not. If a man returns from a battle, having lost onehand, and with the other full of gold, we feel that he deserves thegold; but we cannot think that a fellow, by sitting all day at a desk, is entitled to get above us. ' BOSWELL. 'But, sir, may we not suppose amerchant to be a man of an enlarged mind, such as Addison in theSpectator describes Sir Andrew Freeport to have been?' JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, we may suppose any fictitious character. We may suppose aphilosophical day-labourer, who is happy in reflecting that, by hislabour, he contributes to the fertility of the earth, and to thesupport of his fellow-creatures; but we find no such philosophicalday-labourer. A merchant may, perhaps, be a man of an enlarged mind;but there is nothing in trade connected with an enlarged mind. '

I mentioned that I heard Dr Solander say he was a Swedish Laplander. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I don't believe he is a Laplander. The Laplanders arenot much above four feet high. He is as tall as you; and he has notthe copper colour of a Laplander. ' BOSWELL. 'But what motive could hehave to make himself a Laplander?' JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, he must eithermean the word Laplander in a very extensive sense, or may mean avoluntary degradation of himself. "For all my being the great man thatyou see me now, I was originally a barbarian"; as if Burke should say, "I came over a wild Irishman, " which he might say in his present stateof exaltation. '

Having expressed a desire to have an island like Inchkenneth, DrJohnson set himself to think what would be necessary for a man in sucha situation. 'Sir, I should build me a fortification, if I came tolive here; for, if you have it not, what should hinder a parcel ofruffians to land in the night, and carry off every thing you have inthe house, which, in a remote country, would be more valuable thancows and sheep? Add to all this the danger of having your throat cut. 'BOSWELL. 'I would have a large dog. ' JOHNSON. 'So you may, sir; but alarge dog is of no use but to alarm. He, however, I apprehend, thinkstoo lightly of the power of that animal. I have heard him say, that heis afraid of no dog. 'He would take him up by the hinder legs, whichwould render him quite helpless, and then knock his head against astone, and beat out his brains. ' Topham Beauclerk told me, that at hishouse in the country, two large ferocious dogs were fighting. DrJohnson looked steadily at them for a little while; and then, as onewould separate two little boys, who are foolishly hurting each other, he ran up to them, and cuffed their heads till he drove them asunder. But few men have his intrepidity, Herculean strength, or presence ofmind. Most thieves or robbers would be afraid to encounter a mastiff. 

I observed, that, when young Col talked of the lands belonging to hisfamily, he always said, 'MY lands'. For this he had a plausiblepretence; for he told me, there has been a custom in this family, thatthe laird resigns the estate to the eldest son when he comes of age, reserving to himself only a certain life-rent. He said, it was avoluntary custom; but I think I found an instance in the charter-room, that there was such an obligation in a contract of marriage. If thecustom was voluntary, it was only curious; but if founded onobligation, it might be dangerous; for I have been told, that inOtaheite, whenever a child is born (a son, I think), the father loseshis right to the estate and honours, and that this unnatural, orrather absurd custom, occasions the murder of many children. 

Young Col told us he could run down a greyhound; 'for, ' said he, 'thedog runs himself out of breath, by going too quick, and then I get upwith him. ' I accounted for his advantage over the dog, by remarkingthat Col had the faculty of reason, and knew how to moderate his pace, which the dog had not sense enough to do. Dr Johnson said, 'He is anoble animal. He is as complete an islander as the mind can figure. Heis a farmer, a sailor, a hunter, a fisher: he will run you down a dog:if any man has a tail it is Col. He is hospitable; and he has anintrepidity of talk, whether he understands the subject or not. Iregret that he is not more intellectual. '

Dr Johnson observed, that there was nothing of which he would notundertake to persuade a Frenchman in a foreign country. I'll carry aFrenchman to St Paul's Church-yard, and I'll tell him, "by our law youmay walk half round the church; but, if you walk round the whole, youwill be punished capitally", and he will believe me at once. Now, noEnglishman would readily swallow such a thing: he would go and inquireof somebody else. ' The Frenchman's credulity, I observed, must beowing to his being accustomed to implicit submission; whereas everyEnglishman reasons upon the laws of his country, and instructs hisrepresentatives, who compose the legislature. 

This day was passed in looking at a small island adjoiningInchkenneth, which afforded nothing worthy of observation; and in suchsocial and gay entertainments as our little society could furnish. 

Tuesday, 19th October

After breakfast we took leave of the young ladies, and of ourexcellent companion Col, to whom we had been so much obliged. He hadnow put us under the care of his chief; and was to hasten back to Sky. We parted from him with very strong feelings of kindness andgratitude; and we hoped to have had some future opportunity of provingto him the sincerity of what we felt; but in the following year he wasunfortunately lost in the Sound between Ulva and Mull; and thisimperfect memorial, joined to the high honour of being tenderly andrespectfully mentioned by Dr Johnson, is the only return which theuncertainty of human events has permitted us to make to this deservingyoung man. 

Sir Allan, who obligingly undertook to accompany us to Icolmkill had astrong good boat, with four stout rowers. We coasted along Mull tillwe reached Gribon, where is what is called Mackinnon's cave, comparedwith which that at Ulinish is inconsiderable. It is in a rock of agreat height, close to the sea. Upon the left of its entrance there isa cascade, almost perpendicular from the top to the bottom of therock. There is a tradition that it was conducted thither artificially, to supply the inhabitants of the cave with water. Dr Johnson gave nocredit to this tradition. As, on the one hand, his faith in theChristian religion is firmly founded upon good grounds; so, on theother, he is incredulous when there is no sufficient reason forbelief; being in this respect just the reverse of modern infidels, who, however nice and scrupulous in weighing the evidences ofreligion, are yet often so ready to believe the most absurd andimprobable tales of another nature, that Lord Hailes well observed, agood essay might be written Sur la credulite des Incredules. 

The height of this cave I cannot tell with any tolerable exactness:but it seemed to be very lofty, and to be a pretty regular arch. Wepenetrated, by candlelight, a great way; by our measurement, no lessthan four hundred and eighty-five feet. Tradition says, that a piperand twelve men once advanced into this cave, nobody can tell how far;and never returned. At the distance to which we proceeded the air wasquite pure; for the candle burned freely, without the least appearanceof the flame growing globular; but as we had only one, we thought itdangerous to venture farther, lest, should it have been extinguished, we should have had no means of ascertaining whether we could remainwithout danger. Dr Johnson said, this was the greatest naturalcuriosity he had ever seen. 

We saw the island of Staffa, at no very great distance, but could notland upon it, the surge was so high on its rocky coast. 

Sir Allan, anxious for the honour of Mull, was still talking of itswoods, and pointing them out to Dr Johnson, as appearing at a distanceon the skirts of that island, as we sailed along. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I sawat Tobermorie. What they called a wood, which I unluckily took forHEATH. If you shew me what I shall take for FURZE, it will besomething. '

In the afternoon we went ashore on the coast of Mull, and partook of acold repast, which we carried with us. We hoped to have procured somerum or brandy for our boatmen and servants, from a publick-house nearwhere we landed; but unfortunately a funeral a few days before hadexhausted all their store. Mr Campbell however, one of the Duke ofArgyle's tacksmen, who lived in the neighbourhood, on receiving amessage from Sir Allan, sent us a liberal supply. 

We continued to coast along Mull, and passed by Nuns' Island, which, it is said, belonged to the nuns of Icolmkill, and from which, we weretold, the stone for the buildings there was taken. As we sailed alongby moonlight, in a sea somewhat rough, and often between black andgloomy rocks, Dr Johnson said, 'If this be not ROVING AMONG THEHEBRIDES, nothing is. ' The repetition of words which he had so oftenpreviously used, made a strong impression on my imagination; and, by anatural course of thinking, led me to consider how our presentadventures would appear to me at a future period. 

I have often experienced, that scenes through which a man has passed, improve by lying in the memory: they grow mellow. Acti labores suntjucundi. This may be owing to comparing them with present listlessease. Even harsh scenes acquire a softness by length of time:[Footnote: I have lately observed that this thought has been elegantlyexpressed by Cowley:

 Things which offend when present and affright. In memory, well painted, move delight. ]

and some are like very loud sounds, which do not please, or at leastdo not please so much, till you are removed to a certain distance. They may be compared to strong coarse pictures, which will not bear tobe viewed near. Even pleasing scenes improve by time, and seem moreexquisite in recollection, than when they were present; if they havenot faded to dimness in the memory. Perhaps, there is so much evil inevery human enjoyment, when present--so much dross mixed with it--thatit requires to be refined by time; and yet I do not see why timeshould not melt away the good and the evil in equal proportions; whythe shade should decay, and the light remain in preservation. 

After a tedious sail, which, by our following various turnings of thecoast of Mull, was extended to about forty miles, it gave us no smallpleasure to perceive a light in the village of Icolmkill, in whichalmost all the inhabitants of the island live, close to where theancient building stood. As we approached the shore, the tower of thecathedral, just discernable in the air, was a picturesque object. 

When we had landed upon the sacred place, which, as long as I canremember, I had thought on with veneration, Dr Johnson and I cordiallyembraced. We had long talked of visiting Icolmkill; and, from thelateness of the season, were at times very doubtful whether we shouldbe able to effect our purpose. To have seen it, even alone, would havegiven me great satisfaction; but the venerable scene was rendered muchmore pleasing by the company of my great and pious friend, who was noless affected by it than I was; and who has described the impressionsit should make on the mind, with such strength of thought, and energyof language, that I shall quote his words, as conveying my ownsensations much more forcibly than I am capable of doing:

We are now treading that illustrious island, which was once theluminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and rovingbarbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings ofreligion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would beimpossible, if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish if it werepossible. Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses, whatevermakes the past, the distant, or the future, predominate over thepresent, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me, and from my friends, be such frigid philosophy as may conduct usindifferent and unmoved over any ground which has been dignified bywisdom, bravery or virtue. That man is little to be envied, whosepatriotism would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon, or whosepiety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Iona! [Footnote: Hadour tour produced nothing else but this sublime passage, the worldmust have acknowledged that it was not made in vain. The presentrespectable President of the Royal Society was so much struck onreading it, that he clasped his hands together, and remained for sometime in an attitude of silent admiration. ]

Upon hearing that Sir Allan M'Lean was arrived, the inhabitants, whostill consider themselves as the people of M'Lean, to whom the islandformerly belonged, though the Duke of Argyle has at present possessionof it, ran eagerly to him. 

We were accommodated this night in a large barn, the island affordingno lodging that we should have liked so well. Some good hay wasstrewed at one end of it, to form a bed for us, upon which we lay withour clothes on; and we were furnished with blankets from the village. Each of us had a portmanteau for a pillow. When I awaked in themorning, and looked round me, I could not help smiling at the idea ofthe Chief of the M'Leans, the great English moralist, and myself, lying thus extended in such a situation. 

Wednesday, 20th October

Early in the morning we surveyed the remains of antiquity at thisplace, accompanied by an illiterate fellow, as cicerone, who calledhimself a descendant of a cousin of Saint Columba, the founder of thereligious establishment here. As I knew that many persons had alreadyexamined them, and as I saw Dr Johnson inspecting and measuringseveral of the ruins of which he has since given so full an account, my mind was quiescent; and I resolved; to stroll among them at myease, to take no trouble to investigate minutely, and only receive thegeneral impression of solemn antiquity, and the particular ideas ofsuch objects as should of themselves strike my attention. 

We walked from the monastery of nuns to the great church or cathedral, as they call it, along an old broken causeway. They told us, that thishad been a street; and that there were good houses built on each side. Dr Johnson doubted if it was any thing more than a paved road for thenuns. The convent of monks, the great church, Oran's chapel, and fourother chapels, are still to be discerned. But I must own thatIcolmkill did not answer my expectations; for they were high, fromwhat I had read of it, and still more from what I had heard andthought of it, from my earliest years. Dr Johnson said, it came up tohis expectations, because he had taken his impression from an accountof it subjoined to Sacheverel's History of the Isle of Man, where itis said, there is not much to be seen here. We were both disappointed, when we were shewn what are called the monuments of the kings ofScotland, Ireland, and Denmark, and of a king of France. There areonly some grave-stones flat on the earth, and we could see noinscriptions. How far short was this of marble monuments, like thosein Westminster Abbey, which I had imagined here! The grave-stones ofSir Allan M'Lean's family, and of that of M'Quarrie, had as good anappearance as the royal grave-stones; if they were royal, we doubted. 

My easiness to give credit to what I heard in the course of our tourwas too great. Dr Johnson's peculiar accuracy of investigationdetected much traditional fiction, and many gross mistakes. It is notto be wondered at, that he was provoked by people carelessly tellinghim, with the utmost readiness and confidence, what he found, onquestioning them a little more, was erroneous. Of this there wereinnumerable instances. 

I left him and Sir Allan to breakfast in our barn, and stole backagain to the cathedral, to indulge in solitude and devout meditation. While contemplating the venerable ruins, I reflected with muchsatisfaction, that the solemn scenes of piety never lose theirsanctity and influence, though the cares and follies of life mayprevent us from visiting them, or may even make us fancy that theireffects are only 'as yesterday, when it is past', and never again tobe perceived. I hoped, that, ever after having been in this holyplace, I should maintain an exemplary conduct. One has a strangepropensity to fix upon some point of time from whence a better courseof life may begin. 

Being desirous to visit the opposite shore of the island, where SaintColumba is said to have landed, I procured a horse from one M'Ginnis, who ran along as my guide. The M'Ginnises are said to be a branch ofthe clan of M'Lean. Sir Allan had been told that this man had refusedto send him some rum, at which the knight was in great indignation. 'You rascal!' said he. 'Don't you know that I can hang you, if Iplease?' Not averting to the chieftain's power over his clan, Iimagined that Sir Allan had known of some capital crime that thefellow had committed, which he could discover, and so get himcondemned; and said, 'How so?' 'Why, ' said Sir Allan, 'are they notall my people?' Sensible in my inadvertency, and most willing tocontribute what I could towards the continuation of feudal authority, 'Very true, ' said I. Sir Allan went on: 'Refuse to send rum to me, yourascal! Don't you know that, if I order you to go and cut a man'sthroat, you are to do it?' 'Yes, an't please your honour! and my owntoo, and hang myself too. ' The poor fellow denied that he had refusedto send the rum. His making these professions was not merely apretence in presence of his chief; for after he and I were out of SirAllan's hearing, he told me, 'Had he sent his dog for the rum, I wouldhave given it: I would cut my bones for him. ' It was very remarkableto find such an attachment to a chief, though he had then noconnection with the island, and had not been there for fourteen years. Sir Allan, by way of upbraiding the fellow, said, 'I believe you are aCAMPBELL. '

The place which I went to see is about two miles from the village. They call it Portawherry, from the wherry in which Columba came;though, when they shew the length of his vessel, as marked on thebeach by two heaps of stones, they say, 'Here is the length of thecurrach, ' using the Erse word. 

Icolmkill is a fertile island. The inhabitants export some cattle andgrain; and I was told, they import nothing but iron and salt. They areindustrious, and make their own woollen and linen cloth; and they brewa good deal of beer, which we did not find in any of the otherislands. 

We set sail again about mid-day, and in the evening landed on Mull, near the house of the Reverend Mr Neal M'Leod, who having beeninformed of our coming, by a message from Sir Allan, came out to meetus. We were this night very agreeably entertained at his house. DrJohnson observed to me, that he was the cleanest-headed man that hehad met in the Western islands. He seemed to be well acquainted withDr Johnson's writings, and courteously said, 'I have been oftenobliged to you, though I never had the pleasure of seeing you before. '

He told us, he had lived for some time in St Kilda, under the tuitionof the minister or catechist there, and had there first read Horaceand Virgil. The scenes which they describe must have been a strongcontrast to the dreary waste around him. 

Thursday, 21st October

This morning the subject of politicks was introduced. JOHNSON. 'Pulteney was as paltry a fellow as could be. He was a Whig, whopretended to be honest; and you know it is ridiculous for a Whig topretend to be honest. He cannot hold it out. ' He called Mr Pitt ameteor; Sir Robert Walpole a fixed star. He said, 'It is wonderful tothink that all the force of government was required to prevent Wilkesfrom being chosen the chief magistrate of London, though the liverymenknew he would rob their shops, knew he would debauch their daughters. '[Footnote: I think it incumbent on me to make some observation on thisstrong satirical sally on my classical companion, Mr Wilkes. Reportingit lately from memory, in his presence, I expressed it thus: 'Theyknew he would rob their shops, IF HE DURST; they knew he would debauchtheir daughters, IF HE COULD, which, according to the French phrase, may be said rencherir on Dr Johnson; but on looking into my Journal, Ifound it as above, and would by no means make any addition. Mr Wilkesreceived both readings with a good humour that I cannot enough admire. Indeed both he and I (as, with respect to myself, the reader has morethan once had occasion to observe in the course of this Journal) aretoo fond of a bon mot, not to relish it, though we should be ourselvesthe object of it. 

Let me add, in justice to the gentleman here mentioned, that at asubsequent period, he was elected chief magistrate of London, anddischarged the duties of that high office with great honour tohimself, and advantage to the city. Some years before Dr Johnson died, I was fortunate enough to bring him and Mr Wilkes together; theconsequence of which was, that they were ever afterwards on easy andnot unfriendly terms. The particulars I shall have great pleasure inrelating at large in my Life of Dr Johnson. ]

BOSWELL. 'The history of England is so strange, that, if it were notso well vouched as it is, it would hardly be credible. ' JOHNSON. 'Sir, if it were told as shortly, and with as little preparation forintroducing the different events, as the history of the Jewish kings, it would be equally liable to objections of improbability. ' Mr M'Leodwas much pleased with the justice and novelty of the thought. DrJohnson illustrated what he had said, as follows: 'Take, as aninstance, Charles the First's concessions to his parliament, whichwere greater and greater, in proportion as the parliament grew moreinsolent, and less deserving of trust. Had these concessions beenrelated nakedly, without any detail of the circumstances whichgenerally led to them, they would not have been believed. '

Sir Allan M'Lean bragged, that Scotland had the advantage of England, by its having more water. JOHNSON, 'Sir, we would not have your water, to take the vile bogs which produced it. You have too much! A man whois drowned has more water than either of us'; and then he laughed. (But this was surely robust sophistry: for the people of taste inEngland, who have seen Scotland, own that its variety of rivers andlakes makes it naturally more beautiful than England, in thatrespect. ) Pursuing his victory over Sir Allan, he proceeded: 'Yourcountry consists of two things, stone and water. There is, indeed, alittle earth above the stone in some places, but a very little; andthe stone is always appearing. It is like a man in rags; the nakedskin is still peeping out. '

He took leave of Mr M'Leod, saying, 'Sir, I thank you for yourentertainment, and your conversation. ' Mr Campbell, who had been sopolite yesterday, came this morning on purpose to breakfast with us, and very obligingly furnished us with horses to proceed on our journeyto Mr M'Lean's of Lochbuy, where we were to pass the night. We dinedat the house of Dr Alexander M'Lean, another physician in Mull, whowas so much struck with the uncommon conversation of Dr Johnson, thathe observed to me, 'This man is just a HOGSHEAD of sense. '

Dr Johnson said of the Turkish Spy, which lay in the room, that ittold nothing but what every body might have known at that time; andthat what was good in it, did not pay you for the trouble of readingto find it. 

After a very tedious ride, through what appeared to me the most gloomyand desolate country I had ever beheld, we arrived, between seven andeight o'clock, at Moy, the seat of the Laird of Lochbuy. Buy, in Erse, signifies yellow, and I at first imagined that the loch or branch ofthe sea here, was thus denominated, in the same manner as the Red Sea;but I afterwards learned that it derived its name from a hill aboveit, which being of a yellowish hue, has the epithet of Buy. 

We had heard much of Lochbuy's being a great roaring braggadocio, akind of Sir John Falstaff, both in size and manners; but we found thatthey had swelled him up to a fictitious size, and clothed him withimaginary qualities. Col's idea of him was equally extravagant, thoughvery different: he told us, he was quite a Don Quixote; and said, hewould give a great deal to see him and Dr Johnson together. The truthis, that Lochbuy proved to be only a bluff, comely, noisy oldgentleman, proud of his hereditary consequence, and a very hearty andhospitable landlord. Lady Lochbuy was sister to Sir Allan M'Lean, butmuch older. He said to me, 'They are quite Antediluvians. ' Being toldthat Dr Johnson did not hear well, Lochbuy bawled out to him, 'Are youof the Johnstons of Glencro, or of Ardnamurchan?' Dr Johnson gave hima significant look, but made no answer; and I told Lochbuy that he wasnot Johnston, but Johnson, and that he was an Englishman. 

Lochbuy some years ago tried to prove himself a weak man, liable toimposition, or, as we term it in Scotland, a FACILE man, in order toset aside a lease which he had granted; but failed in the attempt. Onmy mentioning this circumstance to Dr Johnson, he seemed muchsurprized that such a suit was admitted by the Scottish law, andobserved, that 'in England no man is allowed to STULTIFY himself. '[Footnote: This maxim, however, has been controverted. SeeBlackstone's Commentaries, Vol. II, p. 292; and the authorities therequoted. ] Sir Allan, Lochbuy, and I, had the conversation chiefly toourselves to-night: Dr Johnson, being extremely weary, went to bedsoon after supper. 

Friday, 22d October

Before Dr Johnson came to breakfast, Lady Lochbuy said, 'he was aDUNGEON of wit'; a very common phrase in Scotland to express aprofoundness of intellect, though he afterwards told me, that he neverhad heard it. She proposed that he should have some cold sheep's headfor breakfast. Sir Allan seemed displeased at his sister's vulgarity, and wondered how such a thought should come into her head. From amischievous love of sport, I took the lady's part; and very gravelysaid, 'I think it is but fair to give him an offer of it. If he doesnot choose it, he may let it alone. ' 'I think so, ' said the lady, looking at her brother with an air of victory. Sir Allan, finding thematter desperate, strutted about the room, and took snuff. When DrJohnson came in, she called to him, 'Do you choose any coldsheep's-head, sir?' 'No, Madam, ' said he, with a tone of surprise andanger. 'It is here, sir, ' said she, supposing he had refused it tosave the trouble of bringing it in. They thus went on at crosspurposes, till he confirmed his refusal in a manner not to bemisunderstood; while I sat quietly by, and enjoyed my success. 

After breakfast, we surveyed the old castle, in the pit or dungeon ofwhich Lochbuy had some years before taken upon him to imprison severalpersons; and though he had been fined a considerable sum by the Courtof Justiciary, he was so little affected by it, that while we wereexamining the dungeon, he said to me, with a smile, 'Your father knowssomething of this' (alluding to my father's having sat as one of thejudges on his trial). Sir Allan whispered me, that the laird could notbe persuaded, that he had lost his heritable jurisdiction. 

We then set out for the ferry, by which we were to cross to the mainland of Argyleshire. Lochbuy and Sir Allan accompanied us. We weretold much of a war-saddle, on which this reputed Don Quixote used tobe mounted; but we did not see it, for the young laird had applied itto a less noble purpose, having taken it to Falkirk fair WITH A DROVEOF BLACK CATTLE. 

We bade adieu to Lochbuy, and to our very kind conductor. Sir AllanM'Lean, on the shore of Mull, and then got into the ferry-boat, thebottom of which was strewed with branches of trees or bushes, uponwhich we sat. We had a good day and a fine passage, and in the eveninglanded at Oban, where we found a tolerable inn. After having been solong confined at different times in islands, from which it was alwaysuncertain when we could get away, it was comfortable to be now on themain land, and to know that, if in health, we might get to any placein Scotland or England in a certain number of days. 

Here we discovered from the conjectures which were formed, that thepeople on the main land were intirely ignorant of our motions; for ina Glasgow news-paper we found a paragraph, which, as it contains ajust and well-turned compliment to my illustrious friend, I shallinsert:

We are well assured that Dr Johnson is confined by tempestuous weatherto the isle of Sky; it being unsafe to venture, in a small boat uponsuch a stormy surge as is very common there at this time of the year. Such a philosopher, detained on an almost barren island, resembles awhale left upon the strand. The latter will be welcome to every body, on account of his oil, his bone, etc. And the other will charm hiscompanions, and the rude inhabitants, with his superior knowledge andwisdom, calm resignation, and unbounded benevolence. 

Saturday, 23d October

After a good night's rest, we breakfasted at our leisure. We talked ofGoldsmith's Traveller, of which Dr Johnson spoke highly; and, while Iwas helping him on with his great coat, he repeated from it thecharacter of the British nation, which he did with such energy, thatthe tear started into his eye:

 '"Stern o'er each bosom reason holds her state. With daring aims irregularly great, Pride in their port, defiance in their eye, I see the lords of humankind pass by, Intent on high designs, a thoughtful band, By forms unfashion'd; fresh from nature's hand; Fierce in their native hardiness of soul, True to imagin'd right, above control, While ev'n the peasant boasts these rights to scan, And learns to venerate himself as man. "'

We could get but one bridle here, which, according to the maxim deturdigniori, was appropriated to Dr Johnson's sheltie. I and Joseph rodewith halters. We crossed in a ferry-boat a pretty wide lake, and onthe farther side of it, close by the shore, found a hut for our inn. We were much wet. I changed my clothes in part, and was at pains toget myself well dried. Dr Johnson resolutely kept on all his clothes, wet as they were, letting them steam before the smoky turf fire. Ithought him in the wrong; but his firmness was, perhaps, a species ofheroism. 

I remember but little of our conversation. I mentioned Shenstone'ssaying of Pope, that he had the art of condensing sense more than anybody. Dr Johnson said, 'It is not true, sir. There is more sense in aline of Cowley than in a page' (or a sentence of ten lines--I am notquite certain of the very phrase) 'of Pope. ' He maintained thatArchibald, Duke of Argyle, was a narrow man. I wondered at this; andobserved, that his building so great a house at Inveraray was not likea narrow man. 'Sir, ' said he, 'when a narrow man has resolved to builda house, he builds it like another man. But Archibald, Duke of Argyle, was narrow in his ordinary expences, in his quotidian expences. '

The distinction is very just. It is in the ordinary expences of lifethat a man's liberality or narrowness is to be discovered. I neverheard the word quotidian in this sense, and I imagined it to be a wordof Dr Johnson's own fabrication; but I have since found it in Young'sNight Thoughts (Night fifth):

 Death's a destroyer of quotidian prey. 

and in my friend's Dictionary, supported by the authorities of CharlesI and Dr Donne. 

It rained very hard as we journied on after dinner. The roar oftorrents from the mountains, as we passed along in the dusk, and theother circumstances attending our ride this evening, have beenmentioned with so much animation by Dr Johnson, that I shall notattempt to say any thing on the subject. 

We got at night to Inveraray, where we found an excellent inn. Evenhere, Dr Johnson would not change his wet clothes. 

The prospect of good accommodation cheered us much. We supped well;and after supper, Dr Johnson, whom I had not seen taste any fermentedliquor during all our travels, called for a gill of whisky. 'Come, 'said he, 'let me know what it is that makes a Scotchman happy!' Hedrank it all but a drop, which I begged leave to pour into my glass, that I might say we had drunk whisky together. I proposed Mrs Thraleshould be our toast. He would not have HER drunk in whisky, but rather'some insular lady', so we drank one of the ladies whom we had latelyleft. He owned tonight, that he got as good a room and bed as at anEnglish inn. 

I had here the pleasure of finding a letter from home, which relievedme from the anxiety I had suffered, in consequence of not havingreceived any account of my family for many weeks. I also found aletter from Mr Garrick, which was a regale as agreeable as a pineapplewould be in a desert. He had favoured me with his correspondence formany years; and when Dr Johnson and I were at Inverness, I had writtento him as follows:

Inverness, My dear Sir, Sunday, 29 August, 1773

Here I am, and Mr Samuel Johnson actually with me. We were a night atFores, in coming to which, in the dusk of the evening, we passed overa bleak and blasted heath where Macbeth met the witches. Your oldpreceptor repeated, with much solemnity, the speech

 How far is't called to Fores? What are these So wither'd and so wild in their attire, etc. 

This day we visited the ruins of Macbeth's castle at Inverness. I havehad great romantick satisfaction in seeing Johnson upon the classicalscenes of Shakspeare in Scotland; which I really looked upon as almostas improbable as that 'Birnam wood should come to Dunsinane'. Indeed, as I have always been accustomed to view him as a permanent Londonobject, it would not be much more wonderful to me to see St Paul'schurch moving along where we now are. As yet we have travelled inpostchaises; but to-morrow we are to mount on horseback, and ascendinto the mountains by Fort Augustus, and so on to the ferry, where weare to cross to Sky. We shall see that island fully, and then visitsome more of the Hebrides; after which we are to land in Argyleshire, proceed by Glasgow to Auchinleck, repose there a competent time, andthen return to Edinburgh, from whence the Rambler will depart for oldEngland again, as soon as he finds it convenient. Hitherto we have hada very prosperous expedition. I flatter myself servetur ad imum, qualis ab incepto processerit. He is in excellent spirits, and I havea rich Journal of his conversation. Look back, Davy, [Footnote: I tookthe liberty of giving this familiar appellation to my celebratedfriend, to bring in a more lively manner to his remembrance the periodwhen he was Dr Johnson's pupil. ] to Litchfield; run up through thetime that has elapsed since you first knew Mr Johnson, and enjoy withme his present extraordinary tour. I could not resist the impulse ofwriting to you from this place. The situation of the old castlecorresponds exactly to Shakspeare's description. While we were thereto-day, it happened oddly, that a raven perched upon one of thechimney-tops, and croaked. Then I in my turn repeated, 'The raven himself is hoarse. That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan, Under my battlements. '

I wish you had been with us. Think what enthusiastick happiness Ishall have to see Mr Samuel Johnson walking among the romantick rocksand woods of my ancestors at Auchinleck! Write to me at Edinburgh. Youowe me his verses on great George and tuneful Cibber, and the badverses which led him to make his fine ones on Philips the musician. Keep your promise, and let me have them. I offer my very bestcompliments to Mrs Garrick, and ever am

Your warm admirer and friend, JAMES BOSWELL. 

To David Garrick, Esq; London. 

His answer was as follows. 

Hampton, September 14, 1773, Dear Sir, You stole away from London, and left us all in the lurch; for weexpected you one night at the club, and knew nothing of yourdeparture. Had I payed you what I owed you, for the book you boughtfor me, I should only have grieved for the loss of your company, andslept with a quiet conscience; but, wounded as it is, it must remainso till I see you again, though I am sure our good friend Mr Johnsonwill discharge the debt for me, if you will let him. Your account ofyour journey to Fores, the RAVEN, OLD CASTLE, &c. &c. Made me halfmad. Are you not rather too late in the year for fine weather, whichis the life and soul of seeing places? I hope your pleasure willcontinue qualis ab incepto, &c. 

Your friend---[Footnote: I have suppressed my Mend's name from anapprehension of wounding his sensibility; but I would not withholdfrom my readers a passage which shews Mr Gamck's mode of writing asthe Manager of a Theatre, and contains a pleasing trait of hisdomestick life. His judgment of dramatick pieces, so far as concernstheir exhibition on the stage, must be allowed to have considerableweight. But from the effect which a perusal of the tragedy herecondemned had upon myself, and from the opinions of some eminentcriticks. I venture to pronounce that it has much poetical merit; andIts author has distinguished himself by several performances whichshew that the epithet poetaster was, in the present Instance, muchmisapplied. ] threatens me much. I only wish that he would put histhreats in execution, and, if he prints his play, I will forgive him. I remember he complained to you, that his bookseller called for themoney for some copies of his--, which I subscribed for, and that Idesired him to call again. The truth is, that my wife was not at home, and that for weeks together I have not ten shillings in my pocket. However, had it been otherwise, it was not so great a crime to drawhis poetical vengeance upon me. I despise all that he can do, and amglad that I can so easily get rid of him and his ingratitude. I amhardened both to abuse and ingratitude. 

You, I am sure, will no more recommend your poetasters to my civilityand good offices. 

Shall I recommend to you a play of Eschylus (the Prometheus), published and translated by poor old Morel], who is a good scholar, and an acquaintance of mine. It will be but half a guinea, and yourname shall be put in the list I am making for him. You will be in verygood company. 

Now for the Epitaphs!

(These, together with the verses on George the Second, and ColleyGibber, as his Poet Laureat, of which imperfect copies are gone about, will appear in my Life of Dr Johnson. )

I have no more paper, or I should have said more to you. My love andrespects to Mr Johnson. 

Yours ever, D. GARRICK. I can't write. I have the gout in my hand. 

To James Boswell, Esq. , Edinburgh. 

Sunday, 24th October

We passed the forenoon calmly and placidly. I prevailed on Dr Johnsonto read aloud Ogden's sixth sermon on prayer, which he did with adistinct expression, and pleasing solemnity. He praised my favouritepreacher, his elegant language, and remarkable acuteness; and said, hefought infidels with their own weapons. 

As a specimen of Ogden's manner, I insert the following passage fromthe sermon which Dr Johnson now read. The preacher, after arguingagainst that vain philosophy which maintains, in conformity with thehard principle of eternal necessity, or unchangeable predetermination, that the only effect of prayer for others, although we are exhorted topray for them, is to produce good dispositions in ourselves towardsthem; thus expresses himself:

A plain man may be apt to ask, But if this then, though enjoined inthe holy Scriptures, is to be my real aim and intention, when I amtaught to pray for other persons, why is it that I do not plainly soexpress it? Why is not the form of the petition brought nearer to themeaning? Give them, say I to our heavenly father, what is good. Butthis, I am to understand, will be as it will be, and is not for me toalter. What is it then that I am doing? I am desiring to becomecharitable myself; and why may I not plainly say so? Is there shame init, or impiety? The wish is laudable: why should I form designs tohide it?

Or is it, perhaps, better to be brought about by indirect means, andin this artful manner? Alas! who is it that I would impose on? Fromwhom can it be, in this commerce, that I desire to hide any thing?When, as my Saviour commands me, I have 'entered into my closet, andshut my door', there are but two parties privy to my devotions, Godand my own heart; which of the two am I deceiving?

He wished to have more books, and, upon inquiring if there were any inthe house, was told that a waiter had some, which were brought to him;but I recollect none of them, except Hervey's Meditations. He thoughtslightingly of this admired book. He treated it with ridicule, andwould not allow even the scene of the dying husband and father to bepathetick. I am not an impartial judge; for Hervey's Meditationsengaged my affections in my early years. He read a passage concerningthe moon, ludicrously, and shewed how easily he could, in the samestyle, make reflections on that planet, the very reverse of Hervey's, representing her as treacherous to mankind. He did this with muchhumour; but I have not preserved the particulars. He then indulged aplayful fancy, in making a Meditation on a Pudding, of which I hastilywrote down, in his presence, the following note; which, thoughimperfect, may serve to give my readers some idea of it. 

MEDITATION ON A PUDDING

Let us seriously reflect of what a pudding is composed. It is composedof flour that once waved in the golden grain, and drank the dews ofthe morning; of milk pressed from the swelling udder by the gentlehand of the beauteous milk-maid, whose beauty and innocence might haverecommended a worse draught; who, while she stroked the udder, indulged no ambitious thoughts of wandering in palaces, formed noplans for the destruction of her fellow-creatures: milk, which isdrawn from the cow, that useful animal, that eats the grass of thefield, and supplies us with that which made the greatest part of thefood of mankind in the age which the poets have agreed to call golden. It is made with an egg, that miracle of nature, which the theoreticalBurnet has compared to creation. An egg contains water within itsbeautiful smooth surface; and an unformed mass, by the incubation ofthe parent, becomes a regular animal, furnished with bones and sinews, and covered with feathers. Let us consider; can there be more wantingto complete the Meditation on a Pudding? If more is wanting, more maybe found. It contains salt, which keeps the sea from putrefaction:salt, which is made the image of intellectual excellence, contributesto the formation of a pudding. 

In a magazine I found a saying of Dr Johnson's, something to thispurpose; that the happiest part of a man's life is what he passeslying awake in bed in the morning. I read it to him. He said, 'I may, perhaps, have said this; for nobody, at times, talks more laxly than Ido. ' I ventured to suggest to him, that this was dangerous from one ofhis authority. 

I spoke of living in the country, and upon what footing one should bewith neighbours. I observed that some people were afraid of being ontoo easy a footing with them, from an apprehension that their timewould not be their own. He made the obvious remark, that it dependedmuch on what kind of neighbours one has, whether it was desirable tobe on an easy footing with them, or not. I mentioned a certainbaronet, who told me, he never was happy in the country, till he wasnot on speaking terms with his neighbours, which he contrived indifferent ways to bring about. 'Lord ---', said he, 'stuck along; butat last the fellow pounded my pigs, and then I got rid of him. 'JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir, My Lord got rid of Sir John, and shewed how littlehe valued him, by putting his pigs in the pound. '

I told Dr Johnson I was in some difficulty how to act at Inveraray. Ihad reason to think that the Duchess of Argyle disliked me, on accountof my zeal in the Douglas cause; but the Duke of Argyle had alwaysbeen pleased to treat me with great civility. They were now at thecastle, which is a very short walk from our inn; and the question was, whether I should go and pay my respects there. Dr Johnson, to whom Ihad stated the case, was clear that I ought; but, in his usual way, hewas very shy of discovering a desire to be invited there himself. Though from a conviction of the benefit of subordination to society, he has always shewn great respect to persons of high rank, when hehappened to be in their company, yet his pride of character has evermade him guard against any appearance of courting the great. Besides, he was impatient to go to Glasgow, where he expected letters. At thesame time he was, I believe, secretly not unwilling to have attentionpaid him by so great a chieftain, and so exalted a nobleman. Heinsisted that I should not go to the castle this day before dinner, asit would look like seeking an invitation. 'But, ' said I, 'if the dukeinvites us to dine with him to-morrow, shall we accept?' 'Yes, sir, ' Ithink he said, 'to be sure. ' But, he added, 'He won't ask us!' Imentioned, that I was afraid my company might be disagreeable to theduchess. He treated this objection with a manly disdain: 'THAT, sir, he must settle with his wife. ' We dined well. I went to the castlejust about the time when I supposed the ladies would be retired fromdinner. I sent in my name; and, being shewn in, found the amiable dukesitting at the head of his table with several gentlemen. I was mostpolitely received, and gave his grace some particulars of the curiousjourney which I had been making with Dr Johnson. When we rose fromtable, the duke said to me, 'I hope you and Dr Johnson will dine withus to-morrow. ' I thanked his grace; but told him, my friend was in agreat hurry to get back to London. The duke, with a kind complacency, said, 'He will stay one day; and I will take care he shall see thisplace to advantage. ' I said, I should be sure to let him know hisgrace's invitation. As I was going away, the duke said, 'Mr Boswell, won't you have some tea?' I thought it best to get over the meetingwith the duchess this night; so respectfully agreed. I was conductedto the drawing-room by the duke, who announced my name; but theduchess, who was sitting with her daughter, Lady Betty Hamilton, andsome other ladies, took not the least notice of me. I should have beenmortified at being thus coldly received by a lady of whom I, with therest of the world, have always entertained a very high admiration, hadI not been consoled by the obliging attention of the duke. 

When I returned to the inn, I informed Dr Johnson of the Duke ofArgyle's invitation, with which he was much pleased, and readilyaccepted of it. We talked of a violent contest which was then carryingon, with a view to the next general election for Ayrshire; where oneof the candidates, in order to undermine the old and establishedinterest, had artfully held himself out as a champion for theindependency of the county against aristocratick influence, and hadpersuaded several gentlemen into a resolution to oppose everycandidate who was supported by peers. 'Foolish fellows!' said DrJohnson. 'Didn't they see that they are as much dependent upon thepeers one way as the other. The peers have but to OPPOSE a candidate, to ensure him success. It is said, the only way to make a pig goforward, is to pull him back by the tail. These people must be treatedlike pigs. '

Monday, 25th October

My acquaintance, the Reverend Mr John M'Aulay, one of the ministers ofInveraray, and brother to our good friend at Calder, came to us thismorning, and accompanied us to the castle, where I presented DrJohnson to the Duke of Argyle. We were shewn through the house; and Inever shall forget the impression made upon my fancy by some of theladies' maids tripping about in neat morning dresses. After seeing fora long time little but rusticity, their lively manner, and gayinviting appearance, pleased me so much, that I thought, for themoment, I could have been a knight-errant for them. [Footnote: Onreflection, at the distance of several years, I wonder that myvenerable fellow-traveller should have read this passage withoutcensuring my levity. ]

We then got into a low one-horse chair, ordered for us by the duke, inwhich we drove about the place. Dr Johnson was much struck by thegrandeur and elegance of this princely seat. He thought, however, thecastle too low, and wished it had been a story higher. He said, 'WhatI admire here, is the total defiance of expence. ' I had a particularpride in shewing him a great number of fine old trees, to compensatefor the nakedness which had made such an impression on him on theeastern coast of Scotland. 

When we came in, before dinner, we found the duke and some gentlemenin the hall. Dr Johnson took much notice of the large collection ofarms, which are excellently disposed there. I told what he had said toSir Alexander McDonald, of his ancestors not suffering their arms torust. 'Well, ' said the doctor, 'but let us be glad we live in timeswhen arms MAY rust. We can sit to-day at his grace's table, withoutany risk of being attacked, and perhaps sitting down again wounded ormaimed. ' The duke placed Dr Johnson next himself at table. I was infine spirits; and though sensible that I had the misfortune of notbeing in favour with the duchess, I was not in the least disconcerted, and offered her grace some of the dish that was before me. It must beowned that I was in the right to be quite unconcerned, if I could. Iwas the Duke of Argyle's guest; and I had no reason to suppose that headopted the prejudices and resentments of the Duchess of Hamilton. 

I knew it was the rule of modern high life not to drink to any body;but, that I might have the satisfaction for once to look the duchessin the face, with a glass in my hand, I with a respectful airaddressed her, 'My Lady Duchess, I have the honour to drink yourgrace's good health. ' I repeated the words audibly, and with a steadycountenance. This was, perhaps, rather too much; but some allowancemust be made for human feelings. 

The duchess was very attentive to Dr Johnson. I know not how a middlestate came to be mentioned. Her grace wished to hear him on thatpoint. 'Madam, ' said he, 'your own relation, Mr Archibald Campbell, can tell you better about it than I can. He was a bishop of thenonjuring communion, and wrote a book upon the subject. ' [Footnote: Asthis book is now become very scarce, I shall subjoin the title, whichis curious:

'The Doctrines of a Middle State between Death and the Resurrection:Of Prayers for the Dead: And the Necessity of Purification: plainlyproved from the holy Scriptures, and the Writings of the Fathers ofthe Primitive Church: And acknowledged by several learned Fathers andgreat Divines of the Church of England and others since theReformation. To which is added, an Appendix concerning the Descent ofthe Soul of Christ into Hell, while his Body lay in the Grave. Together with the Judgment of the Reverend Dr Hickes concerning thisBook, so far as relates to a Middle State, particular Judgment, andPrayers for the Dead as it appeared in the first Edition. And aManuscript of the Right Reverend Bishop Overall upon the Subject of aMiddle State, and never before printed. Also, a Preservative againstseveral of the Errors of the Roman Church, in six small Treatises. Bythe Honourable Archibald Campbell. ' Folio, 1721. ] He engaged to get itfor her grace. He afterwards gave a full history of Mr ArchibaldCampbell, which I am sorry I do not recollect particularly. He said, Mr Campbell had been bred a violent Whig, but afterwards 'kept BETTERCOMPANY, and became a Tory'. He said this with a smile, in pleasantallusion, as I thought, to the opposition between his own politicalprinciples and those of the duke's clan. He added that Mr Campbell, after the Revolution, was thrown in gaol on account of his tenets;but, on application by letter to the old Lord Townshend, was released:that he always spoke of his Lordship with great gratitude, saying, 'though a WHIG, he had humanity'. 

Dr Johnson and I passed some time together, in June 1784, at PembrokeCollege, Oxford, with the Reverend Dr Adams, the master, and I havingexpressed a regret that my note relative to Mr Archibald Campbell wasimperfect, he was then so good as to write with his own hand, on theblank page of my Journal, opposite to that which contains what I havenow mentioned, the following paragraph; which, however, is not quiteso full as the narrative he gave at Inveraray:

The Honourable Archibald Campbell was, I believe, the nephew of theMarquis of Argyle. He began life by engaging in Monmouth's rebellion, and, to escape the law, lived some time in Surinam. When he returned, he became zealous for episcopacy and monarchy; and at the Revolutionadhered not only to the Nonjurors, but to those who refused tocommunicate with the Church of England, or to be present at anyworship where the usurper was mentioned as king. He was, I believe, more than once apprehended in the reign of King William, and once atthe accession of George. He was the familiar friend of Hicks andNelson; a man of letters, but injudicious; and very curious andinquisitive, but credulous. He lived in 1743, or 44, about 75 yearsold. 

The subject of luxury having been introduced, Dr Johnson defended it. 'We have now, ' said he, 'a splendid dinner before us. Which of allthese dishes is unwholsome?' The duke asserted, that he had observedthe grandees of Spain diminished in their size by luxury. Dr Johnsonpolitely refrained from opposing directly an observation which theduke himself had made; but said, 'Man must be very different fromother animals, if he is diminished by good living; for the size of allother animals is increased by it. ' I made some remark that seemed toimply a belief in second sight. The duchess said, 'I fancy you will bea METHODIST. ' This was the only sentence her grace deigned to utter tome; and I take it for granted, she thought it a good hit on myCREDULITY in the Douglas cause. 

A gentleman in company, after dinner, was desired by the duke to go toanother room, for a specimen of curious marble, which his grace wishedto shew us. He brought a wrong piece, upon which the duke sent himback again. He could not refuse; but, to avoid any appearance ofservility, he whistled as he walked out of the room, to show hisindependency. On my mentioning this afterwards to Dr Johnson, he said, it was a nice trait of character. 

Dr Johnson talked a great deal, and was so entertaining, that LadyBetty Hamilton, after dinner, went and placed her chair close to his, leaned upon the back of it, and listened eagerly. It would have made afine picture to have drawn the Sage and her at this time in theirseveral attitudes. He did not know, all the while, how much he washonoured. I told him afterwards. I never saw him so gentle andcomplaisant as this day. 

We went to tea. The duke and I walked up and down the drawing-room, conversing. The duchess still continued to shew the same markedcoldness for me; for which, though I suffered from it, I made everyallowance, considering the very warm part that I had taken forDouglas, cause in which she thought her son deeply interested. Had nother grace discovered some displeasure towards me, I should havesuspected her of insensibility or dissimulation. 

Her grace made Dr Johnson come and sit by her, and asked him why hemade his journey so late in the year. 'Why, madam, ' said he, 'you knowMr Boswell must attend the Court of Session, and it does not rise tillthe twelfth of August. ' She said, with some sharpness, 'I KNOW NOTHINGof Mr Boswell. ' Poor Lady Lucy Douglas, to whom I mentioned this, observed, 'She knew TOO MUCH of Mr Boswell. ' I shall make no remark onher grace's speech. I indeed felt it as rather too severe; but when Irecollected that my punishment was inflicted by so dignified a beauty, I had that kind of consolation which a man would feel who is strangledby a SILKEN CORD. Dr Johnson was all attention to her grace. He usedafterwards a droll expression, upon her enjoying the three titles ofHamilton, Brandon, and Argyle. Borrowing an image from the Turkishempire, he called her a 'Duchess with three tails'. 

He was much pleased with our visit at the castle of Inveraray. TheDuke of Argyle was exceedingly polite to him, and, upon hiscomplaining of the shelties which he had hitherto ridden being toosmall for him, his grace told him he should be provided with a goodhorse to carry him next day. 

Mr John M'Aulay passed the evening with us at our inn. When Dr Johnsonspoke of people whose principles were good, but whose practice wasfaulty, Mr M'Aulay said, he had no notion of people being in earnestin their good professions, whose practice was not suitable to them. The Doctor grew warm, and said, 'Sir, you are so grossly ignorant ofhuman nature, as not to know that a man may be very sincere in goodprinciples, without having good practice?'

Dr Johnson was unquestionably in the right; and whoever examineshimself candidly, will be satisfied of it, though the inconsistencybetween principles and practice is greater in some men than in others. 

I recollect very little of this night's conversation. I am sorry thatindolence came upon me towards the conclusion of our journey, so thatI did not write down what passed with the same assiduity as during thegreatest part of it. 

Tuesday, 26th October

Mr M'Aulay breakfasted with us, nothing hurt or dismayed by his lastnight's correction. Being a man of good sense, he had a justadmiration of Dr Johnson. Either yesterday morning, or this, Icommunicated to Dr Johnson, from Mr M'Aulay's information, the newsthat Dr Beattie had got a pension of two hundred pounds a year. He satup in his bed, clapped his hands, and cried, 'O brave we!' a peculiarexclamation of his when he rejoices. [Footnote: Having mentioned, morethan once, that my Journal was perused by Dr Johnson, I think itproper to inform my readers that this is the last paragraph which heread. ]

As we sat over our tea, Mr Home's Tragedy of Douglas was mentioned. Iput Dr Johnson in mind, that once, in a coffee-house at Oxford, hecalled to old Mr Sheridan, 'How came you, sir, to give Home a goldmedal for writing that foolish play?' and defied Mr Sheridan to shewten good lines in it. He did not insist they should be together, butthat there were not ten good lines in the whole play. He now persistedin this. I endeavoured to defend that pathetick and beautiful tragedy, and repeated the following passage:

 '". .. Sincerity, Thou first of virtues! let no mortal leave Thy onward path, although the earth should gape, And from the gulph of hell destruction cry. To take dissimulation's winding way. "'

JOHNSON. 'That will not do, sir. Nothing is good but what isconsistent with truth or probability, which this is not. Juvenal, indeed, gives us a noble picture of inflexible virtue:

 Esto bonus miles, tutor bonus, arbiter idem Integer: ambiguae si quando citabere testis, Incertaeque rei, Phalaris licet imperet, ut sis Falsus, et admoto dictet perjuria tauro, Summum crede nefas animam praeferre pudori, Et propter vitam vivendi perdere causas. 

 [Footnote: An honest guardian, arbitrator just. Be thou; thy station deem a sacred trust. With thy good sword maintain thy country's cause; In every action venerate its laws: The lie suborn'd if falsely urg'd to swear, Though torture wait thee, torture firmly bear; To forfeit honour, think the highest shame, And life too dearly bought by loss of fame; Nor, to preserve it, with thy virtue give That for which only man should wish to live. 

For this and the other translations to which no signature is affixed, I am indebted to the friend whose observations are mentioned innotes. ] He repeated the lines with great force and dignity; thenadded, 'And, after this, comes Johnny Hoe, with his EARTH GAPING, andhis DESTRUCTION CRYING--Pooh!' [Footnote: I am sorry that I wasunlucky in my quotation. But notwithstanding the acuteness of DrJohnson's criticism, and the power of his ridicule, the Tragedy ofDouglas still continues to be generally and deservedly admired. ]

While we were lamenting the number of ruined religious buildings whichwe had lately seen, I spoke with peculiar feeling to the miserableneglect of the chapel belonging to the palace of Holyrood House, inwhich are deposited the remains of many of the kings of Scotland, andof many of our nobility. I said, it was a disgrace to the country thatit was not repaired: and particularly complained that my friendDouglas, the representative of a great house, and proprietor of a vastestate, should suffer the sacred spot where his mother lies interred, to be unroofed, and exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather. DrJohnson, who, I know not how, had formed an opinion on the Hamiltonside, in the Douglas cause, slily answered, 'Sir, sir, don't be toosevere upon the gentleman; don't accuse him of want of filial piety!Lady Jane Douglas was not HIS mother. ' He roused my zeal so much thatI took the liberty to tell him he knew nothing of the cause; which Ido most seriously believe was the case. 

We were now 'in a country of bridles and saddles', and set out fullyequipped. The Duke of Argyle was obliging enough to mount Dr Johnsonon a stately steed from his grace's stable. My friend was highlypleased, and Joseph said, 'He now looks like a bishop. '

We dined at the inn at Tarbat, and at night came to Rosedow, thebeautiful seat of Sir James Colquhoun, on the banks of Lochlomond, where I, and any friends whom I have introduced, have ever beenreceived with kind and elegant hospitality. 

Wednesday, 27th October

When I went into Dr Johnson's room this morning, I observed to him howwonderfully courteous he had been at Inveraray, and said, 'You werequite a fine gentleman, when with the duchess. ' He answered, in goodhumour, 'Sir, I look upon myself as a very polite man': and he wasright, in a proper manly sense of the word. As an immediate proof ofit, let me observe, that he would not send back the Duke of Argyle'shorse without a letter of thanks, which I copied. 

To his Grace the Duke of ARGYLE. 

My Lord, That kindness which disposed your grace to supply me with the horse, which I have now returned, will make you pleased to hear that he hascarried me well. 

By my diligence in the little commission with which I was honoured bythe duchess, I will endeavour to shew how highly I value the favourswhich I have received, and how much I desire to be thought, My lord, Your grace's most obedient, and most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON Rosedow, Oct. 29, 1773. 

The duke was so attentive to his respectable guest, that on the sameday, he wrote him an answer, which was received at Auchinleck:

To Dr JOHNSON, Auchinleck, Ayrshire. Sir, I am glad to hear your journey from this place was not unpleasant, inregard to your horse. I wish I could have supplied you with goodweather, which I am afraid you felt the want of. 

The Duchess of Argyle desires her compliments to you, and is muchobliged to you for remembering her commission. I am, sir, Your most obedient humble servant, ARGYLE. 

Inveraray, Oct. 29, 1773. 

I am happy to insert every memorial of the honour done to my greatfriend. Indeed, I was at all times desirous to preserve the letterswhich he received from eminent persons, of which, as of all otherpapers, he was very negligent; and I once proposed to him, that theyshould be committed to my care, as his Gustos Rotulorum. I wish he hadcomplied with my request, as by that means many valuable writingsmight have been preserved, that are now lost. [Footnote: As aremarkable instance of his negligence, I remember some years ago tohave found lying loose in his study, and without the cover, whichcontained the address, a letter to him from Lord Thurlow, to whom hehad made an application as Chancellor, in behalf of a poor literaryfriend. It was expressed in such terms of respect for Dr Johnson, that, in my zeal for his reputation, I remonstrated warmly with him onhis strange inattention, and obtained his permission to take a copy ofit; by which probably it has been preserved, as the original I havereason to suppose is lost. ]

After breakfast, Dr Johnson and I were furnished with a boat, andsailed about upon Lochlomond, and landed on some of the islands whichare interspersed. He was much pleased with the scene, which is so wellknown by the accounts of various travellers, that it is unnecessaryfor me to attempt any description of it. 

I recollect none of his conversation, except that, when talking ofdress, he said, 'Sir, were I to have any thing fine, it should be veryfine. Were I to wear a ring, it should not be a bauble, but a stone ofgreat value. Were I to wear a laced or embroidered waistcoat, itshould be very rich. I had once a very rich laced waistcoat, which Iwore the first night of my tragedy. '

Lady Helen Colquhoun being a very pious woman, the conversation, afterdinner, took a religious turn. Her ladyship defended the presbyterianmode of publick worship; upon which Dr Johnson delivered thoseexcellent arguments for a form of prayer which he has introduced intohis Journey. I am myself fully convinced that a form of prayer forpublick worship is in general most decent and edifying. Solennia verbahave a kind of prescriptive sanctity, and make a deeper impression onthe mind than extemporaneous effusions, in which, as we know not whatthey are to be, we cannot readily acquiesce. Yet I would allow also ofa certain portion of extempore address, as occasion may require. Thisis the practice of the French Protestant churches. And although theoffice of forming supplications to the throne of Heaven is, in mymind, too great a trust to be indiscriminately committed to thediscretion of every minister, I do not mean to deny that sinceredevotion may be experienced when joining in prayer with those who useno Liturgy. 

We were favoured with Sir James Colquhoun's coach to convey us in theevening to Cameron, the seat of Commissary Smollet. Our satisfactionof finding ourselves again in a comfortable carriage was very great. We had a pleasing conviction of the commodiousness of civilization, and heartily laughed at the ravings of those absurd visionaries whohave attempted to persuade us of the superior advantages of a state ofnature. 

Mr Smollet was a man of considerable learning, with abundance ofanimal spirits; so that he was a very good companion for Dr Johnson, who said to me, 'We have had more solid talk here than at any placewhere we have been. '

I remember Dr Johnson gave us this evening an able and eloquentdiscourse on the origin of evil, and on the consistency of moral evilwith the power and goodness of God. He shewed us how it arose from ourfree agency, an extinction of which would be a still greater evil thanany we experience. I know not that he said any thing absolutely new, but he said a great deal wonderfully well; and perceiving us to bedelighted and satisfied, he concluded his harangue with an air ofbenevolent triumph over an objection which has distressed many worthyminds: This then is the answer to the question, [words in Greek]?' MrsSmollet whispered me, that it was the best sermon she had ever heard. Much do I upbraid myself for having neglected to preserve it. 

Thursday, 28th October

Mr Smollet pleased Dr Johnson, by producing a collection ofnews-papers in the time of the Usurpation, from which it appeared thatall sorts of crimes were very frequent during that horrible anarchy. By the side of the high road to Glasgow, at some distance from hishouse, he had erected a pillar to the memory of his ingenious kinsman, Dr Smollet; and he consulted Dr Johnson as to an inscription for it. Lord Kames, who, though he had a great store of knowledge, with muchingenuity, and uncommon activity of mind, was no profound scholar, hadit seems recommended an English inscription. Dr Johnson treated thiswith great contempt, saying 'An English inscription would be adisgrace to Dr Smollet'; and, in answer to what Lord Kames had urged, as to the advantage of its being in English, because it would begenerally understood, I observed, that all to whom Dr Smollet's meritcould be an object of respect and imitation, would understand it aswell in Latin; and that surely it was not meant for the Highlanddrovers, or other such people, who pass and repass that way. 

We were then shewn a Latin inscription, proposed for this monument. DrJohnson sat down with an ardent and liberal earnestness to revise it, and greatly improved it by several additions and variations. Iunfortunately did not take a copy of it, as it originally stood; but Ihave happily preserved every fragment of what Dr Johnson wrote:

 Quisquis ades, viator, Vel mente felix, vel studiis cultus, Immorare paululum memoriae TOBIAE SMOLLET M. D. Viri iis virtutibus Quas in homine et cive Et laudes, et imiteris, . .. .. Postquam mira. .. Se. .. .. .. .. . .. . Tali tantoque viro, suo patrueli, . .. .. . Hanc columnam, Amoris eheul inane monumentum, In ipsis Leviniae ripis, Quas primis infans vagitibus personuit, Versiculisque jam fere moriturus illustravit, Ponendam curavit . .. .. .. .. 

[Footnote: The epitaph which has been inscribed on the pillar erectedon the banks of the Leven, in honour of Dr Smollet, is as follows. Thepart which was written by Dr Johnson, it appears, has been altered:whether for the better, the reader will judge. The alterations aredistinguished by italicks [all caps]. 

Siste viator! Si lepores ingeniique venam benignam, Si morum callidissimum pictorem, Unquam es miratus, Immorare paululum memoriae TOBIAE SMOLLET, M. D. Viri virtutibus HISCE Quas in homine et cive Et laudes et imiteris. Haud mediocriter ornati: Qui in literis variis versatus. Postquam felicitate SIBI PROPRIA Sese posteris commendaverat, Morte acerba raptus Anno oetatis 51 Eheul quam procul a patria! Prope Liburni portum in Italia, Jacet sepultus. Tali tantoque viro, patrueli suo, Cui in decursu lampada Se pottus tradidisse decuit, Hanc Columnam, Amoris, eheul inane monumentum In ipsis Leviniae ripis, Quas VERSICULIS SUB EXITU VITAE ILLUSTRATAS Primis infans vagitibus personuit, Ponendam curavit JACOBUS SMOLLET de Bonhill Abi et reminscere. Hoc quidem honore, Non modo defuncti memoriae, Verum ettam exemplo, prospectum esse; Aliis enim, si modo digni sint, Idem erit virtutis praemium!]

We had this morning a singular proof of Dr Johnson's quick andretentive memory. Hay's translation of Martial was lying in a window. I said, I thought it was pretty well done, and shewed him a particularepigram, I think, of ten, but am certain of eight, lines. He read it, and tossed away the book, saying 'No, it is NOT pretty well. ' As Ipersisted in my opinion, he said, 'Why, sir, the original is thus'(and he repeated it); 'and this man's translation is thus, ' and thenhe repeated that also, exactly, though he had never seen it before, and read it over only once, and that too, without any intention ofgetting it by heart. 

Here a post-chaise, which I had ordered from Glasgow, came for us, andwe drove on in high spirits. We stopped at Dunbarton, and though theapproach to the castle there is very steep, Dr Johnson ascended itwith alacrity, and surveyed all that was to be seen. During the wholeof our tour he shewed uncommon spirit, could not bear to be treatedlike an old or infirm man, and was very unwilling to accept of anyassistance, insomuch that, at our landing at Icolmkill, when Sir AllanMcLean and I submitted to be carried on men's shoulders from the boatto the shore, as it could not be brought quite close to land, hesprang into the sea, and waded vigorously out. 

On our arrival at the Saracen's Head Inn, at Glasgow, I was made happyby good accounts from home; and Dr Johnson, who had not received asingle letter since we left Aberdeen, found here a great many, theperusal of which entertained him much. He enjoyed in imagination thecomforts which we could now command, and seemed to be in high glee. Iremember, he put a leg up on each side of the grate, and said, with amock solemnity, by way of soliloquy, but loud enough for me to hearit, 'Here am I, an ENGLISH man, sitting by a COAL fire. '

Friday, 29th October

The professors of the university being informed of our arrival, DrStevenson, Dr Reid, and Mr Anderson, breakfasted with us. Mr Andersonaccompanied us while Dr Johnson viewed this beautiful city. He hadtold me, that one day in London, when Dr Adam Smith was boasting ofit, he turned to him and said, 'Pray, sir, have you ever seenBrentford?' This was surely a strong instance of his impatience, andspirit of contradiction. I put him in mind of it to-day, while heexpressed his admiration of the elegant buildings, and whispered him, 'Don't you feel some remorse?'

We were received in the college by a number of the professors, whoshewed all due respect to Dr Johnson; and then we paid a visit to theprincipal, Dr Leechman, at his own house, where Dr Johnson had thesatisfaction of being told that his name had been gratefullycelebrated in one of the parochial congregations in the Highlands, asthe person to whose influence it was chiefly owing, that the NewTestament was allowed to be translated into the Erse language. Itseems some political members of the Society in Scotland forpropagating Christian Knowledge, had opposed this pious undertaking, as tending to preserve the distinction between the Highlanders andLowlanders. Dr Johnson wrote a long letter upon the subject to afriend, which being shewn to them, made them ashamed, and afraid ofbeing publickly exposed; so they were forced to a compliance. It isnow in my possession, and is, perhaps, one of the best productions ofhis masterly pen. 

Professors Reid and Anderson, and the two Messieurs Foulis, the Elzevirsof Glasgow, dined and drank tea with us at our inn, after which theprofessors went away; and I, having a letter to write, left myfellow-traveller with Messieurs Foulis. Though good and ingenious men, they had that unsettled speculative mode of conversation which isoffensive to a man regularly taught at an English school and university. I found that, instead of listening to the dictates of the Sage, they hadteazed him with questions and doubtful disputations. He came in aflutter to me, and desired I might come back again, for he could notbear these men. 'O ho! sir, ' said I, 'you are flying to me for refuge!'He never, in any situation, was at a loss for a ready repartee. Heanswered, with quick vivacity, 'It is of two evils chooseing the least. 'I was delighted with this flash bursting from the cloud which hung uponhis mind, closed my letter directly, and joined the company. 

We supped at Professor Andersen's. The general impression upon mymemory is, that we had not much conversation at Glasgow where theprofessors, like their brethren at Aberdeen, did not venture to exposethemselves much to the battery of cannon which they knew might playupon them. Dr Johnson, who was fully conscious of his own superiorpowers, afterwards praised Principal Robertson for his caution in thisrespect. He said to me, 'Robertson, sir, was in the right. Robertsonis a man of eminence, and the head of a college at Edinburgh. He had acharacter to maintain, and did well not to risk its being lessened. '

Saturday, 30th October

We set out towards Ayrshire. I sent Joseph on to Loudoun, with amessage, that, if the earl was at home, Dr Johnson and I would havethe honour to dine with him. Joseph met us on the road, and reportedthat the earl 'jumped for joy', and said, 'I shall be very happy tosee them. ' We were received with a most pleasing courtesy by hislordship, and by the countess his mother, who, in her ninety-fifthyear, had all her faculties quite unimpaired. This was a very cheeringsight to Dr Johnson, who had an extraordinary desire for long life. Her ladyship was sensible and well-informed, and had seen a great dealof the world. Her lord had held several high offices, and she wassister to the great Earl of Stair. 

I cannot here refrain from paying a just tribute to the character ofJohn Earl of Loudoun, who did more service to the county of Ayr ingeneral, as well as to individuals in it, than any man we have everhad. It is painful to think that he met with much ingratitude frompersons both in high and low rank: but such was his temper, such hisknowledge of 'base mankind, ' [Footnote: The unwilling gratitude ofbase mankind. POPE. ] that, as if he had expected no other return, hismind was never soured, and he retained his good-humour and benevolenceto the last. The tenderness of his heart was proved in 1745-6, when hehad an important command in the Highlands, and behaved with a generoushumanity to the unfortunate. I cannot figure a more honest politician;for, though his interest in our county was great, and generallysuccessful, he not only did not deceive by fallacious promises, butwas anxious that people should not deceive themselves by too sanguineexpectations. His kind and dutiful attention to his mother wasunremitted. At his house was true hospitality; a plain but a plentifultable; and every guest, being left at perfect freedom, felt himselfquite easy and happy. While I live, I shall honour the memory of thisamiable man. 

At night, we advanced a few miles farther, to the house of Mr Campbellof Treesbank, who was married to one of my wife's sisters, and wereentertained very agreeably by a worthy couple. 

Sunday, 31st October

We reposed here in tranquillity. Dr Johnson was pleased to find anumerous and excellent collection of books, which had mostly belongedto the Reverend Mr John Campbell, brother of our host. I was desirousto have procured for my fellow traveller, to-day, the company of SirJohn Cuninghame, of Caprington, whose castle was but two miles fromus. He was a very distinguished scholar, long abroad, and during partof the time lived much with the learned Cuninghame, the opponent ofBentley as a critick upon Horace. He wrote Latin with great elegance, and, what is very remarkable, read Homer and Ariosto through everyyear. I wrote to him to request he would come to us; but unfortunatelyhe was prevented by indisposition. 

Monday, 1st November

Though Dr Johnson was lazy, and averse to move, I insisted that heshould go with me, and pay a visit to the Countess of Eglintoune, mother of the late and present earl. I assured him, he would findhimself amply recompensed for the trouble; and he yielded to mysolicitations, though with some unwillingness. We were well mounted, and had not many miles to ride. He talked of the attention that isnecessary in order to distribute our charity judiciously. 'Ifthoughtlessly done, we may neglect the most deserving objects; and, asevery man has but a certain proportion to give, if it is lavished uponthose who first present themselves, there may be nothing left for suchas have a better claim. A man should first relieve those who arenearly connected with him, by whatever tie; and then, if he has anything to spare, may extend his bounty to a wider circle. '

As we passed very near the castle of Dundonald, which was one of themany residencies of the kings of Scotland, and in which Robert theSecond lived and died, Dr Johnson wished to survey it particularly. Itstands on a beautiful rising ground, which is seen at a great distanceon several quarters, and from whence there is an extensive prospect ofthe rich district of Cuninghame, the western sea, the isle of Arran, and a part of the northern coast of Ireland. It has long beenunroofed; and, though of considerable size, we could not, by any powerof imagination, figure it as having been a suitable habitation formajesty. Dr Johnson, to irritate my old Scottish enthusiasm, was veryjocular on the homely accommodation of 'King Bob', and roared andlaughed till the ruins echoed. 

Lady Eglintoune, though she was now in her eighty-fifth year, and hadlived in the retirement of the country for almost half a century, wasstill a very agreeable woman. She was of the noble house of Kennedy, and had all the elevation which the consciousness of such birthinspires. Her figure was majestick, her manners high-bred, her readingextensive, and her conversation elegant. She had been the admirationof the gay circles of life, and the patroness of poets. Dr Johnson wasdelighted with his reception here. Her principles in Church and statewere congenial with his. She knew all his merit, and had heard much ofhim from her son, Earl Alexander, who loved to cultivate theacquaintance of men of talents, in every department. 

All who knew his lordship, will allow that his understanding andaccomplishments were of no ordinary rate. From the gay habits which hehad early acquired, he spent too much of his time with men, and inpursuits far beneath such a mind as his. He afterwards became sensibleof it, and turned his thoughts to objects of importance; but was cutoff in the prime of his life. I cannot speak, but with emotions of themost affectionate regret, of one, in whose company many of my earlydays were passed, and to whose kindness I was much indebted. 

Often must I have occasion to upbraid myself, that soon after ourreturn to the main land, I allowed indolence to prevail over me somuch, as to shrink from the labour of continuing my Journal with thesame minuteness as before; sheltering myself in the thought, that wehad done with the Hebrides; and not considering, that Dr Johnson'sMemorabilia were likely to be more valuable when we were restored to amore polished society. Much has thus been irrecoverably lost. 

In the course of our conversation this day, it came out, that LadyEglintoune was married the year before Dr Johnson was born; upon whichshe graciously said to him, that she might have been his mother; andthat she now adopted him; and when we were going away, she embracedhim, saying, 'My dear son, farewell!' My friend was much pleased withthis day's entertainment, and owned that I had done well to force himout. 

Tuesday, 2d November

We were now in a country not only 'of saddles and bridles', but ofpost-chaises; and having ordered one from Kilmarnock, we got toAuchinleck before dinner. 

My father was not quite a year and a half older than Dr Johnson; buthis conscientious discharge of his laborious duty as a judge inScotland, where the law proceedings are almost all in writing, asevere complaint which ended in his death, and the loss of my mother, a woman of almost unexampled piety and goodness, had before this timein some degree affected his spirits, and rendered him less disposed toexert his faculties: for he had originally a very strong mind, andcheerful temper. He assured me, he never had felt one moment of whatis called low spirits, or uneasiness, without a real cause. He had agreat many good stories, which he told uncommonly well, and he wasremarkable for 'humour, incolumi gravitate', as Lord Monboddo used tocharacterize it. His age, his office, and his character, had longgiven him an acknowledged claim to great attention, in whatevercompany he was; and he could ill brook any diminution of it. He was assanguine a Whig and Presbyterian, as Dr Johnson was a Tory and Churchof England man: and as he had not much leisure to be informed of DrJohnson's great merits by reading his works, he had a partial andunfavourable notion of him, founded on his supposed political tenets;which were so discordant to his own, that, instead of speaking of himwith respect to which he was entitled, he used to call him 'a JACOBITEFELLOW'. Knowing all this, I should not have ventured to bring themtogether, had not my father, out of kindness to me, desired me toinvite Dr Johnson his house. 

I was very anxious that all should be well; and begged of my friend toavoid three topicks, as to which they differed very widely; Whiggism, Presbyterianism, and--Sir John Pringle. He said courteously, 'I shallcertainly not talk on subjects which I am told are disagreeable to agentleman under whose roof I am; especially, I shall not do so to YOURFATHER. '

Our first day went off very smoothly. It rained, and we could not getout; but my father shewed Dr Johnson his library, which, in curiouseditions of the Greek and Roman classicks, is, I suppose, not excelledby any private collection in Great Britain. My father had studied atLeyden, and been very intimate with the Gronovii, and other learnedmen there. He was a sound scholar, and, in particular, had collatedmanuscripts and different editions of Anacreon, and others of theGreek lyrick poets, with great care; so that my friend and he had muchmatter for conversation, without touching on the fatal topicks ofdifference. 

Dr Johnson found here Baxter's Anacreon, which he told me he had longinquired for in vain, and began to suspect there was no such book. Baxter was the keen antagonist of Barnes. His life is in theBiographia Britannica. My father has written many notes on this book, and Dr Johnson and I talked of having it reprinted. 

Wednesday, 3d November

It rained all day, and gave Dr Johnson an impression of thatincommodiousness of climate in the west, of which he has taken noticein his Journey; but, being well accommodated, and furnished withvariety of books, he was not dissatisfied. 

Some gentlemen of the neighbourhood came to visit my father; but therewas little conversation. One of them asked Dr Johnson how he liked theHighlands. The question seemed to irritate him, for he answered, 'How, sir, can you ask me what obliges me to speak unfavourably of a countrywhere I have been hospitably entertained? Who CAN like the Highlands?--I like the inhabitants very well. ' The gentleman asked no morequestions. 

Let me now make up for the present neglect, by again gleaning from thepast. At Lord Monboddo's, after the conversation upon the decrease oflearning in England, his Lordship mentioned Hermes by Mr Harris ofSalisbury, as the work of a living authour, for whom he had a greatrespect. Dr Johnson said nothing at the time; but when we were in ourpost-chaise, told me, he thought Harris 'a coxcomb'. This he said ofhim, not as a man, but as an authour; and I give his opinions of menand books, faithfully, whether they agree with my own, or not. I doadmit, that there always appeared to me something of affectation in MrHarris's manner of writing; something of a habit of clothing plainthoughts in analytick and categorical formality. But all his writingsare imbued with learning; and all breathe that philanthropy andamiable disposition, which distinguished him as a man. [Footnote: Thisgentleman, though devoted to the study of grammar and dialecticks, wasnot so absorbed in it as to be without a sense of pleasantry, or to beoffended at his favourite topicks being treated lightly. I one day methim in the street, as I was hastening to the House of Lords, and toldhim, I was sorry I could not stop, being rather too late to attend anappeal of the Duke of Hamilton against Douglas. 'I thought, ' said he, 'their contest had been over long ago. ' I answered, 'The contestconcerning Douglas's filiation was over long ago; but the contest nowis, who shall have the estate. ' Then, assuming the air of 'an antientsage philosopher', I proceeded thus: 'Were I to PREDICATE concerninghim, I should say, the contest formerly was, What IS he? The contestnow is, What HAS he?' 'Right, ' replied Mr Harris, smiling, 'you havedone with QUALITY, and have got into QUANTITY. ']

At another time, during our tour, he drew the character of a rapaciousHighland chief with the strength of Theophrastus or la Bruyere;concluding with these words: 'Sir, he has no more the soul of a chief, than an attorney who has twenty houses in a street, and considers howmuch he can make by them. '

He this day, when we were by ourselves, observed, how common it wasfor people to talk from books; to retail the sentiments of others, andnot their own; in short, to converse without any originality ofthinking. He was pleased to say, 'You and I do not talk from books. '

Thursday, 4th November

I was glad to have at length a very fine day, on which I could shew DrJohnson the place of my family, which he has honoured with so muchattention in his Journey. He is, however, mistaken in thinking thatthe Celtick name, Auchinleck, has no relation to the naturalappearance of it. I believe every Celtick name of a place will befound very descriptive. Auchinleck does not signify a 'stony field', as he has said, but a 'field of flag stones'; and this place has anumber of rocks, which abound in strata of that kind. The 'sullendignity of the old castle', as he has forcibly expressed it, delightedhim exceedingly. On one side of the rock on which its ruins stand, runs the river Lugar, which is here of considerable breadth, and isbordered by other high rocks, shaded with wood. On the other side runsa brook, skirted in the same manner, but on a smaller scale. I cannotfigure a more romantick scene. 

I felt myself elated here, and expatiated to my illustrious mentor onthe antiquity and honourable alliances of my family, and on the meritsof its founder, Thomas Boswell, who was highly favoured by hissovereign, James IV of Scotland, and fell with him at the battle ofFlodden field; and in the glow of what, I am sensible, will, in acommercial age, be considered as genealogical enthusiasm, did not omitto mention what I was sure my friend would not think lightly of, myrelation to the Royal Personage, whose liberality, on his accession tothe throne, had given him comfort and independence. I have, in aformer page, acknowledged my pride of ancient blood, in which I wasencouraged by Dr Johnson: my readers therefore will not be surprisedat my having indulged it on this occasion. 

Not far from the old castle is a spot of consecrated earth, on whichmay be traced the foundations of an ancient chapel, dedicated to StVincent, and where in old times 'was the place of graves' for thefamily. It grieves me to think that the remains of sanctity here, which were considerable, were dragged away, and employed in building apart of the house of Auchinleck, of the middle age; which was thefamily residence, till my father erected that 'elegant modernmansion', of which Dr Johnson speaks so handsomely. Perhaps thischapel may one day be restored. 

Dr Johnson was pleased, when I shewed him some venerable old trees, under the shade of which my ancestors had walked. He exhorted me toplant assiduously, as my father had done to a great extent. 

As I wandered with my reverend friend in the groves of Auchinleck, Itold him, that, if I survived him, it was my intention to erect amonument to him here, among scenes which, in my mind, were allclassical; for in my youth I had appropriated to them many of thedescriptions of the Roman poets. He could not bear to have deathpresented to him in any shape; for his constitutional melancholy madethe king of terrours more frightful. He turned off the subject, saying, 'Sir, I hope to see your grand-children!'

This forenoon he observed some cattle without horns, of which he hastaken notice in his Journey, and seems undecided whether they be of aparticular race. His doubts appear to have had no foundation; for myrespectable neighbour, Mr Fairlie, who, with all his attention toagriculture, finds time both for the Classicks and his friends, assures me they are a distinct species, and that, when any of theircalves have horns, a mixture of breed can be traced. In confirmationof his opinion, he pointed out to me the following passage in Tacitus, Ne armentis quidem suus honor, aut gloria frontis (De mor. Germ. Section 5) which he wondered had escaped Dr Johnson. 

On the front of the house of Auchinleck is this inscription:

 . .. Quod petis, hic est; Est Ulubris, animus si te non deficit aequus. 

It is characteristick of the founder; but the animus aequus is, alas!not inheritable, nor the subject of devise. He always talked to me asif it were in a man's own power to attain it; but Dr Johnson told methat he owned to him, when they were alone, his persuasion that it wasin a great measure constitutional, or the effect of causes which donot depend on ourselves, and that Horace boasts too much, when hesays, aequum mi animum ipse parabo. 

Friday, 5th November

The Reverend Mr Dun, our parish minister, who had dined with usyesterday, with some other company, insisted that Dr Johnson and Ishould dine with him to-day. This gave me an opportunity to shew myfriend the road to the church, made by my father at a great expence, for above three miles, on his own estate, through a range of wellenclosed farms, with a row of trees on each side of it. He called itthe Via sacra, and was very fond of it. Dr Johnson, though he heldnotions far distant from those of the Presbyterian clergy, yet couldassociate on good terms with them. He indeed occasionally attackedthem. One of them discovered a narrowness of information concerningthe dignitaries of the Church of England, among whom may be found menof the greatest learning, virtue, and piety, and of a truly apostoliccharacter. He talked before Dr Johnson, of fat bishops and drowsydeans; and, in short, seemed to believe the illiberal and profanescoffings of professed satyrists, or vulgar railers. Dr Johnson was sohighly offended, that he said to him, 'Sir, you know no more of ourchurch than a Hottentot. ' I was sorry that he brought this uponhimself. 

Saturday, 6th November

I cannot be certain, whether it was on this day, or a former, that DrJohnson and my father came in collision. If I recollect right, thecontest began while my father was shewing him his collection ofmedals; and Oliver Cromwell's coin unfortunately introduced Charlesthe First, and Toryism. They became exceedingly warm, and violent, andI was very much distressed by being present at such an altercationbetween the two men, both of whom I reverenced; yet I durst notinterfere. It would certainly be very unbecoming in me to exhibit myhonoured father, and my respected friend, as intellectual gladiators, for the entertainment of the publick; and therefore I suppress whatwould, I dare say, make an interesting scene in this dramatick sketchthis account of the transit of Johnson over the Caledonian hemisphere. 

Yet I think I may, without impropriety, mention one circumstance, asan instance of my father's address. Dr Johnson challenged him, as hedid us all at Talisker, to point out any theological works of meritwritten by Presbyterian ministers in Scotland. My father, whosestudies did not lie much in that way, owned to me afterwards, that hewas somewhat at a loss how to answer, but that luckily he recollectedhaving read in catalogues the title of Durham On the Galatians; uponwhich he boldly said, 'Pray, sir, have you read Mr Durham's excellentcommentary on the Galatians?' 'No, sir, ' said Dr Johnson. By thislucky thought my father kept him at bay, and for some time enjoyed histriumph; but his antagonist soon made a retort, which I forbear tomention. 

In the course of their altercation, Whiggism and Presbyterianism, Toryism and Episcopacy, were terribly buffeted. My worthy hereditaryfriend, Sir John Pringle, never having been mentioned, happily escapedwithout a bruise. 

My father's opinion of Dr Johnson may be conjectured from the name heafterwards gave him, which was Ursa Major. But it is not true, as hasbeen reported, that it was in consequence of my saying that he was aCONSTELLATION of genius and literature. It was a sly abrupt expressionto one of his brethren on the bench of the Court of Session, in whichDr Johnson was then standing; but it was not said in his hearing. 

Sunday, 7th November

My father and I went to publick worship in our parish-church, in whichI regretted that Dr Johnson would not join us; for, though we havethere no form of prayer, nor magnificent solemnity, yet, as God isworshipped in spirit and in truth, and the same doctrines preached asin the Church of England, my friend would certainly have shewn moreliberality, had he attended. I doubt not, however, but he employed histime in private to very good purpose. His uniform and fervent pietywas manifested on many occasions during our tour, which I have notmentioned. His reason for not joining in Presbyterian worship has beenrecorded in a former page. 

Monday, 8th November

Notwithstanding the altercation that had passed, my father who had thedignified courtesy of an old Baron, was very civil to Dr Johnson, andpolitely attended him to the post-chaise, which was to convey us toEdinburgh. 

Thus they parted. They are now in another, and a higher, state ofexistence: and as they were both worthy Christian men, I trust theyhave met in happiness. But I must observe, in justice to my friend'spolitical principles, and my own, that they have met in a place wherethere is no room for Whiggism. 

We came at night to a good inn at Hamilton. I recollect no more. 

Tuesday, 9th November

I wished to have shewn Dr Johnson the Duke of Hamilton's house, commonly called the Palace of Hamilton, which is close by the town. Itis an object which, having been pointed out to me as a splendidedifice, from my earliest years, in travelling between Auchinleck andEdinburgh, has still great grandeur in my imagination. My friendconsented to stop, and view the outside of it, but could not bepersuaded to go into it. 

We arrived this night at Edinburgh, after an absence of eighty-threedays. For five weeks together, of the tempestuous season, there hadbeen no account received of us. I cannot express how happy I was onfinding myself again at home. 

Wednesday, 10th November

Old Mr Drummond, the bookseller, came to breakfast. Dr Johnson and hehad not met for ten years. There was respect on his side, and kindnesson Dr Johnson's. Soon afterwards Lord Elibank came in, and was muchpleased at seeing Dr Johnson in Scotland. His lordship said, 'hardlyany thing seemed to him more improbable'. Dr Johnson had a very highopinion of him. Speaking of him to me, he characterized him thus:'Lord Elibank has read a great deal. It is true, I can find in booksall that he has read; but he has a great deal of what is in books, proved by the test of real life. ' Indeed, there have been few menwhose conversation discovered more knowledge enlivened by fancy. Hepublished several small pieces of distinguished merit; and has leftsome in manuscript, in particular an account of the expedition againstCarthagena, in which he served as an officer in the army. His writingsdeserve to be collected. He was the early patron of Dr Robertson, thehistorian, and Mr Home, the tragick poet; who, when they we wereministers of country parishes, lived near his seat. He told me, 'I sawthese lads had talents, and they were much with me. ' I hope they willpay a grateful tribute to his memory. 

The morning was chiefly taken up by Dr Johnson's giving him an accountof our tour. The subject of difference in political principles wasintroduced. JOHNSON. 'It is much increased by opposition. There was aviolent Whig, with whom I used to contend with great eagerness. Afterhis death I felt my Toryism much abated. ' I suppose he meant MrWalmsley of Lichfield, whose character he has drawn so well in hislife of Edmund Smith. 

Mr Nairne came in, and he and I accompanied Dr Johnson to Edinburghcastle, which he owned was 'a great place'. But I must mention, as astriking instance of that spirit of contradiction to which he had astrong propensity, when Lord Elibank was some days after talking of itwith the natural elation of a Scotchman, or of any man who is proud ofa stately fortress in his own country, Dr Johnson affected to despiseit, observing that, 'it would make a good PRISON in ENGLAND'. 

Lest it should be supposed that I have suppressed one of his salliesagainst my country, it may not be improper here to correct a mistakenaccount that has been circulated, as to his conversation this day. Ithas been said, that being desired to attend to the noble prospect fromthe Castle Hill, he replied, 'Sir, the noblest prospect that aScotchman ever sees, is the high road that leads him to London. ' Thislively sarcasm was thrown out at a tavern in London, in my presence, many years before. 

We had with us to day at dinner, at my house, the Lady DowagerColvill, and Lady Anne Erskine, sisters of the Earl of Kelly; theHonourable Archibald Erskine, who has now succeeded to that title;Lord Elibank; the Reverend Dr Blair; Mr Tytler, the acute vindicatorof Mary Queen of Scots, and some other friends. 

Fingal being talked of, Dr Johnson, who used to boast that he had, from the first, resisted both Ossian and the giants of Patagonia, averred his positive disbelief of its authenticity. Lord Elibank said, 'I am sure it is not McPherson's. Mr Johnson, I keep company a greatdeal with you; it is known I do. I may borrow from you better thingsthan I can say myself, and give them as my own; but, if I should, every body will know whose they are. ' The Doctor was not softened bythis compliment. He denied merit to Fingal, supposing it to be theproduction of a man who has had the advantages that the present ageaffords; and said, 'nothing is more easy than to write enough in thatstyle if once you begin'. [Footnote: I desire not to be understood asagreeing ENTIRELY with the opinions of Dr Johnson, which I relatewithout any remark. The many imitations, however, of Fingal, that havebeen published, confirm this observation in a considerable degree. ]One gentleman in company expressing his opinion 'that Fingal wascertainly genuine, for that he had heard a great part of it repeatedin the original', Dr Johnson indignantly asked him, whether heunderstood the original; to which an answer being given in thenegative, 'Why then, ' said Dr Johnson, 'we see to what THIS testimonycomes: thus it is. '

I mentioned this as a remarkable proof how liable the mind of man isto credulity, when not guarded by such strict examination as thatwhich Dr Johnson habitually practised. The talents and integrity ofthe gentleman who made the remark, are unquestionable; yet, had not DrJohnson made him advert to the consideration, that he who does notunderstand a language, cannot know that something which is recited tohim is in that language, he might have believed, and reported to thishour, that he had 'heard a great part of Fingal repeated in theoriginal'. 

For the satisfaction of those on the north of the Tweed, who may thinkDr Johnson's account of Caledonian credulity and inaccuracy toostrong, it is but fair to add, that he admitted the same kind of readybelief might be found in his own country. 'He would undertake, ' hesaid, 'to write an epick poem on the story of Robin Hood, and halfEngland, to whom the names and places he should mention in it arefamiliar, would believe and declare they had heard it from theirearliest years. '

One of his objections to the authenticity of Fingal, during theconversation at Ulinish, is omitted in my Journal, but I perfectlyrecollect it. 'Why is not the original deposited in some publicklibrary, instead of exhibiting attestations of its existence? Supposethere were a question in a court of justice, whether a man be dead oralive. You aver he is alive, and you bring fifty witnesses to swearit: I answer, "Why do you not produce the man "' This is an argumentfounded on one of the first principles of the LAW OF EVIDENCE, whichGilbert would have held to be irrefragable. 

I do not think it incumbent on me to give any precise decided opinionupon this question, as to which I believe more than some, and lessthan others. The subject appears to have now become very uninterestingto the publick. That Fingal is not from beginning to end a translationfrom the Gallick, but that some passages have been supplied by theeditor to connect the whole, I have heard admitted by very warmadvocates for its authenticity. If this be the case, why are not thesedistinctly ascertained? Antiquaries, and admirers of the work, maycomplain, that they are in a situation similar to that of the unhappygentleman whose wife informed him, on her death-bed, that one of theirreputed children was not his; and, when he eagerly begged her todeclare which of them it was, she answered, 'THAT you shall neverknow', and expired, leaving him in irremediable doubt as to them all. 

I beg leave to say something upon second sight, of which I haverelated two instances, as they impressed my mind at the time. I own, Ireturned from the Hebrides with a considerable degree of faith in themany stories of that kind which I heard with a too easy acquiescence, without any clear examination of the evidence: but, since that time, my belief in those stories has been much weakened, by reflecting onthe careless inaccuracy of narrative in common matters, from which wemay certainly conclude that these may be the same in what is moreextraordinary. It is but just, however, to add, that the belief insecond sight is not peculiar to the Highlands and Isles. 

Some years after our tour, a cause was tried in the Court of Sessionwhere the principal fact to be ascertained was, whether a ship-master, who used to frequent the Western Highlands and Isles, was drowned inone particular year, or in the year after. A great number of witnessesfrom the parts were examined on each side, and swore directly contraryto each other upon this simple question. One of them, a veryrespectable chieftain, who told me a story of second sight, which Ihave not mentioned, but which I too implicitly believed, had in thiscase, previous to this publick examination, not only said, butattested under his hand, that he had seen the ship-master in the yearsubsequent to that in which the court was finally satisfied he wasdrowned. When interrogated with the strictness of judicial inquiry, and under the awe of an oath, he recollected himself better, andretracted what he had formerly asserted, apologizing for hisinaccuracy, by telling the judge 'A man will SAY what he will notSWEAR. ' By many he was much censured and it was maintained that everygentleman would be as attentive to truth without the sanction of anoath, as with it. Dr Johnson, though he himself was distinguished atall times by a scrupulous adherence to truth, controverted thisproposition; and, as a proof that this was not, though it ought to be, the case, urged the very different decisions of elections under MrGreville's Act, from those formerly made. 'Gentlemen will notpronounce upon oath, what they would have said, and voted in the Housewithout the sanction. '

However difficult it may be for men who believe in preternaturalcommunications, in modern times, to falsify those who are of adifferent opinion, they may easily refute the doctrine of theiropponents, who impute a belief in second sight to superstition. Toentertain a visionary notion that one sees a distant or future event, may be called superstition; but the correspondence of the fact orevent with such an impression on the fancy, though certainly verywonderful, IF PROVED, has no more connection with superstition, thanmagnetism or electricity. 

After dinner, various topicks were discussed; but I recollect only oneparticular. Dr Johnson compared the different talents of Garrick andFoote, as companions, and gave Garrick greatly the preference forelegance, though he allowed Foote extraordinary powers ofentertainment. He said, 'Garrick is restrained by some principle; butFoote has the advantage of an unlimited range. Garrick has somedelicacy of feeling; it is possible to put him out; you may get thebetter of him; but Foote is the most incompressible fellow that I everknew: when you have driven him into a corner, and think you are sureof him, he runs through between your legs, or jumps over your head, and makes his escape. '

Dr Erskine and Mr Robert Walker, two very respectable ministers ofEdinburgh, supped with us, as did the Reverend Dr Webster. Theconversation turned on the Moravian missions, and on the Methodists. Dr Johnson observed in general, that missionaries were too sanguine intheir accounts of their success among savages, and that much of whatthey tell is not to be believed. He owned that the Methodists had donegood; had spread religious impressions among the vulgar part ofmankind: but, he said, they had great bitterness against otherChristians, and that he never could get a Methodist to explain in whathe excelled others; that it always ended in the indispensiblenecessity of hearing one of their preachers. 

Thursday, 11th November

Principal Robertson came to us as we sat at breakfast; he advanced toDr Johnson, repeating a line of Virgil, which I forget. I suppose, either

 Post varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum, [Footnote: Through various hazards and events we move. ]

or

 . .. Multum ille et terris jactatus, et alto. [Footnote: Long labours both by sea and land he bore. DRYDEN. ]

Every body had accosted us with some studied compliment on our return. Dr Johnson said, 'I am really ashamed of the congratulations which wereceive. We are addressed as if we had made a voyage to Nova Zembla, and suffered five persecutions in Japan. ' And he afterwards remarked, that, 'to see a man come up with a formal air, and a Latin line, whenwe had no fatigue and no danger, was provoking. ' I told him, he wasnot sensible of the danger, having lain under cover in the boat duringthe storm: he was like the chicken, that hides its head under itswing, and then thinks itself safe. 

Lord Elibank came to us, as did Sir William Forbes. The rash attemptin 1745 being mentioned, I observed, that it would make a fine pieceof history. Dr Johnson said it would. Lord Elibank doubted whether anyman of this age could give it impartially. JOHNSON. 'A man, by talkingwith those of different sides, who were actors in it, and putting downall that he hears, may in time collect the materials of a goodnarrative. You are to consider, all history was at first oral. Isuppose Voltaire was fifty years in collecting his Louis XIV which hedid in the way that I am proposing. ' ROBERTSON. 'He did so. He livedmuch with all the great people who were concerned in that reign, andheard them talk of every thing: and then either took Mr Boswell's way, of writing down what he heard, or, which is as good, preserved it inhis memory; for he has a wonderful memory. ' With the leave, however, of this elegant historian, no man's memory can preserve facts orsayings with such fidelity as may be done by writing them down whenthey are recent. Dr Robertson said, 'it was now full time to make sucha collection as Dr Johnson suggested; for many of the people who werethen in arms, were dropping off; and both Whigs and Jacobites were nowcome to talk with moderation. ' Lord Elibank said to him, 'MrRobertson, the first thing that gave me a high opinion of you, wasyour saying in the Select Society, [Footnote: A society for debate inEdinburgh, consisting of the most eminent men. ] while parties ranhigh, soon after the year 1745, that you did not think worse of aman's moral character for his having been in rebellion. This wasventuring to utter a liberal sentiment, while both sides had adetestation of each other. '

Dr Johnson observed, that being in rebellion from a notion ofanother's right, was not connected with depravity; and that we hadthis proof of it, that all mankind applauded the pardoning of rebels;which they would not do in the case of robbers and murderers. He said, with a smile, that 'he wondered that the phrase of UNNATURAL rebellionshould be so much used, for that all rebellion was natural to man'. 

As I kept no journal of any thing that passed after this morning, Ishall, from memory, group together this and the other days, till thaton which Dr Johnson departed for London. They were in all nine days;on which he dined at Lady Colvill's, Lord Hailes's, Sir AdolphusOughton's, Sir Alexander Dick's, Principal Robertson's, Mr McLaurin's, and thrice at Lord Elibank's seat in the country, where we also passedtwo nights. He supped at the Honourable Alexander Gordon's, now one ofour judges, by the title of Lord Rockville; at Mr Nairne's, now alsoone of our judges, by the title of Lord Dunsinan; at Dr Blair's, andMr Tytler's; and at my house thrice, one evening with a numerouscompany, chiefly gentlemen of the law; another with Mr Menzies ofCuldares, and Lord Monboddo, who disengaged himself on purpose to meethim; and the evening on which we returned from Lord Elibank's, hesupped with my wife and me by ourselves. 

He breakfasted at Dr Webster's, at old Mr Drummond's, and at DrBlacklock's; and spent one forenoon at my uncle Dr Boswell's, whoshewed him his curious museum; and, as he was an elegant scholar, anda physician bred in the school of Boerhaave, Dr Johnson was pleasedwith his company. 

On the mornings when he breakfasted at my house, he had, from teno'clock till one or two, a constant levee of various persons, of verydifferent characters and descriptions. I could not attend him, beingobliged to be in the Court of Session; but my wife was so good as todevote the greater part of the morning to the endless task of pouringout tea for my friend and his visitors. 

Such was the disposition of his time at Edinburgh. He said one eveningto me, in a fit of langour, 'Sir, we have been harrassed byinvitations. ' I acquiesced. 'Ay, sir, ' he replied; 'but how much worsewould it have been, if we had been neglected?'

From what has been recorded in this Journal, it may well be supposedthat a variety of admirable conversation has been lost, by my neglectto preserve it. I shall endeavour to recollect some of it, as well asI can. 

At Lady Colvill's, to whom I am proud to introduce any stranger ofeminence, that he may see what dignity and grace is to be found inScotland, an officer observed, that he had heard Lord Mansfield wasnot a great English lawyer. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, supposing LordMansfield not to have the splendid talents which he possesses, he mustbe a great English lawyer, from having been so long at the bar, andhaving passed through so many of the great offices of the law. Sir, you may as well maintain that a carrier, who has driven a packhorsebetween Edinburgh and Berwick for thirty years, does not know theroad, as that Lord Mansfield does not know the law of England. '

At Mr Nairne's, he drew the character of Richardson, the author ofClarissa, with a strong yet delicate pencil. I lament much that I havenot preserved it: I only remember that he expressed a high opinion ofhis talents and virtues; but observed, that 'his perpetual study wasto ward off petty inconveniencies, and procure petty pleasures; thathis love of continual superiority was such, that he took care to bealways surrounded by women, who listened to him implicitly, and didnot venture to controvert his opinions; and that his desire ofdistinction was so great, that he used to give large vails to theSpeaker Onslow's servants, that they might treat him with respect'. 

On the same evening, he would not allow that the private life of ajudge, in England, was required to be so strictly decorous as Isupposed. 'Why then, sir, ' said I, 'according to your account, anEnglish judge may just live like a gentleman. ' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir--ifhe CAN. '

At Mr Tytler's, I happened to tell that one evening, a great manyyears ago, when Dr Hugh Blair and I were sitting together in the pitof Drury-lane play-house, in a wild freak of youthful extravagance, Ientertained the audience PRODIGIOUSLY, by imitating the lowing of acow. A little while after I had told this story, I differed from DrJohnson, I suppose too confidently, upon some point, which I nowforget. He did not spare me. 'Nay, sir, ' said he, 'if you cannot talkbetter as a man, I'd have you bellow like a cow. ' [Footnote: As I havebeen scrupulously exact in relating anecdotes concerning otherpersons, I shall not withhold any part of this story, howeverludicrous. --I was so successful in this boyish frolick, that theuniversal cry of the galleries was, 'Encore the cow! Encore the cow!'In the pride of my heart, I attempted imitations of some otheranimals, but with very inferior effect. My reverend friend, anxiousfor my fame, with an air of the utmost gravity and earnestness, addressed me thus: 'My dear sir, I would CONFINE myself to the COW!']

At Dr Webster's, he said, that he believed hardly any man died withoutaffectation. This remark appears to me to be well founded, and willaccount for many of the celebrated death-bed sayings which arerecorded. 

On one of the evenings at my house, when he told that Lord Lovatboasted to an English nobleman, that though he had not his wealth, hehad two thousand men whom he could at any time call into the field, the Honourable Alexander Gordon observed, that those two thousand menbrought him to the block. 'True, sir, ' said Dr Johnson: 'but you mayjust as well argue, concerning a man who has fallen over a precipiceto which he has walked too near, "His two legs brought him tothat"--is he not the better for having two legs?'

At Dr Blair's I left him, in order to attend a consultation, duringwhich he and his amiable host were by themselves. I returned tosupper, at which were Principal Robertson, Mr Nairne, and some othergentlemen. Dr Robertson and Dr Blair, I remember, talked well uponsubordination and government; and, as my friend and I were walkinghome, he said to me, 'Sir, these two doctors are good men, and wisemen. ' I begged of Dr Blair to recollect what he could of the longconversation that passed between

Dr Johnson and him alone, this evening, and he obligingly wrote to meas follows:

March 3, 1785. Dear Sir, . .. As so many years have intervened, since I chanced to have thatconversation with Dr Johnson in my house, to which you refer, I haveforgotten most of what then passed, but remember that I was bothinstructed and entertained by it. Among other subjects, the discoursehappening to turn on modern Latin poets, the Dr expressed a veryfavourable opinion of Buchanan, and instantly repeated, from beginningto end, an ode of his, intituled Calendae Maiae (the eleventh in hisMiscellaneorum Liber), beginning with these words, Salvete sacrisdeliciis sacrae, with which I had formerly been unacquainted; but uponperusing it, the praise which he bestowed upon it, as one of thehappiest of Buchanan's poetical compositions, appeared to me veryjust. He also repeated to me a Latin ode he had composed in one of thewestern islands, from which he had lately returned. We had muchdiscourse concerning his excursion to those islands, with which heexpressed himself as having been highly pleased; talked in afavourable manner of the hospitality of the inhabitants; andparticularly spoke much of his happiness in having you for hiscompanion; and said, that the longer he knew you, he loved andesteemed you the more. This conversation passed in the intervalbetween tea and supper, when we were by ourselves. You, and the restof the company who were with us at supper, have often taken noticethat he was uncommonly bland and gay that evening, and gave muchpleasure to all who were present. This is all that I can recollectdistinctly of that long conversation. 

Yours sincerely, HUGH BLAIR. 

At Lord Hailes's, we spent a most agreeable day; but again I mustlament that I was so indolent as to let almost all that passedevaporate into oblivion. Dr Johnson observed there, that 'it iswonderful how ignorant many officers of the army are, considering howmuch leisure they have for study, and the acquisition of knowledge. ' Ihope he was mistaken; for he maintained that many of them wereignorant of things belonging immediately to their own profession; 'forinstance, many cannot tell how far a musket will carry a bullet;' inproof of which, I suppose, he mentioned some particular person, forLord Hailes, from whom I solicited what he could recollect of thatday, writes to me as follows:

As to Dr Johnson's observation about the ignorance of officers, in thelength that a musket will carry, my brother, Colonel Dalrymple, waspresent, and he thought that the doctor was either mistaken, byputting the question wrong, or that he had conversed on the subjectwith some person out of service. 

Was it upon that occasion that he expressed no curiosity to see theroom at Dumfermline, where Charles I was born? 'I know that he wasborn, ' said he; 'no matter where. ' Did he envy us the birth-place ofthe king?]

Near the end of his Journey, Dr Johnson has given liberal praise to MrBraidwood's academy for the deaf and dumb. When he visited it, acircumstance occurred which was truly characteristical of our greatlexicographer. 'Pray, ' said he, 'can they pronounce any LONG words?'Mr Braidwood informed him they could. Upon which Dr Johnson wrote oneof his sequipedalia verba, which was pronounced by the scholars, andhe was satisfied. My readers may perhaps wish to know what the wordwas; but I cannot gratify their curiosity. Mr Braidwood told me, itremained long in his school, but had been lost before I made myinquiry. [Footnote: One of the best criticks of our age 'does not wishto prevent the admirers of the incorrect and nerveless style whichgenerally prevailed for a century before Dr Johnson's energetickwritings were known, from enjoying the laugh that this story mayproduce, in which he is very ready to join them'. He, however, requests me to observe, that 'my friend very properly chose a LONGword on this occasion, not, it is believed, from any predilection forpolysyllables (though he certainly had a due respect for them), but inorder to put Mr Braidwood's skill to the strictest test, and to trythe efficacy of his instruction by the most difficult exertion of theorgans of his pupils'. ]

Dr Johnson one day visited the Court of Session. He thought the modeof pleading there too vehement, and too much addressed to the passionsof the judges. 'This, ' said he, 'is not the Areopagus. '

At old Mr Drummond's, Sir John Dalrymple quaintly said, the twonoblest animals in the world were, a Scotch highlander and an Englishsailor. 'Why, sir, ' said Dr Johnson, 'I shall say nothing as to theScotch highlander; but as to the English sailor, I cannot agree withyou. ' Sir John said, he was generous in giving away his money. JOHNSON. 'Sir, he throws away his money, without thought, and withoutmerit. I do not call a tree generous, that sheds its fruit at everybreeze. ' Sir John having affected to complain of the attacks made uponhis Memoirs, Dr Johnson said, 'Nay, sir, do not complain. It isadvantageous to an authour, that his book should be attacked as wellas praised. Fame is a shuttlecock. If it be struck only at one end ofthe room, it will soon fall to the ground. To keep it up, it must bestruck at both ends. ' Often have I reflected on this since; and, instead of being angry at many of those who have written against me, have smiled to think that they were unintentionally subservient to myfame, by using a battledoor to make me virum volitare per ora. 

At Sir Alexander Dick's, from that absence of mind to which every manis at times subject, I told, in a blundering manner, LadyEglingtoune's complimentary adoption of Dr Johnson as her son; for Iunfortunately stated that her ladyship adopted him as her son, inconsequence of her having been married the year AFTER he was born. DrJohnson instantly corrected me. 'Sir, don't you perceive that you aredefaming the countess? For, supposing me to be her son, and that shewas not married till the year after my birth, I must have been herNATURAL son. ' A young lady of quality, who was present, veryhandsomely said, 'Might not the son have justified the faults?' Myfriend was much flattered by this compliment, which he never forgot. When in more than ordinary spirits, and talking of his journey inScotland, he has called to me, 'Boswell, what was it that the younglady of quality said of me at Sir Alexander Dick's?' Nobody will doubtthat I was happy in repeating it. 

My illustrious friend, being now desirous to be again in the greattheatre of life and animated exertion, took a place in the coach, which was to set out for London on Monday the 22d of November. SirJohn Dalrymple pressed him to come on the Saturday before, to hishouse at Cranston, which being twelve miles from Edinburgh, upon themiddle road to Newcastle (Dr Johnson had come to Edinburgh by Berwick, and along the naked coast), it would make his journey easier, as thecoach would take him up at a more reasonable hour than that at whichit sets out. Sir John, I perceived, was ambitious of having such aguest; but, as I was well assured, that at this very time he hadjoined with some of his prejudiced countrymen in railing at DrJohnson, and had said, he wondered how any gentleman of Scotland couldkeep company with him, I thought he did not deserve the honour: yet, as it might be a convenience to Dr Johnson, I contrived that he shouldaccept the invitation, and engaged to conduct him. I resolved that, onour way to Sir John's, we should make a little circuit by RoslinCastle, and Hawthornden, and wished to set out soon after breakfast;but young Mr Tytler came to shew Dr Johnson some essays which he hadwritten; and my great friend, who was exceedingly obliging when thusconsulted, was detained so long that it was, I believe, one o'clockbefore we got into our post-chaise. I found that we should be too latefor dinner at Sir John Dalrymple's, to which we were engaged: but Iwould by no means lose the pleasure of seeing my friend atHawthornden, of seeing SAM JOHNSON at the very spot where BEN JOHNSONvisited the learned and poetical Drummond. 

We surveyed Roslin Castle, the romantick scene around it, and thebeautiful Gothick chapel, and dined and drank tea at the inn; afterwhich we proceeded to Hawthornden, and viewed the caves; and I all thewhile had Rare Ben in my mind, and was pleased to think that thisplace was now visited by another celebrated wit of England. 

By this time 'the waning night was growing old', and we were yetseveral miles from Sir John Dalrymple's. Dr Johnson did not seem muchtroubled at our having treated the baronet with so little attention topoliteness; but when I talked of the grievous disappointment it musthave been to him that we did not come to the FEAST that he hadprepared for us (for he told us he had killed a seven-year-old sheepon purpose), my friend got into a merry mood, and jocularly said, 'Idare say, sir, he has been very sadly distressed. Nay, we do not knowbut the consequence may have been fatal. Let me try to describe hissituation in his own historical style. I have as good a right to makehim think and talk, as he has to tell us how people thought and talkeda hundred years ago, of which he has no evidence. All history, so faras it is not supported by contemporary evidence, is romance . .. Staynow. .. Let us consider!' He then (heartily laughing all the while)proceeded in his imitation, I am sure to the following effect, thoughnow, at the distance of almost twelve years, I cannot pretend torecollect all the precise words:

'Dinner being ready, he wondered that his guests were not yet come. His wonder was soon succeeded by impatience. He walked about the roomin anxious agitation; sometimes he looked at his watch, sometimes helooked out at the window with an eager gaze of expectation, andrevolved in his mind the various accidents of human life. His familybeheld him with mute concern. "Surely, " said he, with a sigh, "theywill not fail me. " The mind of man can bear a certain pressure; butthere is a point when it can bear no more. A rope was in his view, andhe died a Roman death. ' [Footnote: 'Essex was at that time confined tothe same chamber of the Tower from which his father Lord Capel hadbeen led to death, and in which his wife's grandfather had inflicted avoluntary death upon himself. When he saw his friend carried to whathe reckoned certain fate, their common enemies enjoying the spectacle, and reflected that it was he who had forced Lord Howard upon theconfidence of Russel, he retired, and, by a ROMAN DEATH, put an end tohis misery. ' Dalrymple's Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. Ip. 36. ]

It was very late before we reached the seat of Sir John Dalrymple, who, certainly with some reason was not in very good humour. Ourconversation was not brilliant. We supped, and went to bed in ancientrooms, which would have better suited the climate of Italy in summer, than that of Scotland in the month of November. 

I recollect no conversation of the next day, worth preserving, exceptone saying of Dr Johnson, which will be a valuable text for manydecent old dowagers, and other good company, in various circles todescant upon. He said, 'I am sorry I have not learnt to play at cards. It is very useful in life: it generates kindness, and consolidatessociety. ' He certainly could not mean deep play. 

My friend and I thought we should be more comfortable at the inn atBlackflelds, two miles farther on. We therefore went thither in theevening, and he was very entertaining; but I have preserved nothingbut the pleasing remembrance, and his verses on George the Second andCibber, and his epitaph on Parnell, which he was then so good as todictate to me. We breakfasted together next morning, and then thecoach came, and took him up. He had, as one of his companions in it, as far as Newcastle, the worthy and ingenious Dr Hope, botanicalprofessor at Edinburgh. Both Dr Johnson and he used to speak of theirgood fortune in thus accidentally meeting; for they had muchinstructive conversation, which is always a most valuable enjoyment, and, when found where it is not expected, is peculiarly relished. 

I have now completed my account of our tour to the Hebrides. I havebrought Dr Johnson down to Scotland, and seen him into the coach whichin a few hours carried him back into England. He said to me often, that the time he spent in this tour was the pleasantest part of hislife, and asked me if I would lose the recollection of it for fivehundred pounds. I answered I would not; and he applauded my settingsuch a value on an accession of new images in my mind. 

Had it not been for me, I am persuaded Dr Johnson never would haveundertaken such a journey; and I must be allowed to assume some meritfrom having been the cause that our language has been enriched withsuch a book as that which he published on his return; a book which Inever read but with the utmost admiration, as I had such opportunitiesof knowing from what very meagre materials it was composed. 

THE END