Full text of "The journal of a tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. By James Boswell, .."

x.^ 



THE 

JOURNAL 

OF A TOUR TO THE 

'HEBRIDES, 

WITH 

SAxVIUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. 

By JAMES BOSJVELL, Esq. 

CONTAINING 

Some Poetical Pieces by Dr. Johnson, relative to the Tour, 
and never before publifhed ; 

A Series of his Converfation, Literary Anecdotes, and Opinions 
of Men and Books : 

WITH AN AUTHENTICK ACCOUNT OF 

The Diftrelles and Efcape of the Grandson of Kin(j 
James II. in tiie Year 174.6. 

THE THIRD EDITION, R-EFISED AND CORRECTED, 

O! while along the ftieam of time, thy name 
Expanded lliis, and gathers all its tame, 
S,iy, ihall my lit tie bark attendaat fail, 
Purfas I'.iC iriu.iipli jiid pdiuko uii ^alt ? Pijrt* 




-^ ^^V*^ 




I N D O N: 
PRINTED BY HENRY B A T, D \V I N , 

OR C H A ;; ^ >, s D I L L Y, IN r H E i' D U JL T 11 Y. 



M *)CC 



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, y. I Vv G J * a '.; / K S K Y R ■ n ;1 T -v- I 57 

Y ;i T J u s a^i T vi I .y j Sti: i; a a ;i a i; 



DEDICATION. 



T O 

EDMOND MALONE, Esq. 

My dear Sir, 

IN every narrative, whether hiftorical or 
biographical, authenticity is of the iit- 
moft confequence. Of this I have ever been 
fo firmly permaded, that I infcribed a for- 
mer vi^ork to that perfon who was the befl 
jiidge of its truth. I need not tell you I mean 
General Paoli j who, after his great, though 
unfuccefsful, efforts to preferve the liber- 
ties of his country, has found an honourable 
afylum in Britain, where he has now lived 
many years the objed of Royal regard and 
b private 



ii DEDICATION. 

pdvate relped ; and whom I cannot name 
without expreffing my very grateful fenfe of 
the unilprm kindnefs which he has been 
pleafed to fliew me. 

The friends of Dodtor Johnfon can bell 
judge, from internal evidence, whether the 
numerous converfations which form the moft 
valuable part of the enfuing pages, are cor- 
redly related. To them, therefore I wi(h 
to appeal, for the accuracy of the portrait 
here exhibited to the world. 

As one of thofe who were intimately ac- 
quainted with him, you have a title to this 
addrefs. You have obligingly taken the 
trouble to perufe the original manufcript of 
this Tour, and can vouch for the ftridt fide- 
lity of the prefent publication. Your li- 
terary alliance with our much lamented friend, 
in confc^quence of having undertaken to ren- 
der one of his labours more complete, by 
your edition of Shakfpeare, a work which I 
am coiifideht will not difappoint the expec- 
tations, of the publick, gives you another 
claim. But I have a ftill more powerful in- 
ducement 



DEDICATION. 



in 



ducement to prefix your name to this volume, 
as it gives me an opportunity of letting the 
world know that I enjoy the honour and hap- 
pinefs of your friendlliip ; and of thus pub- 
lickly teilifying the iincere regard w^ith v^hich 
"I am. 



My dear Sir, 



Your very faithful 



And obedient fervant. 



LONDONj 

2Dth September, 1785, 



JAMES BOSWELL. 



ADVERTISEMENT 

TO THE THIRD EDITION. 

jniNIMATED by the very favourable recep- 
tion which two large impreffions of this work have 
had, it has been my iludy to make it as perfect as 
I could in this edition, by correcting fome inaccu- 
racies which I difcovered myfelf, and fome which 
the kindnefs of friends or the fcrutiny of ad- 
verfaries pointed out. A few notes are added, of 
which the principal object is, to refute milrepre- 
fentation and calumny. 

To the animadverfions in the periodical Journals 
ofcriticifm, and in the numerous publications to 
wh^ch my book has given rife, I have made no an- 
fwer. Every work muft Hand or fall by its own 
merit. 1 cannot, however, omit this opportunity^ 
of returning thanks to a gentleman who publifhed 
a Defence of my Journal, and has added to the fa- 
vour by communicating his name to me in a very 
obliging letter. 

It v/ouid be an idle wade of time to take 
any particular notice of the futile remarks, to 
many of which, a petty national refentment, unwor- 
thy of my countrymen, has probably given rife; re- 
marks, which have been indufirioufly circulated in 
the pubiick prints by fliallow or envious cavillers, 
who have endeavoured to perfuade the world that 
Dr.Johnlon's charader has been lejfened by recording 
iuch various infcances of his lively wit and acute 
judgment, on every topick that was prelented to 

his 



ADVERTISE ME NT. v 

his mind. In the ophiion of every perfon of cafte and 
knowledge thac I have conveiicd v/ith, it has been 
greatly heightened j and I will venture to predift, 
that this fpecimen of the colloquial talents and ex- 
temporaneous effufions of my illuftrious fellow-tra- 
veller will become ftill more valuable, when, by the 
lapfe of time, he lliall have become an aiicient \ 
when all thofe who can now bear teftimony to the 
tranfcendent powers of his mind, fliall have pafled 
away-, and no other memorial of this great and good 
man fhall remain, but the following Journal, the 
other anedotes and letters preferved by his friends, 
and thofe incomparable works, which have for many 
years been in the highefl: eftimation, and will be 
read and admired as long as the Englifii' language 
fhall be fpoken or underftood, 

J.B, 

London, 15th Aug. 1786. 



b 3 CON 



CONTENTS. 



DEDICATION. ' - • - Page i 

Advertisement. - - iv v 

Introduction. Chara£ler of Dr. Johnfon. He arrives 
in Scotland. - - i to 13 

yj?«g-«/? 15. Sir W. Forbes. Practice of the law. Emigra- 
tion. Dr. Beattie and IVlr. Hume. Dr. Robert- 
fon. Mr. Burke's various and extraordinary talents, 
Qiieftion concerning genius. Whitfield and Wef- 
• ley. Inftrudliions to political parties. Dr. John- 
fon*s opinion of Garrick as a tragedian. 13 

Augiijl 16. Ogden on Prayer. Aphoriftick writing. 
Edinburgh furveyed. Charafter of Swift's works. 
Evil fpirits and witchcraft. Lord Monboddo and 
the Ouran Outang, - - 26 

Augujii'], Poetry and Di^lionary-writing, Scepticlfm. 
Eternal neceflity refuted. Lord Hailes's criticifm 
on 77?i? Vanity of human JVtJhes. Mr. Maclaurin. 
Decifion of the Judges in Scotland on literary 
property. - - - 34 

Juguji 18. Set out for the Hebrides. Sketch of the 
authour's character. Trade of Glafgow. Suicide. 
Inchkeith. Parliamentary knowledge. Lifluence 
of Peers. Popular clamours. Arrive at St. 
Andrews. - - - - 39 

Juguji 19. Dr. Watfon. Literature and patronage. 
Writing and converfation compared. Change of 
manners. The Union. Value of money. St. 
Ancfrews and John Knox. Retirement from the 

world. 



CONTENTS. vli 

world. Dinner with the Pvofeflors. Qiieflion 
concerning forrow and content. Inflrudions for 
compofition. Dr. Johnfon's method. Uncertainty 
of memory. - - - 47 

Juguji 20 EfFefl of prayer Obfervance of Sunday. 
ProfefTor Shaw. Tranfubftantiation. Literary 
property. Mr. Tyers's remark on Dr. Johnfon. 
Arrive at Montrofe. - - 56 

Auguji 21, Want of trees. Laurence Kirk. Dinner 
at Monboddo. Emigration. Homer. Biography 
and hiftory compared. Decreafe of learning. 
Caufes of it. Promotion of bifliops. Warburton. 
Lovvth. Value of politenefs. Dr. Johnfon's 
fentiments concerning Lord Monboddo. Arrive 
at Aberdeen. - - - 6r 

AuguJ} 22. ProfefTor Thomas Gordon. Publick and 
private education. Sir Alexander Gordon. Trade 
of Aberdeen. Prefcription of murder in Scotland. 
Myftery of the Trinity. Satisfadlion of Chrift. 
Importance of old friendfliips. - - 72 

Juguji 23. Dr. Johnfon made a burgefs of Aberdeen. 
Dinner at Sir Alexander Gordon's. Warburton's 
powers of inveftive. Kis Do6ir'ine of Grace. Lock's 
verfes. Fingal. - - 78 

Juguji 24. Goldfmith and Graham. Slains caftle. 
Education of children. Buller of Buchan. En- 
tails. Confeqiience of Peers. Sir Joihua Rey- 
nolds. Earl of Errol. - - 84 

Juguji 25. The advantage of being on good terms with 
relations. Nabobs. Feudal ftate of fubordination. 
Dinner at Strichen. Life of country gentlemen. 
The Literary Club. " " 93 

Juguji 26. Lord Monboddo. Ufe and importance of 
wealth. Elgin. Macbeth's heath. Fores. 98 

Augujii']. Leonidas. Paul Whitehead. Derrick. Ori- 
gin of Evil. Calder-manfe. Reafonablenefs of 
eccleiiaftical fubfcription. Family worfhip. 104, 
b 4 Auguji 



viii CONTENTS. 

duguft 28. Fort Gtorge. Sir Adolphus Oughton. Con- 
iell between Warburton and Lowth. Dinner at 
Sir Eyre Coote's. Arabs and Engli(h foldiers com- 
pared. The Stage. Mr. Garrick, Mrs. Cibber, 
Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Clive. Invernefs. 109 

Augujl 29. Macbeth's Caftle. Incorredlnefs of writers of 
Travels. Coinage of new words. Dr. Johnfon's 
Dictionary. - - 116 

Augujl 30. Dr. Johnfon on horfe-back. A Highland 
hut. Fort Auguflus. Governour Trapaud. 119 

Jngti/i 31. Anoch. Emigration. Goldfmith. Poets 
and foldiers compared. Life of a failor. Landlord's 
daughter at Anoch. - - 123 

September i. Glenfheal. The Macraas.* Dr. Johnfon's 
anger at being left for a little while by the authour 
on a wild plain. Wretched inn at Glenelg. i2§ 

September 1. Dr. Johnfon relents. IfleofSky. Armi- 
dale, - - - 136 

September 3. Colonel Montgomery, now Earl of Eg- 
lintoune. - - - 138 

September 4. Ancient Highland Enthufiafm. - 140 

September ^. Sir James Macdonald's epitaph and lad let- 
ters to his mother. Dr. Johnfon's Latin ode on 
the Ifle of Sky. Ifaac Hawkins Browne. ibid, 

September 6. Corrichatachin. Highland hofpitality aiid 
mirth. Dr. Johnfon's Latin ode to Mrs. Thrale. 

145 

September 7. Uneafy ftate of dependence on the weather. 
State of thofe who live in the country. Dr. 
M'Pherfon's Diirertations. Second Sight. 148 

Sepi.mberH. Rev. Mr. Donald M'QiJeen. Mr. Mal- 
colm M'Cleod. Sail to Rafay. Fingal. Homer. 
Elegant and gay entertainment at Ralay. 150 

September g. Antiquity of the family of Rafay. Cure 
01 infidelity. - - - 157 

September iO. Survey of the ifland of Rafay. Bentlcy. 
Mallet. Hooke. Duchefs of Maiibcrough. 159 

September 



CONTENTS. Jk 

Septetnher 11. Heritable jurifdidions. Infular life. The 
Laird of M'Cieod. - - i68 

B^ptemberiQ.. Sail to Portree. Dr. Johiifon's difcourfc 
o« death. Letters from Lord Elibank to Dr. 
Johnfon and tie authour. Dr. Johnfon's anfwer. 
Ride to Kingfbu'-gh. Fiora Macdonald. lyo 

September 13. Diftrefles and efcape of the grandfon of 
King James IL Arrive at Dunvegan. lyg 

September 14. Impoitance of the chaftity of women. Dr. 
Cadogan. Whether the Pra6^ice of authours is 
iiecelTary to 'Enforce their Dodrines. Good hu- 
mour acquirable. - - 206 

September 15. Sir George M'Kenzie. Mr, Burke's wit, 
knowledge, and eloquence. - - 210 

September lb. Dr. Johnfon's hereditary melancholy. 
His minute knowledge in various arts. Apoloo-y 
for the authour's ardour in his purfuits. Dr. John- 
fon's imaginary leraglio. Polygamy. 2ta 

September I'j. Cunning. Whether great abilicics arc 
necelTary to be wicked. Temple of the Goddefs 
Anaitis. Family portraits. Records not con- 
fulted by old Englifli hillorians Mr. Pennant's 
Tours criticifeJ. - _ 216 

September 1^ Ancient refidence of a Highland Chief. 
Languages the pedigree of nations. Laiid o^ the 
Ifle of Muck. _ . 222 

September 19. Choice of a wife. Women an over- 
match for men. Lady Grange in St. Kilda. Poetry 
of favages. French Literati. Prize-fighting, 
French and Englifh foldiers. Duelling. 227 

Septe?iibcr 20. Change of London manners. Lazinef* 
cenfured. Landed and traded intereft compared. 
Gratitude confidered. - * 231 

September 21. Dcfciiption of Dunvegan. Lord Lovat's 
Pyramid. Ride to Ulinifli. Phipps's Voyage to 
the North Pole - - _ 234 

September 21, Subterraneous houfe and vaft cave ia 
I Uiiuiih. 



X CONTENTS. 

Ullriifli, Swifi's Lord Orrery. Defects as well as 
virtues the proper fubjedl of biography, though 
the life be written by a friend. Studied conclufions 
of letters. Whether allowable in dying men to 
maintain refentment to the laft. Inftrudiions for 
writing the lives of literary men. Fingal denied 
to be genuine, and plcafantly ridiculed. £38 

September 23, Further difquifition concerning Fingal. 
Eminent men difconcerted by a new mode of pub- 
lick appearance, Garrick. Mrs, Montague's 
Effay on Shakfpeare. Perfons of confequence 
watched in London. Learning of the Scots from 
1550 to 1650. The arts of civil life little known 
in Scotland till the Union. Life of a failor. The 
folly of Peter the Great in working in a dock-yard. 
Arrive at Talifker. Prefbyterian clergy deficient 
in learning. - - - 243 

September 2^. French hunting. Young Col. Dr, Birch, 
Dr. Percy. Lord Hailes. Hiftorical impartiality, 
Whiggifm unbecoming in a clergyman. 256 

September 25. Every ifland a prifon. A Sky cottage. 
Return to Corrichatachin, Good fellowfhip carried 
to excefs. - - - 259 

September 26. Morning review of laft night's intem- 
perance. Old Kingfburgh's Jacobite fong Lady 
Margaret Macdonald adored in Sky. Different 
views of the fame fubje£l at different times. Self- 
deception. _ _ - 263 

September 27. Dr Johnfon's popularity in the Ifle of 
Sky. His good-humoured gaiety with a High- 
land lady. - - _ 266 

September 28. Ancient Irifli pride of family. Dr. John- 
fon on threfiiing and thatching. Dangerous to 
increafe the price of labour. Arrive at Qfiig. 
Dr. M'Pherfon's Latin poetry. - 268 

September 29. Reverend Mr. M'Pherfon. Shenftone. 
Hammond. Sir Charles Hanbury Williams. 273 

September 



CONTENTS. xi 

Septetnher 30. Mr, Burke the firfl man every where. 
Very moderate talents requifite to make a figure in 
the Houfe of Commons. Dr. Young. Dr. Dod- 
ridge. Increafe of infidel writings fince the ac- 
ceflion of the Hanover family. Gradual imprefllon 
, made by Dr. Johnfon. Particular minutes to be 
kept of our (ludies. - - 275 

OSfobej- I. Dr. Johnfon not anfwerable for all the words 
in his Ditftionary, Attacks on authors ufcful to 
them. Return to Armidale. - - 279 

OSiober 1. Old manners of great families in Wales. 
German courts. Goldfmith's love of talk. Emi- 
gration. Curious fiory of the people of Saint 
Kilda. - '- - 281 

OSioher 3. Epidletus on the voyage of death. Sail 
for Mull. A ftorm. Driven into Col. 285 

OSiober 4. Dr Johnfon's mode of living in the Tem- 
ple. His curious appearance on a fheitie. Nature 
of fea-ficknefs. Burnet's Hiftory of his own Times. 
Difference between dedications and hiftories. 29 1 

OSlober 5. People may come to do any thing by talk- 
ing of it. The Reverend Mr. He<?lor Maclean. 
Bayle. Leibnitz and Clarke. Survey of* Col. 
Infular life. Arrive at Breacacha. Dr. Johnfon's 
powers of ridicule. - - 293 

OSfober 6, Heritable jurifdidlions. The opinion of 
philofophers concerning happincfs in a cottage, 
confidered. Advice to landlords. 299 

OSIober 7. Books the beft folace in a ftate of confine- 
ment. _ _ _ 202 

O£lobcr 8. Pretended brother of Dr. Johnfon. No re- 
drefs for a man's name being afHxed to a foolifti 
work. Lady Sidney Beauclerk. Carte's Life of the 
Duke of Ormond. Col's cabinet. Letters of the 
great Montrofe, Prefent Itate of the illand of 
Col. - - - ib. 

October 9. Dr. Johnfon's avidity for a variety of books. 

Improbability 



XH CONTENTS. 

Improbability of a Highland tradition. Dr. John- 
fon's delicacy of feeling. - ^lo 

OSIober 10. Dependence of tenants on landlords. 313 

OSiober 11. London and Pekin compared. Dr. John- 
fon's high opinion of the former. - 314 

Osiohcr 12. Return to Mr. M'Sweyn's. Other fuper- 
ftitions befide thofe conneded with religion. Dr. 
Johnfon difgufled with coarfe manners. His pe- 
culiar habits. - - - jb, 

OHoher 13. Buftle not neceflary to difpatch. Oats the 
food not of the Scotch alone. - 317 

Ocioher i6f. Airive in Mull, Addifon's Remarks on 
Italy. Addifon not much converfant with Ita- 
lian literature. The French mafters of the art of 
accommodating literature. Their Ana. Racine. 
Corneille. Moliere. Fenelon. Voltaire. Bofluet. 
Maflillon. Bourda'oue. Virgil's defcription of 
the entrance into hell, compared to a printing- 
houfe, - - - 318 

Ocloher 15. Erfe poetry. Danger of a knowledge of 
mufick. The propriety of fettling our affairs fo 
as to be always prepared for death. Religion and 
literary attainments not to be defcribed to young 
perfons as too hard. Reception of the travellers 
in their progrefs. Spence. - - 324. 

OSloher 16. Mifs Maclean. Account of Mull. The 
value of an oak v/alking-llick in the Hebrides. 
Arrive at Mr. M'Qusrrie's in Ulva. Captain 
Macleod. Second Sight. Mercheta Mulierum^ and 
Borough-Englifh. The grounds on which th« 
fale of an eftate may be fet afide in a court of 
equity. - > _ 32^ 

CSioher i"]. Arrive at Inchkenneth. Sir Allan Maclean 
and his daughters. None but theological books 
fhould be read on Sunday. Dr. Campbell. Dr. 
Johnfon exhibited as a Highlander. Thoughts 



CONTENTS. xIU 

on drinking. Dr. Johnfon's Latin verfes on Inch- 
kenneth. _ . - 334 

OJIober 18. Young Col's various good qualities. No 
extraordinary talents requifite to fuccefs in trade. 
Dr, Solander. Mr, Burke. Dr. Johnfon's intre- 
pidity and prefence of mind. Singular cuftom in 
the iflands of Col and Otaheite, Further elogiuni 
on young Col, Credulity of a Frenchman iji 
foreign countries. - - 338 

Qmber 19, Death of young Col. Dr. Johnfon flow 
of belief without flrong evidence. La creduliie 
des incredules. Coaft of A-lull. Nun's Ifland. Paft 
fcenes pleafing in recollection. Land on Icolm- 
kill. - - - 2A'^ 

Odoher 20. Sketch of the ruins at Icolmkill. Influ- 
ence of folemn fcenes of piety. Feudal authority 
in the extreme. Return to Mull. - 34/ 

OSiober '2.1. Pulteney. Pitt. Walpole. Mr, Wilkes. 
Englifli and Jewifh hiftory compared, Scotland 
compofed of ftone and water, and a little earth. 
Turkifli Spy. Dreary ride to Lochbuy. Defcrip- 
tion of the laird. - - 351 

October 22. Uncommon breakfaft offered to Dr, John- 
fon, and rejedted. Lochbuy's war-faddle. Sail to 
Oban. - - - 355 

O'lober 23. Goldfmith's 'Traveller. Pope and Cowley 
compared. Archibald Duke of Argyle. Arrive 
at Inveraray. Dr. Johnfon drinks fome whifky, 
and affigns his reafon. Letter from the authour 
to Mr. Garrick. Mr. Garrick's anfwer. 357 

October 24. Specimen of Ogden on Prayer. Hervey's 
Meditations. Dr. Johnfon's Meditation on a Pud- 
ding. Country neighbours. The authour's vifit 
at the caille of Inveraray. Perverfe oppofition to- 
the influence of Peers in Ayrlhire. ~ 363 

October 25. Dr. Johnfon prefcnted to the Duke of 
Argyle, Grandeur of his grace's feat. Ihe au- 
thour 



XIV G O I^ T E N T S. 

thour pofTeffes himfelf in an embarraffing fituatiori^ 
Honourable Archibald Campbell on a middle Jiattt 
The old Lord Townfhend. Qiieftion concern- 
ing luxury. Nice trait of charafter. Good prin- 
ciples and bad pradlice. - - 369 
Qncher 26. A pafiage in Home's Douglas, and one in 
Juvenal, compared. Negledl: of religious buildings 
in Scotland* Arrive at Sir James Colquhpun's 

375 

Gilohcr 27. Dr, Johnfon's letter to the Duke of Argyle. 

His grace's anpAer. Locklomond. Dr. Johnfon's 

fentiments on drefs. Forms of prayer confi- 

dered. Arrive at Mr. Smollet's. - 378 

OSioher 28. Dr. Smollet's Epitaph. Dr. Johnfon's 

wonderful memory. His alacrity during the Tour. 

Arrive at Glafgovi'. - - 381 

Oiioher 29. Glafgow? furveyed. Attention of the pro- 

fefibrs to Dr. Johnfon. - - 385 

Oiioher 30. Dinner at the Earl of Loudoun's. Cha- 

rasfter of that nobleman. Arrive at Trcefbank, 

387 
OSfober 31. Sir John Cunningham of Caprington. 38!^ 
NovtTnber i. Rules for the diftribution of charity. 

Caftle of Dundonald. Councefs of Eglintoune. 

Alexander Earl of Eglintoune. - 389 

l^ovcmher 1, Arrive at Auchinleck. Character of Lord 

Auchinleck. His idea of Dr. Johnfon. 3(^1 

Kovemhcr 3. Dr. Johnfon's fentiments concerning the 

Highlands. Mr. Harris of Salifoury. 393 

J^oveniber \. Auchinleck. Cattle without horns. Com- 

pofure of mind how far attainable. 395 

November c^ Dr. Johnfon's high refpe6l for the Engl ifh 

clergy. - - - 398 

November 6, Lord Auchinleck and Dr. Johnfon in 

collifion. - - - ib, 

November 7. Dr. Johnfon's uniform piety. His diflike 

of pitfbyterian woifliip- - 400 

Noveiubef 



CONTENTS. IV 

}^ovetnber 8. Arrive at Hamilton. - 40a 

November g. The Duke of Hamilton's houfe. Arrive 
at Edinburgh. - - 4Ci 

Novemher lo. Lord Elibank. Difference in political 
principles increafed by oppofuion. Edinburgh 
Caftle. Fingal. Englifh credulity not lefs than 
Scottifh. Second Sight. Garrick and Foote com- 
pared as companions. Moravian JMiffions and 
Methodifm. _ - _ \\y^ 

'November II. Hiftory originally oral. Dr. Robertfon's 
liberality of fentiment. Rebellion natural to man. 

403 



Summary account of the manner in which Dr. 
Johnfon fpent his time from November 12 to No- 
vemberai. Lord Adansfield, Mr. Richardfon. The 
private life of an Englifh Judge, Dr. Johnfon's 
high opinion of Dr. Robertfon and Dr. Blair. 
Letter from Dr. Blair to the authour. Officers 
of the army often ignorant of things belonging 
to their own profeffion. Academy for the deaf 
and dumb. A Scotch Highlander and an Englifh 
failor. Attacks on authours advantageous to them. 
Roflin Caftle and Hawthornden. Dr. Johnfon's 
Parody of Sir John Dalrymple's Memoirs. Arrive 
at Cranfton. Dr. Johnfon's departure for London; 
Letters from Lord Hailes and Mr. Dempfter to 
the authour. Letter from the Laird of Rafay to 
the authour. The authour's anfwer. Dr. John- 
fon's Advertifemcnt, acknowledging a miftake in 
his JourJiey to the Weftern IJlands. His letter to the 
Laird of Rafay. Letter from Sir William Forbes 
to the authour. Conclufion. - ~ 433 

Appendix. - r - 437 



He WAS OF AN ADMIRABLE PREGNANCY OK WIT, AND THAT 
JREGNANCY MUCH IMPROVED BY CONTINUAL STUDY FROM 

HIS childhood; by which ht had gotten such a 

PROMPTNESS IN EXPRESSING HIS MIND, THAT HIS EXTEM- 
PORAL SPEECHES WERE LITTLE INFERIOR TO HIS PREMEDI- 
f ATED WRITINGS. MaNY, NO DOUBT, HAD READ AS MUCH, 

jfnd perhaps more than ht; but scarce ever any 
concocted his reading into judgemint as he did. 

Baker's Chronicle. 



THE 

JOURNAL 

O P A 

TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES, 

WITH 

SAMUEL JOHNSON, L. L. D, 



DR. JOHNSON had for many years given me 
hopes that we fhould go together, and vific 
the Hebrides. Martin's Account of thofe illands 
had impreffed us with a notion that we might there 
contemplate a fyftem of life almoft totally different 
from what we had been accuflomed to fee ; and, to 
find fimplicity and wildnefs, and all the circum- 
ilances of remote time or place, fo near to our na- 
tive great iiland, was an object within the reach of 
reafonable curiofity. Dr. Johnfon has faid in his 
" Journey,*' " that he fcarcely remembered how 
the. wifh to vifit the Hebrides was excited ;" but he 
told me, in fummer, 1763, that his father put Mar- 
tin's Account into his hands when he was very 
young, and that he was much pleafed with it. We 
reckoned there would be fome inconveniencies and 
hardfhips, and perhaps a little danger; but thefe 
we were perfuaded were magnified in the imagi- 
nation of every body. When I was at Ferney, in 



2 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

1764, 1 mentioned our defign to Voltaire. IJe 
looked at me, as if I had talked of going to the 
North Pole, and faid, " You do not infill on 
my accompanying you r" — ' No, fir.' — " Then I 
am very willing you lliould go." I was not 
afraid that our curious expedition would be pre- 
vented by fuch apprehenfions ; but I doubted that 
it would not be pofTible to prevail on Dr. Johnfon 
to relinquilh, for fome time, the felicity of a 
London life, which, to a man who can enjoy it 
with full intelleftual relilli, is apt to make exift- 
ence in any narrower fphere feem infipid or irk- 
fome. I doubted that he would not be willing to 
come dov/n from his elevated flate of philofophical 
dignity ; from a fuperiority of wifdom among the 
wife, and of learning among the learned -, and 
from flafliing his wit upon minds bright enough to 
reflea it. 

He had difappointed my expeflations fo long, 
tluu I began to defpair; but in fpring, 1773, he, 
talked of coming to Scotland that year with fo 
much firmnefs, that I hoped he was at laft injearneft. 
1 knew that, if he were once launched from the 
metropolis, he would go forward very well j and 
I got our common friends there to affiil in-fetting 
him afloat. To. Mrs. Thrale in particular, whofe 
enchantment over him feldom failed, I Was much 
obliged. It was, " /// give thee a iv'ind" — *' Thou 
^ri kind" — To atfra^ him, we had invitations from 
the chiefs Macdonald and Macleod-; and, for addi^ 
tional aid, I wrote to Lord Elibank, Dr. William 
Robertfon, and Dr. Beattie. 

To Dr. Robertfon, fo far as my letter concerned 
the prefent fubjed, I wrote as follows : 

' « OUR 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 3 

^« OUR friend, Mr. Samuel Johnfon, is in great 
" health and fpirits ; and, I do think, has a ferious 
*' refolution to vifit Scotland this year. The more 
«' attrai5lion, however, the better ♦, and therefore, 
" though I know he will be happy to meet you 
" there, it will forward the fcheme, if, in your 
*' anfwer to this, you exprefs yourlelf concerning 
" it with that power of which you are fo happily 
" pofleffed, and which may be fo diredled as to ope* 
** rate ftrongly upon him.'* 

His anfwer to that part of my letter was quite as 
I could have wiflied. It v/as written with the addrefs 
and perfuafion of the hiftorian of America. 

*' WHEN I faw you laft, you gave us fome 
*' hopes that you might prevail with Mr. Johnfon 
" to make out that excurfion to Scotland, with the 
" expeftation of which we have long flattered our- 
*' felves. If he could order matters fo, as to pafs 
*' fome time in Edinburgh, about the clofe of the 
" fummer felTion, and then vifit fome of the High- 
" land fcenes, I am confident he would be pleafed 
" with the grand features of nature in many parts 
*' of this country : he will meet with many perfons 
*' here who refpedl him, and fome whom I am per- 
*' fuaded he will think not unworthy of his efteem, 
" I wifh he would make the experiment. He fome- 
" times cracks his jokes upon us ; but he will find 
" that we can diftinguifli betv/een the ftabs of ma- 
" levolence, and the rebukes of the righteous^ which 
** are like excellent oil *, and break not the head, 
B 2 Offer 

* Our friend Edmund Burke, who by this time had received fome 
pretty fcvere ftrokes from Dr. Johnfon, on account of the unhappy 
difference in their politicks, upon my repeating this pafiage to hiin» 
exclaimed, «< Oil of vitriol 1" 



4 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

" Offer my beft compliments to him, and affure 
" him that I Ihall be happy to have the fatisfac- 
*' tion of feeing him under my roof." 

To Dr. Beattie I wrote, " The chief intention 
" of this letter is to inform yon, that I now feri- 
*' oufly believe Mr. Samuel Johnfon will vifit 
*' Scotland this year : but I wifh that every power 
*' of attradion may be employed to fecure our 
" having fo valuable an acquifition, and therefore 
" I hope you will without delay write to me what 
*' I know you think, that I may read it to the 
*' mighty fage, with proper emphafis, before I 
*' leave London, which 1 muft dofoon. He talks 
** of you with the fame warmth that he did lail 
*' year. We are to fee as much of Scotland as 
*' wc can, in the months of Augufl: and September. 
*' We fhall not be long of being at Marifchal Col- 
ts, lege*. He is particularly defirous of feeing 
« fome of the Weftern Iflands.** 

Dr. Beattie did better : ipfe venit. He was, 
however, fo polite as to wave his privilege of nil miht 
refcribas, and wrote from Edinburgh, as follows : 

" YOUR very kind and agreeable favour of 
*' the 20th of April overtook me here yefterday, 
" after having gone to Aberdeen, which place I 
" left about a week ago. I am to fet out this day 
** for London, and hope to have the honour of 
** paying my refpe<fls to Mr. Johnfon and you, 
*' about a week or ten days hence. I fliall then 
*' do what I can, to enforce the topick you men- 
*' tion i but at prefent I cannot enter upon it, as I 

*' am 

• This, I find, is a Scottlcifm. I (hould have faici, <« It will noS 
bf long before wc ftiall be at Marifchal College." 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 5 

*• am in a very great hurry ; for I intend to begin 
*' my journey within an hour or two." 

He was as good as his word, and threw fome 
pleafing motives into the northern fcale. But, in- 
deed, Mr. Johnfon loved all that he heard, from 
one whom he tells us, in his Lives of the Poets, 
Gray found " a poet, a pkilofopher, and a good 
man.'* 

My Lord Elibank did not anfwer my letter to 
his lordfhip for fome time. The reafon will appear, 
when we come to the ifle of Sky. I fhall then in- 
fert my letter, with letters from his lordfliip, both 
tomyfelfand Mr. Johnfon. I beg it may be un- 
derftood, that I infert my own letters, as I relate 
rny own fayings, rather as keys to what is valuable 
belonging to others, than for their own fake. 

Luckily Mr. Jultice (now Sir Robert) Cham- 
•bers, who was about to fail for the Eaft-Indies, was 
going to take leave of his relations at Newcaflle, 
and he conduced Dr. Johnfon to that town. Mr. 
Scott, of Univerfity College, Oxford, (now Dr. 
Scott, of the Commons,) accompanied him from 
tlience to Edinburgh. With fuch propitious con- 
voys did he proceed to my native city. Bur, left 
metaphor fiiould make it be fuppofed he adluall^ 
went by fea, I choofe to mention that he travellea 
in poft-chaifes, of which the rapid motion was one 
of his moft favourite amufements. 

Dr. Samuel Johnfon's character, religious, moral, 
political, and literary, nay his figure and manner, 
are, I believe, more generally known than thofe of 
almoft any man ; yet it may not be fuperfluous here 
to attempt a (ketch of him. Let my readers then 
remember that he was a fmcere and zealous chrif- 
B 3 tian. 



6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

tian, of high church of England and monarchical 
principles, which he would not tamely fuffer to be 
queilioned ; fteady and inflexible in maintaining the 
obligations of piety and virtue, both from a regard 
to the order of fociety, and from a veneration for 
the Great Source of all order; correft, nay ftern iq 
his tafte •, hard to pleafe, and eafily offended, im- 
petuous and irritable in his temper, but of a moft 
humane and benevolent heart ; having a mind ftored 
with a vaft and various collecflion of learning 
and knowledge, which he communicated with pe- 
culiar perfpicuity and force, in rich and choice ex- 
prefilon. He united a moft logical head with a 
moft fertile imagination, which gave him an extra- 
ordinary advantage in arguing ; for he could reafon 
clofe or wide, as he faw beft for the moment. He 
could, when he chofe it, be the greateft fophift that 
ever wielded a weapon in the fchools of declama- 
tion ; but he indulged this only in converfation ; 
for he owned he fometimes talked for vidlory ; he 
was too confcientious to make errour permanent and 
pernicious, by deliberately writing it. He was 
confcious of his fuperiority. He loved praife when 
it was brought to him ; but was too proud to feek 
for it. He was fomewhat fufceptible of flattery. His 
mind was fo full of imagery, that he might have 
been perpetually a poet. It has been often remark- 
ed, that in his poetical pieces, which it is to be re- 
gretted are fo few, becaufe fo excellent, his ftyle is 
fafier than in his profe. There is deception in this : 
it is not eafier, but better fuited to the dignity of 
verfe ; as one may dance with grace, whofe ruc- 
tions, in ordinary walking, — in the common ftep, 
are awkward. He had a conftitutional melan- 
choly, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 7 

choly, the clouds of which darkened the brightnefs 
of his fancy, and gave a gloomy caft to his whole 
•coiirfe of thinking: yet, though grave and awful 
in his deportment, when he thought it neceflary or 
proper, — he frequently indulged himfelf in plea- 
fantry and fportive fallies. He was prone to fu- 
perftition, but not to credulity. Though his ima- 
gination might incline him to a belief of the mar- 
vellous, and the myiterious, his vigorous reafon 
examined the evidence with jealoufy. He had a 
loud voice, and a flow deliberate utterance, which 
no doubt gave fome additional weight to the ller- 
ling metal of his converfation. Lord Pembroke 
faid once to me at Wilton, with a happy pleafantry, 
and fome truth, that " Dr. Johnfon's fayings 
would not appear fo extraordinary, were it not 
for his bow-wow way :" but I admit the truth of 
this only on fome occafions. The Meffiah, played 
upon the Canterbury organ^ is more fubiime than 
when played upon an inferior inftrument : but very 
ilight mufick will feem grand, when conveyed to 
the ear through that majeftick medium. IVhih 
therefore Doofcr Johnfons fayings art read^ let kis 
manner be taken along with them. Let it however 
be obferved, that the fayings themfelves are gene- 
rally great ; that, though he might be an ordinary 
compofer at times, he was for the mod part a 
Handel. — His perfon was large, robufl, I may 
fay approaching to the gigantick, and grown un- 
^vieldy from corpulency. His countenance was 
naturally of the call of an ancient ftatue, bur fomc- 
what disfigured by the fears of that evil^ which, it 
was formerly imagined, the royal touch could cure. 
He was now in his fixty-fourth year, and v>'as be- 
B 4 come 



8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

come a little dull of hearing. His fight had al- 
ways been fomewhat weak ; yet, fo much does 
mind govern, and even fupply the deficiency of or- 
gans, that his perceptions were uncommonly quick 
and accurate. His head, and fometimes alfo his 
body, lliook with a kind of motion like the effect 
of a palfy : he appeared to be frequently difturbed 
by cramps, or convulfive contractions *, of the 
nature of that diftemper called Sl Vitus' s dance. 
He wore a full fuit of plain brown clothes, with 
twifted-hair-buttons of the fame colour, a large 
bufhy greyifli wig, a plain (hirt, black worfted 
itockings, and filver buckles. Upon this tour, 
when journeying, he wore boots, and a very wide 
brown cloth great coat, with pockets which might 
have almoft held the two volumes of his folio dic- 
tionary ; and he carried in his hand a large Englifh 
oak ftick. Let me not be cenfured for mentioning 
fuch minute particulars, Every thing relative to 
fo great a man is worth obferving. I remember 
Dr. Adam Smith, in his rhetorical ledures at Glaf- 
gow, told us he was glad to know that Milton wore 
latchets in his fhoes, inftead of buckles. When I 
mention the oak ftick, it is but letting Hercules have 
his club •, and, by-and-by, my readers will find this 
ftick will bud, and produce a good joke. 

This 

* Such they appeared to me ; but fince the firli edition, Sir fofliua 
Reynolds has obi'tTved to me, " that Dr. Johnfon's extraordinary 
geftures were only habits, in which he indulged himlelf at certajn 
times. Wiien in company, where he was not free, or when engaged 
earneftly in converfation, he never gave way to fuch habits, which 
proves that they were not involuntary." I (till however think, tliat 
thefegeltures were involuntary ; for furely had not that been the ca^B, 
he would have leftrained them in the publick ftreets. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 9 

This imperfe6t fketch of " the combination and 
the form" of that Wonderful Man, whom I vene. 
rated and loved while in this world, and after whom 
I gaze with humble hope, now that it has pleafed 
Almighty God to call him to a better world, will 
ferve to introduce to the fancy of my readers the 
capital objeft of the following journal, in the courfe 
of which I truft they will attain to a confiderable 
degree of acquaintance with him. 

His prejudice againft Scotland was announced 
almoft as foon as he began to appear in the world of 
letters. In his London, a poem, are the following 
nervous lines : 

*' For who would leave, unbrib'd, Hibernia's land ? 

" Or change the rocks of Scotland for the Strand? 

*' There none are fwept by fudden fate away ; 

•' But all, whom hunger fpares, with age decay." 

The truth is, like the ancient Greeks and Ro- 
mans, he allowed himfelf to look upon all nations 
but his own as barbarians : not only Hibernia, and 
Scotland, but Spain, Italy, and France, are at- 
tacked in the fame poem. If he was particularly 
prejudiced againft the Scots, it was becaufe they 
were more in his way ; becaufe he thought their fuc- 
cefs in England rather exceeded the due proportion 
of their real merit j and becaufe he could not but 
fee in them that nationality which I believe no libe- 
ral-minded Scotfman will deny. He was indeed, 
if I may be allowed the phrafe, at bottom much of 
a John Bully much of a blunt frue born E?igltjhman. 
There was a ftratum of common clay under the 
fock of marble. He was voracioufly fond of good 
gating L and he had a great deal of that quality 

calleci 



%o JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

called humour^ which gives an oilinefs and a glofs to 
€very other quality. 

I am, I flatter myfelf, completely a citizen of the 
world. — In my travels through Holland, Germany, 
Switzerland, Italy, Corfica, France, I never felt 
myfelf from hon^ ; and I fmcercly love " every 
kindred and tongue and people and nation." I 
fublbribe to what my late truly learned and philofo-^ 
phical friend Mr. Crofbie faid, that the Englijfh are 
better animals than the Scots ; tiiey are nearer the 
fun J their blood is richer, and more mellow: but 
when I humour any of them in an outrageous con- 
tempt of Scotland, I fairly own I treat them as 
children. And thus I have, at feme momentSj 
found myfelf obliged to treat even Dr. Johnfon. 

To Scotland however he ventured; and he return- 
,ed from it in great good humour, with his preju- 
dices much leflened, and with very grateful feelings 
of the hofpitality with which he v^as treated; as is 
evident from that admirable work, his " Journey to 
the Weilern Iflands of Scotland," which, to my 
utter aftonifhment, has been mifapprehended, even 
to rancour, by many of my countrymen. 

To have the company of Cliambers and Scott, 
he delayed his journey fo long, that the court of fef- 
fion, which rifes on the eleventh of Auguft, was 
broke up before he got to Edinburgh. 

On Saturday the fourteenth of Augufl, 1773, late 
in the evening, I received a note from him, that he 
was arrived at Boyd's inn, at the head of the Canon- 
gate. I went to him direcfuly. lie embraced me 
cordially; and I exulted in the thought, that I no\y 
had him aflually in Caledonia. Mr. Scott's amiable 
mannerSj and attachment to our Socrates, at once 

united 



TO THE HEBRIDES.. u 

united me to him. He told me that, before I came 
in, theDodor had unluckily had a bad fpecimen of 
Scottlfh cleanlinefs. He then drank no fermented 
liquor. He afked to have his lemonade made fweet- 
er i upon which the waiter, with his greafy fingers, 
lifted a lump of fugar, and put it into it. The 
Doflor, in indignation, threw it out of the window. 
Scott faid, he was afraid he would have knocked 
the waiter down. Mr. Johnfon told me, that fuch 
another trick was played him at the houfe of a la- 
dy in Paris. He was to do me the honour to lodge 
under my roof. I regretted fmcerely that I had not 
alfo a room for Mr. Scott. Mr. Johnfon and I 
walked arm-in-arm up the High-ftreet, to my lioufe 
in James's court: it was adufky night: I could not 
prevent his being afiailed by the evening effluvia of 
Edinburgh. I heard a late baronet, of fome dif- 
tindion in the political world in the beginning of the 
prefcnt reign, obferve, that " walking the ftreets 
cf Edinburgh at night was pretty perilous, and a 
good deal odoriferous." The peril is much abated, 
by the care which the magiftrates have taken to en- 
force the city laws againft throwing foul water from 
the windows •, but, from the ftru6lure of the houfes 
in the old town, which confift of many ftories, in each 
of which a different family lives, and there being no 
covered fewers, the odour flill continues. A zea- 
lous Scotfman would have wifhed Mr. Johnfon to 
be without one of his five fenfes upon this occafion. 
As we marched fiowly along, he grumbled in my 
ear, " I fmell you in the dark !" But he acknow- 
ledged that the breadth of the flreet, and the lofti- 
nefs of the buildings on each fide, made a noble 
?.ppearance. 

My 



12 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

My wife had tea ready for him, which it is well 
known he delighted to drink at all hours, particu- 
Jarly when fitting up late, and of which his able de- 
fence againft Mr. Jonas Hanway (hould have ob- 
tained him a magnificent reward from the Eaft- 
India Company. He fhewfd much complacency 
upon finding that the miftrefs of the houfe was io 
attentive to his fingular habit ; and as no man could 
be more polite when he chofe to be fo, his addrefs 
to her was moft courteous and enaagino; ; and his 
converfation loon charmed her into a forgetfulnefs 
of his external appearance. 

I did not begin to keep a regular full journal 
till fome days after -we had fet out from Edinburgh ; 
but I have luckily preferved a good many frag- 
ments of his Memorabilia from his very firft evening 
in Scotland. 

We had, a little before this, had a trial for mur- 
der, in which the judges had allowed the lapfe of 
twenty years fince its commiflion as a plea in bar, 
in conformity with the doftrine of prelcription in 
the civil law, which Scotland and feveral other coun- 
tries in Europe have adopted. He at firft dif- 
approved of this ; but then he thought there was 
fomcthing in it, if there had been for twenty years 
2 negledl to profecute a crime which was known. 
He would not allow that a murder, by not being 
difcGvered for twenty years, fliould efcape puniHi- 
mcnt. We talked of the ancient trial by duel. 
He did not think it fo abfurd as is generally fup- 
pofed; " For (fa id he) it was only allowed when the 
queftion was in equilihrio^ as when one affirmed and 
another denied j and they had a notion that Provi- 
dence would interfere in favour of him who was in 

the 



TO THE HEBRIDES. r^ 

the right. But as it was found that in a duel, he 
who was in the right had not a better chance than 
he who was in the wrong, therefore fociety infti- 
tuted the prefent mode of trial, and gave the ad- 
vantage to him who is in the right." 

We fat till near two in the morning, having chat- 
ted a good while after my wife left us. She had in- 
filled, that to (hew all refpea to the Sage, llie 
would give up her own bed-chamber to him, and 
take a worfe. This I cannot but gratefully mention, 
as one of a thouland obligations which I owe her, 
fince the great obligation of her being pleafed to 
accept of me as her hufband. 

Simday, i$tb Auguji, 

Mr. Scott came to breakfaft, ^at which I intro- 
duced to Dr. Johnfon, and him, my friend Sir 
William Forbes, now of Pitfligo j a man of whom 
too much good cannot be faid ; who, with diftin- 
guifhed abilities and application in his profelTion of 
a Banker, is at once a good companion, and a good 
chriftian j which I think is faying enough. Yet 
it is but juftice to record, that once, when he was 
in a dangerous illnefs, he was watched with the anxi^ 
ous apprehenfion of a general calamity; day and 
night his houfe was beftt with affedtionate inqui- 
ries -, and, upon his recovery, Te deum was the 
univerfal chorus from the hearU of his countrymen- 
Mr. Johnfon was pleafed with my daughter 
Veronica*, then a child of about four months old. 

She 

• The faint's name of Veronica was inti'oducecjl into our family 
through my great grandmother Veronica, Countefs of Kincardine, 
a Dutch lady of the noble boufc of Soramelfdyck, of which there «« 

a full 



t4 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

She had the appearance of liftening to him. Hid 
motions feemtd to her to be intended for her amufe- 
ment ; and when he flopped, fns fluttered, and 
made a little infantine noife, and a kind of fignal 
for him to begin again. She would be held clofe to 
him ', which was a proof, from fimple nature, that 
his figure was not horrid. Her fondnefs for him 
endeared her flill more to me, and I declared fhe 
Ihould have five hundred pounds of additional for- 
tune. 

We talked of the practice of the law. Sir Wil- 
liam Forbes laid, he thought an honeft lawyer fhould 
never undertake a caufe which he was fatisfied was 
not a juflone. " Sir, (laid Mr. Johnlbn,) a lawyer 
has no bufinefs with the juftice or injuflice of the 
caufe which he undertakes, unlefs his client afks his 
opinion, and then he is bound to give it honeflly. 
The juftice or injuftice of the caufe is to be decided 
by the judge. Confider, fir j what is the purpofe 
of courts of juftice ? It is, that every man may have 
his caufe fairly tried, by men appointed to cry caufes, 

A law- 

a full account in Bayle's DI(5lIonary. The family bad once a prince- 
ly right in Surinam. Thegovernour of that fcttiement was appoint- 
ed by the States General, the town of Amfterdam, andSommeliUyck. 
The States Genera] have acquired Sommelfdyck's right; but the 
family has ftill great dignity and opulence, and by intermarriages is 
connefted witli many other noble families. When I was at the Hague, 
I was received with all the afte8;ion of kindred. Tlie prefent Som- 
melfdyck has an important charge in'the Republick, and is as wor- 
thy a man as lives. He has honoured me with his correfpondence 
for thefe twenty years. My. great grandfather, the hufband of 
Countefs Veronica, was Alexander, Earl of Kincardine, that emi- 
nent Koyaliji wbofe charafter is given by Burnet in his Hijloryof hisoiufi 
Times, From him the Idood of Brwrf flows in my veins. Of fuch 
anceftry who would not be proud ? And, as Nihil eji, n'-fi hoc fciat 
alter, is peculiarly true of genealogy, who would not be glad to feize 
a fair opportunity to let it be known ? 

5 



TO THE HEBRIDES. i^ 

A lawyer is not to tell what he knows to be a lie: 
he is not to produce what he knows to be a falfc 
deed; but he is nottoufurp the province of the 
jury and of the judge, and determine what fhal! be 
the effeft of evidence, — what fliall be the refult of 
kgal argument. As it rarely happens that a man 
is fit to plead his own caufe, lawyers are a clafs of 
the community, who, by ftudy and experience, have 
acquired the art and power of arranging evidence, 
and of applying to the points at iiTue what the law- 
has fettled. A lawyer is to do for his client all 
that his client might fairly do for himfelf, if he 
Gould. If, by a fuperiority of attention, of 
knowledge, of fkiil, and a better m.ethod of com- 
munication, he has the advantage of his adverfary^ 
it is an advantage to which he is entitled. There 
muft always be fome advantage, on one fide or other v 
and it is better that advantage Ihould be had by 
talents, than by chance. If lawyers were to under- 
ttike no caufes till they were fure they were juft, 
a man might be precluded altogether from a trial 
of his claim, though, were it judicially examined, 
it might be found a very jufb claim." — This was 
found pra<5lical dodtrine, and rationally reprelTed a 
too refined fcrupulofity of confcience. 

Emigration was at this time a common topick of 
difcourfe. Dr. Johnfon regretted it as hurtful to hu- 
man happinefs: " For ffaid he) it fpreads mankind 
which weakens the defence of a nation, and leiTens 
the comfort of living. Men, thinly fcattered,, 
make a ihift, but a bad fhift, without many things. 
A fmith is ten miles off : they'll do without a nail 
or a ftaple. A taylor is far from them : they'll 

hotels 



i6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

botch their own clothes. It is being concentrated 
which produces high convenience.'* 

Sir William Forbes, Mr. Scott, and I, accom- 
panied Mr. Johnlon to the chapel, founded by Lord 
Chief Baron Smith, for the Service of the Church 
of England. The Reverend Mr. Carre, the fenior 
clergyman, preached from thefe words, " Becaufe 
the Lord reigneth, let the earth be glad." — I was 
.forry to think Mr. Johnfon did not attend to the 
fermon, Mr. Carre's low voice not being ftrong 
cnouorh to reach his hearinp;. A feledion of Mr. 
Carre's fermons has, fince his death, been publilh- 
cd by Sir William Forbes, and the world has ac- 
knowledged their uncommon merit. I am weU 
aflured Lord Mansfield has pronounced them to be 
excellent. 

Here I obtained a promife from Lord Chief 
Baron Orde, that he would dine at my houfe next 
day. I prefented Mr. Johnfon to his Lordfhip, 
who politely faid to him, " I have not the honour 
of knowing you ; but I hope for it, and to fee 
you at my houfe. I am to wait on you to- 
morrow." This refpeftable Englifh judge will be 
long remembered in Scotland, where he built an 
elegant houfe, and lived in it magnificently. His 
own ample fortune, with the addition of his falary, 
enabled him to be fplendidly hofpitable. It may 
be fortunate for an individual amongft ourfeives to 
be Lord Chief Baron -, and a moil worthy man now 
has the office -, but, in my opinion, it is better for 
Scotland in general, that fome of our publick em- 
ployments fhould be filled by gentlemen of diftinc- 
tion from the fouth fide of the Tweed, as we have 
the benefit of promotion in England. Such an in- 

terchancje 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 17 

terchange would make a beneficial mixture of man- 
ners-, and render our union more complete. Lord 
Chief Baron Orde was on good terms with us all, 
in a narrow country filled with jarring intcrclls and 
keen parties i and, though I well knew his opi- 
nion to be the fame with my own, he kept himfelf 
aloof at a very critical period indeed, when the 
Douglas caufe Ihook the facred fecurity of birth- 
right in Scotland to its foundation j a caufe, which 
had it happened before the Union, when there was 
no appeal to a Britilh Houfe of Lords, would have 
left the great fortrefs of honours and of property in 
ruins. 

When we got home. Dr. Johnfon defired to fee 
rny books. He took down Ogden's Sermons on 
Prayer, on which I fet a very high ' value, having 
been much edified by them, and he retired with 
them to his room. Pie did not (lay long, but foon 
joined us in the drawing room. I prefented to him 
Mr. Robert Arbuthnot, a relation of the celebrated 
Dr. Arbuthnot, and a man of literature and tafte. 
To him we were obliged for a previous recommen- 
dation, which fecured us a very agreeable recep- 
tion at St. Andrews, and which Dr. Johnfon, in 
his "Journey," afcribes to *'fome invlfible friend.'* 
Of Dr. Beattie, Mr. Johnfon laid, *' Sir, he has 
written like a man confcious of the truth, and feel' 
ing his own ftrength. Treating your adverfary 
■with refped, is giving him an advantage to which 
he is not entided. The greateft part of men can- 
not judge of reafoning, and are impreficd by cha- 
rade r ; lb that, if you allow your adverfary a re- 
fpeftable character, they v/ill think, that though 
you differ from him, you may be in the wrong. 
C Sir, 



i8 JOURNAL OF A TOtJR. 

Sir, treating your adverfary with refpedt, is ftriking 
foft in a battle. And as to Hume, — a man wha 
has fo much conceit as to tell all mankind that they 
have been bubbled for ages, and he is the wife man 
who fees better than they, — a man who has fo little 
fcrupulofity as to venture to oppofe thofe principles 
which have been thought neceffary to human happi- 
nefs, — is he to be furprifed if another man comes 
and laughs at him ? If he is the great man he thinks 
himfelf, all this cannot hurt him : it is like throw- 
ing peas againft arock." He added '■^ fomething much 
too rough" both as to Mr. Hume's head and heart, 
which I fupprefs. Violence is, in my opinion, not 
fuitable to the Chriftian caufe. Befides, I always 
lived on good terms with Mr. Hume, though I have 
frankly told him, I was not clear that it was right 
in me to keep company with him. " But (faid I) 
hov,^ much better are you than your books !" He 
was cheerful, obliging, and inftrucflive j he was 
charitable to the poor-, and many an agreeable 
hour have I pafTed with him : I have preferved 
fome entertaining and interefting memoirs of him, 
particularly when he knew himfelf to be dying, 
which I may fome time or other communicate to 
the world. I fhall nor, however, extol him fo very 
highly as Dr. Adam Smith does, who fays, in a 
letter to Mr. Strahan the Printer (not a confidential 
letter to his friend, but aietter which is publiflied* 

with 

* This letter, though fluttered by the fharp fhot of Dr. Hortis 
of Oxford's wh, in the chaiader of •' One of the People called Chrif- 
*' tians," is ftill prefixed to Mr. Hume's excellent Hiftory of Eng- 
land, like a poor invalid on the piquet guard, or like a lift of quack 
medicines fold by the fair.e bookfeller, by whom a work of whatever 
nature is publifhed j for it has no conneflion with his Hi/ory, let it 

have 



to THE HEBRIDES. 19 

\vith all formality) : "Upon the whole, I have always 
" confidered him, both in his life time and fince his 
** death, as approaching as nearly to the idea of a 
*' perfedlly wife and virtuous man as perhaps the 
*' nature of human frailty will permit." Let Dr, 
Smith confider: Was not Mr. Hume bleft with 
good health-, good fpirits, good friends, a con> 
petent and increaflng fortune ? And had he not alfo 
a perpetual feaft of fame ? But, as a learned friend 
has obferved to me, " What trials did he undergo, 
to prove the perfedion of his virCue ? Did he ever 
experience any great inftance of adverfity ?" — 
When I read this fentence, delivered by my old 
Profejfor of Moral Philofophy^ I could not help 
exclaiming with the Pfalmifi, " Surely I have now 
" more underftanding than my teachers !" 

While we were talking, there came a note to me 
from Dr. William Robertfon, 
Dear Sir, 

*' I have been cxpedling every day to hear from 

" you, of Dr. Johnfon's arrival. Pray, what do 

" you know about his motions ? I long to take 

" him by the hand. I write this from the college, 

C 2 " where 



have what it may with what are called his Philofophlcal Works. A wor- 
thy friend of mine in London was lately confulted by a lady of quali- 
ty, of moft diftinguiflied merit, what was the bell Hiftory of England 
for her fon to read. My friend recommended Hume's. Bur, upon 
recollefting that Its ufher was a fuperlative panegyrick on one, who 
endeavoured to fap the credit of our holy religion, he revoked his 
recommendation.. I am really forry for this ollentatious alliance ; 
becaufe I admire "The Theory of Moral Sentiments," and value 
thegreateft part of «' An Inquiry into the Nature and Caufrs of the 
«« Wealth of Nations." Why (hould fuch a writer be fo forgetful 
of human comfort, as to give any countenance to that dreary infide- 
lity v/hich would " im\ks us poor indeed I'* 



20 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

" where I have only this fcrap of paper. Ever 
•' yours, 

« Sunday. W. R." 

It pleafed me to find Dr. Robertfon thus eager 
to meet Dr. Johnfon. I was glad I could anfwer, 
that he was come : and I begged Dr. Robertfon 
might be with us as foon as he could. 
. Sir William Forbes, Mr. Scott, Mr. Arbuthnot, 
and another gentleman dined with us. " Come, 
Dr. Johnfon, (faid I,) it is commonly thought that 
our veal in Scotland is not good. But here is fome 
which I believe you will like." — There was no catch- 
ing \\\m.^-^Johnfoh. " Why, fir, what is com- 
monly thought, I fhould take to be true. Tour 
veal may be good -, but that will only be an excep- 
tion to the general opinion j not a proof againft it." 

Dr. Robertfon, according to the cuftom of Edin- 
burgh at that time, dined in the interval between 
the forenoon and afternoon fervice, which was then 
later than now ; fo we had not the pleafure of his 
company till dinner was over, when he came and 
drank wine with us. And then began fome ani- 
mated dialogue, of which' here follows a pretty full 
note. 

We talked of Mr. Burke. — Dr. ^Johnfon faid, 
he had great variety of knowledge, flore of imagery, 
copioufnefs of language. — Robertfon. " He has 
wit too." — Johnfon^ " No, fir j he never fucceeds 
there. 'Tis low ; 'tis conceit. I ufed to fay, 
Eurke never once made a good joke*. What I mod 

envy 

* This was one of the points upon which Dr. Johnfon was 
flrangely heterodox. For, furely, Mr. Burke, with his other re- 
markable qualities, is alfo diftinguiftied for his wit, and for wit of 

all 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 2j 

envy Burke for, is, his being conftantly the fame. 

He IS never what we call hum- drum ; never unwil- 

C 3 ling 

all kinds too ; not merely that power of language which Pope 
choofes to denominate wit, 

(True wit Is Nature to advantage dreft ; 

What oft was thought, but ne'er fo well expreft.) 

but furprifing allufions, brilliant Tallies of vivacity, and pleafant 
conceits. His fpeechesin parliament are ftrewed with them. Take, 
forinftance, the variety which he has given in his wide range, yet 
exaft detail, when exhibiting his Reform Bill. And his converfa- 
tion abounds in wit. Let me put down a fpecimen.— I told him, I 
had feen, at a Blue Jiockhig ailembly, a number of ladies fitting 
round a worthy and tall friend of ours, liftening to his literature. 
*' Ay, (faid he) like maids round a May-pole."— I told him, I had 
found out a perfeft definition of human nature, as diftinguidied 
from the animal. An ancient philofopher faid, Man was ♦* a two- 
legged animal without feathers," upon which his rival Sage had a 
Cock plucked bare, and fet him down in the fchool before all the 
difciples, as a " Philofophick Man." Dr. Franklin faid, Man 
was " a tool-making animal," which is very wellj for no animal 
but man makes a thing, by means of which he can make another 
thing. But this applies to very few of tlie fpecies. My definitioa 
of Man is, "a Cooking Animal." The beafts have memory, judg- 
ment, and all the faculties and paffions of our mind, in a certain 
degree i but no beaft is a cook. The trick of the monkey ufing the 
cat's paw to roaft a cheftnut, is only a piece of Ihrewd malice in 
that turpt/Jlma bejiia, which humbles us fo fadly by its fimilarity to 
us. Man alone can drefs a good di/h; and every man whatever is 
more or lefs a cook, in fcafoning what he himfelf eats— Your defi- 
nition is good, faid Mr- Burke, and I now fee the full force of the 
common proverb, " There is reafon in roafting of eggs."— When 
Mr. Wilkes, in hisdaysof tumultuous oppofition, was borneupon 
the flioulders of the mob, Mr. Burke (as Mr. Wilkes told me him- 
felf, with daffical admiration,) applied to him what Horace fays of 



Lege folutit. 



'tjumeri/qvie fertur 



Sir JoQiua Reynolds, who agrees with me entirely as to Mr." 
Burke's fertility of wit, faid, that this was ♦« dignifying a pun." 

He. 



^2 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

ling to begin to talk, nor in hafte to leave off,"— i 
Bofzt^elL " Yet he can liften." — John/on. " No j I 
cannot fay he is good at that. So defirous is he to 
talk, that, if one is fpeakingat this end of the table, 
he'll fpeak to fomebody at the other end. Burke, 
fir, is luch a man, that if you rnet him for the firft 

time 

Healfoobfervecl, that he has often heard Burke fay, in the courfe of 
an evening, ten good things, each of which would have feived a 
noted wit (whom he named) to live upon for a twelvemonth. 

I find, fince the former edition, that feme perfons have objefted 
to the inftances which I have given of Mr. Burke's wit, as not do- 
ing juftice to my very ingenious friend ; the fpecimens produced 
having, it is alledged, more of conceit tlian real wit, and being 
merely fportive fallies of the moment, not juftifying the encomium 
which they think with me, he undoubtedly merits. I was well 
aware, how hazardous it was to exhibit particular inftances of wit, 
which is of fo airy and fpiritual a nature as often to elude the hand tha^ 
attempts to giafp it. The excellence and efficacy of a io« »«/ de- 
pend frequently fo much on the occafion on which it is fpoken, on 
,the particular manner of the fpeaker, on the perfon of whom it is 
applied, the previous introduflion, and a thoufand minute particu- 
lars which cannot be eafily enumerated, that it is always dangerous 
to detach a witty faying from the group to which it belongs, and to 
fet it before the eye of the fpe^lator, divefted of thofe concomitant 
circumftances, which gave it animation, mellownefs, and relief. I 
ventured, however, at all hazards, to put down the firft inftances; 
that occurred to me, as proofs of Mr. Burke's lively and brilliant 
fancy ; but am very fenfible that his numerous friends could have 

uggefted many «f a fuperior quality. Indeed, the being in com- 
pany with him, for a fingle day, isfufficient to (lievv that what I have 
afferted is well founded ; and it was only necefTary to have appealed 
to all who know him intimately, for a complete refutation of the 
heterodox opinion entertained by Dr. Johnfon on this fuhjeft. He 
allowed Mr. Burke, as the reader vyiil find hereafter, to be a man 
of confummate and unrivalled abilities in every light except that 
now under confideration ; and the variety of his allufions, and fplen- 
dour of his imagery, have made fuch an imprefiion on all t lie rgjl oi 
the world, that fupeificial obfervers are apt to overlook his other 
merits, and to fuppofe that wit is his chief and moft prominent ex- 
cellence 3 when in fafl it is only one of the many talents that he 
poftelTes, which are fo various and extraordinary, that it is very diffi- 
cult to afcertain precifely the rank and value of each. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 23 

tunc in the flreet where you were (lopped by a 
drove of oxen, and you and he ftepped afide to take 
Shelter but for five minutes, he'd talk to you in 
fuch a manner, that, when you parted, you would 
fay, this is an extraordinary man. Now, you may be 
long enough with me, without finding any thing 
extraordinary." He faid, he believed Burke was 
intended for the law; but either had not money 
enough to follow it, or had not diligence enough. 
He faid, he could not underftand how a man could 
apply to one thing, and not to another. Robertfon 
faid, one man had more judgment, another more 
imagination. — John/on. " No, fir ; it is only, one 
man has more mind than another. He may direct 
it differently; he may, by accident, fee the fuccefs 
of one kind of fludy, and take a defire to excel in 
it. 1 am perfuaded that, had Sir Ifaac Newton 
applied to poetry, he would have made a very fine 
epick poem. 1 could as eafily apply to law as to 
tragick poetry." — Bofvjdl. " Yet, fir, you did ap- 
ply to tragick poetry, not to law." — John/on. 
" Becaufe, fir, I had not money to ftudy law. Sir, 
the man who has vigour, may walk to the eaft, jull 
as well as to the weft, if he happens to turn his head 
that way." — Bofwell. " But, fir, 'tis like v/alking 
up and down a hill ; one man will naturally do the 
one better than the other. A hare will run up a hill 
beft, from her fore-legs being fliort ; a dog down." 
Johnfo?i. " Nay, fir; that is from m.echanical 
powers. If yoq make mind mechanical, you may. 
argue in that manner. One mind is a vice, and 
holds faft ; there's a good memory. Another is a 
file; andhe isadifputant, a controverfialift. Another 
'isara^or; and heisfarcaftical." — We talked of /^""w/^- 
C 4 ■ field 



24 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

field. He faid, he was at the fame college with him^ 
and knew him before he began to be better than other 
people (fmiling) j that he believed he fincerely 
meant well, but had a mixture of politicks and 
oftentation : whereas VVeJley thought of religion 
only*. — Robert/on ^d^\d^ Whiteficld had ftrong natu- 
ral eloquence, which, if cultivated, would have 
done great things. — Johnjon. " Why, fir, I take 
it, he was at the height of what his abilities could 
do, and was fenfible of it. He had the ordinary 
advantages of education ; but he chofe to purfue 
that oratory which is for the mob.'* — B of well. " He 
had great effsc^ on the paffions." — Johnfon. " Why, 
fir, I don't think fo. He could not reprefent a 
fucceffion of pathetick images. He vociferated, 
and made an imprefllon. There.^ again, was a mind 
like a hammer."— Dr. Johnfon now faid, a certain 
eminent political friend of our's was v.rong, in his 
maxim of ftxk'.ng to a certain let ot men on all oc- 
cafions. " I can fee that a man may do right to 
flick to a party (faid he) ; that is to lay, he is a 
JVhig^ or he is a Tory, and he thinks one of thofe 
parties upon the whole the bed, and that to make 
it prevail, it muft be generally fupported, though, 
in particulars, it may be wrong. He takes its fag- 
got 

* That cannot be faid now^ after the flagrant part which Mr. 
yohn Wijley took againft our American brethren, when, in his own 
name, lie threw amor.gft his enthufi.iftick flock, the very individual 
con-(bu(tibles of Dr. 'Johnfin's " Taxitlon no Tyranny j" and after 
the intolerant fpiiit which he manifeticd againllour ftllow-chri(iianS 
of the Roman C'atholick Communion, for which that able champion. 
Father O'L^-ij^, has given him To hearty a druhbing. But I (hould 
think mylelf very unwcrhy, if I did not at the fame time acknow- 
ledge Mr. John We(k>'s merit, as a veteran " Soldier of Jefus 
Chnft," who has I do believe, turned many from darknefs in;^ 
Jighj, and from the pcver of Satan to the living God." 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 25 

got of principles, in which there are fewer rotten 
ilicks than in the other, though fome rotten flicks 
to be Hire •, and they cannot well be feparated. Bur, 
to bind one's feU" to one man, or one Tet of men, 
(who may be right to-day and wrong to-morrow,) 
without any general preference of fyftem, I muft 
diiapprove *." 

He told us of Cooke, who tranflated Hefiod, 
and lived twenty years on a tranflation of Plautus, 

for 



* If due attention were paid to this obfervation, there would be 
more virtue, even in politicks. What Dr. Johnfon juftly condemned, 
has, lam ferry to fay, greatly increafed in the prefent reign. At the 
dillance of four yeais from this converfiition, 21ft February I777» 
My Lord Archbifliop of York, in his " fermon before the Society 
«' for the Propagation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts/' thus indig- 
nantly defcribes the then ftate of parties : 

" Parties once had a frinaple belonging to them, abfurd perhaps, 
*' and indefenfible, Vmt ftili carrying a notion of duty, by wliich 
<• honeft minds might eafily be cauglit, 

" But they are now combinations of inJin^iJuals, who, inftead of 
*' being the ions and fervants of the community, make a league for 
*« advancing the'iv private intere/?s. It is their bufinefs to hold high 
** thtTioixonoi foiitual honour. I believe and truft, it is not injuri- 
*' cus to fay, that fuch a bond is no better than that by which the 
*' loweft and wickedeft combinations are held together; and that it 
" denotes the lall itage of political depravity." 

To find a thought, which juli Hiewed iifelf to us from the mind of 
Jchiifon, thus appearing again at fuch a diftance of time, and with- 
out any communication between them, enlarged to full growth in the 
mmdo'iMarkham, is a curious objecl of philofophical contemplation. 
—That two fuch great and luminous minds (houldhave been fodark 
in onecorner,— that rZ-y (hould have held it to be"Wicked rebellion in 
the Britifh fubjefts eiiabliflied in America, to refift the abjeft condition 
of holding all their property at the mercy of Britirti fubjefls remain- 
ing at home, while their allegiance to our common Lord the King 
v/as to be preferved inviolate, — is a ftriking proof to me, either that 
«« He who fitteth in Heaven," fcorns the loftinefs of human pride,— 
or that the evil fpirit, whofc perfonal txiftence I ftrongly believe, 
and even in this age am confirmed in that belief by a Fell, nay, by a 
Murd, has more power than fome choofe to allow* 



?6 JOURNALOFATOUR 

for which he was always taking fubfcriptions ; and 
that he prefented Foote to a Club, in the following 
fingular manner : " This is the nephew of the gen- 
tleman who was lately hung in chains for murdering 
Jiis brother." 

In the evening I introduced to Mr. Johnfon* two 
good friends of mine, Mr. William Nairne, Advo- 
cate, and Mr. Hamilton of Sundrum, my neigh- 
bour in the country, both of whom fupped with us. 
I have preferved nothing of what pafTed, except 
that Dr. Johnfon difplaycd another of his heterodox 
opinions, — a contempt of tragick afling. He faid, 
*' the adion of all players in tragedy is bad. It 
iliould be a man's ftudy to reprefs thofe figns of 
emotion and paffion, as they are called." He was 
of a direftly contrary opinion to that of Fielding, ia 
his Tom Jones ; who makes Partridge fay, of Gar- 
rick, " why, I could a<5l as well as he myfelf. I 
*' am fure, if I had feen a ghofl, I lliould have 
" looked in the very fame manner, and done juft 
*' as he did." For, when I afKed him, *' Would 
not you, fir, ftart as Mr. Garrick does, if you faw 
a ghoft ?" He anfwered, " I hope not, If 1 didj 
I Ihould frighten the ghqft." 

Monday i l6tb Jugujf. 
Dr. William Robertfon came to breakfaft. We 
talked of Ogcien on Prayer. Dr. Johnfon faid, 

« Th^ 

* It may be obferved, that I fometimes call my great friend, 
Mr. Johnfon, fometimes Dr. Johnfon ; though he had at this time 
a doctor's degree from Trinity College, Dublin. The Univerfity of 
Oxford afterwards conferred it upon him by a diploma, in very 
honourable terms. It was fonie time before I could bring myfelf to 
call him Doftor ; but, as he has been long known by that title^ \ 
fhall give it to him in the reft of this Journal. 



TO THE HEBRIDES, 27 

« The fame arguments which are ufed againfl: 
God's hearing prayer, will ferve againfl: his reward- 
ing good, and punifhing evil. He has refolved, he 
has declared, in the former cafe as in the latter." 
He had lafl: night looked into Lord Hailes's 
f' Remarks on the Hiftory of Scotland." Dr. Ro- 
bertfon and I faid, it was a pity Lord Hailes did 
not write greater things. His lordfhip had not 
then publiflied his " Annals of Scotland." — 'John- 
fon» " I remember I was once on a vifit at the 
houfe of a lady for whom I had a high refpeft. 
There was a good deal of company in the room. 
When they were gone, I faid to this lady, ' What 
foolifli talking have we had !' — ' Yes, (faid flie,) 
but while they talked, you faid nothing.' — I was 
ftruck with the reproof. How much better is the 
man who does any thing that is innocent, than he 
who does notiiing. Befides, I love anecdotes. I 
fancy mankind may come, in time, to write all 
aphoriftically, except in narrative; grow weary of 
preparation, and connexion, and iliufl:ration, and 
all thofe arts by which a big book is made. — If a 
man is to wait till he weaves anecdotes into a fyftem, 
we may be long in getting them, and get but izw, 
in comparifon of what we might get." 

Dr. Robertfon faid, the notions of Eupham 
Macallan, a fanatick woman, of whom Lord Hailes 
gives a fketch, were fl;ill prevalent among fome of 
the PreflDyterians •, and therefore it was right in 
Lord Hailes, a man of known piety, to undeceive 
them. 

We walked out, that Dr. Johnfon might fee fome 
of the things which we have to fhew at Edinburgh. 
We went to the Parliament- Houfe, where the Par- 
liament 



it JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

liament of Scotland fat, and where the Ordinary 
Lords of SelTion hold their courts ; and to the New 
Scffion-Houfe adjoining to it, where our Court of 
Fifteen (the fourteen Ordinaries, with the Lord 
Prefident at their head,) fit as a court of Review. 
We vvent to the Advocates^ Library, of which Dr. 
Johnfon took a curfory view, and then to what is 
called the Laigh (or under) Parliament-Houfe, 
where rhe records of Scotland, which has an univer- 
fal fecurity by regifter, are depofited, till the great 
Regifter Office be finilhed. I was pleafed to behold 
Dr, Samuel Johnfon rolling about in this old maga- 
zine of antiquities. There was, by this time, a 
pretty numerous circle of us attending upon him. 
Somebody talked of happy moments for compo- 
fition ; and how a man can write at one time, and 
not at another. — "Nay (faid Dr. Johnfon) a man 
may write at any time, if he will fet himfelf doggedly'*' 
to It." 

I here began to indulge old Scottijh fentiments, 
and to exprefs a warm regret, that, by our Union 
v/ith England, we were no more •, — our independent 
kingdom was loft. — Johnfon. " Sir, never talk of 
your independency, who could let your Qiieen re- 
main twenty years in captivity, and then be put to 
death, without even a pretence of juftice, without 
your ever attempting to refcue her; and fuch a 
Qiieen too ! as every man of any gallantry of fpirit 
would have facrificed his life for." — Worthy Mr. 
James Kerr, Keeper of the Records. " Half our 

nation 

• This word is commonly ufed to ngnifyy}//Zf«/>', gloomily; and 
in that fenfe alone ii apjiears in Dr, Jolinfon's Dictionary. I fiip- 
pole he meant by it, '< with an ohfimaie refolution, fimilai to that of % 
fuiien man," 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 29 

nation was bribed by Englifh money." — John/on, 
" Sir, that is no defence : tliat makes you worfe.'* 
—Good Mr. Brozvn^ Keeper of the Advocates Li- 
hrary. '* We had better lay nothing about it."— 
Bofujell. " You would have been glad, however, 
to have had us laft war, fir, to fight your battles !" 
' — Johnfon. " We (hould have had you for the fame 
price, though there had been no Union, as we might 
have had Swifs, or other troops. No, no, I fhall 
agree to a feparation. You have only to go home^^^ 
— Juft as he had faid this, I to divert the fubjedV, 
fhewed him the figned alTurances of the three fuc- 
ceffive Kings of the Hanover family, to maintain 
the Prefbyterian eftablifhment in Scotland. — " We'll 
give you that (faid he) into the bargain." 

We next went to the great church of St. Giles, 
which has loft its original magnificence in the infide, 
by being divided into four places of Prefbyterian 
worfliip. " Come, (faid Dr. Johnfon jocularly to 
Principal Robertfon*,) let me fee what v/as once a 
church !" We entered that divifion which was 
formerly called the 'New Churchy and of late the 
High Churchy fo well known by the eloquence of Dr. 
Hugh Blair. It is now very elegantly fitted up ; but 
it was then fhamefully dirty. Dr. Johnfon faid no- 
thing at the time-, but wlien we came to the great 
door of the Royal Infirmary, where, upon a board, 
was this infcripticn, " Clean your feet /" he turned 
about flyly, and faid, " There is no occafion for 
putting this at the doors of your churches 1" 

* I have hitherto called him Dr. Wiiiiara Robertfon, to diftln- 
guifh hlir. from Dr. James Roberti'on^ who is foon to make his ap- 
pearance. But Principal from his. being the head of our colicge, is 
ills ufuh! df figiiaticdi; and is fliorler ; lb I Ihail ule it hereafter. 



3d JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We thea condufled him down the Poft-houfc 
flairs. Parliament- clofe, and made him look up 
from the Cow-gate to the higheft building in Edin- 
burgh, (from which he had juft defcended,) being 
thirteen floors or ftories from the ground upon the 
back elevation •, the front wall being built upon 
the edge of the hill, and the back wall rifing from 
the bottom of the hill feveral ftories before it comes 
to a level with the front wall. We proceeded to 
the College, with the Principal at our head. Dr. 
Adam FergufTon, whofe " EfTay on the Hiflory of 
civil Society" gives him a refpedtable place in the: 
ranks of literature, was with us. As the College 
buildings are indeed very mean, the Principal faid 
to Dr. Johnfon, that he muft give them the fame 
epithet that a Jefuit did when fhewing a poor col- 
lege abroad : " Ha miferia noftrce." Dr. Johnfon 
was, hov/ever, much pleafed with the library, and 
with the converfation of Dr. James Robertfon, 
ProfeiTor of Oriental Languages, the Librarian. 
We talked of Kennicot's edition of the Hebrew 
Bible, and hoped it would be quite faithful. — 
Johnfon. " Sir, I know not any crime fo great that a 
man could contrive to commit, as poifoning the 
fources of eternal truth." 

I pointed out to him where there formerly flood 
an old wall enclofing part of the college, which I 
remember bulged out in a threatening manner, 
and of which there was a common tradition fimilar 
to that concerning Eacon^s Study at Oxford, that it 
would fall upon fome very learned man. It had 
fome time before this been taken down, that the 
ftreet might be widened, and a more convenient 
wall built. Dr. Johnfon, glad of an opportunity 

to 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 3! 

to have a pleafant hit at Scottifh learning, faid, 
" they have been afraid it never vv^ould fall." 

We (hewed him the Royal Infirmary, for which, 
and for every other exertion of generous publick 
fpirit in his power, that noble-minded citizen of* 
Edinburgh, George Drummond, will be ever held 
in honourable remembrance. And we were too 
proud not to carry him to the Abbey of Holyrood- 
houfe, that beautiful piece of architedlure, but, 
alas! that deferted manfion of royalty, which 
Hamilton of "Bangour, in one of his elegant poems, 
calls 

*' A virtuous palace, where no monarch dwells.'* 

I was much entertained while Principal Robertfoni 
fluently harangued to Dr. Johnfon, upon the fpor, 
concerning fcenes of his celebrated Hidory of Scot- 
land. We furveyed that part of the palace appro- 
priated to the Duke of Hamilton, as Keeper, in 
which our beautiful Queen Mary lived, and in 
which David Rizzio was murdered; and alfo the 
State Rooms. Dr. Johnfon was a great reciter of 
all forts of things ferious or comical. I over-heard 
him repeating here, in a kind of muttering tone, a 
line of the old ballad, Johmi)' Armfirong's Lafi; Good* 
Night : 

" And ran him through the fair body *!" 

We returned to my houfe, where there met him, 
at dinner, the Duchefs of Douglas, Sir Adolphua 

Oughcon, 

• The ftanza from which he took, this line is, 
'• But then rofe up all Edinbuigli, 

** They rofe up by thoufands three; 
** A cowardly Scot came John beliind, 
♦♦ And ran him thiough the fair body. I '^ 



3a JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Oughton, Lord Chief Baron, Sir William Forbes, 
Principal Robertfon, Mr. Cullen, advocate. Before 
dinner, he told us of a curious converfation between 
the famous George Faulkner and him. George 
faid that England had drained Ireland of fifty 
thoufand pounds in fpecie, annually, for fifty years. 
" How fo, fir ! (faid Dr. Johnfon,) you muft have a 
very great trade ?" ' No trade.* — *' Very rich 
mines ?" * No mines.' — ." From whence, then, 
does all this money come ?" ' Come ! why out of 
the blood and bowels of the poor people of Ire- 
land !' 

He feemed to me to have an unaccounta,ble pre- 
judice againft Swift ; for I once took the liberty to 
afk him, if Swift had perfonally offended him, and 
he told me, he had not. He faid to-day, " Swift 
is clear, but he is fhallow. In coarfe humour, he 
is inferior to Arbuchnot; in delicate humour, he is 
inferior to Addifon : So he is inferior to his con- 
temporaries •, without putting him againfl the whole 
world. I doubt if the " Tale of a Tub" was his : 
it has fo much more thinking, more knowledge, 
more power, more colour, than any of the works 
which are indifputably his. If it was his, I Ihall only 
fay, he was impar fibi" 

We gave him as good a dinner as we could. Our 
Scotch muir-fowl, or growfe, were then abundant, 
and quite in feafon ; and, fo far as wifdom and wit 
can be aided by adminiftering agreeable fcnfations to 
the palate, my wife took care that our great gueil 
Ihould not be deficient. 

Sir Adolphus Oughton, then our Deputy Com- 
mander in Chief, who was not only an excellent of- 
ficer, but one of the moil univerlal fcholars I ever 
1. . knew. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 33 

knew, had learned the Erfe language, and exprefled 
his belief in the authenticity of Offian's Poetry. Dr. 
Johnfon took the oppofite fide of that perplexed 
queftion ; and I was afraid the difpute would have 
run high between them. But Sir Adolphus, who 
had a very fweet temper, changed the difcourfe, 
grew playful, laughed at Lord Monboddo's notion 
of men having tails, and called him a Judge, ^ 
pojlerioriy which amufed Dr. Johnfon; and thus 
hoftilities v/ere prevented. 

At fupper we had Dr. Cullen, his fon the advo- 
cate. Dr. Adam FergufTon, and Mr. Crofbie, advo- 
cate. Witchcraft was introduced. Mr. Crofbic 
faid, he thought it the greateft blafphemy to fup- 
pofe evil fpirits counterading the Deity, and raifing 
ftorms, for inftance, to deflroy his creatures.-— 
Johnfon, " Why, fir, if moral evil be confident 
with the government of the Deity, why may not 
phyfical evil be alfo confident with it? It is not 
more fl:range that there fliould be evil fpirits, than 
evil men : evil unembodied fpirits, than evil embo- 
died fpirits. And as to ftorms, we know there 
are fuch things •, and it is no worfe that evil fpirits 
raife them, than that they rife." — Crofbie, " But 
it is not credible, that witches fhould have efFedled 
what they are faid in ftories to have done." — John- 
fon, " Sir, I am not defending their credibility. I 
am only faying, that your arguments are not good, 
and will not overturn the belief of witchcraft. — . 
(Dr. FgrgufTon faid to me, afide, ' He is right.') — 
And then, fir, you have all mankind, rude and 
civilized, agreeing in the belief of the agency of 
preternatural powers. You mufl: take evidence : 
you mud confider, that v/ife and great men hav«- 
D con- 



34 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

condemned witches to die." — Crojbie. " But an a(5b 
of parliament put an end to witchcraft."—^ 
Johnfon. " No, fir j witchcraft had ceafed j and 
therefore an aft of parliament was paffed to prevent 
perfecution for what was not witchcraft. Why it 
ceafed, we cannot tell, as we cannot tell the reafon 
of many other things." — Dr. Cullen, to keep up 
the gratification of myfterious difquificion, with the 
grave addreis for which he is remarkable in his com- 
panionable as in his profeffional hours, talked, in 
a very entertaining manner, of people walking 
and converfing in their fleep. I am very forry I 
have no note of this. We talked of the Ouran- 
Outang, and of Lord Monboddo's thinking that he 
might be taught to fpeak. Dr. Johnfon treated 
this with ridicule. Mr. Crofbie laid, that Lord 
Monboddo believed the exiftence of every thing 
poffible; in ihort, that all which is in^*?^ might be 
found in effe. — Johjifoii. " But, fir, it is as poflible 
that the Oiiran-Outang does not fpeak, as that he 
fpeaks. However, I fiiall not conteft the point. 
I fliould have thought it not poflible to find a 
Monboddo-, yti he exifts." — I again mentioned the 
ftage. — Johnfon. *' The appearance of a player, 
with whom I have drunk tea, counterads the ima- 
gination that he is the charader he reprefents. Nay, 
you know, nobody imagines that he is the character 
he reprefenrs. They fay, * See Garrick ! how he 
looks to-night ! See how he'll clutch the dagger ! ' 
That is the buz of the theatre." 

Tuefday, ijlh Auguft. 
Sir William Forbes came to breakfaft, and 
brought with him Dr? Blacklock, whom he intro- 
duced 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 35 

duced to Dr. Johnfon, who received him with a 
moft humane complacency •, *' Dear Dr. Blacklock, 
I am glad to fee you !" — Blacklock feemed to be 
much lurprized, when Dr. Johnfon faid, " it was 
eafier to him to write poetry than to compofe his 
Dielionary. His mind was lefs on the ftretch in 
doing the one than the ocher. Befides ; compofing 
a Didionary requires books and a delk : you can 
make a poem walking in the fields, or lying in 
bed."— Dr. Blacklock fpoke of fcepticifm in morals 
and religion, with apparant uneafmefs, as if he 
wiflied for more certainty*. Dr. Johnfon, who had 
thought it all over, and whofe vigorous underftand- 
ing was fortified by much experience, thus en- 
couraged the blind Bard to apply to higher fpecu- 
lations what we all willingly fubmit to in common 
life : in fhorr, he gave him more familiarly the able 
and fair reafoning of Butler's Analogy : " Why, fir, 
the greatfeft concern we have in this world, the 
choice of our profefllon, muft be determined with- 
out demonftrative reafoning. Human life is not 
yet fo well known, as that we can have it. And 
take the cafe of a man who is ill. I call two phy- 
ficians : they differ in opinion. I am not to lie 
down, and die between them : 1 muft do fome- 
thing." — The conver.^ation then turned on Atheifm ; 
on that horrible book, Syfteme de la Nature ; and 
on the fuppofition of an eternal necefTityj without 
defign, without a governing mmd.— Johnfon. *' If 
it were fo, why has it ceafed ? Why don't we fee 
men thus produced around us now } Why, at leaft, 
does it not keep pace, in fome meafure, with the 
D 2 progrefs 

* See his letter on this fubjeil ia the Appendix. 



36 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

progrefs of time ? If it flops becaufe there is now 
no need of it, then it is plain there is, and ever has 
been, an all-powerful intelligence. But flay ! (faid 
he, with one of his fatyrick laughs.) Ha! ha! ha! 
I fliall fuppofe Scotchmen made neceffarily, and 
Englifhmen by choice." 

At dinner this day, we had Sir Alexander Dick, 
whofe amiable character, and ingenious and cultivated 
mind, are fo generally known; (he was then on 
the. verge of feventy, and is now (1785) eighty- one, 
with his faculties entire, his heart warm, and his 
temper gay,) Sir David Dalrymple Lord Kailes ; 
Mr. Maclaurin, advocate ; Dr. Gregory, who now 
worthily fills his father's medical chair ; and my 
uncle. Dr. Bofwell. This was one of Dr. John- 
fon's befl days. He was quite in his element. All 
was literature and tafle, without any interruption. 
Lord Hailes, who is one of the befl philologifts in 
Great- Britain, who has written papers in the Worlds 
and a variety of other works in profe and in verfe, 
both Latin and Englifli, pleafed him highly. He 
told him, he had dilcovered the Life of Cheynel, in 
the Student, to be his. — Johnfou. ** No one elfe 
knows it."— Dr. Johnfon had, before this, dilat- 
ed to me a law-paper, upon a queflion purely in 
the law of Scotland, concerning vicious intromijfion, 
that is to fay, intermeddling with the efFeds of a 
deceaied perfon, withouc a regular title; which 
formerly vvas underflood to fubjed che intermeddler 
to payment of all the defund's debts. The princi- 
ple has of late been relaxed. Dr. Johnfon's argu- 
ment was, for a renewal of its flridneis. The paper 
was printed, with additions by me, and given into 
the Court of Seifion. Lord Hailes knew Dr. John- 
fon's 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 57 

fon's part not to be mine, and pointed out exaflly 
where it began, and where it ended. Dr. Johnfon 
faid, " It is much, now, that his lordfhip can dif- 
tinguifli fo." 

In Dr. Johnfon's Vanity of Human Wijhes^ there 
is the following paffage : 

** The teeming mother, anxious for her race, 

** Begs, for each birth, the fortune of a face : 

*• Yet Vane could tell, what ills from beauty fpring; 

*' And Sedley curs'd the charms which pleas'd a king,'* 

Lord Hailes told him, he was miftaken in the 
inftances he had given of unfortunate fair ones; for 
neither Vane nor Medley had a title to that defcrip- 
tion. His Lordfhip has fince been fo obliging as 
to fend me a note of this, for the communication of 
which I am fure my readers will thank me. 

" The lines in the tenth Satire of Juvenal, ac- 
** cording to my alteration, fhould have run thus : 

" Yet Shore * could tell- ;" 

** And ^^A-Vrff curs'd ." 

" The firft was a penitent by compulfion, the 
" fecond by fentiment ; though the truth is, Made- 
" moifelle de la Valiere threv/ herfelf (but ftill from 
fentiment) in the King's way. 

" Our friend chofe Vane^ who v/as far from being 
" well-looked ; and Sedley^ who was fo ugly, thac 
" Charles II. faid, his brother had her by way of 
*' penance." 

Mr. Maclaurin's learning and talents enabled him 

to do his part very well in Dr. Johnibn's company. 

He produced two epitaphs upon his father, the ce- 

D 3 lebrated 

« Midrefs of Edward IV. f Miilrefs of Louis XIV. 



38 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

lebrated mathematician. One was in Englifh, of 
which Dr. Johnfon did not change one word. In 
the other, which was in Latin, he made feveral 
alterations. In place of the very words of Virgil, 
•' Ubi lu£lus et pa'uor et plurima 'mortis imago" he 
wrote *' Ubi lu£lus regnant et favor ^ He intro- 
duced the word prorjus into the line " Mortalibus 
prorfiis non ahfit folatium " and after " Hujus enim 
fcripta evolve, he added, " Mentemque tantarum 
rerum capacem corpori caduco fuperftitem crede-j'* 
which, is quite applicable to Dr. Johnfon himfelf. * 

Mr. Murray, advocate, who married a niece of 
Lord Mansfield's and is now one of the Judges of 
Scotland, by the title of Lord Henderland, fat with 
us a part of the evening ; but did not venture to 
fay any thing, that I remember, though he is cer- 
tainly poffefTed of talents which would have enabled 
him to have fhewn himfelf to advantage, if too great 
anxiety had not prevented him. 

At fupper we had Dr. Alexander Webfter, who, 
though not learned, had fuch a knowledge of man- 
kind, fuch a fund of information and entertainment, 
fo clear a head and fuch accommodating manners, 

that 

* Mr. Maclaurm's epitaph, as engraved on a marble tombftone, 

in the Gray-Friars churchyard, Edinburgh; 

Infra fitus eft 

COLIN MACLAURIN, 

Matlies. olim in Acad. Edin. Prof. 

Eleftus ipfo Newtcno fuadente. 

H. L. P. F. 

Non ut nomini paterno confulat. 

Nam taii auxilio nil eget; 

Sed ut in hoc infelici campo. 



Ubi lu6i;us regnant et 



pavor. 



Morialibus prorAis non abfit folatium s 

Hujus eninVfcripta evolve, 

Menteinque tantarum rerum capacem 

Corpori caduco fuperftitem crede. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 39 

that Dr. Johnlbn found him a very agreeable com- 
panion. 

When Dr. Johnfon and I were left by ourfclves, 
I read to him my notes of the Opinions of our 
Judges upon the queftions of Literary Property. 
He did not like them i and faid, " they make me 
think of your Judges not with that refpecfl which I 
fhould wifh to do." To the argument of one of 
them, that there can be no property in blafphemy 
or nonfenle, he anfwered, " then your rotten llieep 
are mine ! — By that rule, when a man^s houfe falls 
into decay, he mufl: lofe it, " — I mentioned an 
argument of mine, that literary performances are 
not taxed. As Churchill fays, 

*' No ftatefman yet has thought it worth his pains 
** To tax our labours, or excife our brains ;" 

and therefore they are not property. — " Yet, (fa'd 
he,) we hang a man for dealing a horfe, and horfes 
are not taxed." — Mr. Pitt has fince put an end to 
that argument. 

Wednefday i^th Augiift, 

On this day we fet out from Edinburgh. We 
fliould gladly have had Mr. Scott to go with us ; 
but he was obliged to return to England. — 1 have 
given a fketch of Dr. Johnfon : my readers may 
wifli to know a little of his fellow traveller. Think 
then, of a gentleman of ancient blood, the pride 
of which was his predominant paffion. He was 
then in his thirty-third year, and had been about 
four years happily married. His inclination was 
to be a foldier •, but his father, a refpedable Judge, 
had prelTed him into the profefilon of the law. 
D 4 He 



4# JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

He had travelled a good deal, and feen many va- 
rieties of human life. He had thought more than, 
any body fuppofed, pd had a pretty good flock 
of general learning and knowledge. He had all 
Dr. Johnlbn's principles, with fome degree of re- 
laxation. He had rather too little, than too much 
prudence-, and, his imagination being lively, he 
often faid things of which the effedt was very dif- 
ferent from the intention. He refembled fometimes 

*' The bell good man, with the worft natur'd mufe." 

He cannot deny himfelf the vanity of finifhing with 
the encomium of Dr. Johnfon, whofe friendly par- 
tiality to the companion of his Tour reprefents hini 
as one, " whofe acutenefs would help my inquiry, 
and whofe gaiety of converladon, and civility of 
manners, are fufficient to counteraft the inconve- 
niences of travel, in countries lefs hofpitable than 
wc have pafied." 

Dr. Johnfon thought it unnecefTary to put him- 
felf to the additional expence of bringing with him 
Francis Barber, his faithful black fervant j fo we 
were attended only by rn^y man, Jofeph Ritter, 
a Bohemian ; a fine ftately fellow above fix feec 
high, who had been over a great part of Europe, 
and fpoke many languages. He was the befl fer- 
vant I ever faw. Let not my readers difdain his in- 
troducftion ! For Dr. Johnfon gave him this charac- 
ter : " Sir, he is a civil man, and a wife man." 

From an erroneous apprehenfion of violence, Dr. 
Johnfon had provided a pair of piflols, fome gun- 
powder, and a quantity of bullets : but upon being 
afTured we fliould run no rifli of meeting any rob- 
bers, he left his arms and ammunition in an open 

drawerj, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 41 

drawer, of which he gave my wife the charge. He 
alio left in that drawer one volume of a pretty full 
and curious Diary of his Life, of which I have a 
few fragments ; but the book has been deftroyed. 
I wifh female curiofity had been ftrong enough to 
have had it all tranfcribed, which might eafily have 
been done; and I fhould think the theft, being pro 
bono ■publico^ mjght have been forgiven. But I 
may be wrong. My wife told me fhe never once 
looked into it. — She did not feem quite eafy when 
we left her : but away we went ! 

Mr. Nairne, advocate, was to go with us as far 
as St. Andrews. It gives me pleafure that, by 
mentioning \\\%name^ I conned his title to the juft; 
and handfome compliment paid him by Dr. Johnfon, 
in his book ; " A gentleman who could flay with us 
only long enough to make us know how much we 
loft by his leaving us." When we cametoLeith, 
I talked with perhaps too boafting an air, how pret- 
ty the Frith of Forth looked j as indeed^ after the 
proiped from Conftantinople, of which I have been 
told, and that from Naples, -which I have feen, I 
believe the view of that Frith and its environs, from 
theCaftle-hill of Edinburgh, is the fineft profpc6t 
in Europe. *' Ay, (faid Dr Johnfon,) that is the 
ftate of the world. Water is the fame every where, 

Una eft injufti casrula forma maris*." 

I told him the port here was the mouth of the 
river or water of Leith. " Not Lethe" faid Mr. 

Nairne. 

* Non illic urbes, non tu mirabere filvas : 
Una eft injufti cxrula forma maris. 

0=vid. Amor, L. II. EI. xl. 
Nor groves nor towns the ruthlefs ocean fliows j 
Unvaried ftill its azure furface flows. 



42 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Nairne. — "Why, fir, (faid Dr. Johnfon,) when a 
Scotchman fets out from this port for England, he 
forgets his native country." — Nairne. *' I hope, 
fir, you will forget England here." — Johnfon. 
" Then 'twill be ftill more LetheJ' — He obferved 
of the Pier or Quay, " you have no occafion for fo 
large a one : your trade does not require it : but 
you are like a fhopkeeper who takes a fhop, not 
only for what he has to put into it, but that it may be 
believed he has a great deal to put into it." It is 
very true, that there is now, comparatively, little 
trade upon the eaftern coaft of Scotland. The 
riches of Glalgow fhevv how much there is in the 
weft ; and perhaps we fhall find trade travel weft- 
ward on a great fcale, as well as a fmall. 

We talked of a man's drowning himfelf. — John- 
fon. " I ftiould never think it time to make away 
with myfelf." — ^I put the cafe of Euftace Budgell, 
who was accufed of forging a will, and funk him- 
felf in the Thames, before the trial of its authenti- 
city came on. " Suppcfe, fir, (faid I,) that a man 
is abfolutely fure, that, if he lives a few days longer, 
he ftiall be deteded in a fraud, the confequence of 
which will be utter difgrace and expulfion from 
fociety." — Johnfon. " Then, fir, let him go abroad 
to a diftant country, let him go to fome place 
where he is not known. Don't let him go to the 
devil where he is known !" 

He then faid, " I fee a number of people bare- 
footed here : I fuppofe you all went fo before the 
Union. Bofwell, your anceftors went fo, when they 
had as much land as your family has now. Yet 
Auchinleck is the Field of Stones : there would be 
bad going bare-footed there. The Lairdsy how- 
5 ^'^^^' 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 43; 

ever, did it." — I bought fome fpeldings, fifh (gene- 
rally wliitings) faked and dried in a particular man- 
ner, being dipped in the fea and dried in the fun, 
and eaten by the Scots by way of a relifh. He had 
never feen them, though they are fold in London. 
I infifted on fcotiifying * his palate •, but he was 
very reluClant. With difficulty I prevailed with 
him to let a bit of one of them lie in his mouth. 
Ke did not like it. 

In croffing the Frith, Dr. Johnfon determined 
that we Ihould land upon Inch Keith. On ap- 
proaching it, we firft obferved a high rocky fliore. 
We coailed about, and put into a little bay on the 
North-weft. We clambered up a very fteep afcenr, 
on which was very good grafs, but rather a pro- 
fufion of thirties. There were fixteen head of 
black cattle grazing upon the ifland. Lord Hailes 
obferved to me, that Brantome calls it LHjle des 
Chevatix, and that it was probably " ixfcifer ftable" 
than many others in his time. The fort, with an 
infcription on it, Maria Re 1564, is ftrongly built. 
Dr. Johnfon examined it with much attention. He 
ftalked like a giant among the luxuriant thirties and 
nettles. There are three wells in the ifland; but 
we could not find one in the fort. There murt pro- 
bably have been one, though now filled up, as a 
garrifon could not fubfift without it. But I have 
dwelt too long on this little fpot. Dr. Johnfon 
afterwards bade me try to write a defcription of our 
difcovering Inch Keith, in the ufual rtyle of travel- 
lers, 

* My friend, General Campbell, Governoiir of Madras, tells 
me, that they mzke/pe/dings in the Eaft-Indies, particularly at Bom- 
bay, where they call them Bambahes, 



44 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

lers, defcribing fully every particular j ftating the 
oTounds on which we concluded that it muft have 
once been inhabited, and introducing many fage re- 
flexions ; and we Ihould fee how a thing might be 
covered in words, fo as to induce people to come and 
furvey it. All that was told might be true, and yet 
in reality there might be nothing to fee. He faid, 
" rd have this ifland. I'd build a hou^e, make a 
good landing-place, have a garden, and vines, and 
all forts of trees. A rich man, of a hofpitable turn, 
here, would have many vifitors from Edinburgh.'* 
"When we had got into our boat again, he called to 
me, '* Come, now, pay a clafTical compliment to 
the iQand on quitting it." I happened luckily, in 
allufion to the beautiful Queen Mary, whole name 
is upon the fort, to think of what Virgil makes 
^neas fay, on having left the country of his charm- 
ing Dido : 

Invitus, regina, tuo de littore cefTi *. 

" Very well hit oiT!" faid he. 

We dined at Kinghorn, and then got into a pofl- 
chaife. Mr. Nairne and his fervant, and Jofcph, 
rede by us. We (lopped at Cupar, and drank tea. 
We talked of parliament ; and 1 faid, I fuppofed 
very few of the members knew much of what was 
going on, as indeed very few gentlemen know 
much of their own private affairs. — Jolmfcn, 
** Why, fir, if a man is not of a fluggifii mind, 
he may be his own fteward. If he will look into 
his affairs, he will foon learn. So it is as to pub- 
lick 

* «* Unliappy queen ! 

*« Ur.v^illing I forfookyour filendly date." 

, Dryi^.en, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 45 

lick affairs. There muft always be a certain num- 
ber of men of bufinefs in parliament." — Bofwell. 
" But confider, fir; what is the Houfe of Com- 
mons ? Is not a great part of it chofen by peers ? 
Do you think, fir, they ought to have fuch an in- 
fluence ?" — Johnfon. *' Yes, fir. Influence muft 
ever be in proportion to property ; and it is right it 
fliould." — Bofwell. *' But is there not rcafon to 
fear that the common people may be opprefl"cd ?'* 
' — Johnfon. *' No, fir. Our great fear is from 
want of pov/er in government. Such a ftorm of 
vulgar force has broke in." — Bofwell. ** It has 
only roared." — Johnfon. " Sir, it has roared, till 
the Judges in Wefl:min{ter-Hall have been afraid to 
pronounce fentence in oppofition to the popular cry. 
You are frightened by what is no longer dangerous, 
like Prefl^yterians by Popery." — He then repeated. 
a paflTage, I think, in Butler's i^£';?W;?j, which ends, 
*^ and would cry, Fire ! Fire 1 in Noah's flood *.'* 

We 



» The paflage quoted by Dr. Johnfon is in the CharaBer of the 
AJfembly 7}ian^ Butler's Remains^ p. 232, edit. 1754.— "He preaches, 
indeed, both in feafon and out of feafon ; for he rails at Popery, 
when the land is almoft loft in Prefbytery ; and would cry Fire ! 
Fire! in Noah's flood." 

There is reafon to believe that this piece was not written by Butler, 
but by Sir John Birkenhead j for Wood, in his Athena Oxonienfes, 
Vol. II. Pi 640, enumerates it among that gentleman's works, and 
gives the following account of it : 

" The AJfembly -inati (or the charafler of an Affembly-man) wrlt- 
ten-i647) Land. 1662-3, in three flieets in qu. The copy of it was 
taken from the author by thofe who faid they could not rob, becaufe 
all was theirs ; fo excifed what they liked not 5 and fo mangled and 
reformed it, that it was no charafter of an AfTembly, but of them- 
felves. At length, after it had flept feveral years, the author pub- 
lidied it, to avoid falfe copies. It is alfo reprinted in a book entit. 
Wit avd Loyalty revived, in a colleftion of fome fmart fatyrs in verfe 

and 

5 



46 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We had a dreary drive, in a dufky night, to St. 
Andrews, where we arrived late. We found a good 
flipper at Glafs's inn, and Dr. Johnfon revived 
agreeably. He faid, " the colledion called * The 
Mufes* Welcome to King James,' (firft of England, 
and fixth of Scotland,) on his return to his native 
kingdom, fhewed that there was then abundance of 
learning in Scotland ; and that the conceits in that 
colledion, with which people find fault, v/ere mere 
mode," He added, " we could not now entertain 
a fovereign fo , that Buchanan had fpread the fpirit 
of learning amongd us, but we had loft it during 
the civil wars." He did not allow the Latin Poe- 
try of Pitcairne fo much merit as has been ufually 
attributed to it ; though he owned that one of his 
f)ieces, which he mentioned, but which I am forry 
is not fpecified in my notes, was " very well." It 
is not improbable that it was the poem which Prior 
has fo elegantly trr.nflated. 

After fupper, we made a procejfion to Saint Leo- 
nard^s College.^ the landlord walking before us with 
a candle, and the waiter with a lantern. That 
college had fomc time before been dilTolved ; and 
Dr. Watfon, a profeflbr here, (the hiftorian of 
Phillip 11.) had purchafed the ground, and what 
buildings remained. When we entered his court, 
it feemed quite academical j and we found in his 
houfe very comfortable and genteel accommoda- 
tion*. 

and profe on the late times. Lond. 1682, qu. faid to be written by 
Abr. Cowley, Sir Jolin Birkenhead, and Hudibias, alias Sam. But- 
ler." — For this information I am indebted toMr. Reed, of Staple Inn. 
* My Journal, from this day inclufive, was read by Dr. Johnfon, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. ^5 

I'hurfday^ i^th Atignfi. 

We rofe much refreflied. I had with me a map 
of Scotland, a Bible, which was given me by Lord 
Mountftuarc when we were together in Italy, and 
Ogden's Sermons on Prayer, Mr. Nairne introduced 
us to Dr. Watfon, whom we found a well-informed 
man, of very amiable manners. Dr. Johnfon, 
after they were acquainted, faid, " I take great 
delight in him." — His daughter, a very pleafmg 
young lady, made breakfafl:. Dr. Watfon obferved, 
that Glafgow Univerfity had fewer home-itudents, 
fince trade increafed, as learning was rather in- 
compatible with it. — Johnfon. " Why, fir, as trade 
is now carried on by fubordinate hands, men in trade 
have as much leifure as others j and now learning 
itfelf is a trade. A man goes to a bookfeller, and 
gets what he can. We have done with patronage. 
In the infancy of learning, we find fome great man 
praifed for it. This difFufed it among others. 
When it becomes general, an author leaves the great, 
and applies to the multitude." — Bofivell. " It is a 
fhame that authors are not now better patronized.'* 
'■—Johnfon, " No, fir. If learning cannot fup- 
port a man, if he muft fit with his hands acrofs till 
fomebody feeds him, it is as to him a bad thing, 
and it is better as it is. With patronage, what 
flattery 1 what falfehood ! While a man is in equili- 
brio, he throws truth among the multitude, and 
lets them take it as they pleafe : in patronage, he 
muft fay what pleafes his patron, and it is an equal 
chance whether that be truth or falfehood," — JVatfon, 
" But is not the cafe now, that, inllead of flatter- 
ing 



^8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

ing one perfon, we flatter the age ?" — John/on, 
" No, fir. The world always lets a man tell what 
he thinks, his own way. I wonder however, that 
fo many people have written, who might have let 
it alone. That people fhould endeavour to excel 
in converfation, I do not wonder •, becaufe in con- 
verfation praife is inftantly reverberated." 

We talked of change of manners. Dr. John- 
fon obferved, that our drinking lefs than our an- 
ceftors was owing to the change from ale to wine. 
*' I remember, (faid he,) when all the decent peo- 
ple in Lichfield got drunk every night, and were 
not the worfe thought of. Ale was cheap, fo you 
prefTed ftrongly. When a man muft bring a bottle 
of wine, he is not in fuch hade. Smoking has 
gone out. To be fure, it is a fhocking thing, 
blowing fm.oke out of our mouths into other peo- 
ple's mouths, eyes, and nofes, and having the fame 
thing done to us. Yet I cannot account, why a 
thing which requires fo little exertion, and yet pre- 
ferves the mind from total vacuity, (hould have 
gone out. Every man has fomething by which he 
calms himfelf : beating with his feet, or fo*. I 
remember when people in England changed a fliirt 
only once a week : a Pandour, when he gets a 
Ihirt, greafes it to make it laft. Formerly, good 
tradefmen had no fire but in the kitchen ; never in 
the parlour, except on Sunday. My father, who 
was a magiftrate of Lichfie;ld, lived thus. They 
never began to have a fire in the parlour, but on 
leaving off bufinefs, or fome great revolution of 
their life." — Dr. V\^atfon faid, the hall was as a 

kitchen, 

* Dr. Jolinfon ufed to praflice this himfelf very much. 



TO THE HEBI>!DES,' 49 

kitchen, in old fquires' houfes. — Johnfon. " No, 
fir. The hall was for great occafions, and never 
was ufed for domeftick refecflion." — We talked of 
the Union, and what money it had brought into 
Scotland. Dr. Watfon obferved, that a littk 
money formerly went as far as a great deal now. — 
Johnfon. " In fpeculation, it feems that a fmaller 
quantity of money, equal in value to a larger quan- 
tity, if equally divided, fhould produce the fame 
effed. But it is not fo in reality. Many more 
conveniences and elegancies are enjoyed where 
money is plentiful, than where it is fcarce. Per- 
haps a great familiarity with it, which arifes fron:i 
plenty, makes us more eafily part with it." 

After what Dr. Johnfon had laid of St. An- 
drews, which he had long wifhed to fee, as our 
oldeft univerfity, and the feat of our Primate in the 
days of epiltopacy, I can fay little. Since the 
publication of Dr. Johnfon's book, I find that he 
has been cenfured for not feeing here the ancient 
chapel of St. Rule, a curious piece of facred archi- 
tefture. But this was neither his fault nor mine. 
We were both of us abundantly defirous of furvey- 
ing fuch fort of antiquities : but neither of us knew 
of this. I am afraid the cenfure muft fall on thofe 
who did not tell us of it. In every place, where 
there is any thing worthy of obfervation, there 
fhould be a fhort printed directory for ftrangers, fuch 
as we find in all the towns of Italy, and in fome of 
the towns in England. I was told that there is a 
manuicript account of St. Andrews, by Martin, 
fecretary to Archbifhop Sharp ; and that one Doiig- 
las has publilhed a fmall account of it, I inquired 
at a bookleller's, but could not get it. Dr. John- 
E " fon's 



50 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Ion's veneration for the Hierarchy is well known' 
There is no wonder then, that he was afFefted with 
a ftrong indignation, while he beheld the ruins of 
religious magnificence. I happened to afk where 
John Knox was buried. Dr. Johnlbn burft out, 
" I hope in the high-way. I have been looking 
at his reformations." 

It was a very fine day. Dr. Johnfon feemed 
quite wrapt up in the contemplation of the fcenes 
which were now prefented to him. He kept his hat 
off while he was upon any part of the ground where 
the cathedral had ftood. He faid well, that "Knox 
had fet on a mob, without knowing where it would 
end ; and that differing from a man in dodrine was 
no reafon why you Ihould pull his houfe about his 
cars." As we walked in the cloifters, there was a 
folemn echo, while he talked loudly of a proper 
retirement from the world. Mr. Nairne faid, he 
had am inclination to retire. I called Dr. Johnfon's 
attention to this, that I might hear his opinion if it 
was right. — Johnfon. " Yes, when he has done 
his duty to fociety. In general, as every man is 
obliged not only to " love God, but his neighbour 
as .himfcif," he muft bear his part in a6live life ; yet 
there are exceptions. Thole who are exceedingly 
fcrupulous, (which I do not approve, for I am no 
friend to fcruples,) and find their fcrupulofity in- 
vincible, fo that they are quite in the dark, and 
know not what they iliall do, — or thofe who can- 
not refill temptations, and find they make themfelves 
worfe by being in the v^^orld, without making it 
better, may retire. 1 never read of a hermit, but 
in imagination I kifs his feet j never of a monaftery, 
but I could fall on my knees, and kifs the pavement, 

BU2 



to THE HJEBRlDES. 51 

ijijt I think putting young people there, who kn^w 
nothing of life, nothing of retirement, is dange- 
rous and wicked. It is a faying as old as Flefiod, 

Efyx V£xv, j3«A«j£ jtA£(rwv, iv^xils yifovruv *. 

That is a very noble line : not that young men 
fhould not pray, or old men not give counfel, but 
that every leafon of life has its proper duties. I 
have thought of retiring, and have talked of it 
to a friend ; but I find my vocation is rather to 
a<?tive life." I faid, fome young monks might be 
allowed, to fliew that it is not age alone that can 
retire to pious folitude ; but he thought this would 
only (hew that they could not refifl: temptation. 

He wanted to mount the fteeples, but it could 
not be done. There are no good infcriptions here. 
Bad Roman charafters he naturally miftook for half 
Gothick, half Roman. One of the fteeples, which 
he was told was in danger, he wifhed not to be 
taken down ; " for, faid he, it may fall on fome of 
the pofterity of John Knox j and no great matter !'* 

' — Dinner was mentioned. JoiMfon. *' Ay, ay -, 

amidft all thefe forrowful fcenes, 1 have no objec- 
tion to dinner." 

We went and looked at the caflle, where Cardi- 
nal Beaton was murdered, and then vifited Princi- 
pal Murifon at his college, where is a good library- 
room ; but the principal vvas abundantly vain of it, 
for he ferioufly faid to Dr. Johnfon, " you have 
not fuch a one in England." 

E 2 Th2 

* Let youth in deeds, in counfel man engage ; 
Pi aver is tlie proper duty of old age. 



52 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

The profeflbrs entertained us with a vei7 good 
dinner. Prefent: Murifon, Shaw, Cooke, Hill, 
Haddo, Watfon, Flint, Brown. I obferved, that 
I wondered to fee him eat fo well, after viewing fo 
many forrowful fcenes of ruined religious magni- 
ficence. " Why, faid he, I am not forry, after 
feeing thefe gentlemen ; for they are not forry."— 
Murifon faid, all forrow was bad, as it was mur- 
muring againft the difpenfations of Providence.— 
John/on. " Sir, forrow is inherent in humanity. 
As you cannot judge two and two to be either five, 
or three, but certainly four, fo, when comparing a 
worfe prefent ftate with a better v/hich is pad, you 
cannot but feel forrow. It is not cured by reafon, 
but by the incurfion of prefent objecfls, which wear 
out the paft. You need not murmur, though you 
are forry." — Murifon. " But St. Paul fays, * I 
* have learnt, in whatever ftate I am, therewith to 
' be content." — Jchnfon. " Sir, that relates to 
riches and poverty, for we fee St. Paul, when he 
had a thorn in the fiefh, prayed earneftly to have it 
removed -, and then he could not be content"— 
Murifon, thus refuted, tried to be fmart, and 
drank to Dr. Johnfon, *' Long may you ledure!" 
— Dr. Johnfon afterwards, fpeaking of his not 
drinking wine, faid, "The Dodor fpoke of le5lur- 
ing (looking to him). I give all thefe leulures on 
water." 

He defended requiring fubfcription in thofe ad- 
mitted to. univerfities, thus : " As all who come 
into the country muft obey the king, fo all who 
come into an univerfity muft be of the church." 

And here I muft do Dr. Johnfon the juftice to 
contradid a very abfurd and ill-natured ftory, as to 

what 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 53 

what pafled at St. Andrews. It has been circulated, 
that, after grace was faid in Englifh, in the ufual 
manner, he with the greateft marks of contempt, 
as if he had held it to be no grace in an iiniverfity, 
would not fit down till he had faid grace aloud in 
Latin. This would have been an infult indeed to the 
genilemen who were entertaining us. But the truth 
was precifely thus. In the courfe of converfation 
at dinner, Dr. Johnfon, in very good humour, 
faid, " I fhould have expeded to have heard a 
Latin grace, among fo many learned men : we had 
always a Latin grace at Oxford. I believe I can 
repeat it." Which he did, as giving the learned 
men in one place a fpecimen of what was done by 
the learned men in another place. 

We went and faw the church, in which is Arch- 
bilhop Sharp's monument. I was ftruck with the 
fame kind of feelings with which the churches of 
Italy impreffed me. I was much pleafed, to fee 
Dr. Johnfon aflually in St. Andre-ws, of which 
we had talked fo long. Profeflbr Haddo was with 
us this afternoon, along with Dr. Watfon. We 
looked at St. Salvador's College. The rooms for 
ftudents feemed very commodious, and Dr. Johnfon 
faid, the chapel was the neateft place of worfliip he 
had feen. The key of the library could not be 
found •, for it feems Profeflbr Hill, who was out 
of town, had taken it with him. Dr. John- 
fon told a joke he had heard of a monaftery 
abroad, where the key of the library could never be 
found. 

It was fomewhat difpiriting, to fee this ancient 

archiepifcopal city now fadly deferted. We faw in 

one of its Ilreets a remarkable proof of liberal tolc- 

E 3 ration •» 



^4 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

ration •, a nonjuring clergyman, ftrutting about in 
his canonicals, with a jolly countenance and a 
round belly, like a well-fed monk. 

We obferved two occupations united in the fame 
perfon, who had hung out two fign-pofts. Upon 
one was, " James Hood, White Iron Smith" (/. e. 
Tin-plate Worker). Upon another, " The Art of 
Fencing taught, by James Hood."- — Upon this 
lad were painted fome trees, and two men fencing, 
one of whom had hit the other in the eye, to fhew 
his great dexterity j fo that the art was well taught. 
• — Johnfon. " Were I ftudying here, I fliould go 
and take a lelTon. I remember Bofe, in his book 
on this art, fays, ' the Scotch are very good 
fencers." 

We returned to the inn, v/here we had been en- 
tertained at dinner, and drank tea in company with 
fome of the ProfefTors, of whofe civilities I beg 
leave to add my humble and very grateful acknow- 
ledgement to the honourable teftimony of Dr. 
Johnfon, in his *' Journey." 

We talked of compofition, which v/as a favourite 
topick of Dr. Watfon's, who firft diftinguilhed 
himfelf by ledlures on rhetorick.- — Johnfon " I ad- 
vifed Chambers, and would advife every young man 
beginning to compoft, to do it as fafl: as he can, to 
get a habit of having his mind to ftart promptly ; it 
is fo much more difficult to improve in fpeed than in 
accuracy." — Watfon. " I own I am for much at- 
tention to accuracy in compofing, left one fliould 
get bad habits of doing it in a flovenly manner." — 
Johnfon. ** Why, fir, you are confounding doing 
inaccurately with the necejfiiy of doing inaccurately. 
A man knows when his compofition is inaccurate, 

ar4 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 55 

and when he thinks fit he'll correft it. But, if a 
man is accullomed to compofe flowly, and with 
difficulty, upon all occafions, there is danger that 
he may not compofe at all, as we do not like to do 
that which is not done eafily ; and, at any rate, 
more time is confumed in a fmall matter than ought 
to be." — Watfon. " Dr. Hugh Blair has taken a 
week to compofe a fermon." — Johnfon. " Then, 
fir, that is for want of the habit of compofmg 
quickly, which I am infilling one fhould acquire." 
— Watfon. " Blair was not compofing all the 
week, but only fuch hours as he found himfelf dif- 
pofed for compofition." — Johnfon. " Nay, fir, 
unlefs you tell me the time he took, you tell me 
nothing. If I fay I took a week to walk a mile, 
and have had the gout five days, and been ill other- 
wife another day, I have taken but one day. I my- 
felf have compofed about forty fermons. I liave 
begun a fermon after dinner, and fent it off by the 
poft that night. I wrote forty-eight of the printed 
odavo pages of the Life of Savage at a fitting ; but 
then I fat up all night. I have alfo written fix 
flieets in a day of tranflation from the French." — 
Bofwell. " We have all obferved how one man 
drefles himfelf flowly, and another faft." — Johnfon. 
" Yes, fir ; it is wonderful how much time fome 
people will confume in drcfllng •, taking up a thing 
and looking at it, and laying it down, and taking 
it up again. Every one fhould get the habit of do- 
ing it quickly. I would fay to a young divine, 
* Here is your text ; let me fee how foon you can 
make a fermon.' Then I'd fay, ' Let me fee ow 
much better you can make it.' Thus I fliould fee 
tioth his powers and his judgement." 

E 4 Wq 



56 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We all went to Dr. Watfon's to fupper. Mifs 
Sharp, greatgrandchild of Archbilhop Sharp, was 
|here ; as was Mr. Craig, the ingenious architedt 
of the new town of Edinburgh, and nephew of 
Thomfon, to whom Dr. Johnfon has fince done fo 
muchjuftice, in his " Lives of the Poets." 

We talked of memory, and its various modes. — '• 
John/on. Memory v/ill play ftrange tricks. One 
fometimes lofes a iingle word. I once loriftigaces 
in the Ode Pojlbmne^ Pojlhume.'" I mentioned to 
him, that a worthy gentleman of my acquaintance 
a(^ually forgot his own name. — Johnfon. " Sir, that 
was a morbid oblivion." 

Friday, loth Auguji. 

Dr. Shaw, the profefTor of divinity, breakfafted 
with us. I took out my " Ogden on Prayer," and 
read feme of it to the compaiiy. Dr. Johnfon 
praifed him. '* Abernethy, (faid he,) allows only 
of a phyfical efFeft of prayer upon the mind, which 
may be produced many ways, as well as by prayer ; 
for inftance, by meditation. Ogden goes farther. 
In truth, we have the confent of all nations for the 
efficacy of prayer, whether offered up by individu- 
als, or by afiemblies ; and Revelation has told us, 
it will be effcftual." — I laid, '* Lcechman feemed 
to incline to Abernethy's do6lrine." Dr. Watfon 
obferved, that Leechman meant to fhew, that, even 
admitting no effeft to be produced by prayer, re- 
fpedling the Deity, it was ufeful to our own minds. 
"He had given only a part of his fyftem : Dr. John- 
ion thought he fhould have given the whole. 

Dr, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 57 

Dr. Johnfon enforced the ftrid oblervance of 
Sunday. " It fhould be different (he obferved) 
from another day. People may walk, but not: 
throw ftoncs at birds. There may be relaxation, 
but there fhould be no levity." 

We went and faw Colonel Nairne's garden and 
grotto. Here was a fine old plane tree. Unluckily 
the colonel faid, there was but this and another 
large tree in the county. This afTertion was an ex- 
cellent cue for Dr. Johnfon, who IpAighed enor- 
moufly, calling to me to hear it. He i:ad expati- 
ated to me on the nakednefs of that part of Scot- 
land which he had feen. His " Journey" has been 
violently abufed, for what he has faid upon this 
fubjeft. But let it be confidered, that, when Dr. 
Johnfon talks of trees, he means trees of good fize, 
fuch as he was accuitomed to fee in England -, and 
of thefe there are certainly very few upon the eafiern 
<r<?4/? of Scotland. Befides, he faid, that he meant 
to • give only a map of the road ; and let any 
traveller obferve how many trees, which deferve the 
name, he can fee from the road from Berwick to 
Aberdeen. Had Dr. Johnfon laid, " there are no 
trees" upon this line, he would have faid what is 
colloquially true-, becaufe, by no trees, in common 
fpeech, we mean few. When he is particular in 
counting, he may be attacked. I know not how 
Colonel Nairne came to fay there were but two 
large trees in the county of Fife. I did not per- 
ceive that he fmiled. There are certainly not a 
great many j but I could have fhewn him more 
than two at Balmuto^ from whence my anceftors 
came, and which now belongs to a branch of my 
family. 

The 



58 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

The grotto was ingenioufly condruded. In the 
front of it were petrified flocks of fir, plane, and 
fome other tree. Dr. Johnfon faid, " Scotland 
has no right to boaft of this grotto ; it is owing to 
perfonal merit. I never denied perfonal merit to 
many of you." — Profefibr Shaw faid to me, as we 
walked, " This is a wonderful man : he is mailer 
of every fubjeft he handles." — Dr. Watfon allowed 
him a very llrong underftanding, but wondered at 
his total inattention to ellablifhed manners, as he 
came from London. 

I have not preferved, in my Journal, any of the 
eonverfation which pafiTed betv/een Dr. Johnfon 
and Profeffor Shaw-, but I recoiled Dr. Johnfon 
laid to me afterwards, " I took much to Shaw." 

We left St. Andrews about noon, and fome 
miles from it obferving, at Leuchars^ a church with 
an old tower, we flopped to look at it. The mayife^ 
as the parfonage-houfe is called in Scotland, was 
dole by. I waited on the minifler, mentioned our 
names, and begged he would tell us what he knew 
about it. He was a very civil old man \ but could 
only inform us, that it was fuppofed to have ftood 
eight hundred years. He told us, there was a 
colony of Danes in his parilh -, that they had landed 
at a remote period of time, and flill remained a di- 
llindl people. Dr. Johnfon Ihrewdly inquired 
whether they had brought women with them. We 
were not fatisfied as to this colony. 

We faw, this day, Dundee and Aberbrothick, 
the lafl of which Dr. Johnfon has celebrated in his 
** Journey." Upon the road we talked of the 
Romcn Cathoiick faith. He mentioned (1 think) 
Tiiiotfon's argiHiient againfl tranfubitaiuiation : 

*' That 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 59 

*' That we are as fure we fee bread and wine only, 
3S that we read in the Bible the text on which that 
falfe dodtrine is founded. We have only the evi- 
dence of our fenfes for both." " If, (he added,) 
God had never fpoken figuratively, we might hold 
that he fpeaks literally, when he fays, ' This is my 
body." — Bof-well " But what do you fay, fir, to 
the ancient and continued tradition of the church 
upon this point ?" — Johv.fon. " Tradition, fir, has 
no place, where the Scriptures are plain ; and tra- 
dition cannot perfuade a man into a belief of tran^ 
fubftantiation. Able men, indeed, hd.ve /aid they 
believed it." 

This is an awful fubjed. I did not then prefs 
Dr. Johnfon upon it; nor fhall I now enter upon 
a difquifition concerning the import of thofe words 
uttered by our Saviour*, which had fuch an cfFe6l 
upon many of his difciples, that they " went back, 
and walked no more with him." The Catechifm 
and folemn office for Communion, in the Church of 
England, maintain a myfterious belief in more than 
a mere commemoration of the death of Chrift, by 
partaking of the elements of bread and wine. 

Dr. Johnfon put me in mind, that, at St. An- 
drews, I had defended my profefTion very well, 
when the queflion had again been ftarted. Whether 
a lawyer might honeftly engage with the firft fide 
that offers him a fee. " Sir, (faid I,) it was with 
your arguments againfl: Sir William Forbes : but 
it was much that 1 could wield the arms of Goliah." 

He 



* T^ken Jefus fald unto them, 'verily, ferily, I fay unto you, except 
ye cat the fiejh of the fon of jnan, and drink bis blood, ye have no life 
in yu. See St. John's Gofpel, chap. vi. 53. and following 
verfes. 



€o JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

He faid, our judges had not gone deep in the 
queftion concerning literary property. I mentioned 
I.ord Monboddo's opinion, that if a man could get 
a work by heart,' he might print it, as by fuch an 
a£t the mind is exercifed. — John/on. " No, fir; a 
man's repeating it no more makes it his property, 
than a man may fell a cow which he drives home." 
— I faid, printing an abridgement of a work was 
allowed, which was only cutting the horns and tail 
off the cow. — Johnfon. " No, fir ; 'tis making 
the cow have a calf." 

About eleven at night we arrived at Montrofe. 
We found but a forry inn, where I myfelf faw 
another waiter put a lump of fugar with his fingers 
into Dr. Johnfon's lemonade, for which he called 
him " Rafcal !" It put me in great glee that our 
landlord v^as an Englifhman. I rallied the Doctor 
•upon this, and he grew quiet. Both Sir John Haw- 
kins's and Dr. Burney's Hiftory of Mufick had 
then been advertifed. I afked if this was not un- 
lucky : would not they hurt one another ? — John/on, 
*' No, fir. They will do good to one another. 
Some will buy the one, fome the other, and com- 
pare them-, and fo a talk is made about a thing, 
and the books are fold." 

He was angry at me for proponng to carry 
lemons with us to Sky, that he might be fure to 
have his lemonade. " Sir, (faid he,) I do not wilh 
to be thought that feeble man who cannot do with- 
out any thing. Sir, it is very bad manners to carry 
provifions to any man's houfe, as if he could not 
entertain you. To an inferior, it is opprefTive; 
to a fuperior, it is infolent." 

Having taken the liberty, this evening, to re- 
mark 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 6f 

mark to Dr. Johnfon, that he very often fat quite 
filent for a long time, even when in company with 
only a fingle friend, which I myfelf had fometimea 
fadly experienced, he fmiled and faid, '* It is true, 
fir. Tom Tyers, (for fo he fam.illarly called our 
ingenious friend, who, fince his death, has paid a 
biographical tribute to his memory,) Tom Tyers' 
defcribed me the beft. He once faid to me, * Sir, 

< you are like a ghoft : you never fpeak till you are 

< fpoken to*." 

Saturday, iiji Auguji. 
Neither the Rev. Mr. Nifbet, the eftabliflied 
minifter, nor the Rev. Mr. Spooner, the epifco- 
pal minifter, were in town. Before breakfaft, we 
went and faw the town-hall, where is a good danc- 
ing-room, and other rooms for tea-drinking. The 
appearance of the town from it is very well ; but 
many of the houfes are built with their ends to the 
flreer, which looks awkward. When we came down 
from it, I met Mr. Gleg, a merchant here. He went 
with us to fee the Englilh chapel. It is fituated on a 
pretty dry fpot, and there is a fine walk to it. It is 
really an elegant building, both within and without. 
The organ is adorned with green and gold. Dr. 
Johnfon gave a fhilling extraordinary to the clerk, 
faying, " He belongs to an honeft church." I put 
him in mind, that epifcopals were but dij[fcnters here j 
they were only /^/(?r/?/£'<^. "Sir, (laid he,) we are 
here, as Chriftians in Turkey." — He afterwards 
went into an apothecary's fliop, and ordered fome 
medicine for himfelf, and wrote the prefcription in 
technical charafters. The boy took him for a 
phyfician. I 

* This defcription of Dr. Johnfon, appears to have been borrowed 
from Tom Jones, Book XI. chap. ii. " The other, who like aghoft, 
only wanteci to be fpoke to, readily anfwered," &c. 



62 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

I doubted much which road to take, whether 
to go by the coaft, or by Lawrence Kirk and 
Monboddo. I knew Lord Monboddo and Dr. 
Johnfon did not love each other: yet I was unwill- 
ing not to vifit his lordfliip; and was alfo curious 
to fee them together *. 1 mentioned my doubts to 
Dr. Johnfon, who faid, he would go two miles out 
of his way to fee Lord Monboddo. I therefore 
fent Jofeph forward, with the following note. 

*' My dear Lord, Montrofe^ 2 1 Augiiji. 

" THUS far I am come with Mr. Samuel John- 
fon. We muft be at Aberdeen to-night. I know 
you do not admire him fo much as I do; but I can- 
not be in this country without making you a bow 
at your old place, as I do not know if 1 may again 
have an opportunity of feeing Monboddo. Befides, 
Mr. Johnfon fays, he would go two miles out of 
his way to fee Lord Monboddo. I have fent for- 
ward my fervanr, that we rnay know if your lord- 
Ihip be at home. I am ever, my dear lord, 
*' Molt fmcerely yours, 

" James Boswell." 

As we travelled onwards from Montrofe, we had 
the Grampion hills in our view, and fome good 
land around us, but void of trees and hedges. Dr. 
Johnfon has faid ludicroufiy, in his " Journey,'* 
that the hedges were of jlom \ for, inftead of the 

verdant 

* There were feveral points of fimilaiity between them ; learnings 
clearnefs of head, precifion of Ipeech, and a love of refearch on ma- 
ny fubjei5>s which people in general do not inveftigate. Foote 
paid Lord Monboddo the compliment of faying, that he was " an ■ 
Elzevir edition of Johnlbn." 

It has been flirewdly obferved that Foote muft have meant a 
diminutive, or pocket edition. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 63 

verdant thorn to refrefh the eye, we found the bare 
-wall or dike interleding the Profpedl. He ob- 
ferved, that it was wonderful to fee a country fo 
diverted, fo denuded of trees. 

We flopped at Lawrence Kirk, where our great 
Grammarian, Ruddiman, was once fchoolmafter. 
We refpedfully remembered that excellent man and 
eminent fcholar, by whofe labours a knowledge of 
the Latin language will be preferved in Scotland, if 
it {ball be preferved at all. Lord Gardenfton, one 
of our judges, colle6led money to raife a monu- 
ment to him at this place, which I hope will be 
well executed. I know my father gave five gui- 
neas towards it. Lord Gardenfton is the proprietor 
of Laurence Kirk, and has encouraged the building 
of a manufacturing village, of which he is exceed- 
ingly fond, and has written a pamphlet upon it, 
as if he had founded Thebes ^ in which, however 
there are many ufeful precepts ftrongly exprelTed. 
The village feemed to be irregularly built, Ibme of 
the houfes being of clay, fome of brick, and fome 
of brick and ftone. Dr. Johnfon obferved, they 
thatched well here. 

I was a little acquainted v.'ith Mr. Forbes, the 
minifter of the parifli. I fent to inform him that 
a gentleman defired to fee him. He returned for 
anfwer, " that he would not come to a ftranger.'* 
I then gave my name, and he came. 1 remonftrated 
to him for not coming to a ftranger ; and, by pre- 
fenting him to Dr. Johnfon, proved to him what a 
ftranger might fometimes be. His Bible inculcates 
" be not forgetful to entertain ftrangers," and 
mentions the fame motive. He defended himfelf 
by faying, ** He had once come to a ftranger who 

fenc 



64 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fent for him ; and he found him ' a Utile worth 

fcrfon I" 

Dr. Johnfon infifted on ftoppng at the inn, as 
I told him that Lord Gardenfton had furniflied it 
with a collcdion of books, that travellers might 
have entertainment for the mind, as well as the 
body. He praifed the defign, but wiQied there 
had been more books, and thofe better chofen. 

About a mile from Monboddo, where you turn 
off the road, Jofeph was waiting to tell us my lord 
expedled us to dinner. We drove over a wild moor. 
It rained, and the fcene was fomewhat dreary. Dr. 
johnfon repeated, with folemnemphafis, Macbeth's 
fpeech on meeting the witches. As v/e travelled on, 
he told me, " Sir, you got into our club by doing 
what a man can do *. Several of the members 
wiflied to keep you out. Burke told me, he doubted 
if you were fit for it : but, now you are in, none 
of them are forry. Burke fays, that you have fo 
much good humour naturally, it is fcarce a virtue.'* 
— Bofwell. " They were afraid of you, fir, as it 
was you who propofed me." — Johnfon, " Sir, 
they knew, that if they refufed you, they'd proba- 
bly never have got in another. I'd have kept them 
all out. Beauclerk was very earneft for you."*— • 
Bofwell. " Beauclerk has a keennefs of mindwhicli 
is very uncommon." — Johnfon, " Yes, fir; and 
every thing comes from him fo eafily. It appears 
to me that 1 labour, when I fay a good thing." — 
Bofivdl. "' You ar^ loud, firj but it is not an effort 
of m nd." 

Monboddo 



* This, I find, is confidered as obfctire. I fuppofe Dr. johnfon 
naeant, that I alTiduoufly and earneftly recommended myfelf to fome 
of the members, as in a canvafs for an eleftion into parliament* 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 65 

Monboddois a wretched place, wild and naked, 
with a poor old houfe; though, if I recolledt 
right, there are two turrets which mark an old 
baron's lefidence. Lord Monboddo received us ^t 
his gate moft courteoufly ; pointed to the Douglas 
arms upon his houfe, and told us that his great- 
grandmother was of that family. *' In fuch houfes 
(faid he,) our anceftors lived, who were better 
men than we." — '.' No, no, my lord (faid Dr. John- 
fon). We are as ftrong as they, and a great deal 
wifer." — This was an allault upon one of Lord 
M'onboddo's capital dogmas, and I was afraid there 
would have been a violen: altercation in the very 
clofe, before we got into the houfe. But his lord- 
fhip is diftinguillied not only for "ancient metaphy- 
ficks," but for ancient politejje, '■' la vieille cour^*^ 
and he made no reply. 

His lordfhip was dreft in a ruilick fuit, and wore 
a little round hat; he told us, we now law him as 
Farmer Burnet^ and we fhould have his family din- 
ner, a farmer's dinner. He faid, " I fhould not 
have forgiven Mr. Bofwell, had he not brought you 
here. Dr. Johnion." He produced a very long 
flalk of corn, as a fpecimen of his crop, and faid, 
"You fee here the Utas fegetes :" he added, that 
Virgil feemed to be as enthufiaftick a farmer as he, 
and was certainly a practical one. — John/on. " It 
does not always follow, my lord, that a man who 
has written a good poem on an art, has pradtifed 
it. Philip Miller told me, that in Philips's Cyder, 
a poem, all the precepts were jufl:, and indeed 
better than in books written for the purpofe of 
inftruding; yet Philips had never made cyder," 

F I ftarted 



6^ JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

I flarted the lubjed of emigration. — Jchnfon. 
** To a man of mere animal life, you can urge no 
argument againfl going to America, but that ic 
will be Ibnie time before he will get the earth to 
produce. But a m'an of any intelleftual enjoyment 
will not eafily go and immerfe himlell:' and his 
pofterity for ages in barbarifm," 

He and my lord fpoke highly of Homer. -^ 
John/on. '* He had all the learning of his age. 
The fhield of Achilles fhevvs a nation in war, a 
nation in peace ; harvefl fport, nay ftealing*." — 
Monboddo. " Ay, and what we (looking to me) 
would call a parliament-houfe fcene ^ a caufe 
pleaded." — John/on " That is part of the life of 
a nation in peace. And there are in Homer fuch 
characlers of heroes, and combinations of qualities 
of heroes, that the united powers of mankind ever 
fmce have not produced any but what are to be 
found there." — Monboddo. " Yet no character is 
defcribed." — Johnfon. " No; they all develope 
themfelves. Agamemnon is always a gentleman- 
like charafter •, he has alwaysBa(r^Af>iOT t». ^That 
the ancients held i'o, is plain from this •, that Euri. 
pedes, in his Hecuba, makes him the perfon to 

inter- 

♦ My note of this is much too fhort. Bre'uls ejfe lahoro, ohfcurm 
jio. Yet as 1 have reiblved that the 'very Jourtial ivhich Dr. Jokiil'on 
read, fiiall be prefented to the pubiick, I will not expand the text in 
any confidevable degree, though I may occafionally fupply a word to 
complete the fenfe, as I filltip the blanks of abbreviation in the writ- 
ing; neither ofwhich can be faid to change the genuine Journal. One 
of the beft criticks of our age conjeflures that the imperfeft paflage 
above has probably been as follows : «' In his book we have an ac- 
curate difplay of a nation in war, and a nation in peace; the peafant 
is delineated as truly as the general ; nay, even harvelt-fport, and lh9 
modes of ancient theft are defcribed," 



to THE HEBRIDES. 67 

interpofe*." — Monboddo. " I'he hiftory of man- 
ners is the mod valuable. I never fet a high value on 
any other \(\'kQ)X^ .'^ —"Johnfon. " Nor I ^ and there- 
fore I efteem biography, as giving us what comes 
near to ourfelves, what we can turn to uk'^—Bofwelh 
" But in the courfe of general hiftory, we find man- 
ners. In wars, we fee the difpofitions of people, 
their degrees of humanity, and other particulars.'* 
— Johnfon. " Yes 5 but then you muft take all the 
fa6ts to get this ; and it is but a little you get."— 
Monhoddo. " And it is that little Vv^hich makes hifto- 
ry valuable." — Bravo ! thought I ; they agree like 
two brothers. — Monboddo. *' I am forry, Dr. John- 
fon, you were not longer at Edinburgh, to receive 
the homage of our men of learning." — -Johnfon. 
" My lord, I received great rerpe6l and great kind- 
nefs." — Bofwell. " He goes back to Edinburgh 
after our tour." — We talked of the decreafe of 
learning in Scotland, and of the Mufes' Welcome,'* 
— Johnfon. " Learning is much decreafed in Eng- 
land, in my remembrance." — Monhoddo. " You, 
fir, have lived to fee its decreafe in England, I its 
extinction in Scotland." However, I brought him 
to confefs that the High School of Edinburgh did 
well. — Johnfon. *' Learning has decreafed in Eng- 
land, becaufe learning will not do fo much for a 
man as formerly. There are other v,^ays of getting 
F 2 preferment. 

* Dr. Johnfon modeftly faid, he had not read Homer To much as 
he wiflied he had done. But this convej fation fliews how well he was 
acquainted with the Mdeoniaii baid ; and he has fhewn it rtill more 
in his criticilm upon Pope's Homer, in his Life of that Poet. My 
excellent friend, Mr. Langton, told me, he was once prefent at a dif- 
pute between Dr. Johnfon and Mr. Burke, on the comparative merits 
of Homer and Virgil, which was carried on with extraordinary abili- 
ties on both fides. Dr. Johnfon maintained the fuperiority of Homen 



68 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

preferment. Few biriiops are now made for their 
learning. To be a bifhop, a man muft be learned 
in a learned age, — fadious in a factious age-, but 
always of eminence. Warburton is an exception ; 
though his learning alone did not raife him. He 
was firft an antagonift to Pope, and helped Theo- 
bald to publilb his Shakfpeare •, but, feeing Pope 
the rifing man, — when Croufaz attacked his ' Effay 
on Man,' for fome faults which it has, and fome 
which it has not, Warburton defended it in the 
Review of that time. This brought him acquainted 
with Pope, and he gained his friendfhip. Pope 
introduced him to Allen, Allen married him to his 
niece : fo, by Allen's intereft and his own, he was 
made a bifliop. But then his learning was ih^fine 
qua non : He knew how to make the moft of it ; but 
I do not find by any diflioneffc means." — 'Monhoddo. 
*' He is a great man." — Johnfon. " Yes ; he has 
great knowledge, — great power of mind. Hardly 
any man brings greater variety of learning to bear 
upon his point." — Monboddo. ** He is one of the 
greateft lights of your church." — Johnfon. "Why, 
we are. not fo fure of his being very friendly to us. 
He blazes, if you will, but that is not always the 
fteadiefl: light. — Lowth is another bifhop \yho has 
rifen by his learning." 

Dr. Johnfon examined young Arthur, Lord 
Monboddo's ion, in Latin. He anhvered very well ; 
upon which he faid, with complacency, " Get you 
gone ! When King James comes back *, you fliall 
be in the ' Mufes' Welcome !" — My lord and Dr. 

Johnfon 

* I find, fome doubt has been entertained concerning Dr. John- 
son's meanirg here. It is to be fiii)()or«d that he meant, •' when a 
king (liall agaia be entertilned In Scotland." 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 69 

Johnfon difputed a little, whether the Savage or the 
London Shopkeeper had the beft exiftence ; his 
lordihip, as ufual, preferring the Savage. — My 
lord was extremely hoipitable, and I law both Dr. 
Johnfon and him liking each other better every 
hour. 

Dr. Johnfon having retired for a fhort time, his 
lordfhip fpoke of his converfation as I could have 
wiflied. Dr. Johnfon had faid, " I have done 
greater feats with my knife than this •," though he 
had eaten a very hearty dinner. — My lord, who 
afFe6ls or believes he follows an abftemious fyftem, 
feemed ftruck with Dr. Johnfon's manner of living. 
I had a ■ particular fatisfaftion in being under the 
roof of Monboddo, my lord being my father's old 
friend, and having been always very good to me. 
We were cordial together. He aficed Dr. Johnfon 
and me to (lay all night. When I faid we mujl be 
at Aberdeen, he replied, " Well, I am like the 
Romans : I ihall fay to you, ' Happy to come •, — 
' happy to depart!" He thanked Dr. Johnfon for 
his vifit. — Johnjon, " I little thought, when I had 
the honour to meet your iordfliip in London, that 
I fhould fee you at Monboddo." After dinner, as 
. the ladies were going away, Dr. Johnfon v/ould 
fland up. He infilled that politcnefs was of great 
confequence in fociety. " It is, (faid he,) fidi- 
tious benevolence. Itfupplies the place of it amongft 
thofe who fee each other only in publick, or but 
little. Depend upon it, the want of it never fails 
to produce fomething difagreeable to one or other. 
I have always applied to good breeding, what Ad- 
difon in his Cato fays of honour: 

*' Honour's a facred tie ; the law of Kings ; 
** The noble mind's diftinguifhing perfection, 

F 3 *' That 



70 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

" That aids and ftrengthens Virtue where it meets her. 
*' And imitates her adlions where {he is not." 

When he took up his large oak ftick, he faid, 
*' My lord, that's Homerick j" thus pleaiantly allud- 
ing to his lordlliip's favourite writer. 

Gory, my lord's black fervant, was fent as our 
guide, to conduct us to the highroad. The circum- 
ftance of each of them having a black fervant was 
another point of fimilarity between Johnfon arfd 
Monboddo. I obferved how curious it was to fee 
an African in the north of Scotland, with little or 
no difference of manners fi-om thofe of the natives. 
Dr. Johnfon laughed to fee Gory and Jofeph riding 
together mofi cordially. " Thofe two fellows, (faid 
he,) one from Africa, the other from Boijemia, 
feem quite at home." — He was much pleafcd with 
Lord Monboddo to-day. He faid, he would have 
pardoned him for a few paradoxes, v/hen he found 
he had fo much that was good : but that, from his 
appearance in London, he thought him ail paradox ; 
which would not do. He obferved, that his lord- 
fliip had talked no paradoxes to-day. *' And as 
to the favage and the London fhopkeeper, (faid he,) 
I don't know but I might have taken the fide of the 
favage equally, had any body elfe taken the fide of the 
fhopkeeper." — ^He had faid to my lord, in oppofitior^ 
to the value of the lavage's courage, that it was 
owing to his limited power of thinking, and re- 
peated Pope's verfes, in which " Macedonia's piad- 
man" is introduced, and the conclufion is, 

*' Yet ne'er looks forward farther than his nofe." 
I objedled to the laft phrafe, as being low. — Jobtt' 
fen, '* Sir, it is intended to be low :, it is fatire. 
The expreffion is debafed, to debafe the charader.'* 

When 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 71 

When Gory was about to part from us, Dr. 
Johnfon called to him, " Mr. Gory, give me leave 
to afk you a queftion ! are you baptiied ?" Gory 
told him he was, — and confirmed by the Bilhop of 
Durham. He then gave him a fliilling. 

We had tedious driving this afternoon, and were 
fomcwhat drowfy. Laft night 1 was afraid Dr. 
Johnfon was bcginninij; to taint in his refolution •, for 
he laid, " If we muii ride much, we (hall not go; 
and there's an end on't." — To-day, when he talked 
of Sky with Ipirit, I faid, '* Why, fir, you feemed to 
me CO defpond yefterday. You are a delicate Lon- 
doner ; — you are a maccaroni ; you can't ride.'* 
Johnfon. " Sir, I (liall ride better than you. I was 
Only afraid I fhould not find a hork able to carry 
me." — 1 hoped then there would be no fear of 
getting through our wild Tour. 

We came to Aberdeen at half an hour paft eleven. 
The New Inn, we were told, was full. This was 
comforclefs. The waiter, however, afked if one of 
our names was Bofwell, and brought me a letter 
left at the inn ; it was from Mr. Thrale, enclofing 
one to Dr. Johnfon. Finding who I was, we were 
told they would contrive to lodge us by putting us 
for a night into a room with two beds. The waiter 
faid to me in 0ie broad ftrong Aberdeenlhire dialed, 
" I thought I knew you, by your iikenefs yn your 
father.** — My father puts up at the New Inft, when 
on his circuit. Little was laid to-night, I was to 
fleep in a little preis bed in Dr. Johnfon's room. 
I had it wheeled out into the dining-room, and there 
I lay very well, 

F 4 Siinda^y 



72 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Sunday^ iid Augujl. 
I fent a mefTage to ProtefTor Thomas Gordon, 
who came and breakfafted with us. He had fe- 
curcd feats for us at the Enghfh chapel. We found 
a refpecftable congregation, and an admirable organ, 
well played by Mr. Tair. 

We walked down to the fhore; Drjohnfon laughed 
to hear that Cromwell's foldiers taught the Aber- 
deen people to make flioes andftockings, and to plant 
cabbages. He afked, if weaving the plaids was 
ever a domeftick art in the Highlands, like fpin- 
ning or knitting. They could not inform him here. 

.But he conjedured probably, that where people 
lived fo remote from each other, it was likely to be 
ia domeftick art j as we fee it was among the anci- 
ents, from Penelope. — I v/as fenfible to-day, to an 
extraordinary degree, of Dr, Johnfon's excellent 
Englilh pronunciation. I cannot account for its 
ilriking me more now than any other day : but it 
was as if nev/ to me -, and j liftened to every fen- 
tence which, he fpoke,,a5 to amufical compofition. — 
Profeflbr Gordon gave him an account of the plan 
of education in his college. Dr. Johnfon faid, it 
was fimilar to that at Oxford. — Waller the poet's 
great grandfon was ftudying here. . Dr. Johnfon 
wondered that a man fhould fend his fon fo far off, 
when Vere were fo many good fchools in England. 
He faiJ, *' At a great fchool there is all the fplendour 

. and illumination of many minds ; the radiance of 
all is concentrated in each, or at Icaft refle(5led upon 
each. But we muft own that neither a dull boy, 
nor an idle boy, will do fo well at a great fchool 
as at a private one. For at a great fchool there are 
always boys enough to do well eafily, who are 

fufncient 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 73 

fufficient to keep up the credit of the fchool ; and 
after whipping being tried to no purpofe, the dull 
or idle boys are left at the end of a clafs, having the 
appearance of going through the courfe, but learn- 
ing nothing at all. Such boys may do good at a 
private fchool, where condant attention is paid to 
them, and they are watched. So that the queuion 
of publick or private education is not properly a ge- 
neral one ; but whether one or the other is bed for 
my fon.^^ 

We were told the prefent Mr. Waller was a 
plain country gentleman ; and his fon v/ould be fuch 
another. I obferved, a family could not expert a 
poet but in a hundred generations. — " Nay, (faid 
Dr. Johnfon,) not one family in a hundred can ex- 
pe^ a poet in a hundred generations." He then 
repeated Dryden's celebrated lines, 

Three poets in three diftant ages born, &:c. 

and a part of a Latin tranflation of it done at Oxford*: 
he did not then fay by whom. 

He received a card from Sir Alexander Gordon, 
who had been his acquaintance twenty years ago in 
London, and who, " if forgiven for not anfwerino- 
a line from him," would come in the afternoon. Dr. 
Johnfon rejoiced to hear of him, and begged 
he would come and dine with us. I was much 
pleafed to fee the kindnefs with which Dr. 

Johnfon 

* London, zdMay, 1778, 
Dr. Johnfon acknowledged that he was himfelf the aiithour of 
the tranflation above alluded to, and diflated it to me as follows j 
Qu^os laudet vates Grains Romanus et Angius 

Tres triatemporibus fecla dedere fuis. 
Sublime ingenium Graius ; Romanus habebat 

Carmen grande fonans ; Angius utrumque tullt. 
Nil majus Natura capit : claraie psicres 
(JUi^K potuere duos tertius unus habet. 



74 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Johnfon received his old friend Sir Alexander ; a 
gentleman of good family, Lifmore^ but who had 
not the eftate. The King's College here made him 
Profeffor of Medicine, which affords him a decent 
fuJDfiftence. He told us that the value of the ftock- 
jngs exported from Aberdeen was, in peace, a hun- 
dred thoufand pounds; and amounted, in time of 
war, to one hundred and feventy thoufand 'pounds. 
Dr. Johnfon allied. What made the difference? 
Here we had a proof of the comparative fagacity of 
the two profeff^rs. Sir Alexander anfwered, " Be- 
caufe there is more occafion for them in war.'* 
Profeffor Thomas Gordon anfwered, " Becaufe the 
Germans, who are our great rivals in the manufac- 
ture of {lockings, are otherwife employed in time 
of war." — Johnfon, " Sir, you have given a very 
good folution." 

At dinner, Dr. Johnfon ate feveral plate-fulls of 
Scotch broth, with barley and peas in it, and feem- 
ed very fond of the difli. I faid, " You never ate it 
before." — Johnfon. " No, fir ; but I don't care 
how foon I eat it again." — My coufin, Mifs Dallas, 
formerly of Invernefs, was married to Mr. Rid- 
doch, one of the m.inifters of the Englifh chapel 
here. He was ill, and confined to his room ; but 
Ihe fcnt us a kind invitation to tea, which we all 
accepted. She was the fame lively, fenfible, cheer- 
ful woman, as ever. Dr. Johnfon here threw out 
fome jokes againft Scotland. He faid, " You go 
firft to Aberdeen •, then to Enhru (the Scottifh pro- 
nunciation of Edinburgh) ; then to Newcaftle, to 
be poliflied by the colliers -, then to York ; then to 
London." And he laid hold of a little gir!, Stuarc 
Dallas, niece to Mrs. Riddoch, and, rep relenting 

hirrifeU' 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 75 

himfelfas a gianr, faid, he would take -her with him! 
telling her, in a hollow voice, that he lived in a 
cave, and had a bed in the rock, and fhe (hould 
have a little bed cut oppofite to it ! 

He thus treated the point, as to prefcription of 
murder in Scotland. " A jury in England would 
make allowance for deficiencies of evidence, on 
account of lapfe of time : but a general rule that a 
crime fhould not be puniflied, or tried for the pur- 
pofe of punifhment, after twenty years, is bad : k 
is cant to talk of the King's advocate delaying a 
profecution from malice. How unlikely is it the 
King's advocate fliould have malice againft perfons 
who commit murder, or fliould even know them at 
all. — If the fon of the murdered man fhould kill 
the murderer who got off merely by prefcription, I 
would help him to make his efcape ; though, were 
I upon his jury, I would not acquit him. I Vv'ould 
not advife him to commit luch an a6l. On the 
contrary, I would bid him fubmit to the determina- 
tion of fociety, becaufe a man is bound to fubmit 
to the inconveniences of it, as he enjoys the good : 
but the young man, though poljticaliy wrong, 
would not be morally wrong. He would have to 
fay, ^' Here I am amongft barbarians, who not only 
refufe to dojuftice, but encourage the greateft of 
all crimes. I am therefore in a ftate of nature : for, 
fo far as there is no Jaw, it is a ftate of nature : and 
confequently, upon the eternal and immutable law 
of juftice, which requires that he who fheds mian's 
blood fhould have his blood fhed, I will flab the 
murderer of my father." 

We went to our inn, and fat quietly. Dr. John- 
fon borrowed, at Mr. Riddoch's, a volume of 

Majfillm's 



76 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

MaJJillon's Difcourfcs on the Pfalms : but I found 
he read little in it. Ogden too he fometimes took 
up, and glanced at ; but threw it down again. I 
then entered upon religious converfation. Never 
did I fee him in a better frame : calm, gentle, wife, 
holy. — I faid, " Would not the fame objeflion 
hold againft the Trinity as againft Tranfub- 
ftantiation ?" — "Yes, (faid he,) if you take three 
and one in the fame fenfe. If you do fo, to be fure 
you cannot believe it : but the three perfons in the 
Godhead are Three in one fenfe, and One in another. 
We cannot tell how ; and that is the myftery !" 

I fpoke of the fiuisfaclion of Chriil. Pie faid his 
nation was, that it did not atone for the fins of the 
world ; but, by fatisfying divine juftice, by fi-iew- 
ing that no lefs than the Son of God fuffered for 
fjn, it fhevved to men and innumerable created be- 
ings, the heinoufnefs of it, and therefore rendered 
it unnecefiTary for divine vengeance to be exercifed 
againft fmners, as it otherv/ife muft have been j that 
in thi3 v/ay it might operate even in favour of thole 
■who had never heard of it: as to thofe who did hear 
of it, the effedl it fhould produce would be repen- 
tance and piety, by impreffing upon the mind ajuft 
notion of fin : that original fin was the propenfity 
to evil, which no doubt was occafioned by the fall. 
He prefented this folemn fubjecb in a new light to 
me *, and rendered much more rational and clear 
the dodrine of what our Saviour has done for us -, — 
as it removed the notion of imputed righteoufnefs 

in 

* My worthy, intelligent, and candid filend, Dr. Kippis, informs 
me, that i'tveral divines have thus exohiined the mediation of our 
Saviour. What Dr. Johnfon now delivered, was but a temporary 
opinion; for he a/terwards was fully convinced of the propitiatory 
facrifce, as I fiiall fliew at large in my future work, Thh life OF 
Samuel Johnson, L. L. D. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 77 

in co-operating -, whereas by this view, Chrift has 
done all already that he had to do, or is ever to do, 
for mankind, by making his great fatisfadion ; the 
confeqnences of which will afFedt each individual 
according to the particular condu6t of each. I 
would illuftrate this by faying, that Chrift's fatis- 
fadlion refembles a fun placed to fhew light to men, 
fo that it depends upon themfelves whether they 
will walk the right way or not, which they could 
not have done without that fun, " the fun of 
right eoiifncfs" There is, however, m.ore in it than 
merely giving light. — a light to lighten the Gentiles: 
for we are told, there is healing under his "coings. 
Dr. Johnlbn faid to me, " Richard Baxter com- 
mends a treatife by Grotius, Be SatisfaBione 
Chrifli. I have never read 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 and feemingly hard text, " They that be- 
lieve fhall be faved; and they that believe not Ihall 
be damned :" They that believe fhall have fuch an 
impreffion made npon their minds, as will make 
them ad lb that they may be accepted by God. 

We talked of one of our friends taking ill, for 
a length of time, a hafty expreffion of Dr. John- 
fon's to him, on his attempting to profecute a fub- 
jedl that had a reference to religion, beyond the 
bounds within which the Do6lor thought fuch 
topicks fhould be confined in a mixed company. — 
Johnfon. " What is to become of fociety, if a 
friendlhip of twenty years is to be broken off for fuch 
a caufe .'"' As Bacon fays. 



" Who then to frail mortality ^vaW truH, 

" But limns the water, or but writes in dull." 



I faid. 



^8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

I faid, he fliould writf exprefsly in fupport of 
Chriftianity •, for that, although a reverence for it 
Ihines through his works in feveral places, that is 
not enough. " You know, (faid I,) what Grotius 
has done, and what Addilon has done.— You 
fliould do alfo." — He replied, « I hope 1 Ihall.'* 

Monday, 23^ ^ugufi. 
Principal Campbell, Sir Alexander Gordon, 
Profefibr Gordon, and Profeffor Rofs, vifited us 
in the morning, as did Dr. Gerard, who had come 
fix miles from the country on purpofe. We went 
and faw the Marifchal College *, and at one o'clock 
we waited on the magiftrates in the town hall, as 
they had invited us in order to prcfent Dr. Johnfon 
with the freedom of the town, which Provoft Jopp 
did with a very good grace. Dr. Johnfon was 
much pleafed with this mark of attention, and re- 
ceived it very politely. There was a pretty nume- 
rous company affembled. It was llriking to hear 
all of them drinking " Dr. Johnfon ! Dr. John- 
fon !" in the town-hali of Aberdeen, and then to 
fee him with his burgefs-ticket, or diploma -f, in 
his hat, which he wore as lie v/alked along the 
ftreet, according to the ufual cuflom. — It gave me 
great fatisf^K^lion to obferve the regard, and indeed 
fondnefs too, which every body here had for my 
father. 

While 

* Dr. Beattie was fo kindly entertained In England, that he had 

not yet returned home. 

f Dr. Johnfon's burgefs-ticket was in thefe words : 

•' Aberdonice, vigefimo tertio die inenfis Augufti, anno Domini 

millefimo feptingentefimo feptuagefimo teitio, in prefentia honorabi- 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 79 

While Sir Alexander Gordon conduced Dr. 
Johnfon to old Aberdeen, Profeffor Gordon and 
I called on Mr. Riddoch, whom I found to be a 
grave worthy clergyman. He obferved, that, 
whatever might be laid of Dr. Johnfon while he was 
alive, he would, after he was dead, be looked up- 
on by the world with regard and aftonilhment, on 
account of his Didionary. 

Profeffor Gordon and I walked over to the Old 
College, which Dr. Johnfon had feen by this time. 
1 ftepped into the chapel, and looked at the tomb 
of the founder, Archbifiiop Elphinllon, of whom 
i fliall have occafion to write in my Hiftory 
of James IV. of Scotland, the patron of my 
family. 

We dined at Sir Alexander Gordon's. The 
Provoft, Profeffor Rofs, Profeffor Dunbar, Pro- 
feffor Thomas Gordon, were there. After dinner 
came in Dr. Gerard, Profeffor Leflie, Profeffor Mac- 
leod. We had little or no converfation in the 
morning ; now we were but barren. The profef- 
fors feemed afraid to fpeak. 

Dr. Gerard told us that an eminent printer was 
very intimate with Warburton. — Johnfon. " Why, 

fir. 

Jium virorum, Jacob! Jopp, armigeri, praepofiti, Adam: DufF, 
Gulielmi Young, Georgii Marr, et Guiielmi Forbes, Balivorum, 
Gulielini Rainie Decani guilds, et Joannis Nicoll Thefaurarii difti 
burgi. 

•« Quo die vir generofus et dofliina clarus, Samuel Johnfon, 
L, L. D. receptus et admilTus fuit in municipes et fratres guildse 
prxfati burgi de Aberdeen. In deditifllmi amoris et afFeftus ac exi- 
niix obfervantiae tefleram, quibus dicliMagiftratus eum ampleftun = 
t(ir. Extradum per me, 

Alex. Carnegie," 



8o JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fir, he has printed fome of his works, and perhaps 
bought the property of fome of them. The inti- 
macy is fuch as one of the profelTors here may have 
with one of the carpenters who is repairing the 
college." — " But, (faid Gerard,) I faw a letter from 
him to this printer, in which he fays, that the one 
half of the clergy of the church of Scotland are 
fanaticks, and the other half mMth^'—Johnfon. 
*' Warburton has accuftomed himfelf to write let- 
ters juft as he fpeaks, without thinking any more 
of what he throws out. When I read Warburton 
firfV, and obferved his force, and his contempt of 
mankind, I thought he had driven the world be- 
fore him ; but 1 foon found that was not the cale ; 
for Warburton, by extending his abufe, rendered 
it ineffeftual.'* 

He told me, when we were by ourfelves, that 
he thought it very wrong in the printer, to fhew 
V/arburton's letter, as it was raifing a body of ene- 
mies againft him. He tliought it foolifii in War- 
burton to write fo to the printer ; and added, 
*' Sir, the v*or(l way of being intimate, is by fcrib- 
bling." He called Warburton's " Dodrine of 
Grace" a poor performance, and fo he faid was 
Wefley's Anfwer. *' Warburton, he obferved, had 
kid himfelf very open. In particular, he was weak 
enough to fay, that, in fome diforders of the ima- 
gination, people had fpoken with tongues, had 
fpoken languages \vhich they never knew before j 
a thing as abfurd as to fay, that, in fome diforders 
of the imagination, people had been known to fly.'* 

I talked of the difference of genius, to try if I 
could engage Gerard in a difquifition with Dr. 
Johnfon j but I did not fucceed. I mentioned, as 

a curious 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 8i 

a curious fad, that Locke had written verfes. — • 
Jchnfo7i. " I know of none, fir, but a kind of exer^ 
cife prefixed to Dr. Sydenham's Works, in which 
he has fome conceits about the dropfy, in which 
water and burning are united ; and how Dr. Syden- 
ham removed fire by drawing off water, contrary to 
the ufual prafhice, which is to extinguifli fire by 
bringing water upon it. — I am not fure that there 
is a word of all this j but it is fuch kind of talk*." 
G We 

• All this, as Dr.Johnfon fufpefled at the time, was the immedi- 
ate invention of his own lively imagination ; for there is not one 
word of it in Mr. Locke's complimentary performance. My readers 
will, I have no doubt, like to be fatisfied, by comparing thei.i i 
and, at any rate, it may entertain them to read verfes compofcd by 
fur great metaphyfician, when a Bachelor in Phyfick, 

AUCTORI, IN Tractatum ejus de Feeribus. 
Tehriles ajlus, njiftumque ardoribus orbem 
Flevit, non tantis far Medichia fnalis. 

m poji mille artes, tnedica t£nta7inna cur<tf 
Ardet adhuc Febris ; nee 'velit arte regi. 
Trada fumus fiammis 5 folum hoc fperamus ab igfiey 

Ut refiet faucus, quern capit urna, elms. 
Dum quarit medicus fibris caujj'amqiiet modumque^ 

Flatamarum c? tenebras, & fine luce faces ^ 
Shias traclat patitur flammas, & febre calefcenSy 

Corruit ipfe fuis 'viSlima raptafocis. 
Qui tardos potuit 7norbos, arlufque trementis, 

Sijlere,febrilife'videl igne rapt. 
Sicfaber exefos fulft tibicine muros j 

Dum trahit antiquas lenta ruina domos. 
Sed fi flamma njarax miferas incenderit ades^ 

Vnkaflagrantes tunc fepelire falus. 
Fitfuga, teilonicas nemo tunc in^varat artes \ 

Cum perit artificis non minus ufa domus. 
Se tandem Sydenham febrfque ScholaquefuroH 

Opponens, morbi quarit, & artis opera, 
Non temere incufat teBa put e dims ignes j 
Nee f^ us, Jebres qui fova, kumtr erit, 

Non 



82 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We fpoke of Fingal. Dr. Johnfon faid calmly, 
" If the poems were really tranflated, they were 
certainly firft written down. Let Mr. Macpherfon 
depofite the manufcript in one of the coUeo-es at 
Aberdeen, where there are people who canjiido-e; 
and, if the profeflbrs certify the authenticity, then 
there will be an end of the controverfy. If he does not 
take this obvious and ealy method, he gives the beft 

reafon 

Non b'llem ille mo'Vet, nulla hicpituita 5 Salutts 

Siutpfpes, fifallax ardeat intus aqua ? 
Nee docias magna rixas ojlentat hiatu, 
^c'ls ipfis 7)iajor febrlhus ardor incJJ. 
Innocuas placide corpus jubet urereflammas, 

Etjujio rapidos temperat ignefocos. 
Sluid febrhn exjiinguat, 'varius quid pojlulat ufus, 

Solari agrctos, qua potes arte, docet. 
TIaSenus ipfa fuuvi twiidt Natura calorem, 
Dumfape incerto, quo calet, igne peril ; 
Dum reparat tacitos 7}iale promida fanguinis ignts^ 

Pralufit biifio, fit calor ifie rogiis. 
Jam feciirafuasfo'veant pr^ecordiaflammast 
S^uem Natura negat, dat Medicina modum. 
Nee folumfaciles compcfcit fangui'nis afius, 

Dum dtibia eji inter fpejnque metumque falus ; 
Sedfatale malimi domnit, quodqxie afira maligmijii 

Credimns, iratam <vel genuijfe Sty gem ^ 
Extorfit Lacbefi ctiltros, Peflique menenitm 

Abjlulit, & tantos nonfinit cjfe metus. 
^tis tandem arte noHja domitam ?nitefcere Pefie ?a 

Credat, & antiquas por.cre poffe minas ? 
Pojl tot tinlle neces, ciunulataque fnnera btrfio^ 

i^iSlajacet, par'uo •vulnere, dira Lues, 
^theria quanquamfpargiintconlagiaflammat 

Siuicquidinefi ifiis ignibus, ignis erit. 
Delapfa coelofia7nma licet acritis urant. 

Has gelida exfiingui non nifi morte putas ? 
'Tu meliora paras I'iSlrix Medicina ; tuufqne^ 

Pefiis qua fupsrat cunEla, triumphus eris. 
ri<ve liber, <vi£iis febrilibus ignibus ; tinus 
'fe/imul & miindum qui matiet, ignis erit, 

J. LOCK,. A. M. Ex. Aede Glir;fll> Oxon. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. gj 

reafon to doubt •, confidering too, how much is 
again ft it a pricri." 

We faunteied after dinner in Sir Alexander's gar- 
den, and law his little grotto, which is hung with 
pieces of poetry written inr a fair hand. It was 
agreeable to obferve the contentment and kindnefs 
of this quiet, benevolent man. Profeflbr Macleod 
was brother to Macleod of Talifker, and brother- 
in-law to the Laird of Col. He gave me a letter 
to young Col. I was weary of this day, and began 
to think wifhfully of being again in nnotion. I was 
uneafy to think myfelf too faftidious, whilft I fancied 
Dr. Johnfon quite fatisfied. But he owned tome that 
he was fatigued and teafed by Sir Alexander's doing 
too much to entertain him. I faid, it was all kind- 
nefs. — Johnfon. " True, fir : but fenfation is 
fenfation." — Bof'well. " It is fo: we feel paia 
equally from the furgeon's probe, as from the fword 
of the foe." 

We vifited two book fellers' fliops, and could not 
find Arthur Johnfton's Poems. We went and fat 
near an hour at Mr. Riddoch's. He could not 
tell diftinflly how much education at the college 
here cofts, which difgufted Dr. Johnfon. I had 
pledged myfelf that we (hould go to the inn, and 
not ftay fupper. They prefTed us, but he was 
refolute. I faw Mr. Riddoch did not pleafe him. 
He faid to me, afterwards, " Sir, he has no vigour 
in his talk." But my friend fhould have confidered 
that he himfelf was not in good humour ; fo that it 
was not eafy to talk to his fatisfadion. — We fat 
contentedly at our inn. He then became merry, 
and obferved how little we had either heard or faid 
G 2 at 



84 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

at Aberdeen : That the Aberdonians had not flarted 
a fingle mawkin (the Scottifh word for hare) for us 
to purfue, 

Tuefdayi ij^ttf Augufi, 

We fet out about eight in the morning, and 
breakfafted at Ellon. The landlady faid to me, 
** Is not this the great Dodtor that is going about 
through the country ?*'-— I faid, " Yes." — " Ay, 
(faid Ihe,) we heard of him, I made an errand into 
the room on purpofe to fee him. There's fome- 
thing great in his appearance : it is a pleafure to 
have fuch a man in one's houfe ; a man who does 
fo much good. If I had thought of it, I would 
have fhewn him a child of mine, who has had a 
lump on his throat for fome time." — " But, (faid I,) 
hcisnotado6lorofphyfick." — " Is he an oculift?'* 
faid the landlord. — " No, (faid I,) he is only a 
very learned man." — Landlord. ** They fay he is 
the greatefl man in England, except Lord Mans- 
field." — Dr. Johnfon was highly entertained with 
this, and I do think he was pleafed too. He faid, 
•* I like the exception : to have called me the great- 
eft man in England, would have been an unmean- 
ing compliment : but the exception marked that the 
praife was in earneft ; and, in Scotland^ the excep- 
tion muft be Lord Mansfield, or — Sir John Pringk" 
He told me a good flory of Dr. Goldfmith. Gra- 
ham, who wrote " Telemachus, a Mafque," was 
fitting one night v^'ith him and Dr. Johnfon, and 
was half drunk. He rattled away to Dr. Johnfon : 
" You are a clever fellow, to be fure ; but you 
cannot write an effay like Addifon, or verfes like 

the 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 8 

the Rape of the Lock." At laft he faid*, " Do£Jor, 
I ihould be happy to fee you at Eaton." — " I Ihall 
be glad to wait on you," anfwered Goldfmith. 
-- — " No, (faid Graham,) 'tis not you I mean, Dr. 
Minor ; 'tis Dr. Major, there." — Goldfmith was 
exceffively hurt by this. He afterwards fpoke of 
it himfelf. *' Graham, (faid he,) is a fellow to 
make one commit fuicide." 

We had received a polite invitation toSlains caftle. 
We arrived there juft at three o'clock, as the bell 
for dinner was ringing. Though, from its being 
juft on the North- eaft Ocean, no trees will grow 
here. Lord Errol has done all that can be done. 
He has cultivated his fields fo as to bear rich crops 
of every kind, and he has made an excellent kitchen- 
garden, with a hot-houfe. I had never feen any 
of the family : but there had been a card of invita- 
tion written by the honourable Charles Boyd, the 
earl's brother. We were conduced into the houfe, 
and at the dining-room door were met by that gen- 
tleman, whom both of us at firft took to be Lord 
Errol -, but he foon correfled our miftake. My 
lord was gone to dine in the neighbourhood, at an 
entertainment given by Mr. Irvine of Drur^n. Lady 
Errol received us politely, and was very attentive 
to us during the time of dinner. There was nobody 
at table but her ladylhip, Mr. Boyd, and fome of 
the children, their governour and governefs. Mr. 
Boyd put Dr. Johnfon in mind of having dined with 
G 3 him 

* lam fure I have relate«i this ftory exaflly as Dr. Johnfon told 
it to me; but a friend who has often heard hjintell it, informs me 
that he ufually introduced a circumftance which ought not to be 
omitted. " At laft, fir, Graham, having now got to about the 
pitch of looking at one man, and talking to another, faid Doiior, 
&€."«' What effea (Dr. Johnfon ufed to add) this hadon Goidfmith, 
who was as irafcible as a hornet, may be eafily conceived," 



86 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

him at Gumming the Quaker's, along with a Mr. Hall 
and Mifs Williams : this was a bond of connexion 
between them. For me, Mr. Boyd's acquaintance 
with my father was enough. After dinner, Lady 
Errol favoured us with a fight of her young family, 
whom fhe made {land up in a row. There were fix 
daughterfs and two fons. It was a very pleafing fight. 

Dr. Johnfon propoled our letting out. Mr. 
Boyd faid, he hoped we would flay all night; his 
iDrother would be at home in the evening, and' 
would be very forry if he m.iffed us. Mr. Boyd 
was called out of the room. I was very defirous to 
flay in fo comfortable a houfe, and I wilhed to fee 
Lord Errol. Dr. Johnfon, however, was right in 
refolving to go, if we vvere not afked again, as it is 
beft to err on the fafe fide in fuch cafes, and to be 
fure that one is quite welcome. To my great joy, 
when Mr. Boyd returned, he told Dr. Johnfon that 
it was Lady Errol vvho had called him out, and faid 
that fhe would never let Dr. Johnfon into the houfe 
again, if he went away that night ; and that flie had 
ordered the coach, to carry us to view a great curi- 
ofity on the coall, after which we fnould fee the 
houfe. We cheerfully agreed. 

Mr. Boyd was engaged, in 1745-6, on the fame 
fide with many unfortunate miftaken noblemen and 
gentlemen. He efcaped, and lay concealed for a 
year in the ifland of Arran, the ancient territory of 
the Boyds. He then went to France, and was abopt 
twenty years on the continent. He married a 
French Lady, and now lived very comfortably at 
Aberdeen, and was much at Slains caftle. He en- 
tertained us with great civility. He had a pom- 
poufnefs or formal plenitude in his ccnverfation, 

which 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 87 

which I did not diflike. Dr. Johnfon faid, " there 
was too much elaboration in his talk." It gave me 
pleafure to fee him, a fteady branch of the family, 
fetting forth all its advantages with much zeal. He 
told us that Lady Errol was one of the moft pious 
and fenfible women in the ifland ; had a good head, 
and as good a heart. He faid, flie did not ufe force 
or fear in educating her children — 'Johnfon. " Sir, 
flie is wrong ; I would rather have the rod to be the 
general terror to all, to make them learn, than tell 
a child, if you do thus or thus, you will be more 
efteemed than your brothers or fillers. The rod 
produces an effed which terminates in itfelf. A 
child is afraid of being whipped, and gets his tafk, 
and there's an end on't ; whereas, by exciting emu- 
lation, and comparifons of fuperiorii:}^ you lay the 
foundation of lafting mifchief j you make brothers 
and filters hate each other." 

During Mr. Boyd's Hay in Arran, he had found 
a chefl: of medical books, left by a furgeon there, 
and had read them till he acquired fome fkill in 
phyfick, in confequence of which he is often con- 
fulted by the poor. There were feveral here waiting 
for him as patients. We walked round the houfe 
till Hopped by a cut made by the influx of the fea. 
The houfe is built quite upon the Ihorei the win- 
dows look upon the main ocean, and the King of 
Denmark is Lord Errol's neareft neighbour on the 
north-eaft. 

We got immediately into the coach, and drove to 
J)unhui, a rock near the fhore, quite covered with 
fea-fowls ; then to a circular bafon of large extent, 
furrounded with tremendous rocks. On the quarter 
next the fea, there is a high arch in the rock, which 
G ^ the 



88 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

the force of the tempeft has driven out. This place 
is called BucharCs Buller^ or the Buller of Buchan^ 
and the country people call it the Bot. Mr. Boyd 
faid it was fo called from the French Boidoir. It may 
be more limply traced from Bciler in our own 
language. We walked round this monftrous caul- 
dron. In fome places, the rock is very narrow ; and 
on each fide there is a Tea deep enough for a man of 
war to ride in -, fo that it is fomewhat horrid to 
move along. However, there is earth and grafs 
upon the rock, and a kind of road marked out by 
the print of feet ; fo that one makes it out pretty 
fafely : yet it alarmed me to fee Dr. Johnfon ftrid- 
jng irregularly along. He infilled on taking a boat, 
and failing into the Pot. We did fo. He was 
ilout, and wonderfully alert. The Buchan-men 
all (hewing their teeth, and fpeaking with that 
ftrange fharp accent which diftinguilhes them, was 
to me a matter of curiofity„ He was not fenfible of 
the difference of pronunciation m the South, and 
North of Scotland, which I wondered at. 

As the entry into the Buller is io narrow that oars 
cannot be ufed as you go in, the method taken is, 
to row very hard when you come near it, and give, 
the boat fuch a rapidity of motion that it glides in. 
Dr. Johnfon obfervtd what an effed this fcene would 
have had, were we entering into an -unknown place. 
There are caves of confiderable depth -, I think, 
one on each fide. The boatmen had never entered 
either of th-m far enough to know the fize. Mr, 
Boyd told us that it is cuftomary for the company 
at Peterhead well, to make parties, and come and 
dine in one of the caves here. 

He 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 89 

He told us, that, as Slains is at a confiderable 
diftance from Aberdeen, Lord Errol, who has a 
very large family, relblved to have a furgeon of his 
own. With this view he educated one of his te- 
nant's fons, who is now fettled in a very neat houfe 
and farm juil by, which we faw from the road. By 
the falary which the earl allows him, and the prac- 
tice which he has had, he is in very eafy circum- 
ftances. He had kept an exaft account of all that 
had been laid out on his education, and he came to 
his lordfhip one day, and told him that he had arriv- 
ed at a much higher fuuation than ever heexpefled j 
that he was nov/ able to repay what his lordlhip had 
advanced, and begged he would accept of it. The 
carl was pleafed with the generous gratitude and 
genteel offer of the man ; but refufed it. — Mr. 
Boyd alfo told us. Gumming the Qviaker firft began 
to diftinguifh himfelf, by writing againft Dr. Leech- 
man on Prayer, to prove it unnecefTary, as God 
knows bed what fliould be, and will order it with- 
out our afking : — the old hackneyed objection. 

When we returned to the houfe we found coffee? 
and tea in the drawing-room. Lady Errol was not 
there, being, as 1 fuppofed, engaged with her young 
family. There is a bow- window fronting the fea. 
Dr. Johnfon repeated the ode. Jam fatis terris, while 
Mr. Boyd was with his patients. He fpoke well in 
favour of entails, to preferve lines of men whom 
mankind are accuftomed to reverence. His opinion 
was that fo much land fhould be entailed as that 
families fhould never fall into contempt, and as 
much left free as to give them all the advantages of 
property in cafe of any emergency. " If (faid he,) 
the nobility are fuffered to fink into indigence, they 

of 



90 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

of courfe become corrupt j they are ready to do 
whatever the king chooles j therefore it is fit they 
Ihould be kept from becoming poor, iinlefs it is 
fixed that when they fall below a certain ftandard 
of wealth they (hall lofe their peerages. We know 
the Houfe of Peers have made noble (lands, when 
the Houfe of Commons durft nor. The two laft 
years of parliament they dare not contradifl the 
populace." 

This room is ornamented with a number of fine 
prints, and with a whole length picture of Lord 
£rrol, by Sir Jofhua Reynolds. This led Dr. 
Johnfon and me to talk of our amiable and elegant 
friend, whofe panegyrick he concluded by faying, 
"Sir Jofhua Reynolds, fir, is the mofl invulnerable 
man I know ; the man with whom if you fnould 
quarrel, you would find the moft difficulty how to 
abuie." 

Dr. Johnfon obferved, the fituation here was the 
nobleft he had ever feen, — better than Mount 
Edgccumbe, reckoned the firft in England ; be- 
caufe, at Mount Edgecumbe, the fea is bounded 
by land on the other fide, and, though there is there 
the grandeur of a fleet, there is alio the impreffion 
of there being a dock-yard, the circumftances of 
which are not agreeable. At Slams is an excellent 
old houfe. The noble owner has built of brick, 
along the fquare in the infide, a gallery, both on 
the firft and fecond (lory, the houfe being no 
higher ; fo that he has always a dry walk , and the 
rooms, to which formerly there was no approach 
but through each other, have now all feparate en- 
tries from the gallery, which js hung with Ho- 
garth's works, and other prints. We went and 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 9^ 

fat a while in the library. There is a valuable 
numerous colle<5lion. It was chiefly made by Mr, 
Falconer, hulband to the late Countefs of Errol in 
her own right. This earl has added a good many 
modern books. 

About nine the Earl came home. Captain Gor- 
don of Park was with him. His lordlhip put Dr. 
Johnfon in mind of their having dined together in 
London, along with Mr.Beauclerk. I was exceed- 
ingly pleafed with Lord Errol. His dignified perfon 
and agreeable countenance, with the moil unafFeded 
affability, gave me high fatisfadion. From perhaps 
a weaknefs, or, as I rather hope, more fancy and 
warmth of feeling than is quite reafonable, my mind 
is ever impreffed with admiration for perfons of 
high birth, and I could, with the moft perfect 
honefty, expatiate on Lord Errol's good qualities; 
but he Hands in no need of my praife. His agree- 
able manners and fofcnefs of addrefs prevented that 
conftraint which the idea of his being Lord High 
Conftable of Scotland might otherwife have occad- 
oned. He talked very eafily and fenfibly with his 
learned gueft. I obferved that Dr. Johnfon, 
though he fliewed that refpedl to his lordfhip, which, 
from principle, he always does to high rank, yet, 
when they came to argument, maintained that man- 
linefs which becomes the force and vigour of his un- 
derftanding. To fhew external deference to our 
fuperiors, is proper : to feem to yield to them in 
opinion, is meannefs *. The earl faid grace, both 

before 

* Lord Chefterfield, in his letters to his Ton, complains of one 
who argued in an indifcriminate manner with men of all ranks. 
Probably the noble lord hafcl felt with fome uneafmefs what it was to 
encounter Wronger abilities than his own. If a peer will engage at 

foils 



92 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

before and after fupper, with much decency. He 
told us a ftory of a man who was executed at Perth, 
fome years ago, for murdering a woman who was 
with child by him, and a former child he 'had by 
her. His hand was cut off: he was then pulled up ; 
but the rope broke, and he was forced to lie an hour 
on the ground, till another rope was brought from 
Perth, the execution being in a wood at fome dif- 
tance, — at the place where the murders were com- 
mitted. " There^ (faid my lord,) I fee the hand of 
Providence " — I was really happy here. I faw in 
this nobleman the beft difpofitions and bed princi- 
ples i and I faw him, in my mind's eye, to be the 
reprefentative of the ancient Boyds of Kilrnarnock. 
I was afraid he might have urged drinking, as, I 
-believe, he ufed formerly to do, but he drank port 
and water out of a large glafs himfelf, and let us^ 
do as we pleafed. He went with us to our rooms 
at night -, faid, he took the vifit very kindly ; and 
told me, my father and he were very old acquain- 
tance J 

foik with his inferior in ftation, he mud expeft that his inferior in 
fiation will avail himfelf of every advantage ; othcrwife it is not a 
fair trial of ftrength and /kill. The fame will hold in a conteft of 
reafon, or of wit. — A certain king entered the lifts of genius witli 
Voltaire. The confequence was, that, though the king had great and 
brilliant talents, Voltaire had fuch a fuperiority that his majefty 
could not bear it; and the poet was dirmilfed, or efcaped, from that 
court. — In the reign of James I. of England, Crichton, Lord San- 
quhar, a peer of Scotland, from a vain ambition to excel a fencing- 
mafter in his own art, played at rapier and dagger with him. The 
fencjrg-niafter, whofe fame and bread were at (lake, put out one of 
his lordfhip's eyes. Exafperated at this. Lord Sanquhar hired ruffi- 
ans, and bad the fencing-mafter afiafTinated ; for which his lordftiip 
■was capitally tried, condeinned, and hanged. Not being a peer of 
England, he was tried by the name of Robei t Crichton, Er<^ ; but 
he was admitted to be a baron of three hundred years (landing. — See 
the State Trials ; and the Hiftory of England by Hume, who ap- 
plauds the impartial juftice executed upon a man of high rank. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 93 

tance ; — that I now knew the way to Slains, and 
he hoped to fee me there again. 

I had a moft elegant room -, but there was a fire 
in it which blazed ; and the fea, to which my 
windows looked, roared ; and the pillows were 
made of the feathers of fome fea-fowl, which had 
to me a difgreeable fmell : fo that, by all thefe 
caufes, I was kept awake a good while. I faw, in 
imagination, Lord Errol's father. Lord Kilmar- 
nock, (who was beheaded on Tower-hill in 1746,) 
and I was fomewhat dreary. But the thought did 
not lalt long, and I fell afleep. 

JVednefday, 2^th Aiigufi. 
We got up between feven and eight, and found 
Mr. Boyd in the dining-room, with tea and coffee 
before. him, to give us breakfaft. We were in an 
admirable humour, Lady Errol had given each 
of us a copy of an ode by Beattie, on the birth of 
her fon. Lord Hay. Mr. Boyd afked Dr. John- 
fon, how he liked it. Dr. Johnfon, who did not ad- 
mire it, got off very well, by taking it out, and read- 
ing the fecond and third ftanzes of it with much 
melody. This, without his faying a word, pleafed 
Mr. Boyd. He obferved, however, to Dr. John- 
Ibn, that the exprefiion as to the family of Errol, 

*♦ A thoufand years have feen it fliine." 

compared with what went before, was an anti- 
climax, and that it would have been better 

Ages have feen, &c. 

Dr. Johnfon faid, *' So great a number as a thou- 
fand is better. Dolus latet in univerfalibtis . Ages 
might be only two ages." — He talked of the advan- 
tage of keeping up the connexions of relationfhip, 

which 



94 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

which produce much kindnefs. "Every man (falcl 
he,) who comes into the world, has need of friends. 
If he has to get them for himfelf, half his life is 
fpent, before his merit is known. Relations are 
a man's ready friends who fupport him. When a 
man is in real diftrefs, he flies into the arms of his 
relations. An old lawyer, who had much experi- 
ence in niaking wills, told me, that after people 
had deliberated long, and thought of many for 
their executors, they fettled at laft by fixing on 
their relations. This Ihews the univerfality of the 
principle. 

1 regretted the decay of refpeCl for men of 
family, and that a Nabob now would carry an elec- 
tion from them. — Johrifon. " Why, fir, the Na- 
bob will carry it by means of his wealth, in a coun- 
try where money is highly valued, as it muft be 
where nothing can be had without money ; but, if 
it comes toperfonal preference, the man of family 
will always carry it. There is generally ^ fcoun^ 
drelifm about a low man." — Mr. Boyd faid, that 
was a good ijm. 

I faid, I believed mankind were happier in the 
ancient feudal ftate of fubordination, than they are 
in the modern Hate of independency. — Johnfon. 
•' To be fure, the Chief vja.s: but v/e muft think 
of the number of individuals. That t bey were lefs 
happy, feems plain ; for that ftate from which all 
cfcape as foon as they can, and to which none re-» 
turn after they have left it, muft be lefs happy •, 
and this is the cafe with the ftate of dependance on 
a chief or great man.'* 

I mentioned the happinefs of the French in their 
fubordination, by the reciprocal benevolence and 

attach* 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 95 

attachment between the great and thofe in lower 
rank. — Mr. Boyd gave us an inftance of their gen- 
tlemanly fpirit. An old Chevalier de Maltbe, of 
ancient nobkjfe^ but in low circumftances, was in 
a coffee- houl'e at Paris, where was Julien^ the great 
Manufaclurer at the Gobelins, of the fine tapeftry, 
fo much diftinguifhed both for the figures and the 
colours. The chevalier's carriage was very old. 
Says Julien, with a plebeian infolence, " I think, 
fir, you had better have your carriage new painted." 
The chevalier looked at him with indignant con- 
tempt, and anfwered, '* Weil, fir, you may take 
it home and dye it !" — All the coffee-houfe rejoiced 
at Julien's confufion. 

We fet out about nine. Dr. Johnfon was curious 
to fee one of thofe ftrudures which northern anti- 
quarians call a Druid's temple. 1 had a recollec- 
tion of one at Strichen ; which I had feen fifteen 
years ago ; fo we went four miles out of our road, 
after paffing Old Deer, and went thither. Mr. 
Frafer, the proprietor, was at home, and lliewed it 
to us. But I had augmented it in my mind j for 
all that remains is two ftones fet up on end, with 
a long one laid upon them, as was ufual and one 
ftone at a little diitance from them. That flone 
was the capital one of the circle which fwrrounded 
what now remains. Mr. Frafer was wtry hofpitable*. 

There 

• He IS the worthy fon of a worthy father, the late Lord Stri- 
chen, one of our judges, to whofe kind notice I was much obliged* 
Lord Strichen was a man not only honeft, but highly generous; for 
after his fucceflion to the family eftate, he paid a large fum of debts 
contrafted by his predeceffor, which he was not under any obli- 
gation to pay. Let me here, for the credit of Ayrjbire, my own 
county, record a noble inftance of liberal honefty in William Hutcki' 



96 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

There was a fair at Strichen -, and he had fcvcral of 
his neighbours from it at dinner. One of them, 
Dr. Frafer, who had been in the army, remembered 
to have feen Dr. Johnfon at a ledlure on experi- 
mental philofophy, at Lichfield. The doftor recol- 
leded being at the ledurej and he was furprifed to 
find here fomebody who knew him. 

Mr. Frafer fent a fervant to condudt us by a 
Ihort pafTage into the high-road. I obferved to Dr. 
Johnfon, that I had a moft difagreeable notion of 
the life of country gentlemen j that I left Mr. Fra- 
fer jufl now, as one leaves a prifoner in a jail.— 
Dr. Johnfon faid, that I was right in thinking them 
unhappy •, for that they had not enough to keep 
their minds in motion. 

I ftarted a thought this afternoon which amufcd 
us a great part of the way. " If, (faid I,) our club 
fliould come and fet up in St. Andrews, as a col- 
lege, to teach all that each of us can, in the feveral 
departments of learning and tafte, we fiiould rebuild 
the city : we fhould draw a wonderful concourfe 
of ftudents." — Dr. Johnfon entered fully into the 
fpirit of this proje(5l. We immediately fell to dif- 
tributing the offices. 1 Vv'as to teach Civil and 

Scotch 

_/oK, drover, in Lanehead, Kjk, who formerly obtained a full dif- 
charge froin his creditors upon a compofition of his debts; but 
upon being reftored to good circumilances, invited his creditors laft 
winter to a dinner, without telling the reafon, and paid them their 
fuUfums, principal and intereft. They prefentcd him with a piece of 
plate, with an inlcription to comniemorate this extraordinary inftance 
of true worth; which fhould make ibme people in Scotland blufli, 
while, though mean thenifelves, they ftrut about under the protec- 
tion of great alliance, confcious of the wretchednefs of numbers 
who have loft by them, to whom they never think of making repara- 
tion, but indulge themlelvci und their families in molt uniuiuble 
expence. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 97 

Scotch law ; Burke, politicks and eloquence ; 
Garrick, the art of publick fpeaking j Langtoa 
was to be our Grecian, Colmanour Latin profelTor; 
Nugent to teach phyfick ; Lord Charlemont, mo- 
dern hiftory ; Beauclerk natural philofDphy-, Vefey, 
Irifn antiquities, or Cekick learning*; Jones, Oriental 
learning -, Goldfmith, poetry and ancient hiftory 5 
Chamier, commercial politicks -, Reynolds, painting, 
and the arcs which have beauty tor their objed ; 
Chambers, the law of England. Dr. Johnfon at 
firfl: faid, *' I'll truft theology to nobody but my- 
felf." But, upon due confideration, that Percy is 
a clergyman, it was agreed that Percy Ihould teach, 
pradlical divinity and Britifh antiquities •, Dr. John- 
fon himfelf, logick, metaphyficks and fcholaftick 
divinity. In this manner did we amufe ourfelvesj 
— each fuggefting, and each varying or adding, 
till the whole was adjufted. Dr. Johnfon faid, we 
only wanted a mathematician fmce Dyer died, who 
was a very good one ; but as to every thing elfe, 
we Ihould have a very capital univerfity -f. 

H We 

* since the firft edition, it has been fuggefted by one of the club» 
who knew Mr. Vefey better than Dr. Johnibn and I, that we did 
not afllgn him a proper place ; for he was quite unikilled in Irifli 
antiquities and Celtick learning, but might with propriety have been 
made profefTor of architedlure, which he underftood well, and has 
left a very good fpecimen of his knowledge and tafte in that art, by 
an elegant houfe buiit on a plan of his own formation, at Lucan, 
a few miles from Dublin. 

t Our club, originally at the Turk's Head, Gerrard ftreet, then 
• at Prince's, Sackville-ftreet, now at Baxter's Dover-ftreet, which at 
Mr. Garrick's funeral acquired a ftame for the firft time, and was 
called The Literary Club, was inftituted in 1764, and now con- 
fifts of thirty-five members. It has, fince 1773, '-een greatly aug- 
mented ; and though Dr. Johnfon with juftice obferved, that, by 
lofing Goldfmith, Gariick, Nugent, Chamier, Eeauclerk, we had 
loft what would make an eminent club, yet when I mention, as aa 
acceffion. Mr. Fox, Dr. George Fordyce, Sir Charles Eunbury, 

Lord 



98 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We got at night to Banff. I fent Jofeph on to 
Duff-houfe: but Earl Fife, was not at home, which 
I regretted much, as we fhould have had a very- 
elegant reception from his lordfliip. We found 
here but an indifrerent inn*. Dr. Johnfon v/rote 
a long letter to Mrs. Thrale. I wondered to fee 
him write fo much fo eafily. He verified his own 
dodrine that " a man may always write when he 
will let himfelf doggedly to it." 

Thurfday, i()lh Augnfl. 
We got a frefli chaife here, a very good one^ 
and very good horfes. We breakfafted at Cullen. 
They fet down dried haddocks broiled, along with 
our tea. 1 ate one ; but Dr. Johnfon was difgufted 
.by the fight of them, fo they Vv'ere removed. Cul- 
len has a comfortable appearance, though but a 
very fmall town, and the houfcs nioftly poor build- 
ngs, 

I called 

Lord Oflory, Mr. Gibhon, l3r. Adam Smith, Mr. k. B. Sheridan, 
theBi'hops'of Kiialoe and St. Afaph, Dean MaiJay, Mr. Sree- 
vens, Mr. Dunning, Sir jofeph Banks, Dr. Scott of ihe Commons, 
Earl Spencer, Mr. Windham of Norfolk, Lord Elliott, Mr. Ma- 
lone, Dr. Jofeph Warton, tlie P^ev. Thomas Warton, Lord Lucan, 
Mr. Burke junior, Lord Palmerfton, Dr. Burney, Sir William 
Hamilton, and Dr. Warren, it will be acknowledged that we 
might eftablifli a fecond univei-fity of high reputation. 

» Kcre, unluckily the.yindows bad nopullies; and Dr. John- 
fon, who was conftantly eager for frefli air, had much ftruggling 
to get one of them kept open. Thu^ he had a notion impreflcd 
upon him, that this wretched dere£l was general in Scotland; in 
confequence of which he has erroneoufly enlarged upon it in his 
"Journey." Jitgretted tliat he did not allow me to read over his 
book before it was printed. I fliould have changed very little; but 
I fliould have fuggeffed an alteration in a few places where he has 
laid himfelf open to be attacked. I hope I faould have prevailed 
with him to omit or foften his afiertion, that *' a Scotfman muft 
he a fturdy morallft, who does not prefer Scotland to truth,''— 
for I really think it is not founded } and it is harflily faid. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 99 

I calletl on Mr, Robertfon, who has the charge 
K,f Lord Findlater's affairs, and was formerly Lord 
Monboddo's clerk, was three times in France with 
him, and tranflated Condamine's Account of the 
Savage Girl, to which his lordfhip wrote a preface, 
containing feveral remarks of his own. Robertfon 
laid, he did not believe fo much as his lordfhip 
did -, that it was plain to him, the girl confounded 
what fhe imagined with what Ihe remembered : 
that, befides, fhe perceived Condamine and Lord 
Monboddo forming theories, and fhe adapted her 
ftory to them. 

Dr. johnfon faid, " It is a pity to fee Lord 
Monboddo publifh fuch notions as he has done ; a 
man of fenfe, and of fo much elegant learning. 
There would be little in a fool doing it ; we fhould 
only laugh ; but when a wife man does it, we 
are forry. Other people have ftrange no- 
tions J but they conceal them. If they have tails, 
they hide them ; but Monboddo is as jealous of his 
tail as a fquirrel." — I fhall here put down fome 
more remarks of Dr. Johnfon's on Lord Monboddo, 
which were not made exa6lly at this time, but come 
in well from connexion. He faid, he did not ap- 
prove of a judge's calling himfelf Farmer Burnett *, 
and going about with a little round hat. He laugh- 
ed heartily at his lordfhip's faying he was an enthu- 
Jiajlical hvmQr I " for, (faid he,) what can he do 
H 2 in 

* It is the cuftom in Scotland for the judges o{ the Court of 
SefTion to have the title of Iot'Js, from their cftatesj thus Mr. 
Burnett is Lord Monboddo, as Mr. Iloir.e was Lord Karnes. There 
is Ibmething a little aiikward in this; for they are denominated in 
deeds hy their names, with the addition of <' one of the Senators o£ 
the College of J iiftice;" and fubfcribe their chriftian and fur-name., 
4s James Burnett, lisnry Home, even in judicial ails. 



100 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 
in farming by his enthuftafm?" Here, howevefj 
I think Dr. Johnfon miftaken. He who wifhes to 
be fuccefsful, or happy, ought to be enthufiaftical, 
that is to fay, very keen in all the occupations or 
diverfions of life. An ordinary gentleman-farmer 
willbefatisfied with looking at his fields onceor twice 
a day : an enthufiaftical farmer will be conftantly 
employed on them ; — will have his mind earneftly 
engaged -, will talk perpetually of them. But Dr. 
Johnfon has much of the nil admirari in fmaller 
concerns. That furvey of life which gave birth to 
his Vanity of Human Wijhes early fobered his mind. 
Befides, fo great a mind as his cannot be moved by 
inferior objeds : an elephant does not run and fl^ip 
like leffer animals. 

Mr. Robertfon fent a fervant with us, to fhew 
us through Lord Findlater's wood, by which our 
way was fliortened, and we faw fome part of his 
domain, which is indeed admirably laid out. Dr. 
Johnfon did not choofe to walk through it. He 
always faid, that he was not come to Scotland to 
fee fine places, of which there were enough inEng- 
fandi but wild objedls, mountains, water- 
falls,- peculiar manners •, in fhort, things which 

he had not feen before. I have a notion that he 
at no time has had much tafte for rural beauties. I 
have myfelf very Httle. 

Dr. Johnfon faid, there was nothing more con- 
temptible than a country gentleman living beyond 
his income, and every year growing poorer and 
poorer. He fpoke ftrongly of the influence which 
a man has by being rich. " A man, (faid he,) 
who keeps his money, has in reality more ufe from 
it, than he can have by fpending it." I obferved 

that 



TO THE HEBRIDES. loi 

that this looked very like a paradox ; but he ex- 
plained it thus: " If it were certain that a man 
would keep his money locked up for ever, to be 
fure he would have no influence ; but, as fo many 
want money, and he has the power of giving it, 
and they know not but by gaining his favour they 
may obtain it, the rich man will always have the 
greateft influence. He again who lavifhcs his money, 
is laughed at as foolifli, and in a great degree with 
juftice, confidering how much is fpent from vanity. 
Even thofe who partake of a man's hofpitality, have 
but a tranfient kindnefs for him. If he has not the 
command of money, people know he cannot help 
them, if he would ; whereas the rich man always 
can, if he will, and for the chance of that, will 
have much weight." — Bofwell. " But philofophers 
and fatirifts have all treated a mifer as contempti- 
ble." — Johnfun. *' He is fo philofophically \ but 
not in the practice of life." — Bofwell. " Let me lee 
now: — I do not know the inftances of mifers in 
England, fo as to examine into their influence." — ■ 
Johnfon. " We have had few mifers in England." — 
Bofwell " There was Lowther." — Johnfon. " Why, 
fir, Lowther, by keeping his money, had the com- 
mand of the county, which the family has now loft, 
by fpending it*, I take it, he lent a great deal; 
and that is the way to have influence, and yet pre- 
fcrve one's wealth, A man may lend his money 
upon very good fecurity, and yet have his debtor 
much under his power." — Bofwell. *' No doubt, 
H 3 fir. 

* I do not know what was at this time the ftate of the parlia- 
mentary intereft of the ancient family of Lowther; a family before 
theConqueft: but all the nation knows it to be very extenfive at 
prefent. A due mixture of feveiity and kindnefs, ceconomy and 
munificence, charafterifes its prefent Reprefentative. 



102 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fir. He can always diftrefs him for the money ; as 
JIG man borrows, who is able to pay on demand 
quite conveniently." 

We dined at Elgin, and law the noble ruins of 
the cathedral. Though it rained much. Dr. John- 
fon examined them with a moft patient attention. 
He could not here feel any abhorrence at the Scot- 
tilh reformers, for he had been told by Lord 
Hailes, that it was deftroyed before the Reforma- 
tion, by the Lord of "Badenoch *, who h»ad a quar- 
rel with the bifhop. The bifhop's houfe, and 
thofe of the other clergy, wh ch are ftiil pretty en- 
tire, do not leem to have been proportioned to the 
magnificence of the cathedral, which has been of 
great extent, and had very fine carved work. The 
ground within the walls of the cathedral is employed 
as a burying-place. The family of Gordon have 
their vault here ; but it has nothing grand. 

We palled Gordon Caftle-f this forenoon, which 
has a princely appearance. Fochabers, the neigh- 
bouring village, is a poor place, many of the houfes 
being ruinous j but it is remarkable, they have in 

general 

* Note, by Lord Hailes. 

" The cathedral of Elgin was burnt by the Lord of Badenoch, 
becaufe the Biihcp of Moray had pronounced an award rot to his 
liking. The indtmnification that the fee obtained, was, that the 
Lord of Badenoch llood for three days bare footed at the great 
gate' of the cathedral. The ftory is in the Chartularv of Elgin." 

•]- I am not Aire whether the duke was at home. But, not having 
the honour of being mudi known to his grace, I could not have pre- 
fumed to enter his caftle, though to introduce even fo celebrated a 
ftranger. We were at any rate in a hur y to get forward to the wild- 
refs which we came to fee^ Perhaps, if this rc^ble family had ftill 
preferved that fequeftered magnificence wliich they maintained when 
cathoiicks, correfponding with the Grand Duke of Tufcany, wg 
might have been induced to have procured proper letters of intioduc- 
tion, and devoted fome time to the contemplation of venerable fujier- 
ftitious (late. "^ 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 103 

general orchards well (lored with apple-trees. Elgin 
has what in England are called piazzas, that run in 
many places on each fide of the ftreet. It muft 
have been a much better place formerly. Probably 
it had piazzas all along the town, as I have leen at 
Bologna. I approved much of fuch ftrufturei; in a 
town, on account of their conveniency in wet 
weather. Dr. Johnfon difapproved of them, " be- 
caufe (laid he) it makes the under (lory of a houfe 
very dark, which greatly ovtr-balances the conveni- 
ency, when it is conhdered how fmall a part of the 
year it rains ; how few are ulually in the llreet at 
fuch times j that many who are might as well be at 
home ; and the little that people luffer, fuppofing 
them to be as much wet as they commonly are in 
walking a ftreet." 

Wc tared but ill at our inn here ; and Dr. John- 
fon laid, this v/as the firft time he had leen a din- 
ner in Scotland that he could not eat. 

In the afternoon, we drove over the very heath, 
where Macbeth met the witches, according to tra* 
jiition. Dr. Johnfon again folemnly repeated — 

Kow far is't called to Fores ? What are thefe. 
So vvither'd, and fo 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 and affefting, and, as Sir Jofhua 
Reynolds has obferved to me, had no more tone 
than it fhould have : it was the better for it. He 
then parodied the All-hailoi the witches to Macbeth, 
addreffing himfelf to me. I had purchafed fome 
land called Dalhlatr ; and, as in Scotland it is cuf- 
H 4 tomary 



104 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

tomary to diftinguilh landed men by the name of 
their eftates, I had thus two titles, Dalblair and 
Young Auchinleck. So my friend, in imitation of 

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

condefcended to amufe h'imfelf with uttering 

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

We got to Fores at night, and found an admira- 
ble inn, in which Dr. Johnfon was pleafed to meet 
with a landlord who ftyled himfelf " Wine-Cooper, 
from London." 

Friday^ 2jth Augiijt. 

It was dark when we came to Fores laft night j 
fo we did not fee what is called King Duncan's 
monument. — I fhall now mark fome gleanings of 
Dr. Johnibn's converfation. I fpoke of Leonidas^ 
and laid there were fome good paflages in it. — 
Johnfon. "Why, you m.uft/d'f^ for them." — He 
faid, Paul Whitehead's Manners was a poor per- 
formance. — Speaking of Derrick, he told xr,t "he 
had a kindnefs for him, and had often faid, that if 
his letters had been written by one of a more efta- 
blifhed name, they would have been thought very 
pretty letters." 

This morning I introduced the fubjedl of the ori- 
gin of evil. — Johnfon. " Moral evil is occafioned 
by free will, which implies choice between good 
and evil. With all the evil that there is, there is 
no man but would rather be a free agent, than a 
mere machine without the evil j and what is belt 

for 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 105 

for each individual, muft be beft for the whole. 
If a man would rather be the machine, I cannon 
argue with him. He is a different being from me.** 
— Bofwell. " A man, as a machine, may have 
agreeable fenfations ; for inftance, he may have 
pleafure in mufick." — Johnfon, " No, fir, he can- 
not have pleafure in mufick ; at leaft no power of 
producing mufick ; for he who can produce mufick 
inay let it alone : he who can play upon a fiddle 
may break it : fuch a man is not a machine." This 
reafoning fatisfied me. It is certain, there cannot 
be a free agent, unlefs there is the power of being evil 
as well as good. We muft take the inherent pofll- 
bilities of things into confideration, in our reafon- 
ings or conjectures concerning the works of God. 

We came to Nairn to breakfaft. Though a 
county town and a royal burgh, it is a miferable 
place. Over the room where we fat, a girl was 
fpinning wool with a great wheel, and finging an 
Erfe fong : " I'll warrant you, (faid Dr. Johnfon,) 
one of the fongs of Oflian." He then repeated 
^hefe lines : 

'* Verfe fweetens toil, however rude the found. 

" All at her work the village maiden fings ; 
y Nor, while flie turns the giddy wheel around, 

*• Revolves the fad viciffitude of things." 

I thought I had heard thefe lines before. — Johnfon. 
" i fancy not, fir ; for they are in a detached poem, 
the name of which I do not remember, written by 
one Giffard, a parfon." 

I expefted Mr. Kenneth M'Aulay, the minifter 
of Calder, who publifhed the hiftory of St. Kilda, 
a book which Dr. Johnfon liked, would have met 

us 



jo6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

us here, as I had written to him from Aberdeen^ 
But I received a letter from him, teUing me that he 
could not leave home, as he was to adminiiler the 
facrament the following Sunday, and earneftly re- 
queuing to fee us at his manle. " We'll go," faid 
Dr. Johnfon ; which we accordingly did. Mrs. 
M*Aulay received us, and told us her hufband was 
in the church diflributing tokens*. We arrived 
between twelve and one o'clock, and it was near 
three before he came to us. 

Dr, Johnfon thanked him for his book, and faid 
*' it was a very pretty piece of topography." M'Atilay 
did not feem much to mind the compliment. From 
his converfation. Dr. Johnfon was perfuaded that 
he had not written the book which goes under his 
name. I myfelf always fufpeded io \ and I have 
been told it was written by the learned Dr. John 
M'Pherfon of Sky, from the materials collefted by 
M'Aulay. Dr. Johnfon faid privately to me, 
*' There is a combination in it of which M'Aulay 
is not capable." However, he was exceedingly 
hofpitable ; and, as he obligingly promifed us a 
route for our Tour through the Wellcrn Ifles, we 
agreed to ftay with him all night. 

After dinner, we walked to the old caftl'e of 
Calder, (pronounced Cawder) the Thane of Caw- 
dor's feat. I was forry that my friend, this " prof- 

perous 

■ * In Scotland, there is a great deal of preparation lieforeadmini- 
ftering the facrament. The minil^er of the parifli examines the 
people as to their fitnefs, and to thofe of whom he approves gives 
little pieces of till, damped with the name of the parifli, zs tokens^ 
which they muft produce before jeceiving it. This is a fpecies of 
prieftly power, and fometimes may be abiifed. I remember a law- 
fuit brought by a perfon againft his pniidi minifterj for refuiing him 
admiffion to that facred ordinance. 



TO THE HEBRIDES, 107 

^erous gentleman," was not there. The old tower 
inuft be of great antiquity. There is a draw-bridge, 
• — what has been a moat, — and an ancient court. 
There. is a r.awthorn-tree, which rifes like a wooden 
pillar through the rooms of the cattle -, for, by a 
ftrantre conceit, the walls have been built round 
it. The'thicknefs of the walls, the fmall flaunting 
windows, and a great n-on door at the entrance on 
the fecond ftory as you afcend the flairs, all indicate 
the rude tiires in which this caftle was erefled. 
There were here fome large venerable trees. 

I was afraid of a quarrel between Dr. Johnfon 
and Mr. M'Aulay, wljo talked flightingly of the 
lower Englilh clergy. The Dodor gave him a 
frowning look, and laid, •■' This is a day of novel- 
ties : 1 have feen old trees in Scotland, and I have 
heard the Englifn clergy treated with difrefpect." 

I dreaded that a whole evening at Caldermanfc 
would be heavy ; however, Mr. Grant, an intelli- 
gent and well bred minifter in tlie neighbourhood, 
was there, and affifted us by his converfation. Dr. 
Johnfon, talking of hereditary occupations in the 
Highlands, faid, "There is no harm ift.fucha 
cuftom as this •, but it is wrong to enforce it, and 
cblige a man to be a taylor or a fniith, becaufe his 
father has been one."" This cuftom, however, is not 
peculiar to our Higl\lands ; it is well known that 
in India a fimilar praftice prevails. 

Mr. M'Aulay began a rhapfody againft creeds 
and confefllons. Dr. Johnfon ihewed, that " what 
he called impofiticn^ was only a voluntary declaration 
cf agreement in certain articles of faith, which a 
church has a right to require, juft as any other 
fociety can infift on certain rules being obferved by' 

it's 



io8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

it's members. Nobody is compelled to be of the 
church, as nobody is compelled to enter into a foci- 
cty." — This was a very clear and juft view of the 
fubjed : but, M'Aulay could not be driven out of 
his track. Dr. Johnfon faid, " Sir, you are a bigot 
to laxnefs" 

Mr. iVI'AuIay and I laid the map of Scotland 
before us ; and he pointed out a rout for us from 
Invernefs, by Fort Auguftus, to Glenelg, Sky, 
Mull, Icolmkill, Lorn, and Inveraray, which I 
wrote down. As my father was to begin the northern 
circuit about the 1 8th of September, it was neceltary 
for us either to make our tour with great expedition, 
fo as to get to Auchinleck before he fet out, or to 
protraft it, fo as not to be there till his return, 
which would be about the lOth of Oflober. By 
M'Aulay's calculation, we were not to land ia 
Lorn till the 20th of September. I thought 
that the interruptions by bad days, or by occafional 
excurfions, might make it ten days later ; and I 
thought too, that we might perhaps go to Benbe- 
cula, and vifit Clanranald, which would take a 
week of itfelf. 

Dr. Johnfon went up with Mr. Grant to the 
library, which confifted of a tolerable colleflion ; 
but the Do(5lor thought it rather a lady's library, 
with fome Latin books in it by chance, than the 
library of a clergyman. It had only two of the 
Latin fathers, and one of the Greek fathers in 
Latin. I doubted whether Dr. Johnfon would be 
prefent at a Prefbyterian prayer, I told Mr. 
M*Aulay fo, anrd faid that the Dodor might fit in 
the library while we were at family worlhip. Mr. 
M'Aulay faid, he would omit it, rather than give 

Dr 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 109 

Dr. Johnfon offence : but I would by no means 
agree that an excefs of politenefs, even to fo great 
a man, Ihould prevent what I efteem as one of the 
beft pious regulations. I know nothing more 
beneficial, more comfortable, more agreeable, than 
that the little focieties of each family fhould regu- 
larly aflemble, and unite in praife and prayer to 
our heavenly Father, from whom we daily receive 
fo much good, and may hope for more in a higher 
ftate of exiftence. I mentioned to Dr. Johnfon 
the over-delicate fcrupulofity of our hoft. He faid, 
he had no objeftion to hear the prayer. This was a 
pleafing furprile to me •, for he refufed to go and 
hear Principal Robertfon preach. " I will hear 
him, (faid he,) if he will get up into a tree and 
preach ; but I will not give a fandlion, by my pre- 
fence, to a Prelbyterian afiembly." 

Mr. Grant having prayed. Dr. Johnfon faid, his 
prayer was a very good one ; but obje6teci to his not 
having introduced the Lord's Prayer. He told us, 
that an Italian of fome note in London faid once 
to him, " We have in our fervice a prayer called 
the Pater Nofter, which is a very fine compofition. 
I wonder who is the author of it." — A fingular in- 
ftance of ignorance in a man of fome literature and 
general inquiry ! 

Saturday, iSth Auguji. 
Dr. Johnfon had brought a Sallufl: with him in 
his pocket from Edinburgh. He gave it laft night 
to Mr. M'Aulay's fon, a fmart young lad about 
eleven years old. Dr. Johnfon had given an ac- 
count of the education at Oxford, in all its grada- 
tions. The advantage of being a fervitor to a 

youth 



no JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

youth of litde fortune ftruck Mrs. M*Aulay much* 
I obferved it aloud. Dr. Johnfon very handfomely 
and kindly faid, that, if they would fend their 
boy to him, when he was ready for the univerfity, 
he would get him made a fervitor, and perhaps 
•would do moie for him. He could not promife to 
do more j but wcjuld undertake for the fervitor- 
fhip*. 

I fliould have mentioned that Mr. White, a Welch- 
man, who has been many years fai^lor (/. ^. ftcward) 
on the eftate ot Calder, drank tea with us laft night, 
and upon getting a note from Mr. M'Aulay, afked 
ns to his houfe. We had not time to accept of his 
invitation. He gave us a letter of introdudion to 
Mr. Feme, mafter of (tores at Forr George. He 
ihewed it to me. It recommended " two celebrated 
gentlemen ; no lefs than Dr. Jtvhnfon, author of 
his Diuiionary, — and Mr. Bofwell, known at Edin- 
burgh by the name of Paoli." — He faid, he hoped 
I had no objedlion to what he had written ; if I hadj 
he would alter it. I thought it Vvas a pity to check 
his efFufions, and acquiefced j taking care, however, 
to feal the letter, that it might not appear that I 
had read it. 

A converfation took place, about faying grace 
at breakfaft (as we do in Scotland) as well as at 
dinner and fupper; in which Dr. Johnfon faid, " It 
is enough if we have ftated feafons of prayer; no 
matter when. A man may as well pray when he 
mounts his horfe, or a woman when (he milks her 

cow> 

* Dr. John foil did not negle^ what lie had undertaken. By hiS 
intereft with the Rev. Dr. Adams, mafter of Pembroke College) 
Oxford, where he was educated forfome time, lie obtained a fervitor- 
fhip t~or young M'Aulay. But it feems he had other views j and! 

belicvfwent abioad. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. Jri 

cow, (which Mr. Grant told us is done in the High- 
lands J as at iTieals ; and cuftom is to be followed*." 

We proceeded to Fort George. When we came 
into the fquare, I Tent a foldicr with the letter to 
Mr. Feme. He came to us immediately, and along 
with him came Major ^r^^t/^ of the Engineers, pro- 
nounced ^n/^f. He faid he believed it was originally 
the lame Norman name with Bruce. That he had 
dined at a houfe in London, where were three Bruces, 
one of the Irifh line, one of the Scottifh line, and him- 
felf of the Englifh line. He faid he was fhe\vn it 
in the Herald's office fpelt fourteen different ways. 
I told him the different fpellings of my name. Dr. 
Johnfon obferved, that there had been great dil- 
.putes about the fpelling of Shakfpear's name \ at 
laft it was thought it would be fettled by looking at 
the original copy of his will -, but, upon examining 
it, he was found to have written it himfelf no lefs 
than three different ways. 

Mr. Feme and Major Brewfe firil carried us to 
wait on Sir Eyre Coote, whofe regiment, the 37th,. 
was lying here, and who then commanded the fort. 
Heafked us to dine with him, which we agreed to do. 

Before dinner we examined the fort. The Major 
explained the fortification to us, and Mr. Feme 
gave us an account of the flores. Dr. J:^hnion 
talked of the proportions of charcoal and fak-petre 
in making gunpowder, of granulating it, and of 
giving it a glofs. He made a very good figure 
upon thefe topicks. He faid to me afterwards, 

that 

* He could not bear to have it thought that, in any inftance what- 
ever, the Scots are more pious than the EngliHi. I think grace as 
proper at breakfaft as at any other meal. It is the pl^ifanteft 
meal we have. Dr. Jglinfon has allowed the peculiar merit of break- 
ftftiji Scotland, 



112 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

that " he had talked ojlentatiouJlyP — We repoled 
ourfelves a little in Mr. Feme's houfe. He had 
every thing in neat order as in England j and a 
tolerable colle6tion of books. I looked into Pen- 
nant's Tour in Scotland. He fays little of this 
fort; but that " the barracks, &c. form feveral 
flreets." Thisis aggrandifing. Mr. Feme obferv- 
ed, if he had faid they form a I'quare, with a row 
of buildings before it, he would have given a jufter 
defcription. Dr. Johnfon remarked, " how feldom 
defcriptions correfpond with realities ; and the reafon 
is, that people do not write them till fome time after, 
and then their imagination has added circumftances." 
We talked of Sir Adolphus Oughton. The 
Major faid, he knew a great deal for a military 
man. — Johnfon. " Sir, you will find few men, 
of any profefllon, who know more. Sir Adolphus 
is a very extraordinary man ; a man of boundlefs 
curiofity and unwearied diligence." 

I know not how the Major contrived to introduce 
the conteft between Warburton and Lovvth. — 
"Johnfon. " Warburton kept his temper all along, 
while Lowth was in a paflion. Lowth publifhed 
fome of Warburton's letters. Warburton drew i'/w^ 
on to write fome very abufive letters, and then afked 
his leave to publifli them ; which he knew Lowth 
could not refufe, after what he had dene. So 
that Warburton contrived that he iliould publifn, 
apparently with Lowth's confent, what could not 
but fhew Lowth in a difadvancageous light*." 

At 

* Here Dr. Johnfon gave vis part of a converfation Iield between 
a Great Penbnage and liim, in the library at ilie Qiieen's Palace, in 
the courfe of which this conteft was confidered. I have been at great 
pains to get that converfation as perfeflly preferved as pofllble. If 
may perhaps at fome future time be given to the publick. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 113 

At three the drum beat for dinner. I, for a 
little while, fancied myfelf a military man, and it 
pleafed me. We went to Sir Eyre Coote's, at the 
governour's houfe, and found him a moft gentle- 
man-like man. His lady is a very agreeable 
woman, with an uncommonly mild and fweet tone 
of voice. There was a pretty large company : Mr. 
Feme, Major Brewle, and feveral officers. Sir Eyre 
had come from the Eafl- Indies by land, through the 
Defarts of Arabia. He told us, the Arabs could 
live five days without victuals, and fubfift for three 
weeks on nothing elfe but the blood of their camels, 
who could lofe fo much of it as would fuffice for that 
time, without being exhaufted. He highly praifed 
the virtue of the Arabs ; their fidelity, if they un- 
dertook to condud any perfon ; and laid, they would 
facrifice their lives rather than let him be robbed. 
Dr. Johnfon, who is always for maintaining the 
fuperiority of civilized over uncivilized men, faid, 
" Why, fir, I can fee no fuperiour virtue in this. 
A ferjeant and twelve men, who are my guard, will 
die, rather than that I fhall be robbed."- — Colonel 
Pennington, of the 37th regiment, took up the 
argument with a good deal of fpirit and ingenuity.' 
^—Pennington. " But the foldiers are compelled 
to this, by fear of punifhment." — Johnfon, " Well, 
fir, the Arabs are compelled by the fear of infamy.** 
— Pennington. " The foldiers have the fame fear 
of infamy, and the fear of punifhment befides ; fo 
have lefs virtue ; becaufe they aft lefs voluntarily." 
— Lady Coote obferved very well, that it ought to 
be known if there was not, among the Arabs, fome 
punifliment for not being faithful on fuch occafions. 

I We 



114 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We talked cf the flage. I obferved, that we 
had not now fuch a company of a<5lors as in the 
lafl age •, Wilks, Booth, &c. &c. — Johnfon. " You 
think fo, becaufe there is one who excels all the reft 
fo much: you compare them with Garrick, and fee 
the deficiency. Garrick's great diftindion is his 
univerfality. He can reprefenr all modes of life, 
but that of an eafy fine breu gentlmian." — Penning- 
ton. " He fhould give over playing young parts." 
— Johnfon. " He does not rake them now ; but 
he does not leave off thofe v»?hich he has been uled 
to play, becaufe he does them better than any one 
t\k can do them. If you had generations of aflors, 
if they fwarmed like bees, the young ones might 
drive off rhe old. Mrs. Gibber, I think, got more 
reputation than fhe deierved, as fhe had a great 
famenefs ; though her ^expreffion was undoubtedly 
very fine. Mrs. Clive w:.3 the beft player I ever 
faw. Mrs. Pritcl ard was a very good one j but flie 
had fomething afftded in her manner: I imagine 
fhe had fome player of the former age in her eye, 
which occafioned it.'* 

Colonel Pennington faid, Garrick fometimes 
failed in em^hafis-, as for inftance, in Hamlet ^ 

I will fpeak dagger i to her ; but ufe 7Lone. 

inftead of 

I "HiAfpcak daggers to her ; but ufe none. 

We had a dianer of two complete courfes, variety 
of wines, and the regimental band of mufick play- 
ing in the fquare, before the windows, after it. I 
enjoyed this day much. We were quite eafy and 
cheerful. Dr. Johnfon faid, " I (hall always re- 
member this fort with gratitude." I could not help 
1 beino: 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 115 

being ftruck with fome admiration, at finding upon 
this barren fandy pointj luch buildings, — luch a 
dinner, — fuch company : it was like enchantment. 
Dr. Johnfon, on the other hand, faid to me more 
rationally, that " it did not ftrike him as any thing 
extraordinary ; becaufe he knew, here v/as a large 
fum of money expended in building a fort-, here 
was a regiment. U there had been kfs than what 
we found, it would have furprized him." He looked 
coolly and deliberately through all the gradations : 
my warm imagination jumped from the barren 
fands to the fplendid dinner and brilliant company,, 
to borrow the exprefllon of an abfurd poet, 

** Without ands or ifs, 
'* I leapt from off the fands upon the cliiFs :" 

The whole fcene gave m.e a ftrong impreflion of the 
power and excellence of human art. 

We left the fort between fix and feven o'clock: 
Sir Eyre Coote, Colonel Pennington, and feveral 
more, accompanied us down ftairs, and faw us 
into our chaife. There could not be greater atten-- 
tion paid to any vifitors. Sir Eyre fpoke of the 
hardlhips which Dr. Johnfon had before him, — Bof- 
well. " Confidering what he has faid of us, we 
muft make him feel fomething rough in Scotland.'* 
— Sir Eyre faid to him, " You muft change your 
name, fir." — Bofwell. " Ay, to Dr. M'Gregor." 

We got fafely to Invernefs, and put up at 
Mackenzie's inn. Mr. Keith, the colledor of Ex- 
cife here, my old acquaintance at Ayr, who 
had feen us at. the Fort, vifited us in the evening, 
and engaged us to dine with him next day, 
promifing to breakfaft with us, and take us to 
I 2 the 



n6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

the Englifh chapel ; fo that we were at once com- 
modioufly arranged. 

Not finding a letter here that I expedled, I felc 
a momentary impatience to be at home. Tranfient 
clouds darkened my imagination, and in thofc 
clouds I law events from which I flirunk ; but a 
lentence or two of the Rambler's converfation gave 
me firmnefs, and I confidered that I was upon an 
expedition for which I had wilhed for years, and the 
recolledticn of which woujd be a trealure to me for 
life. 

Sunday^ 29//^ Augufi, 

Mr. Keith breakfafted with us. Dr. Johnfon ex- 
patiated rather too ftrongly upon the benefits de- 
rived to Scotland from the Union, and the bad 
(tate of our people before it. I am entertained 
with his copious exaggeration upon that fubjecl j 
but 1 am uneafy when people are by, who do not 
know him as well as I do, and may be apt to think 
him narrow-minded *. 1 therefore diverted the fub- 
jed-. 

The Englifh chapel, to which we went this 
morning, was but mean. The altar was a bare 
fir table, with a coarfe ftool for kneeling on, cover- 
ed with a piece of thick fail-cloth doubled, by way 
of cufliion. The congregation was fmall. Mr. 
Tait, the clergyman, read prayers very well, though 
with much of the Scotch accent. He preached on 
*' Love your Enemies.^'' It was remarkable that^ 
\vhen talking of the connections amongft men, he 
faid, that fome connedted themfelves with men of 

diilinguiihed 

• It is remarkable that Dr. Jolinfon read this gentle remoaftrance, 
and took no notice of it to mc» 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 117 

tliflinguifhed talents, and fince they could not equal 
them, tried to deck themfelves with their merit, by 
being their companions. The fentence was to this 
purpofe. It had an odd coincidence with whan 
might be faid of my connecting myfelf with Dr. 
Johnfon. 

After church, we walked down to the Qiiay. 
We then went to Macbeth's caftle. I had a roman- 
tick fatisfavStion in leeing Dr. Johnfon adlually in it. 
It perfectly correfponds with Shakfpeare's defcrip- 
tion, which Sir Jofhua Reynolds has fo happily 
illuftrated, in one of his notes on our immortal 
poet : 

" This cafile hath a pleafant feat : the air 
*' Nimbly and fweetly recommends itfelf 
*• Unto our gentle fenfe," &c. 

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



The raven himfelf is hoarfe. 



** That croaks the fatal enterance of Duncan 
** Under my battlements." 

We dined at Mr. Keith's. Mrs. Keith was 
rather too attentive to Dr. Johnfon, af!<ing him 
many queftions about his drinking only water. 
He reprefied that obfervation, by faying to me, 
*' You may rem.ember that Lady Errol took no 
notice of this." 

Dr. Johnfon has the hapy art (for which I have 

heard my father praife the old Earl of Aberdeen) 

cf inftrufting himfelf, by making every man he 

meets tell him fomething of what he knows beft. 

I 3 He 



iiS JOURNAL OF A TOUR 
He led Keith to talk to him of the Excife in Scot- 
land, and, in the courfe of converfation, mentioned 
that his friend Mr. Thrale, the great brewer, paid 
twenty thoufand pounds a year to the revenue ; and 
that he had four call<;s, each of which holds fixteen 
hundred barrels, — above a thoufand hogfheads. 

After this there was little converfation that de- 

ferves to be remembered. I fhall therefore here 

again glean what I have omitted on former days. 

Dr. Gerrard, at Aberdeen, told us, that when he 

was in Wales, he was Ihewn a valley inhabited by 

Danes, who ftill retain their own language, and 

are quite a diftindt people. Dr. Johnfon thought it 

could not be true, or all the kingdom muft have 

heard of it. He faid to me, as we travelled, " thefe 

people, fir, that Gerrard talks of, may have fome- 

what of aperegrinify in their dialed, which relation 

has augmented to a different language." I alked 

him li peregrhiily was an Englifli word : he laughed, 

and faid, " No." I told him this was the fecond 

time that I had heard him coin a word. When 

Foote broke his leg, I obferved that it would make 

him fitter for taking off George Faulkner as Peter 

Paragragh, poor George having a wooden leg. Dr. 

Johnfon at that time faid, *' George will rejoice at 

the depcditation of Foote j" and when I challenged 

that word, laughed, and owned he had made it, 

and added that he had not made above three or four 

in his dictionary *. 

Having 

* When upon the fuhjeft oi x\\^ fsregnnUjy he told me fome par- 
ticulars concerning the compilation of his Diflionary, and concern- 
ine his throwing off Lord Chefterfield's patronage, of which very 
er oneous accounts have been circulated. Thefe particulars, with 
o h rs which he afterwards gave me, — as alfo his celebrated letter to 
Lord Chtfterfield, which he diillated to me, I refcivc for hi» 



:-iFE. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. n^ 

Having conduced Dr. Johnfon to our inn, I 
beoraed permifllon to leave him for a little, that I 
might run about and pay Ibme fhort vifits to feve- 
ral good people of Invernefs. He faid to me, 
** You have all the old faflnioned principles, 
good and bad." — I acknowledge I have. That of 
attention to relations in the remoteft degree, or to 
worthy perfons, in every ftate whoii I have once 
known, I inherit from my father. It gave mc 
much fatisfaftion to hear every body at Invernefs 
fpeak of him with uncommon regard. — Mr. Keith 
and Mr. Grant, whom we had icen at Mr. M'Au- 
lay's, lupped with us at the inn. We had roafted 
kid, which Dr. Johnfon had never tailed before. 
He relifhed it much. 

Monday, 2,'^th Augiift, 
This day we were to begin our equitation^ as I 
faid ; for / would needs m.ake a word too. It is 
remarkable, that my noble, and to me moll con- 
ftant friend, the Earl of Pembroke, (who, if there 
is too much eafe on my part, will pleafe to pardon 
what his benevolent, gay, focial intercourfe, and 
lively correfpondence, have infenfibly produced,) 
has fince hit upon the very fame word. The title 
of the firft edition of his lordfliip's very ufeful book 
was, in fimple terms, " A Method of breaking 
Horfes and teaching Soldiers to ride." The title 
of the fecond edition is, "-Militap.y Equitation." 
We might have taken a chaife to Fort Auguftus, 
but, had we not hired horfes at Invernefs, we 
ihould not have found them afterwards : fo we re- 
folved to begin here to ride. We had three horfes, 
fer Dr. Johnfon, myfelf, and Jofeph, and one 
I 4 which 



116 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

which carried our portmanteaus, and two Highland- 
ers who walked along with us, John Hay and 
Lauchland Vafs, whom Dr. Johnfon has remember- 
ed with credit in his Journey, though he has omitted 
their names. Dr. Johnfon rode very well. 

About three miles beyond Invernefs, we faw, 
jufl by the road, a very complete fpecimen of what 
is called a Druid's temple. There was a double 
circle, one of very large, the other of fmaller 
flones. Dr. Johnfon juftly obfervcd, that, " to 
go and fee one druidical temple is only to fee that it 
<*..is. nothing, for there is neither art nor power in it ; 
and feeing one is quite enough." 

It was a delightful day. Lochnefs, and the road 
upon the fide of it, fhaded with birch trees, and 
the hills above it, pleafed us much. The fcene 
was as fequeftered and agreeably wild as could be 
defired, and for a time engrofled all our attention. 

To fee Dr. Johnfon in any new fituation is al- 
ways an interefting objed: to me -, and, as I faw 
him novv for the firfl time on horfeback, jaunting 
about at his eafe in quefl: of pleafure and novelty, 
the very different occupations of his former labori- 
ous life, his admirable productions, his London^ his 
Rambler^ &c. &c. immediately prefented them- 
felvcs to my mind, and the contrail made a ftrong 
impreffion on my imagination. 

When we had advanced a good way by the fide oi 
Lochnefs, I perceived a little hut, with an old looking 
woman at the door of it. I thought here might be a 
fcene chat would amufe Dr. John'on •, {o I mention- 
ed It to him. "Tet's go in," faid he. We dif- 
mounted, and we and our guides entered the hut^ 
It was a wretched little hovel of earth only, i thinks 

and 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 121 

and for a window had only a fmall hole, which was 
flopped with a piece of turf, that was taken out oc- 
cafionally to let in light. In the middle of the 
room or fpace which we entered, was a fire of peat, 
thefmoke going out at a hole in the roof. She had 
a pot upon it, with goat's flefh, boiling. There 
was at one end under the fame roof, but divided by 
a kind of partition made of wattles, a pen or fold 
in which we faw a good many kids. 

Dr. Johnfon was curious to know where (he 
fiept. I afked one of the guides, who queftioned 
her in Erfe. Sheanfwered with a tone of emotion, 
faying, (as he told us,) fhe was afraid we wanted to 
go to bed to her. This coquetry^ or whatever it 
may be called, of h wretched a being, was truly 
ludicrous. Dr. Johnfon and I afterwards were 
merry upon it. 1 faid, it was he v/ho alarmed the 
poor woman's virtue. — " No, fir, (faid he,) fhe'll 
fay, ' there came a wicked young fellow, a wild 
dog, who I believe would have ravifhed me, had 
there not been with him a grave old gentleman, who 
repreffed him : buL when he gets out of the fight of 
his tutor, I'll warrant you he'll fpare no woman he 
meets, young or old." — " No, fir, (I replied,) (he'll 
fay, ' There was a terrible ruffian who would have 
forced me, had it not been for a civil decent young 
man who, I take it, was an angel fent from heaven 
to protect me," 

Dr. Johnfon would not hurt her delicacy, by in- 
fifting on '* feeing her bed-chamber," like Archer m 
the Beaux Stratagem. But my curiofity was more 
ardent ; I lighted a piece of paper, and went into 
the place where the bed was. There was a little 
partition of wicker, rather more neatly done than 

that 



122 TO THE HEBRIDES. 

that for the fold, and clofe by the wall was a kind 
of bedftead of wood with heath upon it by way of 
bed i at the foot of which I law fome fort of blank- 
ets or covering rolled up in a heap. The woman's 
name was Frafer-, fo was her hufband's.. He was a 
man of eighty. Mr. Frafer of Balnain allows him 
to live in this hut, and keep fixty goats, for taking 
care of his woods, where he then was. They had 
five children, the eldeft only thirteen. Two were 
gone to Invernefs to buy meal ; the reft were look- 
ing after the goats. This contented family had 
fourftacks of barley, twenty four fheaves in each. 
They had a kv/ fowls. We were informed that 
they lived all the fpring without meal, upon milk 
and curds and whey alone. What they get for 
their goats, kids, and fowls, maintains them dur- 
ing the reft of the year. 

She aflced us to fit down and take a dram. I faw 
one chair. She faid flie was as happy as any wo- 
man in Scotland. She could hardly fpeak any En- 
glifli except a few detached words. Dr. Johnfon 
was pleafed at feeins;, for the firft time, fuch a ftate 
of human life. She afked for fnufF. It is her 
luxury, and (he ufes a great deal. We had none ; 
but gave her fix pence a piece. She then brought 
out herwhifl<:y bottle. I tafted it ; as did Jofeph 
and our guides : fo I gave her fixpence more. She 
fent us away with many prayers inErfe. 

We dined at a publick houfe called the Gf«^r^/'j 
Hut, from General Wade, who was lodged ihere 
when he commanded in the North. Near it is the 
meaneft parifli Kirk I ever faw. It is a fliame it 
fhould be on a high road. After dinner, we paffed 
through a good deal of mountainous country. I 
had known Mr. Trapaud, the deputy governour of 

Fort 



JOURNAL OF A TOUR 125 

Fort Auguftus, twelve years ago, at a circuit at 
Invernefs, where my father was judge. 1 Tent for- 
ward one of our guides, and Jofeph, with a card to 
him, that he mighc know Dr. Johnfon and I were 
coming up, kaving it to him to invite us or not. Ic 
was dark when we arrived. The inn was wretched. 
Government ought to build one, or give the refident 
governour an additional falary ; as in the!prefent Hate 
of things, he muft neceffarily be put to a great ex- 
pence in entertaining travellers. Jofeph announced 
to us, when we alighted, that the governour waited 
for us at the gate of the fort. We walked to it. 
He met us, and with much civility condu6led us to 
his houfe. It was comfortable to find ourfelves in 
a well built little fquare, and a neatly furnirtied 
houfe, in good company, and with a good fupper 
before us ; in fhort, with all the conveniencies of 
civilized life in themidft of rude mountains. Mrs. 
Trapaud, and the governour's daughter, and her 
hulband, Captain Newmarfh, were all moll obliging 
and polite. The governour had excellent animal 
fpirits, the converfation of a foldier, and fomewhat 
of a Frenchman, to which his extra6lion entitles 
him. He is brother to General Cyrus Trapaud, 
We pafied a very agreeable evening. 

Tuefdf.y, 3 ijl Aiigiijl. 
The governour has a very good garden. We 
looked at it, and at the reft of the fort, which is but 
fmall, and may be commanded from a variety of hills 
around. We alfo looked at the galley or floop be- 
longing to the fort, which fails upon the Loch, and 
brings what is wanted for the garrifon. Captains Urie 
and Darippe, of the 15th regiment of foot, break- 
fafted with us. They had ferved in America, and 

enter- 



124 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

entertained Dr. Johnfon much with an account of 
the Indians. He faid, he could make a very pretty 
book out of them, were he to flay there. Govern- 
our Trapaud was much ftruck with Dr. Johnfon. 
" I like to hear him, (faid he,) it is fo majeftick. 
I fhould be glad to hear him fpeak in your court." 
— He prefled us to ftay dinner ; but I confidered 
that we had a rude road before us, which we could 
more eafily encounter in the morning, and that it 
was hard to fay when we might get up, were we to 
fit down to good entertainment, in good company : 
I therefore begged the governour would excufe us. 
— Here too, I had another very pleafing proof how 
much my father is regarded. The governour ex- 
prelTed the higheft refped for him, and bade me 
tell him, that, if he would come that v.'ay on the 
Northern circuit, he would do him all the honours 
of the gairilbn. 

Between twelve and one we iht out, and travelled 
eleven miles, through a v/ild country, till we came 
to a houfe in Glenmorifon, called Anoch^ kept by 
a M'Qiieen*, Our landlord was a fenfible fellow : 
he had learnt his grammar, and Dr. Johnfon juftly 
obferved, that " a man is the better for that as 
long as he lives." 1 here were fome books here : a 
Treatife againft Drunkennefs, tranflated from the 
French ; a volume of the Spedator •, a volume of 
Prideaux's Connexion, and Cyrus's Travels. 
M'Queen faid he had more volumes ; and his pride 

feemed 

* A M'Queen is a Highland mode of expreHlon. An Englifhman 
would fay ons TVI<Qn^een. But wheie there are clans or tribes oi men, 
diftinguiflied hy paircnjmick lurnanies, the individuals of each are 
confidered as it tliev were of different fpecies, at leaft as much as 
nations are diftinguifl'.ed ; fo that zM'^ieen, aM'DonaU, zM'Lean, 
is faid, as we fay a Frenchmanj an Italian, a Spaniard. 
I 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 125 

fcemed to be much piqued that we were furprifed at 
his having books. 

Near to this place we had pafled a party of foldi- 
ers, under a ferjeant's command, at work upon the 
road. We gave them two fhilHngs to drink. They 
came to our inn, and made merry in the barn. We 
■went and paid them a vifit. Dr. Johnion faying, 
** Come, let's go and give 'em another fhilling 
a-piece." We did fo •, and he was faluted " my 
lord" by all of them. He is really generous, 
loves influence, and has the way of gaining it. He 
fald, " I am quite feudal, fir." Here I agree with 
him. I faid, I regretted I was not the head of a 
clan ; however, though not pofiefTed of fuch an 
hereditary advantage, I would always endeavour to 
make my tenants follow me. I could not be 2i patri- 
archal chief, but I would be z. feudal cKi^^ . 

The poor foldiers got too much liquor. Some 
of them fought, and left blood upon the fpot, and 
curfed whifky next morning. The houfe here wass 
built of thick turfs, and thatched with thinner 
turfs and heath. It had three rooms in length, and 
a little room which proje6led. Where we fat, the 
fide-walls were wainfcotted^ as Dr. Johnfon faid, 
with wicker, very neatly plaited. Our landlord 
had made the whole with his own hands. 

After dinner, M'Qiieen fat by us a while, and 
talked with us. He faid, all the Laird of Glen- 
morifon's people would bleed for him, if they were 
well ufed ; but that feventy men had gone out of 
the Glen to America. That he himfelf intended to 
go next year ; for that the rent of his farm, which 
Cwenty years ago was only five pounds, was now 

raifed 



126 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

raifed to twenty pounds. That he could pay ten 
pounds, and live ; but no more. — Dr. Johnfon laid, 
he vvilhed M'Queen laird of Glenmorilbn, and the 
laird to go to America. M'Qiieen very generoufly 
anlwered, he fhould be forry for it ; for the laird 
could not fhift for himfelf in America as he could 
do. 

I talked of the officers whom v^^e had left to day j 
how much fervice they had feen, and how little they 
got for it, even of fame. — Johnfon. *' Sir, a foldier 
gets as little as any man can get." — Bofwe.ll. 
" Goldfmith has acquired more fame than all the 
officers laft war, who were not Generals." — "Johnfon. 
" Why, fir, you will find ten thoufand fit to do 
what they did, before you find one who does what 
Goldfmith has done. You mud confider, that a 
thing is valued according to its rarity. A pebble 
that paves the ftreet is in itfelf more ufeful than the 
diamond upon a lady's finger." — I wifli our friend 
Goldfmith had heard this. 

I ycfterday exprefied my wonder that John Hay, 
one of our guides, who had been prefied aboard a 
inan of war, did not choofe to continue in it longer 
than nine months, after which time he got off. — 
Johnfon. " Why, fir, no man will be a failor, 
who has contrivance enough to get himfelf into a 
jail; for, being in a ffiip is being in a jail, with the 
chance of being drowned." 

We had tea in the afternoon, and our landlord's 
daughter, a modeft civil girl, very neatly dreft, 
made it for us. She told us, (he had been a year 
at Invernefs, and learnt reading and writing, fewing, 
knotting, working lace, and paltry. Dr. Johnfon 

made 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 127 

made her a prefent of a book which he had bought 
at Invernefs *. 

The room had fome deals laid acrofs the joifts, as 
a kind of ceiling. There were two beds in the 
room, and a wom.an's gown was hung on a rope to 
make a curtain of leparation between them. Joleph 
had fheets, which my wife had fent with us, laid on 
them. We had much hefitation, whether toundrefs, 
or lie down with our clothes on. I faid at lad, 
" I'll plunge in ! There will be lefs harbour for 
vermin about me, when I am (tripped! — Dr. John- 
fon faid, he was like one hefitating whether to go 
into the cold bath. At iaft he refolved too. I ob- 
ferved, he might ferve a campaign. — Johnfon. *' I 
could do all that can be done by patience : whether 
I (hould have ftrength enough, I know not." — He 
was in excellent humour. To fee the Rambler as 
I faw him to-night, was really an amufement. I 
yefterday told him, I was thinking of writing a 

poetical 

* This book has given rife to much inquiry, which has eniled in 
ludicroue fuiprife. Several ladies, wifliing to learn the kind of read- 
ing which the great and good Dr. Johnfon efteemed moll fit for a 
young woman, defired to know what book he had felefled for this 
Highland nymph. '« They never adverted, (faid he,) that I had no 
choice in the matter. I have faid that I prefented her with a book 
which I happened to have about me." — And what was this book ?— 
My readers, prepare your features for merriment. It was Cockeyes 
Arithmetick ! — Wherever this was mentioned, there was a loud laugh, 
at which Dr. Johnfon, when prefent, ufed fometimes to be a little 
angry. One day, when we were dining at General Oglethorpe's, 
where we had many a valuable day, I ventured to interrogate him, 
*• But, fir, is it not fomewhat fingular that you fliould happen to 
have Cocker s Arithmetick about you on your journey ? What made 
you buy fuch a book at Invernefs" ? — He gave me a very fufficient 
anfwer. " Why, fir, if you are to have but one book with you upon 
a journey, let it be a book of fcience. When you have read through 
a book of entertainment, you know it, and it can do no more for 
you J but t book-of fcience is inexhaullible." 



128 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 
poetical letter to him, on his return from Scotland, 
m the ftile of Swift's humorous epiftle in the charac- 
ter of Mary Gulliver to her hufband. Captain Lemuel 
Gulliver, on his return to England from the country 
of the Houyhnhums : 

** At early morn I to the market hafte, 

*' Studious in ev'ry thing to pleafe thy tafte. 

** A cvinowsfonvlTLXidifparagrafs I chofe ; 

** (For I remember you were fondof thofe :) 

•* Three Ihillings cofl the firft, the laft fev'n groats ; 

•* Sullen you turn from both, and call for oats." 

He laughed, and afked- in whofe name I would 
write it. I faid, in Mrs. Thrale's. He was angry. 
" Sir, if you have any fenfe of decency or delicacy, 
you won't do that !" — Bofwell. *' Then let it be in 
Cole's, the landlord of the Mitre tavern j where 
we have fo often fat together." — John/on. " Ay, 
that may do." 

After we had offered up our private devotions, 
and had chatted a little from our beds, Dr. Johnion 
faid, " God blefs us both, for Jefus Chrift's fake ! 
Good night !" — I pronounced '* Amen" — He fell 
afleep immediately. I was not fo fortunate for a long 
time. I fancied myfelf bit by innumerable vermin 
under the clothes ; and that a fpider was travelling 
from the wainfcot towards my mouth. At lail I 
fell into infenfibility. 

Wednejday^ iji September, 
I awaked very early. I began to imagine that 
the landlord, being about to emigrate, might mur- 
der us to get our money, and lay it upon the foldiers 
in the barn. Such groundlefs fears will arife in the 
mind, before it has refumed its vigour after fleep ! 

Dr. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. n<) 

iDr. Johnfon had had the fame kind of ideas ; for lie 
told me afterwards, that he confidered fo many 
foldiers, having feen usj would be witnefles, fhould 
any harm be done, and that circumftance, I fup- 
pofe, he confidered as a fecurity. When I got up» 
I found him found aflcep in his miferable/^*?, as I 
may call it, with a coloured handkerchief tied round 
his head. With difficulty could I awaken him. 
it reminded me of Henry the Fourth's fine foliloquy 
on fleep ; for there was here as uneajy a fallet as the 
poet's imagination could pofliby conceive. 

A redcoat of the 15th regiment, whether officer, 
or only ferjeant, I could not be fure, came to the 
houfe, in his way to the mountains to fhoot deer, 
which it feems the Laird of Glenmorifon does noc 
hinder any body to do. Few, indeed, can do them 
harm. We had him to breakfaft with us. We sot 
away about eight. M'QLieen walked fome miles to 
give us a convoy. He had, in 1745, joined the 
Highland army at Fort Auguitus, and continued 
in it till after the battle of Culloden. As he narrated 
the particulars of that ill-advifed, but brave attempt, 
I could not refrain from tears. There is a certain 
aflbciation of ideas in my mind upon that fubjefl, by 
which I am flrongly affedted. The very Highland 
names, or the found of a bagpipe, will ftir my blood, 
and fill me with a mixture of melancholy and refpedt 
for courage -, with pity for an unfortunate and fuper- 
ftitious regard for antiquity, and thoughtlefs inclina- 
tion for war; in fhort, with a crowd of fenfations 
with which fober rationality has nothing to do. 

We pafied through Gleniheal, with prodigious 
mountains on each fide. We law where the the bat- 
tie v/as fought in the year 17 19. Dr. Johnfoft owned 
K he 



130 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

he was now in a fcene of as wild nature as he could 
fee; but he corretted me lometimes in my inaccurate 
obfervations.' — " There, (faid I,) is a mountain like 
a cone." — John/on. " No, fir. h would be called fo 
in a book ; and when a man comes to look at it, he 
fees it is not fo. It is indeed pointed at the top; 
but one fide of it is larger than the other.*'— Ano- 
ther mountain I called immenfe. — Johnfoji. " No ; 
it is no more than a confiderable protuberance." 

We came to a rich green valley, comparatively 
fpeaking, and flopped a while to let our horfes reft 
and eat grafs*. We foon afterwards came to Auchna- 
Ihcal, a kind of rural village, a number of cottages 
being built together, as we faw all along in the High- 
lands. We pafied many miles this day without fee- 
ing a houfe, but only little fummer-huts, calledy>&?>/- 
ings. Even Campbell, fervantto Mr. Murchifon, faftor 
to the Laird of Macleod in Glenelg, ran along with us 
to-day. He was a very obliging fellow. At Auch- 
naflieal, we fat down on a green turf-feat at the end 
of a houfe ; they brought us out two wooden difhes 
of milk, which we tafted. One of them was frothed 
like a fyllabub. I faw a woman preparing it with 

fuch 

* Dr. Johnfon, in his Journey, thus beautifully defcribes his fitu- 
ation here : "I fat down on a bank, fuch as a writer of romance might 
have delighted to feign. I had, indeed, no trees to whifper over my 
head; but a clear rivulet ftreamed at ray feet. The day was calm, 
tile air (oft, and all was rudenefs, filence, and folitiide. Before me, 
and on either fide, were high hills, which, by hindering the eye from 
ranging, forced the mind to find entertainment for itfelf. Whether 
I fpent the hour well, I know not j for here I firlt conceived the 
thought of this narration." — The Critical Re'vietvers, with a fpirit and 
expreflion worthy of the fuhjti!!-, fay, — " We congratulate the publick 
on the event with which this quotation concludes, and are fnlly per- 
Aiaded liiat the hour in wliich the entertaining traveller conceived this 
narrative will be confidered, by every reader of tafte, as a fortunate 
- - evertt 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 131 

fach a (tick as is ufed for chocolate, and in the fame 
manner. We had a confiderable circle about us, 
men, women and children, all M'Craas, Lord Sea- 
forth's people. Not one of them could fpeak En- 
glifh. I obferved to Dr. Johnfon, it was much the 
fame as being with a tribe of Indians. — Johnfon, 
" Yes, fir ; but not fo terrifying." I gave all who 
chofe it, fnufF and tobacco. Governcur Trapaud had 
made us buy a quantity at Fort Auguilus, and put 
them up in fmall parcels. I alfo gave each perfon 
a bit of wheat bread, v/hich they had never tailed 
before. I then gave a penny apiece to each child. 
I told Dr. Johnfon of this; upon which he called to 
Jofeph and our guides, for change for a {hilling, 
and declared that he would diftribute among the chil- 
dren. Upon this being announced in Erfe, there 
Was a great ftir •, not only did fome children come 
running down from neighbouring huts, but I ob-» 
ferved one black-haired man, who had been with 
us all along, had gone off, and returned, bringing 
a very young child. My fellow traveller then or- 
dered the children to be drawn up in a row 5 and he 
dealt about his copper, and made them and their pa- 
rents all happy. The poor M'Craas, whatever may 
be their prefent flate, were of confiderable eftimation 
in the year 17 15, when there was a line in a fong. 
And aw the brave M-'Craas are cOmIng *. 

K 2 There 

event in the annals of literature. Were it fuitable to the taflc in which 
we are at prefent engaged, to indulge ourfelves in a poetical flight, 
we would invoke the winds of the Caledonian mountains to blo.v 
forever, with their fofteft breezes, on the bank where our author re- 
clined, and reqeuft of Flora, that it might be perpetually adorned 
with the gayed and ni oft fragrant produftions of the year." 

* The M'Craas, or Macraes, were fmce that time brought into 
the king's army, by the late Lord Seaforth. When they lay in Edin- 
burgh 



jp JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

There was great diverfity in the faces of the cir- 
cle around us : Some were as black and wild in 
tHeir appearance as any American favages whatever. 
One woman was as comely almoft as the figure of 
Sappho, as we fee it painted. We afked the old 
woman, the miftrefs of the houfe where we had the 
milk, (which by the bye, Dr. Johnfon told me, for 
I did not obferve it myfelf, was built not of turf, 
but of ftone,) what we fhould pay. She faid, what 
we pleafed. One of our guides a(ked her, in Erfe, 
if a fhilling was enough. She faid, " Yes.'* But 
fome of the men bade her afk more. This vexed 
me ; becaufe it fhewed a defire to impofe upon 
ftrangers, as they knew that even a (billing was 
high payment. The woman, however, honeftly per- 
fifted in her firft price ; fo I gave her half a crown. 
— Thus we had one good fcene of life uncommon 
to us. The people were very much pleafed, gave 
us many bleffings, and faid they had not had fuch 
a day fincc the old Laird of Macleod's time. 

Dr. Johnfon was much refreflied by this repaft. 

He 

burgh caftle in 1778, and were ordered to embark for Jerfey, they 
with a number of other men in the regiment, for different rea- 
fons, butefpecially an apprehenfion that they were to be fold to the 
Eaft-India Company, tliough enlifted not to be fent out of Great- 
Britain without their own confent, made a determined mutiny, 
and encamped upon the lofty mountain, Arthur's /eat, where they re- 
mained three days and three nights ; bidding defiance to all the force ia 
Scotland, At laft they came down, and embarked peaceably, hav. 
ing obtained formal articles of capitulation, figned by Sir Adolphus 
Oughton, commander in chief, General Skene, deputy commander, 
the Duke of Buccleugh, and the Earl of Dunmore, which quieted 
them. Since the feceflion of the Commons of Rome to the Mow* 
Sacer, a more fpirited exertion has not been made. I gave great 
attention to it from firft to laft, and have drawn up a particular ac- 
count of it. Thofe brave ftllows have fince ferved their country 
cfFeftually at Jerfey, and alfo in theEaft-Indies, to which, after be- 
ing better informed, they voluntarily agreed to go. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 133 

He was pleafed when I told him he would make a 
good Chief. He faid, " Were I a chief, I would 
drefs my fervants better than myfelf, and knock a 
fellow down if he looked faucy to a Macdonald in 
rags : but 1 would not treat men as brutes. I 
would let them know why all of my clan were to 
have attention paid to them. 1 would tell my upper 
fervants why, and make them tell the others.'* 

We rode on well, till we came to the high moun- 
tain called the Rattakin, by which time both Dr. 
Johnfon and the horfes were a good deal fatigued. 
It is a terrible ftecp to climb, notwithftanding the 
road is formed flanting along it ; however, we made 
it out. On the top of it we met Captain M'Leod 
of Balmenoch (a Dutch officer who had come from 
Sky) riding with his fword flung acrofs him. He 
aflced, " Is this Mr. Bofwell ?" which was a proof 
that we were expected. Going down the hill on 
the other fide was no eafy tafk. As Dr. Johnfon 
was a great weight, the two guides agreed that he 
fliould ride the horfes alternately. Hay*s were the 
two befl:, and the Doflor would not ride but upon 
one or other of them, a black or a brown. But, 
as Hay complained much after afcending the Rat^ 
takin, the Dodlor was prevailed with to mount one 
of Vafs's greys. As he rode upon it down hill, it 
did not go well ; and he grumbled. I walked on 
a little before, but was excefllvely entertained with 
the method taken to keep him in good humour. 
Hay led the horfe's head, talking to Dr. Johnfon 
as much as he could •, and (having heard him, in 
the forenoon, exprefs a paftoral pleafure on feeing 
the goats browzing) juft when the Doflor was utter- 
ing his difpleafure, the fellow cried, with a very 
K3 ^ Highland 



134 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 
Highland accent, " See fuch pretty goats !'* Then 
he whiftled, whu ! and made them jump.^ — Little 
did he conceive what Dodlor Johnfon was. Here 
now v/as a common ignorant Highland clown ima- 
gining that he could divert, as one does a child,— 
Dr Samuel Johnfon I — The ludicroufnels, abfurdity, 
and extraordina' y contrail betweeji what the fellow 
fancied, and the reality, was truly comick. 

it grew duflcy ; and Vv'e had a very tedious ride 
for what was called five miles ; but I am fure would 
nieaiure ten We had no converfation. I was 
riding forward to the inn at Glenelg, on the fhore 
oppofue to Sky, that I might take proper meafures, 
before Dr Johnion, who was now advancing in 
dn ary filence, Hay leading his horfe, fhould arrive, 
Vais aifo walked by the fide of his horfe, and Jofeph 
followed behind : as therefore he was thus attended, 
and feemed to be in deep meditation, I thought 
there could be no harm in leaving him for a little 
while. He called me back with a tremendous 
fliouc, and was really in a 'paffion with me for 
leaving him. I told him my intentions, but he 
was not fatisfied, and faid, " Do you know, I 
ihould as foon have thought of picking a pocket, as 
doing fo." — Bofwell. " I am diverted with you, 
fir." — Johnfon. " Sir, I could never be diverted 
with incivility. Doing fuch a thing, makes one 
lofe confidence in him who has done it, as one can- 
not tell what he may do next." — His extraordinary 
warmth confounded me fo much, that I jultified 
myfelf but lamely to him 3 yet my intentions were 
not improper. I wiflied to get on, to fee how we 
were to be lodged, and how we were to get a boat ; 
all which 1 thought I could belt fettle myftlfj v/ith- 

out 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 135 

out his having any trouble. To apply his great 
mind to minute particulars, is wrong: it is like 
taking an immenfe balance, fuch as is kept on 
quays for weighing cargoes of fhips, — to weigh a 
guinea. 1 knew I had neat little fcales, which 
would do better ; and that his attention to every 
thing which falls in his way, and his uncommon 
defire to be always in the right, would make him 
weigh, if he knew of the particulars : it was right 
therefore for me to weigh them, and let him have 
them only in effeft. I however continued to ride 
by him, finding he wiilied I fliould do fo. 

As we pafled the barracks at Bernera, I looked 
at them wifhfully, as foldiers have always every 
thing in the beft order 1 but there was only a lerjeant 
and a few men there. We came on to the inn at 
Glenelg. There was no provender for our horfes j 
fo they were fent to grafs, with a man to watch, 
them. A maid fhewed us up flairs into a room 
damp and dirty, with bare walls, a variety of bad 
fmells, a coarfe black greafy fir table, and forms of 
the fame kind •, and out of a wretched bed flatted 
a fellow from his fleep, like Edgar in King Lear, 
*' Poor Toiri's a cold'^'* 

This inn was furnilhed with not a fingle article 
that we could either eat or drink-, but Mr. Murchi- 
fon, faftor to the Laird of Macleod in Glenelg, fent 
us a bottle of rum and fome fugar, with a polite 
meflage, to acquaint us, that he was very forry 
that he did not hear of us till we had paflfed his 
houfe, otherwife he fhould have infifted on our 
ileeping there that night ; and that, if he were not 
K 4 obliged 

* It is amufing to obferve ihe different Images which this being 
prefented to Dr. Johnfon and me. The Doftor, in his JouRNET* 
copraares him to a Cjdofs. 



136 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

obliged to fet out for Invernefs early next morningj 
he would have waited upon us. — Such extraordi- 
nary attention from this gentleman, to entire ftran- 
gers, deferves the moft honourable commemoration. 

Our bad accommodation here made me uneafy, 
and almoft fretful. Dr. Johnfon was calm. I faid, 
he was fo from vz.mx.Y ''^Johnfon. " No, fir, it is 
from philofophy." — It pleafed me to fee that the 
Rambler could praflife fo well his own lefTons. 

I refumed the fubje<5t of my leaving him on the 
road, and endeavoured to defend it better. He 
was ftill violent upon that head, and faid, " Sir, 
had you gone on, I was thinking that I Ihould 
have returned with you to Edinburgh, and then have 
parted from you, and never fpoken to you more." 

I fent for frefli hay, with which we made beds 
for ourfelves, each in a room equally miferable. 
Like Wolfe, we had a " choice of difficuhies.'* 
Dr. Johnfon made things eaficr by comparifon. At 
McQueen's, laft night, he obferved, that few were 
fo well lodged in a fhip. To-night he faid, we 
were better than if we had been upon the hill. He 
jay down buttoned up in his great coat. 1 had my 
jfheets fpread on the hay, and my clothes and great 
coat laid over me, by way of blankets^ 
Tlm?-fday, 2d September, 

I had flept ill. Dr. Johnfon's anger had affcvflcd 
mc much. I confidered that, without any bad in- 
tention, I Plight Tuddeniy forfeit his friend(hip ; and 
was impatient to fee him this morning, I told him 
how uneafy he had made me, by what he had faid, 
?ind reminded him of his own remark at Aberdeen, 
upon old friendfhips being haftily broken off. He 
owned, he had fpoken to tne in pafilon ; that he 

would 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 137 

would not have done what he threatened ; and that, 
if he had, he fhould have been ten times worfe than 
I ; that forming intimacies, would indeed be " lim- 
ning the water," were they liable to fuch fudden 
diflblution ; and he added, " Let's think no more 
on\r-~BofweU. " Well then, fir, I fhall be eafy. 
Remember, I am to have fair warning in cafe of 
any quarrel. You are never to fpring a mine upon 
me. It was abfurd in me to believe you." — Johu' 
fon. " You deferved about as much, as to believe 
me from night to morning," 

After breakfaft, we got into a boat for Sky. Ic 
rained much when we fet off, but cleared up as 
we advanced. One of the boatmen, who fpoke 
Englifh, faid, that a mile at land was two miles at 
fea, I then obferved, that from Glenelg to Armi- 
dale in Sky, which was our prefent courfe, and is 
called twelve, was only fix miles : but this he could 
not underftand. " Well, (faid Dr. Johnfon,) never 
talk to me of the native good fenfe of the Highland- 
ers. Here is a fellow who calls one mile two, and 
yet cannot comprehend that twelve fuch imaginary 
miles make in truth but fix." 

We reached the fhore of Armidale before one 
(/clock. Sir Alexander McDonald came down to 
receive us. He and his lady, (formerly Mifs Bof- 
ville of Yorkfliire,) were then in a houfe built by a 
tenant at this place, which is in thediftrift of Slate, 
the family manfion here having been burned in Sir 
Donald Macdonald's time. 

The moft ancient feat of the chief of the Mac- 
donalds i;i the ifle of Sky was at Duntulm, where 
there are the remains of a {lately caftle. The prin- 
cipal refidence of the family is now at Mugftot, at 

which 



138 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

which there is a confiderable building. Sir'Alexan-^ 
der and lady Macdonald had come to Armidale in 
their way to Edinburgh, where it was neceffary for 
them to be loon after this time. 

Armidale is fituated on a pretty bay of the nar- 
row fea, which flows betv/een the main land of 
Scotland and the Ifle of Sky. In front theie is a 
grand profpedl of the rude mountains of Moidart 
and Knoidart. Behind are hills gently rifing and 
covered with a finer verdure than I expefted to fee 
in this climate, and the Icene is enlivened by a 
number of little clear brooks. 

Sir Alexander Macdonald having been an Eton 
fcholar*, and being a gentleman of talents, Dr. 
Johnfon had been very well pieafed with him in 
London. But my fellow-traveller and I were now 
full of the old Highland fpirit, and were diflatisfied 
at hearing of racked rents and emigration -, and 
finding a chief not furrounded by his clan. Dr. 
Johnfon faid, " Sir, the Highland chiefs fhould not 
"be allowed to go farther fouth than Aberdeen. A 
ftrong-minded man, like Sir James Macdonald, 
may be improved by an Englifh education •, but in 
general, they will be tamed into infignificance." 

We found here Mr. Janes of Aberdeenihire, a 
naturalift. Janes faid he had been at Dr. Johnfon's 
in London, with Fergufon the aHvonomcr.— Johnfon. 
*' It is firange that, in fuch diftant places, 1 fhould 
meet with any one who knows me. I fhould have 
thought I might hide myfelf in Sky." 

Friday^ ^d September^ 
This day proving wet, we fhould have paffed 
our time very uncomfortably, had we not found in 

the 

* See his Latin veifes addrtfled to Pr, Johnfon, in the Ap« 

PENDIX. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 139 

the houfe two chefts of books, which we eagerly 
ranfacked. After dinner, when I alone was left at 
table with the few Highland gentlemen who were of 
the company, having talked with very high refpeft 
of Sir James Macdonald, they were all fo much 
affected as to died tears. One of them was Mr. 
Donald Macdonald, who had been lieutenant of 
grenaciers in the Highland regiment, raifed by 
Colonel Montgomery, now Earl of Eglintoune, in 
the war before laft ; one of thofe regiments which 
the late Lord Chatham prided himfelf in having 
brought from " the mountains of the North :" by 
doing which he contributed to extinguifh in the 
Highlands the remains of difaffedion to the prefenc 
Royal Family. From this gentleman's converlation, 
I firft learnt how very popular his Colonel was 
among the Highlanders ; of which I had fuch con- 
tinued proofs, during the whole courfe of my Tour, 
that on my return I could not help telling the noble 
Earl himfelf, that I did not before know how greac 
a man he was. 

We were advifed by fome perfons here to vifit 
Rafay, in our way to Dunvegan, the feat of the 
Laird of Macleod. Being informed that the Rev. 
Mr. Donald McQueen was the mod intelligent man 
in Sky, and having been favoured with a letter of 
introduction to him, by the learned Sir James Foulis, 
I fent it to him by an exprefs, and requefted he 
would meet us at Rafay ; and at the fame time en- 
clofed a letter to the Laird of Macleod, informing 
him that we intended in a few days to have the 
honour of waiting on him at Dunvegan. 

Dr. Johnfon this day endeavoured to obtain fome 
knowledge of the ftate of the country 5 but com- 
plained 



140 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

plained that he could get no diftinft information 
about any thing, from thofe with whom he con- 
verfed. 

Saturday, /^h September. 
My endeavours to roufe the Englifli-bred Chief- 
tain, in whofe houfe we were, to the feudal and 
patriarchal feelings, proving ineffeftual, Dr. John- 
fon this morning tried to bring him to our way of 
thinking.— John/on. " Were I in your place, fir, 
in feven years I would make this an independant 
ifland. 1 would roaft oxen whole, and hang out 
a flag as a fignal to the Macdonalds to come and 
get beef and whifky." — Sir Alexander was ftill 
Itarting difficulties. — John/on. "Nay, firj if you 
are born to objed, I have done with you. Sir, I 
would have a magazine of arms." — Sir Alexander, 
*' They would ruft." — Johnfon. " Let there be 
men to keep them clean. Your anceftors did not 
life to let their arms ruft." 

We attempted in vain to communicate to him a 
portion of our enthufiafm. He bore with fo polite 
a good-nature our warm, and what fome might 
call Gothick, expoftulations, on this fubjed, that 
I Ihould not forgive myfelf, were I to record all 
that Dr. Johnfon's ardour led him to fay, — This 
day was little better than a blank, 

Sunday, ^th September, 

I walked to the parifli church of Slate, which is 
a very poor one. There are no church bells in the 
ifland. I was told there were once fome ; what has 
become of them, I could not learn. The minifter 
not being at home, there was no fervice. I went 

into 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 14, 

into the church, and faw the monument of Sir 
James Macdonald, which was elegantly executed 
at Rome, and has the following infcription, written 
by his friend, George Lord Lyttekon : 

To the memory 
Of Sir JAMES MACDONALD, Bart; 

Who in the flower of youth. 
Had attained to fo eminent a degree of knowledge 

In Mathematics, Philofophy, Languages, 

And in every other branch of ufeful and polite learning. 

As few have acquired in a long life 

Wholly devoted to ftudy : 

Yet to this erudition he joined 

What can rarely be found with it. 

Great talents forbufinefs. 

Great propriety of behaviour. 

Great politenefs of manners ! 

His eloquence was fweet, correiSl, and flowing j 

His memory vaft and exadl ; 

His judgement ftrong and acute 5 

All which endowments, united 

With the moft amiable temper 

And every private virtue. 

Procured him, not only in his own country^ 

But alfo fjom foreign nations. 

The higheft marks of efteem. 

In the year of our Lord 

1766, 

The 25th of his life, 

After a long and extremely painful illnefs. 

Which he fupported with admirable patience and fortitude. 

He died at Rome, 

Where, notwithflianding the difFiirence of religion. 

Such extraordinary honours were paid to his memory. 

As had never graced that of any other Britifh fubje(ft^. 

Since the death of Sir Philip Sydney. 

The 



142 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

The fame he left behind him is the beft confolatioH 

To his afflided family. 

And to his countrymen in this ifle, 

For whofe benefit he had planned 

Many ufeful improvements. 

Which his fruitful genius fuggefted. 

And his adive fpirit promoted, 

Under the fober direftion 

Of a clear and enlightened underftanding. 

Reader, bewail our lofs. 

And that of all Britain. 

In teftimony of her love. 

And as the bed return (lie can make 

To her departed fon, 

For the conftant tendernefs and afte«Slioa 

Which, even to his laft moments, 

He fhewed for her. 

His much afflicted mother. 

The LADY MARGARET MACDONALD, 

Daughter to the Earl of Eglintoune, 

Erected this Monument, 

A. D. 1768,* 

Df. 

• This extraordinary young man, whom I had the pleafure of 
knowing intimately, having been deeply regretted by his country, 
the moft minute particulars concerning him inuft be interefting to 
many. I (hail therefore infert his two laft letters to his mother, Lady 
Margaret Macdonald, which her ladyfhip has been pleafed to com- 
municate to me. 

*' My Dear Mother, Rome, July ^ih, 1766. 

" YESTERDAY'S poft brought me your anfwer to the 
firft letter in which I acquainted you of my illnels. Your tendernefs 
and concern upon that account are the fame I have always expe- 
rienced, and to which I have often owed my life. Indeed it never 
was in fo great danger as it has been lately ; and though it would 
have been a very great comfort to me to have had you near me, yet 
perhaps I ought to rejoice, on your account, that you had not the pain 
of ("uch a fpefl.icle. I have been now a week in Rome, and wirti I 
could continue to give you the fame good accounts of my recovery 
as I did in my laft: but I muft own that, for three days paft, I have 
been in a very weak and miferable Hale, which however feems to 

give 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 243 

Dr. Johnfon faid, the infcription fhould have 
been in Latin, as every thing intended to be uni- 
verfal and permanent, (hould be. 

This being a beautiful day, my fpirits were 
cheered by the mere eftecfl of climate. I had fek 
a return of fpleen during my ftay at Armidale, and 
had it not been that I had Dr. Johnion to contem- 
plate, I Ihould have funk into dejedion; but his 
firrnnefs fupported me. I looked at him, as a man 
whofe head is turning giddy at lea looks at a rock, 
or any fixed objed. I wondered at his tranquillity. 

He 

give no uneafinefs to my phyfician. My ftomach has been greatly 
out of Older, without any viilble caufe ; and the palpitation does 
not decreale. I am told that my ftomach will foon recover its tone, 
and that the palpitation muftceafe in time. So lam willing to believej 
and with this hope fupport the little remains of fpirits which I can be 
fuppofed to have, on the forty-feventh day of fuch an illnefs. Do 
not imagine I have relapfed ; — I only recover flower than I expected. 
If m.y letter Is fliorter than ufual, the caufe of it is a dofe of phyfick, 
which has weakened me fo much to-day, that I am not able to write 
a long letter. I will make up for it next poft, and remain always 
Y»ur moft fmcerely affeflionate fon, 

J. Macoonald." 

He grew gradually worfe ; and on the night before his death he 
wrote as follows from Frefcati : 

" My Dear Mother, 

*' THOUGH I did not mean to deceive you In my laft 
letter from Rome, yet certainly you would have very little reafon 
to conclude of the very great and conftant danger I have gone 
through ever fince that time. M) life, which is ftill almoft entirely 
defperate, did not at that time appear to me fa, otherwife I (hould 
have reprefented, in its true colours, a faft which acquires very 
little horror by that m.eans, and comes with redoubled force by de- 
ception. There is no circumftance of danger and pain of which I 
have not had the experience, for acontinued feriesof above a fort- 
night 5 during which time I have fettled my affairs, after my death, 
with as much diftlnflnefs as the hurry and the nature of the thing 
could admit of. In cafe of the worft, the Abbe Grant will be my 
executor in this part of the world, and Mr. Mackenzie in Scotland, 
where my objeft has been to make you and my younger brother as 
iadependent of the elJeft as pofiible," 



144 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

He faid, " Sir, when a man retires into an iflandj 
he is to turn his thoughts intirely to another world. 
He has done with this." — Bofwell. " It appears to 
me, fir, to be very difficult to unite a due attention 
to this world, and that which is to come ; for, if 
we engage eagerly in the affairs of life, we are apt 
to be totally forgetful of a future ftate ; and, on 
the other hand, a fteady contemplation of the aw- 
ful concerns of eternity renders all objefls here fo 
infignincant, as to make us indifferent and negli- 
gent about them." — John/on. " Sir, Dr. Chcyne 
jhas laid down a rule to himfelf on this fubjed, 
which fliould be imprinted on every mind : ' To 

* negleoi nothing to fecure my eternal peace, more 

* than if I had heen certified I Jloould die within. 

* the day: nor to mind any thing that my fecular 

* obligations and duties demanded of me, lefs than 
^ if I had been enfured to live fifty years tnore.'' 

I muft here obferve, that though Dr. Johnfon 
appeared now to be philofophically calm, yet his 
genius did not fiiine forth as in companies, where I 
have liftened to him with admiration. The vigour 
of his mind was, however, fufficiently manifefted, 
by his difcovcringno fymptoms of feeble relaxation 
in the dull, " weary, fiat and unprofitable" ftate in 
which we now were placed. 

I am inclined to think that it was on this day he 
compofed the following Ode upon the Ifie of Sky, 
which a few days afterwards he Ihewed me at 
Raylay : , 

O D A 
Pontl profiwdis chufa receffihus^ 
Strep ens pr ocelli s, riipibus ohfita^ 
^yani grata defefjo virentcfn 
Skiafmutn mbulofapandls. 

His 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 145 

His cura^ credo, fedihus exulat ; 
His blanda eerie fax habitat locis : 
Non ira,, non nicer or quiet is 
tnfidias mediiatur horis. 
At non CRvata rupe latefcere, 
Menti nee agra montibus aviis 
ProdeJI vagari, nee frementes 
E fcopulo iiumerare jiu6ius, 

Hu?nana virtus non fibi fufficit, 
Datur nee aqtnim cuique animum fJn 
Par are fojje, ut Stoicorum 
Se£ia crepet nimis aha fallax, 
Excefiuantis pectoris impetum, 
Rex lumme, fclus tu regis O'liter^ 
Ment'tfque, te tollcr.tc., furgunt, 
Te reeidunt moderante JluSlus *. 

After fupper. Dr. Johnfon told us, tijat Ifaac 
Hawkins Browne drank freely for thirty years, 
and that he wrote his poem, De jinimilmmortalitate, 
in fome of the laft of thefe years. — I Jiftened to 
this with the eagernefs of one, who, confcious of be- 
ihg himfelf fond of wine, is glad to hear that a 
man of fo much genius and good thinking as 
Browne had the fame propenfity. 

Monday, 6th September, 
We fet out, accompanied by Mr. Donald 
M*Leod (late of Ganna) as our guide. We rode 
L for 

• Various Readings. 
Line *. . In the manufcript. Dr. Johnfon, inftead of rupibus oh' 
fita, had written imbribus wvida, and wuida nubibus, but ftruck 
them both out. 

Lines 15 & 16. Inftead of thefe two lines, he had written, but 
afterwards ttruck out, the following: 

Par are fojj'e, idcnnque ja3et 
Grandiloquus nimis alta Zent* 



1^6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

for fome time along the diftridl of Slate, near tfie 
Ihore. The houfes in general are made of turf, 
covered with grafs. The country feemed well peo- 
pled. We came into the diilri6t of Strath, and 
pafled along a wild moorilh traft of land till we 
arrived at the fhore. There we found good verdure, 
and fome curious whin-rocks, or colledions of ilones 
like the ruins of the foundations of old buildings. 
We faw alfo three Cairns of confiderable fize. 

About a mile beyond Broadfoot, is Corrichata- 
chin, a farm of Sir Alexander Macdonald's, pof- 
fefTed by Mr. M'Kinnon*, who received us with 
a hearty welcome, as did his wife, who was whac 
we call in Scotland a lady-like woman. Mr. Pen- 
nant, in the courfe of his tour to the Hebrides,, 
pafTed two nights at this gentleman's houfe. On 
its being mentioned, that a prefent had here been 
made to him of a curious fpecimen of Highland an- 
tiquity, Dr. Johnfon faid, *' Sir, it was more than he 
deferved : the dog is a whig." 

We 

* That my readers may have my narrative In the fiyle of the 
country through which I am travelling, it is proper to inform them, 
that the chief of a elan is denominated by his furnavie alone, as 
M'Leod, M'Kinnon,. M'Intofli. 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, took it highly amifs, when Gene- 
ral Wade called him Mr. M'Farlane. Dr. Johnfon faid, he could 
rot bring himfelf to ufe this mode of addrefs ; it feemed to him to be 
too familiar, as it is the way in which, in all other places, intimates 
or inferiors are addreffed. When the chiefs have titles, they are deno- 
minated by them, as Sir James Grant, Sir Allan M- Lean, The other 
Highland gentlemen, of landed property, are denominated by their 
efiaies, as Rafay, BoifJale ; and the wives of all of them have the title 
miladies. The tack/men, or principal tenants, are named b)i theif 
farms, as Kingjburgh, Corrichatachin ; and their wives are called the . 
mijirefs of Kingfburgh, the mijlrefs of Corrichatachin. -^ — Having 
given this explanation, I am at liberty to ufe f*iat mode of fpeech 
T/hich generally prevails in the Highlands and the Hebrides. 



TO THE HEBRIDES; 147 

We here enjoyed the comfort of a table plenti- 
fully furnifhed, the fatisfaflion of which was 
heightened by a numerous and cheerful company ; 
and we for the firll time had a fpecimen of the 
joyous focial manners of the inhabitants of the 
Highlands. They talked in their own ancient lan- 
guage, with fluent vivacity, and fung many Erfe 
longs with fuch fpirit, that, though Dr. johnfon 
was treated with the greateft refpeft and attention, 
there were moments in which he feemed to be for- 
gotten. Formyfelf, though but a Z(?U7/^;zJ^r, hav- 
ing picked up a few words of the language, I pre- 
fumed to mingle in their mirth, and joined in the 
choru fifes with as much glee as any of the company. 
Dr. Johnfon being fatigued v/ith his journey, re- 
tired early to his chamber, where he compofed the 
following Ode, addrefled to Mrs. Thrale : 

O D A. 

Permeo terras^ ub'i nuda rupei 
Saxeas mifcet nebulis ruinas, 
Tbrva ubi rident Jleriles coloni 

Rura labores, 

Pcrvagor gentes^ hominum ferorum 
Vita ubi nullo decorata cultu 
Sqaallet informis, tugurique fumU 
"- Fceda latefcit. 

Inter errorh fakbrofa hngtf 
Inter ignotajhepitus loquela, 
^ot modi's mecmn^ quid agat^ rcqulrOf 
Thralia dukis f 

Sen viri euros pia nupta mulcet, 
Seufovet mater fob olern benigna^ 
Svve cum Ubris novitate pofcet 

Sedula mcntem ; 
L a SU 



Z48 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Sit jfiemor no/It i^ fideique merceSy 
Stet fides conjians^ meritoque blandum 
'Thralits difcant refonare nomen 

Littora SiiiS. 
Sciiptumin Skia, Sept. 6, 1773. 

Tuefdajy yfb Septemher. 
Dr. Johnfon was much pleafed with his entertain- 
ir^ent here. There were many good books in the 
houfe : Hedor Boethius in Latin ; Cave's Lives of 
the Fathers •, Baker's Chronicle •, Jeremy Collier's 
Church Hiflory ; Dr. Johnlbn's Imall Didionary ♦, 
Craufurd's Officers of State, and leveral more : — a 
mezzotinto of Mrs. Brooks the adrels (by fome 
llrange chance in Sky) •, and alfo a print of Mac- 
donald ot Cianranald, with a Latin infcription about 
the cruelties after the battle of Culloden, which will 
never be forgotten. 

ft was a very wet ftormy day ; we were therefore 
obl'ged to remain here, it being impolTible to crofs 
the Tea to Rafay. 

. I employed a part of the forenoon in writing this 
Journal. The reft of it was fomewhac dreary, from 
the gloominels of the weaiher, and the uncertain 
Hate which we were in, as we could not tell but it 
might clear up every hour. Nothing is more pain- 
ful to the mind than a flate of fufpence, efpeclally 
when it depends upon the weather, concerning which 
there can be fo little calculation. As Dr Johnfon 
faid of our wearinefs on the Monday at Aberdeen, 
" Senfation is fenfation:" Corrichatachin, which was 
laft night a hofpitable houle, was, in my mind, 
changed to-day into a prifon. — After dinner I read 
fome of Dr. Macpherlon's Diflertation^ on the An- 
cient Caledonians. 1 was difgufted by the unlatif- 

fa(^ory 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 149 

fa£lory conjeftures as to antiquity, before the days 
of record, I was happy when tea came. Such, I 
take it, is the ft.ue of thole who live in the country. 
Meals are wifhed for from t\\c cravings of vacuity of 
mind, as well a^: from the defire of eating. I was 
hurt to find even fuch a temporary fteblencfs, and 
that I was io far from being that robufl wife man 
who is lufficient for his own happinefs. I feit a 
kind of lerhargv of indolence. I did not exert 
myfelf to get Dr. Johnfon to talk, that I might not 
have the labour of writing down his converfation.— 
He enquired here, if there were any remains of the 
fecond fight. Mr. M*Pherlon, Minifter of Slate, 
faid, he was refohed not to believe it, becaufe it was 
founded on no principle. — Jchnfon. " There are 
many things then, which we are lure are true, that 
you will not believe. What principle is there, why 
a loadflone attracts iron ? why an egg produces a 
chicken by heat .f" why a tree grows upwards, when 
the natural tendency of all things is downwards ? 
Sir, it depends upon the degree of evidence that you 
have" — <■ — Young Mr. M'Kinnon mentioned one 
M'Kenzie, who is dill alive, who had often fainted 
in his preience, and when he recovered, mentioned 
vifions which had been prefented to him. He told 
Mr. M'Kinnon, that at fuch a place he fhould meet a 
funeral, and that fuch and fuch people would be 
the bearers, naming four -, and three weeks after- 
wards he law what M'Kenzie had predid:ed. The 
naming the very fpot in a coi?ntry where a funeral 
corner a long way, and the very people as bearers, 
when there are fo many out of vvhom a choice may 
be made, feems extraordinary. We fhould have 
Tent for M'Kenzie, had we not been informed that 
L 3 he 



130 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

he could fpcak no Englifli. Befides, the facls wer$ 
not related with fufficient accuracy. 

Mrs. M'Kinnon, who is a daughter of old Kingf- 
burgh, told us that her father was one day riding in 
Sky, and fome women, who were at work in a field 
on the fide of the road, faid to him, they had heard 
two taifcks^ (that is, two voices of perfons about to 
die,) and what was remarkable, one of them was 
an Englijh taifck, which they never heard before. 
V/hen he returned, he at that very place met two 
funerals, and one of them was that of a woman who 
had come from the main land, and could fpeak only 
Englifh. This, fhe remarked, made a great impref- 
fion upon her father. 

Hov/ ail the people here were lodged, I know 
not. It was partly done by feparating man and 
wife, and putting a number of men in one roorn,. 
and of women in another. 

Wednefday^ %th September. 
When I waked, the rain was much heavier than 
yefterday -, but the wind had abated. By breakfatl, 
the day was better, and in a little while it was calm 
and clear. I felt my fpirits much elated. The 
propriety of the expreffion, " the funfiine of the 
breaft" now ftruck me with peculiar force ; for the 
brilliant rays penetrated into my very foul. V/e 
were all in better humour than before. Mrs. 
M'Kinnon, with unaffeded hofpitalicy and polite-, 
nefs, exprefled her happinefs in having fuch com- 
pany in her houfe, and appeared to underftand and 
relifli Dr. Johnfon's converfation, as indeed all the 
company feemed to do. When I knew {he was old 
Kingfburgh's daughter, I did not wonder at the good 
appearance which Ihe made, 

She 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 151 

She talked as if her hufband and family would 
emigrate, rather than be opprefTed by their land- 
lord ^ and faid, *' how agreeable would it be, if 
thefe gentlemen fhould come in upon us when we 
are in America." — Somebody obferved that Sir 
Alexander Macdonald was always frightened at 
fea. — Johujon. " He is frightened at fea; and his 
tenants arc frightened when he comes to land.** 

We reiblved to fet out direftly after break fafl:. 
We had about two miles to ride to the fca-fide, 
and there we ex peeled to get one of the boats 
belonging to the fleet of bounty herring-buITes then 
on the coaft, or at lead a good country fifliing-boat. 
But while we were preparing to fet out, there ar- 
rived a man with the following card from the Reve- 
rend Mr. Donald M'Queen : 

'* Mr. M'Queen's compliments to Mr. Bofwell, 
'* and begs leave to acquaint him that, fearing the 
" want of a proper boat, as much as the rain of yef- 
*' terday, might have caufed a ftop, he is now at 
*' Skianwden with Macgillichallum's* carriage, to 
*' convey him and Dr. Johnfon to Rafay, where 
'* they will meet with a mofl hearty welcome, and 
" where Macleod, being on a vifit, now attends 
*' their motions." 

*' JVednefday afternoon'* 

This card was moft agreeable ; it was a prologue 
to that hofpitable and truly polite reception which 
w€ found at Rafay. In a little while arrived Mr, 
Donald M'Queen himfelf; a decent minifter, an 
elderly man with his own black hair, courteous, and 
L 4 rather 

* The Highland cxpreflion for Laird of Rafay, 



352 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

rather flow of fpeech, but candid, fenfible and well 
informed, nay learned. Along with him came, as 
our pilot, a gentleman whom I had a great dcfireto 
fee, Mr. Malcolm Macleod, one of the R,if ay- 
family, celebrated in the year 1745-6, He was 
now fixty-two years of age, hale, and well propor- 
tioned, — with a manly countenance, tanned by the 
"weather, yet having a ruddinef^ in his cheeks, over a 
o-reat part of which his rough beard extended.— His 
eye v/as quick and lively, yet his look was not 
fierce, but he appeared at once firm and good-? 
humoured. He wore a pair of brogues, — Tartan 
hole which came up only near to his knees, and 
left them bare, — a purple camblet kilr, — a black 
•waiftcoat,— a fliort green cloth coat bound with gold 
cord, — a yeliowifh bulhy wig, — a large blue bonnet 
•with a gold thread button. I never Ikw a figure 
that gave a more perfed reprefentation of a High- 
land gentleman. I wiflied much to have a piclure of 
him juft as he was. I found him frank and poII(e-y 
in the true fenfe of the word. 

The good family at Corrichatachin faid, they 
hoped to fee us on our return. We rode down to 
the Ihore j but Malcolni walked with graceful 
agiiity. 

We got into Rafay's carriage, which was a good 
ftrong open boat made in Norway. The wind had 
now rifen pretty high, and was againft us •, but we 
had four ftout rowers, particularly a Macleod, a 
robuft, black-haired fellow, half naked, and bear- 
headed, fomething between a wild Indian and an 
Englifh tar. Dr. Johnfcn fat high on the ftern, 
}ike a miign fi jnt Triton, Malcolm fung an Erfe 
Jong, the chor-is of which v/as " Hatpn foam fo 
\ 



oam 
? 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 153 

ifiy^ with words of his own. The tune refembled 
t< Qjjor the muir amang the heather^' The boatmea 
and Mr. M'Qiieen chcrufed, and all went well. 
At length Malcolm himielf took an oar, and rowed 
vigoroufly. We failed along the coafl: of Scalpa, a 
rugged ifland, about four miles in length. Dr. 
Johnfon propofed that he and I fhould buy it, and 
found a good fchool, and an epifcopal churcli, 
(Malcolm laid, he would come to it,) and have a 
printing- prefs, where he would print all the Eric 
that could be lound. 

Here I was ftrongly ftruck with our long pro- 
Jedled fcheme of vifiting the Hebrides being realized. 
I called to him, " We are contending with leas ;" 
which I think were the words of one ot his letters to 
me. '* Not much," faid he ; and though the wind 
made the fea lafh confiderably upon us, he was not 
difcompofed. After we were out of the fhelter of 
Scalpa, and in the found between it and Rafay, whicU 
extended about a league, the wind made t:.e fea very- 
rough. 1 did not like it. — Johnfon. " This now is 
the Atlantick. If I fhould tell at a tea table in 
London, that I have crnffcd the Atlantic]-; in an 
open boat, how they'd fhudder, and what a fool 
they'd think me to expofe myfelf to fuch danger ?" 
J^e then repeated Horace's ode, 

Otium Divos rogat in patenti 
Prenfus MgaQ^ — ' — 
In the confufion and hurry of this boifterous fail. 
Dr. Johnfon's fpurs, of which Jofeph had charge, 
were carried over-board into the fea, and loft. This 
was the firft misfortune that had befallen us. Dr. 
Johnfon was a little angry at firft, obferving that 
«^ there w^s fomething wild in letting a pair of fpurs 

be 



J54 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

be carried into the fea out of a boat ;" but then he 
remarked, " that, as Janes the naturalift had faid 
upon lofing his pocket-book, it was rather an in- 
convenience than a lofs." He toid us, he now 
recolleded that he dreamt the night before, that he 
put his ilafF into a river, and chanced to let it go, 
an<i it was carried down the ftream and loft. " So 
now you fee, (faid hej that 1 have loft my fpurs ; 
and this ilory is better than many of thofe which 
we have concerning fecond fight and dreams." Mr. 
M'Qiieen faid he did not believe the fecond fight ; 
that he never met with any well attefted inftances ; 
and if he ftiould, he ftiould impute them to chance ; 
becaufe all who pretend to that quality often fail in 
their predictions, though they take a great fcope, 
and fometimes interpret literally, Ibmetimes figura- 
tively, fo as to fuit the events. He told us, thatj 
fince he came ro be minifter of the parifti where he 
now is, the belief of witchcraft, or charms, was 
very common, infomuch that he had many profecu- 
tions before his fejfion (the parochial ecclefiaftical 
court) againft v/omen, for having by thefe means 
carried off the milk from people's cows. He difre- 
garded them ; and there is not now the leaft veftige 
of that fuperftition. He preached againft it •, and 
in order to give a ftrong proof to the people that 
there v/as nothing in iu, he faid from the pulpit, that 
every woman in thp parifh was welcome to take the 
milk from his cows, provided ftie did not touch 
them. 

Dr. ^ohnfon afked him as to Fingal. He faid 
he could repeat fome paflages in the original, that 
he heard his grandfather had a copy of it ; but that 
he could not affirm that Oftian compofcd all that 

poerm 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 155 

poem as it is now publifhed. This came pretty 
much to what Dr. Johnlbn had maintained -, though 
he goes farther, and contends that it is no better than 
fuch an epick poem as he could make from the 
fong of Robin Hood ; that is to fay, that, except 
a few paffages, there is nothing truly ancient bud 
the names and Ibme vague traditions. Mr. M'Queea 
alledged that Homer was made up of detached 
fragments. Dr. Johnfon denied this; obferving, 
that it had been one work originally, and that you 
could not put a book of the Iliad out of its place ; 
and he believed the fame might be faid of the 
Odyffey. 

The approach to Rafay was very pleafing. Wc 
faw before us a beautiful bay, well defended by a 
rocky coaft; a good family manfion ; a fine ver- 
dure about it, — with a confiderable number of 
trees; — -and beyond it hills and mountains in grada- 
tion of wildnefs. Our boatmen fung with great 
fpirit. Dr. Johnfon obferved, that naval mufick 
was very ancient. As we came near the fhore, the 
finging of our rov/ers was fucceeded by that of 
reapers, who were bufy at work, and who feemed 
to fhout as much as to fmg, while they worked 
with a bounding activity. Juft as we landed, I 
obferved a crofs, or rather the ruins of one, upon 
a rock, which had to me a pleafmg veflige of reli- 
gion. I perceived a large company coming out 
from the houfe. We met them as we walked up. 
There were Rafay himfelf ; his brother Dr. Macleod; 
his nephew the Laird of M'Kinnon ; the Laird of 
Macleod ; Colonel Macleod of TalifKer, an officer 
in the Dutch fervice, a very genteel man, and a 
faithful branch of the family; Mr. Macleod of 

Muiravenfide, 

3 



ISS JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Muiravenfide, bed '<nown by the name of Sandie 
Macleod, who was lung in exile on account oF the 
part which he took in 1745 ; and Icveral other per- 
fons We were welcomed upon the green, and 
conduflcd into the houfe, where we were introduced 
to Lady Ralay, who was furroundcd by a nume- 
rous family, confiding of three ions and ten daugh- 
ters. The laird of Ralay is a fenfible, polite, and 
moft hofpirable gentleman. I was told that his 
ifland of Ralay, and that of R na, (from which 
the cldtfl; Ion oi the family has his tide,) and acon- 
liderable extent of land which he has in Sky, do 
not altogether y eld him a very large revenue : and 
yet he lives in great fp'endour ; and fo far is he from 
d'ftrclTing his people, that, in the prefent rage for 
emigration, not a man has left h's ellate. 

It was pafl fix o'clock when we arrived. Some 
excellent brandy wa^ lerved round immediately, ac- 
cording to the cufliom of the Highlands, where a 
dram is generally taken every day. They call it a 
fcalch. On a fide-board was placed for us, who had 
come ofi^ the lea, a lubfiantial dinne--, and a vaii ty sf 
■wines. Then we had c<-ffce and tea. 1 oblerved in the 
room feveral elegantly bound b oks an-.i other marks 
of improved life. Soon afterwards a fidler appeared, 
and a little ball began. Ralay himieU danced with 
as much fpiri as any man, and Malcolm bounded 
like a roe. Sandie Macleod, who has at times an 
excefllve flwW ot ipirits» and had it now,' was, in 
his days of abfconding, known by the name of 
M'-Crujlicky which it leems was the defignation of a 
kind ot wild man in the Highlands, fomeching be- 
tween Proteus and Don Quixottc -, and fo he was 
called here. He made much jovial nolle. Dr. 
Johnfon was fo delighted with this fcene, that he 

faid, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 157 

faid, " I know not how we (hall get away." It cn- 
lertained me to obferve him Turing by, while wc 
danced, fometimes in deep meditation, — fometimes 
TmiUng complacently, — Ibmeiimes looking upon 
Hooke's Roman Hiftory, — and fometimes talking 
a little, amidft the noife ot the ball, to Mr. Donald 
M'Qiieen, who anxioufly gathered knowledge from 
him. He was pleafed wirh M*Queen, and faid to 
me, " This is a critical man, fir. There muft be 
great vigourof mind to make him cultivate learning 
fo much in the ifle of Sky, where he might do 
without it. It is wonderful how many of the new 
publications he has. There mull be a fnatch of 
every opportunity." Mr. M'Queen told me that 
his brother (who is the fourth generation of the fa- 
mily following each other as minifters of the parilli 
of Snizort,) and he joined together, and bought 
from time to time fuch books as had reputation. 
Soon after we came in, a black cock and grey hen, 
which had been fhot, v/ere fhewn, with their fea- 
thers on, to Dr. Johnfon, who had never ken that 
fpecies of bird before. We had a company of thirty 
at fupper -, and all was good humour and gaiety, 
without intemperance. 

Thurfdayt gth Septemher. 

At breakfafl: this morning, among a profufion 
of other things, there were oat-c.ikes, made of 
what is called graddaned meal, that is, meal made 
of grain feparated trom the hufks, and toafted by 
fire, inftead of being threlhed and kiln dried. — This 
feems to be bad managemeni, as fo much fodder 
is confumed by it. Mr. M'Qiieen however de- 
fended it, by faying, that it is doing the thing 

much 



iS8 JOURNAL OF A TOt;.'? 

much quicker, as one Operation effefts what H 
otherwife done by twO. His chief reafon however 
was, that the fervants in Sky are, according to 
him, a faithlefs pack, and fteal what they can 5 
fo that much is faved by the corn pafTing but once 
through their hands, as at each time they pilfer 
fome« It appears to me, that the gradaning is a 
ftrong proof of the la2;inefs of the Highlanders, 
•who will rather make fire a6l for them, at the ex- 
pence of fodder, than labour themfelves. There 
was alfo, what t cannot help difliking at breakfafr, 
cheefe : it is the cuftom over all the Highlands to 
have it; and it often fmells very flrong, and poi- 
fons to a certain degree the elegance of an Indian 
repaft. The day was fhowery -, however, Rafay 
and I took a walkj and had fome cordial converfa- 
tion. I conceived a more than ordinary regard for 
this worthy gentleman. His family has pofTefled 
this ifland above four hundred years. It is the re- 
mains of the eftate of Mackod of Lewis, whom he 
reprefents. — When we returned. Dr. Johnfon 
• walked with us to fee the old chapel. He was in 
£ne fpirits. He faid, " This is truely tht patri- 
archal life : this is what we came to find." 

After dinner, M'Cruflick, Malcolm, and I, 
went out with guns, to try if we could find any 
black-cock; but v/e had no fport, owing to a hea- 
vy rain. I faw here what is called a Danifh fort. 
Our evening was pafTed as laft night was. One of 
our company, 1 v/as told, had hurt himfelf by too 
much ftudy, particularly of infidel metaphyficians, 
of which he gave a proof ; on fecond fight being 
mentioned. He immediately retailed fome of the 
fallacious arguments of Voltaire and Hume againll 

miracles 



TO THE HEBRIDES. {$() 

tniracles in general. Infidelity in a Highland gen- 
tleman appeared to me peculiarly ofi'enfive. I was 
ibrry for him, as he had otherwife a good charader. 
I told Dr Johnfon that he had ftudied himfelf into 
infidelity. — Johnfon. " Then he muil ftudy him- 
felf out of it again. That is the way. Drinking 
largely will fober him again." 

Friday^ lOth Sepfemher. 

Having refoived to explore the iiland of Rafay> 
which could be done only on foot, I laft night ob- 
tained my fellow-traveller's permiffion to leave him 
for a day, he being unable to take fo hardy a walk. 
Old Mr. Malcolm M'Cleod, who had obligingly 
promifed to accompany me, was at my bedfide be- 
tween five and fix. I fprang up immediately, and 
he and I, attended by two other gentlemen, tra- 
verfed the country during the whole of this " day. 
Though we had pafied over not lefs than four-and- 
twenty miles of very rugged ground, and had a 
Highland dance on the top of Dun Can, the higheft 
mountain in the ifland, we returned in the evening 
not at all fatigued, and piqued ourfelves at not be- 
ing outdone at the nightly ball by our lefs adive 
friends, who had remained at home. 

My furvey of Rafay did not furniOi much which 
can intereft my readers ; I fhall therefore put into 
as Ihort a compafs as I can, the obfervations upon 
it, which I find regiftered in my journal. It is 
about fifteen Engliih miles long, and four broad. 
On the fouth fide is the laird's family fear, fituated on 
a pleafing low fpot. The old tower of three flories, 
mentioned by Martin, was taken down loon after 
1746, and a modern houfe fupplies its place. 

There 



i6h JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

There are very good grafs-fields and corn-Iarrds 
aboLTt ir, well-drefled. I obferved, however, hardly 
any inclofures, except a good garden plentifully 
ftocked with vegetables, and ftraw berries, rafpber- 
lies, currants, &e. 

On one of the rocks jult where we landed, 
which are not high, there is rudely carved a fquare, 
with a crucifix in the middle. Here, it is faid, the 
Lairds of Rafay, in old times, ufed to offer UfT 
their devotions. I could not approach the fpot, 
without a grateful recoUedion of the event com- 
memorated by this fymbol. 

A little from the (hore, wefiward, is a kind of 
ftibterraneous houfe. There has been a natural 
fiiTure. or feparation of the rock, running towards 
the fea, which has been roofed over with long 
ftones, and above them turf has been laid. In 
t'lat place the inhabitants ufed to keep their oars. 
There are a number of trees near the houfe, which 
grow well ; fome of them of a pretty good fize. 
They are molily plane and a(h. A little to the 
wed of the houfe is an old ruinous chapel, un- 
roofed, which never has been very curious. We 
here law fome human bones of an uncommon fize. 
There was a heel- bone, in particular, which Dr. 
Macleod faid was fuch, that if the foot was in pro- 
portion, it mud have been twenty-feven inches 
long. Dr. Johnfon would not look at the bones* 
He ftarted back from them with a (Iriking appear- 
ance of horrour. Mr. M 'Queen told us, it was 
formerly much the cuftom, in thefe ifles, to have 
Iium.an bones lying above ground, efpecially in the 
■windov/s of churches. On the fouth of the chapel 
is the family burying-place. Above the door, on 

the 



to THE HEBRIDES. i6i 

the eaft end of it, is a fmall buft or image of the 
Virgin Mary, carved upon a flone which makes 
part of the wall. There is no church upon the 
ifland. It is annexed to one of the pariflies 
of Sky ; and the minifter comes and preaches 
either in Rafay's houfe, or fome other houfe, 
on certain Sundays. I could not but value the 
family feat more, for having even the ruins of 
a chapel clofe to it. There was fomething com- 
fortable in the thought of being fo near a piece 
of confecrated ground. Dr. Johnfon faid, " I look 
with reverence upon every place that has been fet 
apart for religion \* and he kept off his hat while 
he was within the walls of the chapel. 

The eight croffes, which Martin mentions as py- 
ramids for deceafed ladies. Hood in a femicircular 
line, which contained within it the chapel. They 
marked out the boundaries of the facred territory 
within which an afylum was to be had. One of 
them, which we obferved upon our landing, made 
the firfl point of the femicircle. There are few of 
them now remaining. A good way farther norths 
there is a row of buildings about four feet high : 
they run from the fhore on the eaft along the top 
of a pretty high eminence, and fo down to the 
Ihore on the weft, in much the fame diredion with 
the croffes. Rafay took them to be the marks for 
the afylum ; but Malcolm thought them to be falfe 
fentinels, a common deception, of which inftances 
occur in Martin, to make invaders imagine an 
ifland better guarded. Mr. Donald M'Queen, juft- 
ly in my opinion, fuppofed the croffes which form 
the inner circle to be the church's land-marks. 

M Th» 



i62 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

The fouth end of the ifland is much covered with 
large ftones or rocky ftrata. The laird has enclofed 
and planted part of it with firs, and he fhewed me 
a confiderable fpace marked out for additional plan- 
tations. 

Dun Can is a mountain three computed miles 
from the laird's houfe. The afcent to it is by 
confecutive rifings, if that exprelTion may be ufed 
when vallies intervene, fo that there is but a fhort 
rife at once ; but it is certainly very high above 
the fea. The palm of altitude is difputed for 
by the people of Rafay and thofe of Sky; the 
former contending for Dun Can, the latter for 
the mountains in Sky, over againft it. We 
went up the eaft fide of Dun Can pretty ealily. 
It is moftly rocks all around, the points of which 
hem the fummit of it. Sailors, to whom it was a 
good objedl as they pafs along, call it Rafay's cap. 
Before we reached this mountain, we pafled by two 
lakes. Of the firft, Malcolm told me a ftrange fa- 
bulous tradition. He faid, there was a wild beaft 
in it, a fea-horfe, which came and devoured a man's 
daughter ; upon which the man lighted a great fire, 
and had a fow roafted at it, the fmell of which at- 
trafted the monfter. In the fire was put a fpit. 
The man lay concealed behind a low wall of loofe 
ftones, and he had an avenue formed for the mon- 
fter, with two rows of large flat ilones, which ex- 
tended from the fire over the fummit of the hill, 
till it reached the fide of the loch. The monfter 
came, and the man with the red-hot fpit deftroyed 
it. Malcolm ftiewed me the little hiding-place, 
and the rov/s of ftones. He did not laugh when 
he told this ftory. I recoiled having feen in the 

Scots 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 163 

Scots Magazine, ffeveral years ago, a poem upon 
a fimilar tale, perhaps the fame, tranflated fro.-n 
the Erie, or Irilh, called Al^m and the Daughter 
of Mey. 

There is a Lirge tradl of land, poflefled as a com- 
mon, in Rafay. They have no regulati-ons as to 
the number of cattle. Every man puts upon it as 
many as he choofes. From Dun Can northward, 
till you reach the other end of the ifland, there is 
much good natural pafture unincumbered by 
ftones. We pafled over a fpot, which is appro- 
priated for the exercifing ground. In 1745, a 
hundred fighting men were reviewed here, as Mal- 
colm told me, who was one of the officers that led 
them to the field. They returned home all but 
about fourteen. What a princely thing is it to be 
able to furnifli fuch a band ! Rafay has the true 
fpirit of a chief. He is, without exaggeration, a 
father to his people. 

There is plenty of lime-fbone in the ifland, a 
great quarry of free-ftone, and fome natural woods, 
but none of any age, as they cut the trees for com- 
mon country ufes. The lakes, of which there are 
many, are well flocked with trout. Malcoln:^ 
catched one of four-and- twenty pounds weight in 
the loch next to Dun Can, which, by the way, is 
certainly a Danifli name, as moft names of places 
in thefe iflands are. 

The old caftle, in which the family of Rafay 
formerly refided, is fituated upon a rock very near 
the fea: The rock is not one mafs of flone, but 
a concretion of pebbles and earth, fo firm that it 
does not appear to have mouldered. In this rem- 
nant of antiquity I found nothing worthy of being 
M 2 noticed. 



i64 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

noticed, except a certain accommodation rarely td 
be found at the modern houfes of Scotland, and 
which Dr. Johnfon and I fought for in vain at the 
Laird of Rafay's new-built manfion, where nothing 
elfe was wanting. I took the liberty to tell the 
Laird it was a Ihame there fhould be fuch a defi- 
ciency in civilized times. He acknowledged the 
juftice of the remark. But perhaps fome genera- 
tions may pafs before the want is fupplied. Dr; 
Johnfon obferved to me, how quietly people will 
endure an evil, which they might at any time very 
eafily remedy •, and mentioned as an inftance, that 
the prefent family of Rafay had pofTefied the ifland 
for more than four-hundred years, and never made 
a commodious landing place, though a few men 
with pickaxes might have cut an afcent of ftairs 
out of any part of the rock in a week's time. 

The north end of Rafay is as rocky as the fouth 
i^.ndk From it I faw the little ifle of Fladda, be- 
longing to Rafay, all fine green ground j — and 
Rona, which is of fo rocky a foil that it appears to 
be a pavement. I was told however that it has a 
great deal of grafs, in the interftices. The Laird 
has it all in his own hands. At this end of the 
ifland of Rafay is a cave in a ftriking fituation. It 
is in a Recefs of a great cleft, a good way up from 
the fea. Before it the ocean roars, being dafhed 
againft monftrous broken rocks ; grand and aweful 
propugnacula. On the right hand of it is a longitu- 
dinal cave, very low at the entrance, but higher as 
you advance. The fea having fcoopcd it out, it feems 
llrange and unaccountable that the interior part, 
where the water muft have operated with lefs force, 
Ihould be loftier than that which is more immediately 

expofed 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 165 

expofcd to its violence. The roof of it is all co- 
vered with a kind of petrifications formed hydrops, 
which perpetually diftil from it. The firft cave 
has been a place of mucii fafety. I find a great 
difficulty in defcribing vifible objedts. I muft own 
too that the old caftle and cave, like many other 
things, of which one hears much, did not anfwer 
my expedtations. People are every where apt to 
magnify the curiofities of their country. 

This ifland has abundance of black cattle, fheep, 
and goats ; — a good many horfes, which are ufed 
for ploughing, carrying out dung, and other works 
of hufbandry. I believe the people never ride. 
There are indeed no roads through the ifland, unlefs 
a few detached beaten tracks deferve that name. 
Moft Gf the houfes are upon the fhore ; fo that all 
the people have little boats, and catch filh. There 
is great plenty of potatoes here. There are black- 
cock in extraordinary abundance, moor-fowl, plo- 
ver and v/ild pigeons, which feemed to me to be 
the fame as we have in pigeon -houfes, in their ftate 
of nature. Rafay has no pigeon-houfe. There 
are no hares nor rabbits in the ifland, nor was there 
ever known to be a fox, till laft year, when one 
was landed on it by feme malicious perfon, with- 
out whofe aid he could not have got thither, as 
that animal is known to be a very bad fwimmer. 
He has done much mifchief. There is a great 
deal of fifli caught in the fea round Rafay ; it is a 
place where one may live in plenty, and even in 
luxury. There are no deerj but Rafay told us he 
would get fome. 

They reckon it rains nine months in the year in 

this ifland, owing to its being diredly oppofite to the 

weftern coafl: of Sky, where the watery clouds are 

M 3 broken 



i66 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

broken by high mountains. The hills here, and in- 
deed all the heathy grounds in general, abound with 
the fweet-fmelling plant which the Highlanders call 
gauly and (I think) with dwarf juniper 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 obfervations which I made upon the ifiand of 
Rafay, upon comparing it with the defcription given 
by Martin, whole book we had with us. 

There has been an ancient league betv/een the 
families of Macdonald and Rafay. Whenever the 
head of either family dies, his fword is given to 
the head of the other. The prefent Rafay has the 
late Sir James Macdonald's iword. Old Rafay 
joined the Highland army in 1745, but prudently 
guarded againft a forfeiture, by previoufly conveying 
his eftate to the prefent gentleman, his eldeft Ion. 
On that occafion. Sir Alexander, father of the late 
Sir James Macdonald, was very friendly to his 
neighbour. " Don't be afraid, Rafay, faid he-, 
I'll ufe all my intereft to keep you fafe ; and if 
your eftate fliould be taken, I'll buy it for the fa- 
mily." — And he would have done it. 

Let me now gather fome gold duft, — fome more 
fragments of Dr. Johnfon's converfation, without 
regard to order of time. He faid, " he thought 
yery highly of Bentley ; that no man now went fo 
far in the kinds of learning that he cultivated ; that 
the many attacks on him were owing to envy, and 
to a defire of being known, by being in competi- 
tion with fuch a man •, that it was fafe to attack 
him, becaufe he never anfwered his opponents, but 
let them die av/ay. It was attacking a man who 
would not beat them, becaufe his beating them 

would 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 167 

would make them live the longer. And he was 
right not to anfwer ; for, in his hazardous method 
of writing, he could not but be often enough 
wrong; fo it was better to leave things to their 
general appearance, than own himfelf -to have 
erred in particulars." — He faid, " Mallet was the 
prettied dreft puppet about town, and always kept 
good company. That, from his way of talking, 
he faw, and always faid, that he had not written 
any part of the Life of the Duke of Marlborough, 
though perhaps he intended to do it at fome time, 
in which cafe he was not culpable in taking the 
penfion. That he imagined the Duchefs furnifhed 
the materials for her Apology, which Hooke wrote, 
and Hooke furnifhed the words and the order, and 
all that in which the art of writing confifts. That 
the duchefs had not fuperior parts, but was a bold 
frontlefs woman, who knew how to make the moft 
of her opportunities in life. That Hooke got a 
large fum of money for writing her Apology. That 
he wondered H oke fliould have been weak enough 
to infert fo profligate a maxim, as that to tell ano- 
ther's fecret to one's friend, is no breach of confi- 
.dence ; though perhaps Hooke, who was a virtuous 
man, as his Hijlory fhews, and did not wiHi her 
well, though he wrote her Apology, might fee its 
ill tendency, and yet infert it at her defire. He 
was ailing only minifterially." — 1 apprehend, how- 
ever, that Hook was bound to give his bed advice. 
I fpeak as a lawyer. Though I have had clients 
whofe caufes I could not, as a private man, apr 
prove ; yet, if I undertook them, I would not do 
any thing that might be prejudicial to them, even 
at their defire, without warning them of their 
danger. 

M 4 Saturday^ 



i6B ^ JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Saturday, nth Sepemher. 

It was a ftorm of wind and rain ; fo we could 
not let out. I wrote fome of this Journal, and 
talked awhile with Dr. Johnfon in his room, and 
pafled the day, I cannot well fay how, but very 
pleafantly. I was here amufed to find Mr. Cum- 
berland's comedy of the Fajloionahle Lover ^ in which 
he has very well drawn a Highland chara(fter, Colin 
M'Cleod, of the fame name with the family under 
whofe roof we now were. Dr. Johnfon was much 
pleafed with the Laird of Macleod, who is indeed 
a mofl promifing youth, and with a noble fpirit 
ilruggles with difficulties, and endeavours to pre- 
ferve his people. He has been left with an in- 
cumbrance of forty ihoufand pounds debt, and 
annuities to the amount of thirteen hundred pounds 
a year. Dr. Johnfon faid, " If he gets the better 
of all this, he'll be a hero -, and I hope he will. I 
have not met with a young man who had more de- 
fire to learn, or who has learnt more. I have feen 
nobody that I wifh more to do a kindnefs to than 
Macleod."— Such was the honourable elogium, on 
this young chieftain, pronounced by an accurate 
obferver, whofe praiie was never lightly bellowed. 

f here is neither juftice of peace, nor conflable 
in Rafay. Sky has Mr. M'Cleod of Ulinilh, who 
;s the fherifF fubftitute, and no other juftice of 
peace. The want of the execution of juftice is 
much felt among the iflanders. Macleod very fen- 
fibly obferved, that taking away the heritable ju- 
rifdiftions had not been of fuch fervice in the iflands, 
as was imagined. They had not authority enough 
\n lieu of jhern* What could formerly have been 

fettle4 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 169 

fettled at once, muft now either take much time 
3nd trouble, or be ncgledled. Dr. Johnfon faid, 
" A country is in a bad ftate, which is governed 
only by laws ; becaufe a thoufand things occur for 
which laws cannot provide, and where authority 
ought to interpofe. Now deftroying the authority 
of the chiefs fet the people loofe. It did not pre- 
tend to bring any pofitive good, but only to cure 
fome evil ; and I am not well enough acquainted 
with the country to know what degree of evil the 
heritable jurifdidions occafioned." — I maintained 
hardly any •, becaufe the chiefs generally adled 
right, for their own fakes. 

Dr. Johnfon was now wifhing to move. There 
was not enough of intelledlual entertainment for 
him, after he had fatisfyed his curiofity, which he 
did, by afking queftions, till he had exhaufted the 
ifland j and where there was lb numerous a com- 
pany, moftly young people, there was luch a flow of 
familiar talk, fo much noile, and fo much finging and 
dancing, that little opportunity was left for his ener- 
getick converfation. He feemed fenfible of this ; for 
when I told him how happy they were at having him 
there, he faid, " Yet we have not been able to enter- 
tain them much." — I was fretted, from irritability of 
nerves, t>y M'Cruflick's too obflreperous mirth. I 
complained of it to my friend, obferving we fhould 
be better if he was gone. — " No, fir (faid he). He 
puts fomething into our fociety, and takes nothing 
out of it." — Dr. Johnfon, however, had feveral 
opportunities of inftru6ling the company ; but I 
am forry to fay, that I did not pay fufficient at- 
tention to what pafTed, as his difcourfe now turned 
chiefly on mechanicks, agriculture and fuch fub- 

jefts. 



I70 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Jeds, rather than on fcience and wit. — Laft night 
I,ady Rafay Ihewed him the operation of w aw king 
doth, that is, thickening it in the fame manner as 
is done by a mill. Here it is performed by women, 
■who kneel upon the ground, and rub it with both 
their hands, finging an Erfe fong all the time. He 
ivas afking queltions while they were performing 
this operation, and, amidft their loud and wild 
howl, his voice was heard even in the room above. 

They dance here every night. The queen of 
our ball was the eldeft Mils Macleod, of Rafay, an 
elegant well-bred woman, and celebrated for her 
beauty over all thofe regions, by the name of Mifs 
Flora Rafay*. There feemed to be no jealoufy, 
no difcontent among them ; and the gaiety of the 
fcene was fuch, that I for a moment doubted whe- 
ther unhappinefs had any place in Rafay. But my 
delufion was foon difpelled, by recolledting the fol- 
lowing lines of my fellow-traveller : 

** Yet hope not life from pain or danger free, 
** Or think the doom of man revers'd for thee !'* 

Sunday, 12th September, 
It was a beautiful day, and although we did not 
approve of travelling on Sunday, we refolved to fet 
out, as we were in an ifland from whence one muft 
take occafion as it ferves. Macleod and Talifker 
failed in a boat of Rafay's for Sconfer, to take the 
fhorteft way to Dunvegan. M'Cruflick went with 
them to Sconfer, from whence he was to go to Slate, 

and 

* She had been fome time at Edinburgh, to which flie again 
went, and was married to my worthy neighbour, Colonel Mure 
Campbell, now Earl of Loudoun j but (he died loon afterwards, 
leaving one daughter, 

5 



TO THE HEBRIDES. ijj 

and fo to the main land. Vve were refolved to pay 
a vifit at Kingfburgh, and lee the celebrated Mil's 
Flora Macdonald, who is married to the prefent Mr. 
Macdonald of Kingfburgh 5 fo took that road, 
though not fo near. All the family, but Lady Rafay, 
walked down to the fhore to fee us depart. Rafay 

• himfelf went with us in a large boat, with eight oars, 
^uilt in his ifland •, as did Mr. Malcolm M'Cleod, 
Mr. Donald M'Queen, Dr. Macleod, and Ibmc 
others. We had a moft pleafant fail between Rafay 
and Sky ; and palTed by a cave, where Martin fays 
fowls were caught by lighting fire in the mouth of 
it. Malcolm remembers this. But it is not now 
practifed, as few fowls come into it. 

We fpoke of Death. Dr. Johnfon on this fub- 
jeft obferved, that the boaftings of fome men, as 

'to dying eafily, were idle talk, proceeding from 
partial views. I mentioned Hawthornden's Cyprefs- 
grove, where it is faid that the world is a mere 
ihow; and that it is unreafonable for a man to 
wifh to continue in the Ihow-room, after he has 
feen it. Le: him go cheerfully out, and give place 
to other {pe^tcLtors. -^John/on. " Yes, fir, if he is 
fure he is to be well, after he goes out of it. Buc 
}f he is to grow blind after he goes out of the (how- 
room, and never to fee any thing again ; or if he 
does not know whither he is to go next, a man will 
not go cheerfully out of a fhow-room. No wife 
man will be contented to die, if he thinks he is to 
go into a ftate of punirtiment. Nay, no wife man 
will be contented to die, if he thinks he is to fall 
into annihilation : for however unhappy any man's 
exiftence may be, he yet would rather have ic, than 
not exilt at all. No j there is no rational princi- 
ple by which a man can die contented, buc a trufb 

. in 



72 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

in the mercy of God, through the merits of Jefws 
Chrift." — This fhort fermon, delivered with an 
carneft tone, in a boat upon the fea, which was 
perfedly calm, on a day appropriated to religious 
worfhip, while every one liftened with an air of fa- 
tisfadion, had a moft pleafing effeft upon my mind. 

Purfuing the fame train of ferious refle<^lion, he 
added, that it feemed certain that happinefs could 
rot be found in this life, becaufe fo many had tried 
to find it, in fuch a variety of ways, and had not 
found it. 

We reached the harbour of Portree, in Sky, 
which is a large and good one. There was lying 
in it a vtflel to carry off the emigrants, called the 
Nffior. It made a (hort fettlement of the dif- 
ferences between a chief and his clan : 

— — Nejlor componere lites 

Inter Peleiden feftinat & inter Atriden,. 

We approached her, and fhe hoifted her colours.^ 
Dr. Johnfon and Mr. M'Queen remained in the 
boat : Rafay and I, and the reft went on board of 
her. 5he was a very pretty vefTel, and, as we were 
told, the largeft in Clyde. Mr. Harrifon, the cap- 
tain fhewed her to us. The cabin was commodious, 
and even elegant. There was a little library, finely 
bound. Portree has its name from King James the 
Fifth having landed there in his tour through the 
W^eftern Illes, Rte in Erfe being King, as Re is in 
Italian ; fo it is Pori-Royal. There was here a 
tolerable inn. On our landing, I had the pieafure 
of finding a letter from home ; and there were alfo 
letters to Dr. Johnfon and me, from Lord Elibank, 
which had been fent after us from Edinburgh. — 
His lordfhip's letter to me was as follows : 

Vear 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 173 

<* Dear Bofwell, 

** I flew to Edinburgh the moment I heard 
of Mr. Johnfon's arrival ; but fo defecflive was my 
intelligence, that I came too late.. 

" It is but juftice to believe, that I could never 
forgive myielf, nor deferve to be forgiven by others, 
if I was to fail in any mark of refpeft to that very- 
great genius. — I hold him in the higheft venera- 
tion -, for that very reafon I was refolved to take no 
fhare in the merit, perhaps guilt, of inticing him 
to honour this country with a vifit. — I could not 
perfuade myfelf there was any thing in' Scotland 
worthy to have a Summxr of Samuel Johnfon be- 
llowed on it ; but fince he has done us that com- 
pliment, for heaven's fake inform me of your mo- 
tions. I will attend them mod religioufly •, and 
though I fhould regret to let Mr. Johnfon go a mile 
out of his way on my account, old as I am, I 
fhall be glad to go five hundred miles to enjoy a 
day of his company. Have the charity to fend a 
council-pofl* with intelligence ; the poft does not 
fuit us in the country. — At any rate write to me, 
I will attend you in the north, when 1 Ihall know 
where to find you, 

« I am, 
« My dear Bofwell, 
" Your fincerely 

" Obedient humble fervant, 

*' Augujl lift, 1773. « Elibank.** 

* A term in Scotland for a fpecial meflenger, fuch as was for» 
merly Cent with difpatches by the lords of the council. 

The 



174- JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

The letter to Dr. Johnfon was in thefe words : 

" Bear Sir, 

" I was to have kifled your hands at 
Edinburgh, the moment I heard of you j but you 
was gone. 

'«^ I hope my friend Bofwell will inform me of 
your motions. It will be cruel to deprive me an 
inftant of the honour of attending you. As I 
value you more than any King in Chriftendom, I 
will perform that duty with infinitely greater alacrity 
than any courtier. I Can contribute but little to 
your entertainment ; but, my fmcere efteem for you 
gives me fome title to the opportunity of exprefT- 
ing it. 

*' I dare fay you are by this time fenfible that 
things are pretty much the fame, as when Buchanan 
complained of being born fob et feculo inerudito. 
Let me hear of you, and be perfuaded that none of 
your admirers is more fmcerely devoted to you, 
than, 

« Dear Sir, 
" Your moft obedient, 

*' And moft humble fervant, 

" Elibank.'* 

Dr. Johnfon, on the following Tuefday, anfwered 
for both of us, thus : 

«' My Lord, 

" ON the rugged fhore of Skie, I had the 
honour of your Lordfhip's letter, and can with great 
truth declare, that no place is fo gloomy but that 
it would be cheered by fuch a teftimony of regard, 

from 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 17^ 

from a mind fo well qualified to eflimate charafters, 
and to deal out approbation in its due proportions. 
If I have more than my (hare, it is your Lordfbip's 
fault-, for I have always reverenced your judgment 
too much, to exalt myfelf in your prefence by any 
falfe pretenfions. 

" Mr. Bofwell and I are at prefent at the difpo- 
fal of the winds, and therefore cannot fix the time 
at which we fhall have the honour of feeing your 
lordfliip. But we (hould either of us think our- 
felves injured by the fuppoficion that we would 
mifs your lordfliip's converfation, when we could 
enjoy it •, for I have often declared that I never 
met you without going away a wifer man. 
" I am, my Lord, 
" Your lordfhip's moft obedient 
*' And mofl humble fervant, 
** Skie, Sept. 14, 1775. " Sam. Johnson.'* 

At Portree, Mr. Donald M'Queen went to 
church and officiated in Erfe, and then came to 
dinner. Dr. Johnfon and^I refolved that we fliould 
treat the company, fo I played the landlord, or 
mafter of the feafl, having previoufly ordered Jo- 
feph to pay the bill. 

Sir James Macdonald intended to have built a 
village here, which would have done great good. 
A village is like a heart to a country. It produces 
tx perpetual circulation, and gives the people an 
opportunity to make profit of many little articles, 
which would other wife be in a good meafure loft. 
"We had here a dinner, et pr^ierea nihil. Dr. John- 
fon did not talk. M^hen we were about to depart, 
we found that Rafay had been before-hand with us, 

and 



276 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

and that all was paid: I would fain have contefted 
this matter with him, but feeing him refolved, I 
declined it. We parted with cordial embraces from 
him and worthy Malcolm. In the evening Dr. 
Johnfon and I remounted our horfes, accompanied 
by Mr. M*Queen and Dr. Macleod. It rained very 
hard. We rode what they call fix miles, upon 
Rafay's lands in Sky, to Dr. Macleod's houfe. On 
the road Dr. Johnfon appeared to be fomewhat out 
of fpirits. When I talked of our meeting Lord 
Elibank, he faid, " I cannot be with him much. 
I long to be again in civilized life-, but can ftay 
but a liiort while ;" (he meant at Edinburgh). He 
ikid, " let us go to Dunvegan to-morrow." — *' Yes, 
(faid I,) if it is not a deluge." — " At any rate," he 
replied. — This fhewed a kind of fretful impatience 5 
nor was it to be wondered at, confidering our difa- 
greeable ride. I feared he would give up Mull and 
Icolmkill, for he faid fomething of his apprehen- 
fions of being detained by bad weather in going to 
Mull and lona. However I hoped well. We had 
a difh of tea at Dr. Macleod's, Vv'ho had a pretty 
good houfe, where was his brother, a half-pay 
officer. His lady was a polite, agreeable woman. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, he was glad to fee that he was 
fo well married, for he had an efteem for phyfi- 
cians. The dodlor accompanied us to Kingfburgh, 
which is called a mile farther -, but the computation 
of Sky has no connection whatever with real dif- 
tance. 

I was highly pleafed to fee Dr. Johnfon fafely ar-* 
rived at Kinglburgh, and received by the hofpita- 
ble Mr. Macdonald, who, with a moft refpeftful 
attention, fupported him into the houfe. Kingf- 

burgh 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 177 

burgh was completely the figure of a gallant High- 
lander, — exhibiting " the graceful mien and manly 
looks," which our popular Scotch fong has juftly 
attributed to that charadler. He had his Tartan 
plaid thrown about him, a large blue bonnet with 
a knot of black ribband like a cockade, a brown 
Ihort coat of a kind of duffil, a Tartan waiftcoat 
with gold buttons and gold button- holes, a bluifh 
philibeg, and Tartan hofe. He had jet black hair 
tied behind, and was a large ftately man, with a 
fleady fenfible countenance. 

There was a comfortable parlour with a good 
fire, and a dram went round. By and by lupper 
was ferved, at which there appeared the lady ot the 
houfe, the celebrated Mils Flora Macdonald. She 
is a little woman, of a genteel appearance, and un- 
commonly mild and well bred. To fee Dr. Samuel 
Johnfon, the great champion of the Englifli Tories, 
lalute Mifs Flora Macdonald in the ide of Sky, 
was a ftriking fight j for though fomewhat conge- 
nial in their notions, it was very improbable they 
fhould meet here. 

Mifs Flora Macdonald (for fo I (hall call her) 
told me, flie heard upon the main land, as flie 
was returning home about a fortnight before, 
that Mr. Boiwell was coming to Sky, and one 
Mr. Johnfon, a young F.nglifh buck, with him. 
He was highly entertained with this fancy. Giv- 
ing an account of the afternoon which we pafl- 
ed at Anock^ he faid, " I, being a buck^ had 
mifs in to make tea."-^ — He was rather quiefcent to- 
night, and went early to bed. I was in a cordial 
humour, and promoted a cheerful glafs. The 
punch was excellent. Honeft Mr. M'Queen ob- 
N ferved 



i/S JOURNAL Ot A TOUR 

fervcd that I was in high glee, '* my governour be- 
ing gone to bed." Yet in reality my heart was 
grieved, when I recoUeded that Kingfburgh was 
embarraffed in his affairs, and intended to go to 
America. However, nothing but what was good 
was prefent, and 1 pleafed myfelf in thinking that 
fo fpirited a man would be well every where. I 
flept in the fame room with Dr. Johnfon. Each 
had a neat bed, with Tartan curtains, in an upper 
chamber. 

Mcndny, i7lh September. 
The room where v/e lay was a celebrated one. 
Dr. Johnfon's bed was the very 'bed in which the 
grandfon of the unfortunate King James the Se- 
cond * lay, on one of the nights after the failure of 
his rafli attempt in 1745 6, while he was eluding 
the purfuit of the emifTaries of government, which 
had offered thirty thoufand pounds as a reward for 
apprehending him. To fee Dr. Samuel Johnfon lying 
in that bed, in the ifle of Sky, in the houfe of Mifs 
Flora Macdonald, ftruck me with iuch a group of 
ideas as it is not eafy for words to defcribe, as they 

palfed 

• I do not call him ike Prince oflfaks, or the Prince, becanfe I 
am quite fatisfied that the right which the Houfe of Stuart had to tl\c 
throne is extinguifhed. I do not call him the Pretender, becaule it 
appears to nie as an infult to one who is ftill alive, and, 1 fuppofe, 
thinks very differently. It maybe a parliamentary exprtffion ; but 
it is not a gentlemanly expreffion. I knoiv, and I exult in having ?t 
in my power to tell, that the only person in the world who is 
intitled to he oftended at tliis delicacy, thinks and feels as I do;'' 
and has liberality of mind and generofity of fentiment enough to ap- 
prove of my tendtrnefs for what even has been Blood Royal. That 
he is ez prince by courtefy, cannot be denied ; becaufe his mother was 
the daughter of Sobieftcy, king of Poland. I fiiall, thereforej on that 
Mccouni alone, diftinguilh him by the name oi Prince Charles EdxvarJ. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. ,79 

palled through the mind. He fmiled, and faid, " I 
have had no ambitious thoughts in it *. — The room 
was decorated vith a great variety of maps and 
prints. Among others, was Hogarth's print of 
Wilkes grinning, with the cap of liberty on a pole 
by him. That too was 'a curious circumflan...- in 
the fcene this morning; fuch a contraft was Wilkes 
to the above group. It reminded me of c:ir William 
Chambers's Account of Oriental Gardening, in 
which we are told all odd, ftrang?;- uply, and even 
terrible objects, are introduced, for the fake of va- 
riety, a wild extravagance or tafte which is fo well 
ridiculed in the celebrated Epiftle to him. The 
following lines of that poem immediately occurred 
to me-, 

*' Here too, O king of vengeance ! in thy fane, 
♦' Tremendous Wilkes fhall rattle his gold chain.'* 

Upon the table in our room I found in the morning 
a flip of paper, on which Dr. Johnlbn had written 
with his pencil thefe words : 

•* Quantum cedat virtutibus aurumf." 

W"hat he meant by writing them I could not tel' J. 
N 2 He 

• This perhaps, was faid in allufion tofome lines afcrlbed fo Pope, 
on his lying, at John Duke of Argyle's, at Adderbury, in the Hunc 
bed in which Wilniot, Earl of Rochefter, had llepr. 
«' VVItli no poeticic ardour fir'd, 

" I prei's the bed where Wdmot lay; 
•' That here he liv'rl, or here expir'd, 
'« Begets no numbers, grave or gay." 
f With virtue weigh'd, what worthlefs traflx is gold » 
J Since the fiift edition of this book, an ingenious friend has oh* 
ferved to me, that Dr. Johnfon had probably been thinking on th<» 
reward whidi was oftVrtd by government for the apprelie-nfion of the 
grandion of King James II. and that he meant by thefe words to ex- 
prefs his admiration of the Highlanders, whofe fidelity and attach- 
ment had refjUed the ;^oIden temutuiion that had been held wut Xa th«iM. 



i8o JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

He had caught cold a day or two ago, and the 
rain yefterday having made it worfe, he was become 
very deaf. At brcakfaft he faid, he would have 
given a good deal rather than not have lain in that 
bed. I owned he was the lucky man ; and ob- 
ferved, that without doubt it had been contrived 
between Mrs. Macdonald and him. She Teemed to 
acquiefce ; adding, " You know young bucks arc 
always favourites of the ladies." He fpoke of Prince 
Charles being here, and allied Mrs. Macdonald, 
-** Who was with him.^ We were told, madam, in 
England, there was one Mifs Flora Macdonald 
with him." — She faid, " they were very right j" 
and perceiving Dr. Johnfon's curiofity, though he 
had delicacy enough not to quellion her, very oblig- 
ingly entertained him with a recital of the particu- 
lars which (he herfelf knew of that efcape, which 
does fo much honour to the humanity, fidelity, and 
generofity, of the Highlanders. Dr. Johnfon liftened 
to her with placid attention, and faid, " All this 
fhould be written down." 

From what flie told us, and from what I was told 
by others perfonaily concerned, and from a paper 
ot information which Rafay was fo good as to fend 
me, at my defire, 1 have compiled the following 
abftract, which, as it contains fome curious anec- 
dotes, will, I imagine not be uninterelling to my 
readers, and even, perhaps, be of fome ufe to fu- 
ture hiftorians. 



Prince Charles Edward, after the battle of Cul- 
loden, was conveyed to what is called the Lcng 
IJJand, where he lay for fome time concealed. • But 

intcl- 



TO THE HEBRIDES. i2i 

ntelligence having been obtained where he was, and 
a number of troops having come in queft of him, 
it became abfolutely ncceflary for him to quit that 
country without delay. Mifs Flora Macdonald, then 
a young lady, animated by what (he thought the fa- 
cred principle of loyalty, offered, with the magna- 
nimity of a Heroine, to accompany him in an open 
boat to Sky, though the coaft they were to quit was 
guarded by ihips. He clrefled himfelf in women's 
clothes, and pafied as her fuppofed maid, by the 
name of Betty Bourke, an Irifh girl. They got off 
undifcovered, though feveral f!:!0ts were fired to 
bring them to, and landed at Mugftot, the feat of 
Sir Alexander Macdonald. Sir Alexander was then 
^at Fort Auguftus, with the Duke of Cumberland ; 
but his lady was at home. Prince Charles took his 
poft upon a hill near the houfe. Flora Macdonald 
waited on Lady Margaret, and acquainted her of 
the enterprife in which (he was engaged. Her iady- 
fhip, whofe aftive benevolence was ever feconded 
by fuperior talents, fliewed a perfect prefence of 
mind, and readinefs of invention, and at once fet- 
tled that Prince Charles iliould be conduced to old 
Rafay, who was himfelf concealed with iome feledt 
friends. The plan was inftantly communicated to 
Kingfburgh, who was difpatched to the hill to in- 
form the Wanderer, and carry him refrefhments. 
When Kinofburgh approached, he ftarted up, and 
advanced, holding a large knotted flick, and in ap- 
pearance ready to knock him down, "till he faid, " I 
am Macdonald of Kingfburgh, come to ferve your 
highnefs." The Wanderer anfwered, " It is well," 
and was fatisfied wich the plan. 

Flora Macdonald dined with Lady Margaret, 

at whofe table there fat an ofucer of the army, fla- 

N 3 tioned 



i82 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

tioned here with a party of Ibldiers, to watch for 
Prince Charles in cafe of his flying to the ifle of Sky. 
She afterwards often lauphed in good humour with 
this gentleman, on her having lb well deceived him. 

After dinner. Flora Macdonald on horieback, 
and her iuppofed maid, and Kingfburgh, with a 
fervant carrying fome linen, all on foot, proceeded 
towards that gentleman's houfe. Upon the road 
V/as a fmall rivulet which they were obliged to crofs. 
The Wanderer, forgetting his aflumed fex, that his 
clothes might nr^r be wtt, held tht m up a great deal 
too high. Kingfburgh mentioned this to him, ob- 
ferving, it might make a difcovery. He laid he 
would be more careful for the future. He wa^; as 
good as his word ; for the next brook they crolTed, 
he did rot hold up his clothes at all, but let them 
float upon the water. He v;as very awkward in his 
female drefs. His fize was fo large, and his ftrides 
fo great, that feme v^-on-.< n Vv'hom they met reported 
that they had ken a very big woman, who looked 
iike a man ;U woman's clothes, and that perhaps it 
was (as they exprclTed themfelves) the Prince, after 
whbm fo much fcarch was making. 

At Kingfburgh he met with a moft cordial re- 
ception; feemeu gay at liipper, and after it indulged 
himfeif in a cheerful glafs with his worthy hoft. As 
he had not had his clothes off for a long time, thq 
comfort of a good bed was highly relifhed by him, 
and he flept foundly till next day at one o'clock. 

The miftrefs of Corrichatachin told me, that in 
the forenoon flie v.'cnt into her father's room, who 
was alfo in bed, and fuggeflcd to him her appre- 
henfions that a party of the military might come up, 
and that his gueft and he had better not remain 

here 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 183 

bere too long. Hijr father faid, " Let the poor 
man repofe himfelf after his fatigues j and as for 
me, I care not, though the-y takr off this old grey 
head ten or eleven years fooner than I (hould die in 
the courfe of nature." He then wrapped himfelf in 
the bed-clothes, and again fell fad afleep. 

On the afternoon of that day, ihe Wanderer, 
ftill in the fame drefs, fet out for Portree, with Flora 
Macdonald and a man fervant. His fhoes being 
very bad, Kingfburgh provided him with a new 
pair, and taking up the old ones, faid, " I will 
faithfully keep them till you are fareiy fettled at St. 
James's. 1 will then introduce myfelf by fliaking 
them at you, to put you in mind of your night'-s 
entertainment and protetlion under my roof." — He 
fmiled, and faid, " Be as good as your word!" — - 
Kinofburgh kept the fhoes as long as he lived. 
After his death, a zealous Jacobi;e gentleman gave 
twenty guineas for them. 

Old Mrs. Macdonald, after her gueft had left 
the houfe, took the fheets in which he had lain, 
folded them carefully, and charged her daughter 
that they fhould be kept unwafhed, and that, when 
fhe died, her body fhould be wrapped in them as 
a winding fiieet. Her will was religioufly obferved. 

Upon the road to Portree, Prince Charles changed 
his drel's, and put on man's clothes again j a tartan 
fhort coat and waiflcoat, with philibeg and ihorc 
hofe, a plaid, and a wig and bonnet. 

Mr Donald M*Donald, called Donald Roy, had 
been fent expreis to the prefent Rafay, then the 
young laird, who was at that time at his fifler's 
houls, about three miles from Portree, attending 
his brother, Dr. Macleod, who was recovering of a 
N 4 wound 



iS4 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

wound he had received at the battle of Culloden.' 
Mr. M'Donald communicated to young Ral'ay the 
plan of conveying the Wanderer to where old 
Rafay was ; but was told chat old Rafay had fle.d 
to Knoidart, a part of Glengary's elVate. There 
•was then a dilemira what fhouid be dv:ne. Donald 
Roy propoled that he fhouid condudf the Wanderer 
to the main land; but young Rnfay thought it too 
dangeiouj) at that time, and fad it Vvoujc be better 
to conceal him in the ifland ot Ralay, till old Rafay 
could be inlorm.ed where he was, and give his ad- 
vice what was bed. But the difficulty was, how 
to get him to Rafay. They could not truft a Por- 
tree crew, and all the Rafay boats had been de- 
ilroyed, or carried off by the military, except two 
belonging to Malcolm JVi'Leod, which he had con- 
cealed fomewhere. 

Dr. Maclcod being informed of this difficulty, 
faid he would rifle his life once more for Prince 
Charles; and it having occurred, that there v/as a 
little boat upon a frefh- water lake in the neighbour- 
hood, young Raiay and Dr. Macleod, with the 
help o^ fome women, brought it to the fea, by ex- 
traordinary exertion, arrofs a Highland mile of 
land, one half of which was bog, and the other a 
fteep precipice. 

Thefe gallant brothers, with the affiftance of one 
little boy, rowed the fmall boat to Rafay, where 
they were to endeavour to find Captain M'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 cafe of 
not finding him, they were to make the fmali boat 
iervc, though the danger was confiderable. 

Fortunately, 
I 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 185 

Fortunately, on their firft landing, they found 
their coufin Malcolm, who, with the utmoft ala- 
crity, got ready one of his boats, with two ftrong 
men, John M'Kenzie, and Donald M'Friar. Mal- 
colm, being the oldeft man, and moft cautious, 
faid, that as young Rafay had not hitherto ap- 
peared in I he unfortunate bufinefs, he ought not to 
run any r fk ; but that Dr. Macleod and himfeif, 
who were already publickly engaged, Ihould go oii 
this expedition. Young Rafay anfwered, with an 
oath, that he would go, at the rifk of his life and 
forcune. — " In God's name then (faid Malcolm) 
let us proceed," The two boatmen, however, now 
ftoj)ped fliort, till they fliould be informed of their 
deilination -, and M'Kenzie declared he would not 
move an oar till he knew where they were going. 
Upon which they were both fworn to fecrecy ; and 
the bufinefs being imparted to them, they were 
eager to put off to fea without lofs of time. The 
boat foon landed about half a mile from the inn at 
Portree. 

All this was negotiated before the Wanderer got 
forward to Portree. Malcolm M'Leod, and 
M'Friar, were difpatched to look for him. In a 
fliort time he appeared, and^went into the publick 
houfe. Here Donald Roy, whom he had feen at 
Mugflor, received him, and informed him of what 
had been concerted. He wanted filver for a guinea, 
but the landlord had only thirteen {hillings. He 
was going to accept of this for his guinea; but 
Donald Roy very judicioufly obferved, that it 
would difcover him to be fome great man •, lo he 
defitted. He flipped out of the houfe, leaving his 
fair proteiflrefs, whom he never again law •, and 

Malcolm 



i86 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Malcolm Macleod was prcfented to him by DonaLi 
Roy, as a captain in his army. Young Ralay and 
Dr. Macleod had waited, in impatient anxiety, in 
the boat. When he came, their names were an- 
nounced to him. He would not permit the ufual 
ceremonies of refpecfl:, but faluted them as his 
equals. 

Donald Roy ftaid in Sky, to be in readincfs to 
get intelligence, and give an alarm in cafe the 
troops Ihould difcover the retreat to Rafay ; and 
Prince Charles was then conveyed in a boat to that 
ifland in the night. He flepc a little upon tlie paf- 
fage, and they landed about day-break. There was 
fome difficulty in accommodating him with a lodg- 
ing, as almcft all the houfes in the idand had been 
burnt by the foldicy. Ihey repaired to a little 
hut, which fomc fliepherds had lately built, and 
having prepared it as well as they could, and made 
a bed of heath for the ft ranger, they kindled a fire, 
and partook of fome provifions which hud been 
lent with him from Kingfburgh. It was oblerved, 
that he would not tafte wheat-bread, or brandy, 
while oat- bread and whifky iafted ; *' for thefe, faid 
he, are my own country bread and drink." — This 
was very engaging to the Highlanders. 

Young Rafay being the only perfon of the com- 
pany that durft appear with fafety, he went in queft 
of fomething frefli for them to eat ; but though he 
was amicfl: his own cows, flieep, and goats, he 
could not venture to take any of them for fear of a 
difcovery, but was obliged to fupply himfelf by 
fbealth. He therefore caught a kid, and brought 
it to the hut in his plaid, and it was killed and 
dreft, and furnifncd them a meal which they re- 

liOied 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 187. 

liflied much. The diftrefled Wanderer, whofe health 
was now a good deal impaired by hunger, fatigue, 
and watching, flept a long time, but Teemed to be 
frequently difturbed. Malcolm told me he would 
ftart from broken (lumbers, and fpeak to himfelf in 
d fferent languages, French, Italian, and Englilh. 
I muft however acknowledge, that it is highly 
probable that my worthy fnend Malcolm did not 
know precifely the difference between French and 
Italian. One of his expreffions in Englilli was, 
*' O God ! poor Scotland ! " 

While they were in the hot, M*Kenzie and 
M'r riar, the two boatmen, were placed as fentineis 
upon different eminences ; and one day an incident 
happened, which muft not be omitted. There was 
a man wandering about the iiland, felling tobacco. 
Nobody knew him, and he was fufpefted to be a 
fpy. M'Kenzie came running to the hur, and told 
that this fufpedled perfcn was approaching. Upon 
which the three gentlemen, young Ra'l'.y, Dr. Mac- 
leod, and Malcom, held a council of war upon hinij 
and were unanimoully of opinion that he Ihould in- 
ftantly be put to death. Prince Charles, at once 
affuming a grave and even fevere countenance, faid, 
" God forbid that we fliould take away a man's 
life, who may be innocent, while we can prefervs 
our own." The gentlemen however perfifted in 
their refolution, while he as ftrenuouQy continued 
to take the merciful fide. John M'Kenzie, who 
fat watching at the door of the hut, and overheard 
the debate, faid in Erie, " Well, well ; he muft be 
(hot. You are the king, but we are the parlia- 
ment, and will do what we choofe." Prince 

Charles, feeing the gentlemen fmile, afked what the 

man 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 188 

man had faid, and being told it in Englidi, he ob- 
ferved that he w^s a clever fellow, and, notwith- 
ftanc.ag the perilous fituation in which he was, 
laughed loud and heartily. Luckily the unknown 
perfon did not perceive that there were people in 
the hur, at leait did not come to it, but walked on 
pall ir, unknowing of his rifle. It was afterwards 
found out that he was one of the Highland army, 
Tvho was himfelf in danger. Had he come to them, 
they were refoived to dilparch 'him ; for, as Mal- 
colm laid to me, *' We could not keep him with 
us, and we durll: not let him go. In fuch a fitua- 
tion, I wodM have fliot my brother, if I had not 
been fure o. him." John M*Ken2ie was at Rafay's 
houle, when Vv-e wc:c there*. About eighteen years 
before, he h.urt one of his legs when dancing, and 
being obliged to have it cut off, he now was going 
about with a wooden leg. The ftory of his being a 
memler of parliament is not yet forgotten. I took 
him cut a little way from the houfe, gave him a 
fhilling to drink Rafay's health, and led him into a 
detail of the particulars .which I have juft related. 
• — With lefs foundation, fome writers have traced 
the idea of a parliament, and of the Britifn conflitu- 
tion, in rude and early times. I was curious to 
know if he had really heaid,' or ur.derftood, any 
thing of that fubjecl, which, had he been a greater 
man, would probably have been eagerly maintained. 
" Why, John, (faid J,) did you think the king 
(hould be controuled by a parliament?" — He an- 
fwered, " I thought, fir, there were many voices 
-againft one." 

The 

*1V\%o\^%zo\.'(\^itiembcr'>f parliament, I am infoimed, is ftili 
'Jving (1785.) 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 189 

The converfation then turning on the times, the 
Wanderer faid, that, to be lure, the life he had led 
of late was a ver^ hard one; but he would rather 
live in the way he now did, for ten years, than fall 
into the hands of his enemies. The gentlemen afked 
him, what he thought his enemies would do with 
him, fhould he have the misfortune to fall into their 
hands. He faid, he did not believe they would 
dare to take his life publickly, but he df-eaded be- 
ing privately deftroyed by poifon or afiairinaLion.—- 
He was very particular in his inquiries about the 
wound which Dr. Macleod had received at the battle 
of Culloden, from a ball which entered at one 
fhoulder, and went crofs to the other. The do6lor 
happened frill to have on the coat Vv'hich he wore 
on that occafion. He mentioned, that he himfelf 
had his horfe Ihot under him at Culloden ; that the 
ball hit the horfe about two inches from his knee, 
and made him fo unruly that he was obliged to 
change him for another. He threv/ out fome re- 
fleflions on the conduit of the difa.^rous affair at 
Culloden, faying, however, that perhaps it was rafii 
in him to do fo. — I am now convinced that his llil- 
picions were groundlefs ; tor I have had a good 
deal of converfation upon the fubjecl with my very 
worthy and ingenious friend, Mr. Andrew Lumif- 
den, who was under fecretary to Prince Charles, 
and afterwards principal fecretary to his father at 
Rome, v/ho, he afllired me, was perfecUy fatisEed 
both of the abilities and honour of the generals who 
commanded the highland army on that occafion. 
Mr. Lumifden has written an account of the three ' 
battles in 1745-6, at once accurate and claffical.— 
Talking of the different Highland corps, the gen- 
tlemen 



irca JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

tlemen who were prefent wifhed to have his opinion 
which were the beft foldiers. He laid, he did noc 
like compariions among thofe corps : chc^y were all 
beft. 

He told his conrludors, he did not think "t ad- 
vifable to remain long in any one place •, and that 
he expeded a French fliip to come for him to 
Lochbroom, among the Mackenzies. It then was 
propofed to carry him in one of Malcolm's boats to 
Lochbroom, though the diftance was fifteen leagues 
coaftwife. But he thought this would be too dan- 
gerous, and defired that at any rate, they might 
firft endeavour to obtain intelligence. Upon which 
young Rafay wrote to his friend, Mr. M'Kenzie of 
Applecrofs, but received an anfwer, that there was 
no appearance of any French fhip. 

It was therefore refolved that they fnould return 
to Sky, which they did, and landed in Strath, where 
they repofed in a cow-houfe belonging to Mr. Nic- 
collbn of Scorbreck. The fea was very rough, and 
the boat took in a good deal of water. The Wan- 
derer afked if there was danger, as he was not ufed 
to fuch a vefiel. Upon being told there was not, 
he fung an Erfe fong with much vivacity. He had 
by this time acquired a good deal of the Erfe lan- 
guage. 

Young Rafay was now difpatched to v/here 
Donald Roy was, that they might get all the intel- 
ligence they couki ■, and the Wanderer, with much 
carneftnefs, charged Dr. Macleod to have a boat 
ready, at a' certain place about leven miles off, as 
he faid he intended it lliould carry him upon a mat- 
ter of great confequence-, and gave the do6lcr a 
cafe, containing a fiiver fpoon, knife, and fork, 

fu'rinK, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 191 

faying, " keep you that till I fee you," which the 
do(5lor underftood to be two days from that time. 
But all thefe orders were only blinds ; for he h^d 
another plan in his head, but wifely thought ic 
fafeft to truft his fecrcts to no more perfons than was 
abfolutely neceflary. Having then defired Malcolm 
to walk with him a little way from the houfe, he 
foon opened his mind, faying, ** I deliver myfelf to 
you Condudl me to the Laird of M'Kinnon's 
country." — Malcolm objeded that it was very dan- 
gerous, as fo many parties of foldiers were in mo- 
tion. He anfwered, *' There is nothing now to be 
done without danger." — He then faid, that Mal- 
colm muft be the mailer, and he the fcrvant; fo 
he took the bag, in which his linen was put up, and 
carried it on his fhoulder; and obferving that his 
waiftcoat, which was of fcarlet tartan, with a gold 
twift button, was finer than Malcolm's, which was 
of a plain ordinary tartan, he put on Malcolm's 
waiftcoat, and gave him his; remarking at the fame 
time, that it did not look well that the fervanc 
fliould be better drefTed than the mafter. 

Malcolm, though an excellent walker, found 
himfelf excelled by Prince Charles, who told him, 
he fhould not much mind the parties that were look- 
ing for him, were he once but a mufquet fhot from 
them i but that he was fomewhat afraid of i^Q 
Highlanders who were againft him. He was well 
ufed to walking in Italy, in purfuit of game ; and 
he was even now fo keen a fportfman, that, having 
obferved fome partridges, he was going to take a 
fhot; bat Malcolm cautioned him againft it, ob- 
ferving that the firing might be heard by the ten- 
ders who were hovering upon the coaft. 

As 



*92 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

As they proceeded through the mountains, taking 
many a circuit to avoid any houfes, Malcolm, to 
try his refokuion, aflvcd him what ihey fhould do, 
iliould they fall in with a party of foldiers : he an- 
fwered. " Fight to be lure !" — Having afked Mal- 
colm if. he (hould be known in his piefent drefs, 
and Malcolm having replied lie would, he faid, 
" Then I'll blacken my face with powder/' — 
*• That, laid Malcolm, would difcover you at once." 
— " Then, faid he, I mult be put in the greated: 
dilliabille poffible.'* So he pulled off his wig, tied 
a handkerchief round his head, and put his night- 
cap over it, tore the rufBes from his fhirt, took the 
buckles out of his (hoes, and made Malcolm fallen 
them with firings: but ftill Malcolm thought he 
'would be known. " I have i^o odd a face, (faid 
he) that no man ever faw me but he would know 
me again." 

He feemed unwilling to give credii: to the. horrid 
narrative of men being mafiacred in cold blood, 
after vidory had declared for the army commanded 
by the Duke of Cumberland. Fie could not allow 
himfelf to think .that a general could be fo bar- 
barous. 

When they came within two n/iles of M'Kinnon's 
houfe, Malcolm aflced if he chofe to fee the laird. 
" No, (faid he) by no means. I know M'Kinnon 
to be as good and as honed a man as any in the 
world, but he is not fit for my purpofe at prefent. 
You mud conduct me to fome other houfe; but 
let it be a gentleman's houfe." — Malcolm then de- 
termined that they fliould go to the houfe of his 
brother-in-law, Mr. John M'Kinnon, and from 
thence be conveyed to the main land of Scotland, 

end 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 193 

and claim the afliftance of Macdonald of Scothoufe, 
The Wanderer at firft objeded to this, becaufe Scot- 
houfe was coufin to a perfon of whom he had fufpi- 
cions. But he acquiefced in Malcolm's opinion. 

When they were near Mr. John M'Kinnon's 
houfe, they met a man of the name of Rofs, who 
had been a private foldier in the Highland army* 
He fixed his eyes fteadily on the Wanderer in his 
difguife, and having at once recognized him, he 
clapped his hands, and exclaimed, " Alas ! is this 
the cafe ?" Finding that there was now a difcove- 
ry, Malcolm afked " What's to be done ?" " Swear 
him to fecrecy," anfwered Prince Charles. Upom 
which Malcolm drew his dirk, and on the naked 
blade, made him take a folemn oath, that he would 
fay nothing of his having feen the Wanderer, till 
his efcape fhould be made publick. 

Malcolm's filter, whofe houfe they reached pret- 
ty early in the morning, afked him who the perfon 
was that was along with him. He laid it was one 
Lewis Caw, from Crieff, who being a fugitive like 
himfelf, for the fame reafon, he had engaged him 
as his fervant, but that he had fallen fick. *' Poor 
man ! (faid fhe) I pity him. At the fame time my 
heart warms to a man of his appearance." — Her 
hufband was gone a little way from home; but was 
expelled every minute to return. She fet down to 
her brother a plentiful Highland breakfaft. Prince 
Charles adled the fervant very well, fitting at a re- 
fpeftful diftance, with his bonnet off^. Malcolm 
then faid to him, " Mr. Caw, you have as much 
need of this as I have ; there is enough for us both : 
you had better draw nearer and (hare with me." — - 
Upon which he rofe, made a profound bow, fac 
O down 



194 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

down at table with his fuppofed mafter, and eat! 
very heartily. After this there came in an old wo- 
man, who, after the mode of ancient hofpitality^ 
brought warm water, and wafhed Malcolm's feet. 
He defired her to wafli the feet of the poor man 
who attended him. She at firft feemed averfe to 
this, from pride, as thinking him beneath her, and 
in the periphraftick language of the Highlanders 
and the Irifh, faid warmly, " Though I wafh your 
father's fon's feet, why fhould I wafh his father's 
fon's feet ?" — She was however perfuaded to do it. 

They then went to bed, and flept for fometimc; 
and when Malcolm awaked, he was told that Mr. 
John M'Kinnon, his brother-in-law, was in fight. 
He fprang out to talk to him before he fhould fee 
Prince Charles. After faluting him, Malcolm, 
pointing to the lea, faid, '* What, John, if the prince 
fhould be prifoner on board one of thofe tenders ?" — 
« God forbid!" replied John. — " What if we had 
him here?" faid Malcolm. — "I wifli we had, an- 
fwered John ; we fhould take care of him." — " Well, 
John, faid Malcolm, he is in your houfe." — John, 
in a tranfport of joy, wanted to run diredly in, and. 
pay his obeifance i but Malcolm flopped him, fay- 
ing, " Now is your time toi^ehave well, and do no- 
thing that can difcover him." — John compofed him- 
felf, and having fent away all his fervants upon dif- 
ferent errands, he was introduced into the prefence 
of his guefl, and was then defired to go and get 
ready a boat lying near his houfe, which, though 
but a fmall leaky one, they refolved to take, rather 
than go to the Laird of M'Kinnon. John M'Kin- 
non, however, thought otherwife ; and upon his re- 
turn told them, that his Chief and lady M'Kin- 
non 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 195 

lion were coming in the laird's boat. Prince Charles 
faid to his trufty IVIalcolm, " I am forry for this, 
but muft make the beft of it." — iVI'Kinnon then 
walked up from the fhore, and did homage to the 
Wanderer. His lady waited in a cave, to which 
they all repaired, and were entertained with cold 
meat and wine. — Mr. Malcolm M'Leod being now 
fuperfeded by the Laird of M'Kinnon, defired leave - 
to return, which was granted him, and Prince 
Charles wrote a fhort note, which he fubfcribed 
James Thompfon, informing his friends that he had 
got away from Sky, and thanking them for their 
kindnefs ; and he defired this might be fpeedily 
conveyed to young Rafay and Dr. Macleod, that 
they might not wait longer in expedation of feeing 
him again. He bade a cordial adieu to Malcolm, 
and infifted on his accepting of a filver flock-buckle, 
and ten guineas from his purfe, though, r.s Malcolm 
told me, it did not appear to contain above forty. 
Malcolm at firft begged to be excufed, faying, that 
he had a few guineas at his fervice ; but Prince 
Charles anfwered, " You will have need of money. 
I fhall get enough v/hen 1 come upon the main 
land." 

The Laird of M'Kinnon then conveyed him to 
the oppofite coafi; of Knoidart. Old Rafay, to 
whom intelligence had been lent, was croffing at 
the fame time to Sky ; but as they did not know of 
each other, and each had apprehenfions, the two 
boats kept aloof. 

Thefe are the particulars which I have colle<fted 

concerning the extraordinary concealment and 

efcapes of Prince Charles, in the Hebrides. He 

was often in imminent danger. The troops traced 

O 2 him 



196 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

him from the Long Illand, acrofs Sky, to Portree, 
but there loft him. 

Here 1 ftop, — having received no farther authen- 
tic information of his fatigues and perils before he 
efcaped to France. — Kings and fubjedls may both 
take a leflbn of moderation from the melancholy 
fate of the Houfe of Stuart ; that Kings may not 
fuffer degradation and exile, and fubjefts may not 
be harralTed by the evils of a difputed fucceffion. 

Let me clofe the fcene on that unfortunate Houfe 
with the elegant and pathetick reflexions of Voltaire, 
in his Hijioire Generak. — " Que les hommes prives 
** (fays that brilliant writer, fpeaking of Prince 
*' Charles) qui fe croyent malheureux, jettent les 
«' yeux fur ce prince et fes ancetres." 

In another place he thus funis up the fad ftory of 
the family in general: — "II n'y a aucun exemple 
" dans I'hiftoire d'uue maifon fi longtems infor- 
*• tunee. Le premier des Rois d'Ecofle, qui euc 
*' le nom de Jacques^ apres avoir ete dix-huit ans 
*' prifonnier en Angleterre, mourut aflafllne, avec 
** fa fern me, par la main de ks fujets. J acmes II. 
" fen fils, fut tue a vingt-neuf ans en combattant 
** centre les Anglois. Jacques III. mis un prifon 
" par fon peuple, fut tue enfuite par les revokes, 
" dans une battaille. Jacques IV. perit dans un 
*' combat qui'l perdit. Alai'ie Stuart, fa petite fille, 
** chafTee, de fon trone, fugitive en Angleterre, 
*' ayant langui dix-huit ans en prifon, fe vit con- 
*' damnee a mort par des juges Anglais, et eut la 
*' tcce tranchce. Charles 1. petit fils de Marie, 
" Roi d'Ecoffe et d'Angleterre, vendu par les 
" EcoiTois. et jupe amort paries Anglais, mourut 
" fur un echaffaut dans la place publique. Jacques, 

Ion 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 197 

<« fon fils, feptienie du nom, et deuxieme en An- 
" gleterre, fuc chafle de fes trois royaumes ; et 
'* pour comble de malheur on contefta a fon fils fa 
<* naiflance ; le fils ne tenta de remonter fi.ir le trone 
" de ces peres, que pour faire perir fes amis par des 
" bourreaux; et nous avons vu le Prince Charles 
*' Edouardj reunuiffant en vain les vertus de fes 
" peres, et le courage du Roy Jean Sohiejki^ fon ayeul 
" maternel, executer les exploits et efTuyer les mal- 
" heurs les plus jncroyables. Si quelque chofe jufti- 
*' fie ceux qui croyent une fatalite a laquelle rien 
" ne peut fe fouftraire, c'eft cette fuite continuelle 
" de malheurs qui a perfecute la maifon de Sttiart, 
" pendant plus de trois-cent annees." 

The gallant Malcolm was apprehended in about 
ten days after they feparated, put aboard a fhip and 
carried prifoner to London. He faid, the prifoners 
in general were very ill treated in their paflage ; but 
there were foldiers on board who lived well, and 
fometimes invited him to fhare with them : that he 
had the good fortune not to be thrown into jail, but 
was confined in the houfe of a meflenger, of the 
name of Dick. To his altonifhment, only one witnefs 
could be found againft him, though he had been fo 
openly engaged ; and therefore, for want of fuffi- 
cient evidence, he was let at liberty. He added, 
that he thought himfclf in fuch danger, that he 
would gladly have compounded for banifhmenr. 
Yet, he faid, " he fhould never be fo ready for 
death as he then was." — There is philofophical 
truth in thi§. A man will meet death much more 
firmly at one time than another. The enthufiafni 
even of a miftaken principle warms the min 1, and 
fees it above the fear of death 5 which in our cooler 
O 3 moments. 



198 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

moments, if we really think of it, cannot but be 
terrible, or fit lead very awful. 

Mifs Flora Macdonald being then alfo in Lon- 
don, under the protedtion of Lady Primrofe, that 
lady provided a poft-chaife to convey her to Scot- 
land, and defired fhe might choofe any friend Ihe 
pleafed to accompany her. She chofe Malcolm, 
*' So (faid he, with a triumphant air) I went to Lon- 
don to be hanged, and returned in a pofl-chaife with 
Mifs Flora Macdonald." 

Mr. Macleod of Muiravenfide, whom we faw at 
Rafay, aflured us that Prince Charles was in Lon- 
don in 1759, and that there was then apian in agi^^ 
tation for reftoring his family. Dr. Johnfon could 
fcarcely credit this flory, and faid, there could be 
no probable plan at that time. Such an attempt 
could not have fucceeded, unlefs the King of PrulUa 
had flopped the army in Germany ; for both the 
army and the fleet wouy, even without orders, have 
fought for the King, to whom they had engaged 
themfelves." 

Having related fo many particulars concerning 
the grandfon of the unfortunate King James the Se- 
cond; having given due praife to fidelity and gene- 
rous attachment, which, however erroneous the 
judgement may be, are honourable for the heart; 
I muft do the Highlanders the juftice to attefl:, that 
I found every where amongft them a high opinion of 
the virtues of the King now upon the throne, and 
an honell difpofition to be faithful fubjefts to his 
majefty, whole family has pofTeffed the fovereignty 
of this country fo long, that a change, even for the 
abdicated family, would now hurt the beft feelings 
of all his fubjcds. 

The 



TO THE HEBRIDES. J99 

The ahjlra5i point of right would involve us in a 
difcuffion of remote and perplexed queftionsj and 
after all. we Iliould have no clear principle of de- 
cifion. That eftablifhment, which, from political 
.neceffity, took place in 1688, by a breach in the 
fucceflion of our kings, and which, whatever bene- 
fits may have accrued from it, certainly gave a fhock 
to our monarchy, — the able and conftitutional 
Blackllone, wifely reds on the folid footing of au- 
thority. — •' Our anceftors having mod indifputably 
a competent jurifdiclion to decide this great and im- 
portant queftion, and having, in fadt, decided it, it 
is now become our duty, at this diftanxre of time, 
to acquiefce in their determination*," 

Mr. Paley, the prefent Archdeacon of Carlifle, 
in his Trinciplu of Moral and 'Political Philofoph)\ 
having, with much clearnefs of argument, fhewn 
the duty of fubmiffion to civil government to be 
founded neither on an indefeafible jtis divinum, nor 
on co?npa5f, but on expediency^ lays down this ra- 
tional pofition : — " Irregularity in the firft founda- 
tion of a ftate, or fubfequent violence, fraud, or in- 
juftice, in getting poflelTion of the fupreme power, 
are not fufficient reafons for refiftance, after the go- 
vernment is once peaceably fettled. No fubjed of 
the Britijh empire conceives himfelf engaged to vin- 
dicate the juftice of the Norman claim or conqueft, 
or apprehends that his duty in any manner depends 
upon that controverfy. So likewife, if the houfe 
of Lancafter, or even the pofterity of Cromwell, had 
been at this day feated upon the throne of England^ 
O 4 wp 

? Commentaries an the laws of England, Book I. chap, 5» 



ftoo JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

we fhould have been as little concerned to enquire 

how the founder of the family came there.*" 

In conformity with this dodrine, I myfelf, though 
fully perfuaded that the Houfe of Stuart had origi- 
nally no right to the crown of Scotland ; for that 
Baliol, and not Bruce, was the lawful heir •, fliould 
yet have thought it very culpable to have rebelled, 

on 

* B. VI. chap. 3. v^Ince I have quoted Mr. Archdeacon Paley 
upon one fubje^^, I cannot but tranfcribe, from his excellent work, 
a diftinguiflied paiTage in fupport of the Chriftian Revelation.— After 
lliewing, in decent but ftrong terms, the unfairnel's of the indireEi 
attempts of modern infidels to unfettle and perplex religious princi- 
ples, and particularly the irony, banter, and fneer, of one whom he 
politely calls *' an eloquent hiftorian," the archdeacon thus exprefles 
himfelf: 

*' Serioufnefs Is not conftraint of thought ; nor levity, freedom. 
Every mind which wiflies the advancement of truth and knowledge, 
in the moft important of all human refearches, muft abhor this licen- 
fioufnefs, as violating no lefs the laws of reafoning than the rights of 
decency. There is but one defcription of men to whofe principles it 
ought to be tolerable. I mean that clafs of reafoners who can fee 
liitle in chriftianity even fuppofing it to be true. To fuch adverfa- 
ries we addrels this refle<Piion.— Had Jefus Chrifl delivered no other 
declaration than the following, 'The hour is coming in the which 

♦ all that are in the graves fliall hear his voice, and fhall come forth, 
« —they that have done well unto the refurreilion of life, and they 

* that have done evil unto the refurre6\ion of damnation,' he had 
pronounced a meflage of inefiimable importance, and well worthy of 
*hat fplendid apparatus of prophecy and miracles with which his mil- 
fion was introduced and attelted : — a mefiage in which the wiieft of 
mankind would rejoice to find an anfwer to iheir doubts, and reft to 
their inquiries. It is idle to fay that a future ilate had been difco- 
vered already. — It had been difcovered as the Copernican Syllem 
was 5 — it was one guefs amongft many. He alone d.fcovers who 
fro'ves; and no man can prove this point but the teacher who tefiifies 
^y miracles that his doi^rine conies from GoD." — Book V. chap 9. 

- If injidelity be difingenuoufiy difperfed in every fhape that is likely 
jQ;allure, furprife, or btguile the imagination, — in a fable, a tale, a 
revel, a poem, — in books of travels, of philofophy, of natural hif- 
tory, — as Mr. Paley has well obferved, — I hope it is fair in me thus 
to meet; fuch poifon with an unexpecled antidote, which I eannpt 
v-ioubt will be found powerfi;!, 

5 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 201 

that account, agalnft Charles the Firft, or even a 
princ£ of that houfe much nearer the time, in order 
to affert the claim of the pofterity of Baliol, 

However convinced I am of the juftice of that 
principle, which holds allegiance and proteftion to 
be reciprocal, I do however acknowledge, that I 
am not fatisfied with the cold fentiment which 
would confine the exertions of the fubjed with- 
in the ftrid line of duty. 1 would have every 
bread animated with the fervour of loyalty ; with 
that generous attachment which delights in doing 
fomewhac more than is required, and makes " fer- 
vice perfed: freedom." And, therefore, as our mofl: 
gracious Sovereign, on his acceffion to the throne, 
gloried in being bcni a Briton ; fo, in my more pri- 
vate fphere, Ego me nunc denique natum, gratulor. 
I am happy that a difputed fucceffion no longer dif- 
tradls our minds; and that a monarchy, eftablifhed 
by law, is now fo fandioned by time, that we can 
fully indulge thofe feelings of loyalty which I am 
ambitious to excite. They are feelings which have 
ever actuated the inhabitants of the Highlands and 
the Hebrides. The plant of loyalty is there in full 
vigour, and the Brunfwick graft now flourifhes like 
a native (hoot. To that fpirited race of people I may 
with propriety apply the elegant lines of a modern 
poet, on the "facile temper of the beauteous fex :" 

" Like birds new-caught, who flutter for a time, 
" And ftruggle with captivity in vain ; 
" But by-and-by they reft, they fmooth their plumes, 
** And to ne^w majiers fing their former notes.*" 

Surely fuch notes are much better than the que- 
rulous growlings of fufpicijus Whigs and difcon- 
fgnted Republicans. Kingf- 

* Agis, a tragedj , by John Home. , 



202 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Kingfburgh conduded us in hi§ boat, acrofs one 
of the lochs, as they call them, or arms of the fea, 
which flow in upon all the coafts of Sky, — to a mile 
beyond a place called Grijhini/h. Our horfes had 
been fent round by land to meet us. By this fail we 
faved eight miles of bad riding. Dr. Johnfon faid, 
*' When we take into the computation what we 
have faved, and what we hav£ gained, by this agree- 
able fail, it is a great deal." He obferved, " it is 
very difagreeable riding in Sky. The way is fo nar- 
row, one only at a time can travel, fo it is quite un- 
focial ; and you cannot indulge in meditation by 
yourfelf, becaufe you muft be always attending to 
the fteps which your horfe takes." — 1 his was a juft 
and clear defcription of its inconveniencies. 

The topick of emigration being again introduced. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, that " a rapacious chief would 
make a wildernefs of his eftate." Mr. Donald 
M'Qiieen told us, that the oppreffion, which then 
made fo much noife, was owing to landlords liften- 
ing to bad^ advice in the letting of their lands ; that 
interefted and defigncd people flattered them with 
golden dreams of much higher rents than could rea- 
fonably be paid; and that fome of the gentlemen 
tackfmen, or upper tenants, were themfelves in part 
the occafion of the mifchief, by over-rating the 
farms of others. That many of the tackfmen^ ra- 
ther than comply with exorbitant demands, had gone 
off to America, and impoveriflied the country, by 
draining it of its wealth ; and that their places were 
filled by a number of poor people, who had lived 
under them, properly fpeaking, as fervants, paid 
by a certain proportion of the produce of the lands, 
though called fub-tenants, I obferved, that if the 

men 



TO THE HEBRIDES, 203 

men of fubftance were once banifhed from a High- 
land eftate, it might probably be greatly reduced in 
its value; for one bad year might ruin a fet of poor 
tenants, and men of any property would not fettle 
in fuch a country, unlefs from the temptation of 
getting land extremely cheap ; for an inhabitant of 
any good county in Britain, had better go to Ame- 
rica than to the Highlands or the Hebrides. Here, 
therefore was a confideration that ought to induce 
a Chief to adl a more liberal part, from a mere 
motive of intereft, independent of the lofty and ho- 
nourable principle of keeping a clan together, to 
be in readinefs to ferve his king. I added, that I 
could not help thinking a little arbitrary power in 
the foyereign, to control the bad policy and greedi- 
nefs of the Chiefs, might fomeffmes be of fervice. 
In France a Chief would not be permitted to force 
a number of the king's fubje<5ls out of the country. 
—Dr. Johnfon concurred with me, obierving, thac 
" were an opprefTive chieftain a fubjeft o^ the 
French king, he would probably be admonilbed by 

During our fail. Dr. Johnfon aficed about the ufe 
of the dirk, with which he imagined the High- 
landers cut their meat. He was told, they had a 
knife and fork befides, to eat with. He afked, how 
did the women do.? and was anfwered, feme ot thenv 
had a knife and fork too ; but in general the men, 
when they had cut their meat, handed their knives 
and forks to the womien, and they themfelves eat 
with their fingers. The old tutor of Macdonald al- 
ways eat fifh with his fingers, aliedging that a knife 
and fork gave it a bad tafte. 1 took the liberty to 
obferve to Dr. Johnfon, that he did fo. " Yes, 

laid 



204 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

faid he ; but it is becaufe I am fhort-fighted, and 
afraid of bones, for which reafon I am not fond of 
eating many kinds of fifh, becaufe I muft ufe my 
fingers." 

Dr. M'Pherfon's Difertations on ScotiiJJj Antiqui- 
ties^ which he had looked at when at Corrichata- 
chin, being mentioned, he remarked, that *' you 
might read half an hour, and afk yourfelfwhat yoti 
had been reading : there were fo many words to fo 
little matter, that there was no getting through the 
book." 

As foon as we reached the fliore, we took leave 
of Kingfburgh, and mounted our horfes. We 
paffed through a wild moor, in many places fo fofe 
that we were obliged to walk, which was very fa- 
tiguing to Dr. Johnfon. Once he had advanced on 
horfeback to a very bad ftep. There was a fteep 
declivity on his left, to which he was fo near, that 
there was not room for him to difmount in the ufual 
way. He tried to alight on the other fide, as if he 
had been a young buck indeed, but in the attempt he 
fell at his length upon the ground -, from which, 
however, he got up immediately without being hurt. 
During this dreary ride, we were fometimes relieved 
by a view of branches of the fea, that univerfal me- 
dium of connexion amongft mankind. A guide, 
who had been fent with us from Kingfbu'-gh, ex- 
plored the way (much, in the fame manner as, I fup- 
pofe, is purfued in the wilds of America,) by ob- 
ierving certain marks known only to the inhabitants. 
We arrived at Dunvcgan late in the afternoon. The 
great fize of the caftle, which is partly old and part- 
ly new, and is built upon a rock clofe to the fea, 
while the land around it prelents nothing but wi4d, 

moorifli, 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 205 

moorilh, hilly, and craggy appearances, gave a rude 
magnificence to the fcene. Having difmounted, we 
afcended a flight of fteps, v/hich was made by the 
late Macleod, for the accomodation of perlbns com- 
ing to him by land, there formerly being, for fecu- 
rity, no other accefs to the caftle but from the fea ; 
fo that vifitors who came by the land were under 
the necefTity of getting into a boat, and failed round 
to the only place where it could be approached. 
We were introduced into a (lately dining-room, and 
received by Lady Macleod, mother of the laird, 
who, with his friend Talifker, having been detain- 
ed on the road, did not arrive till fome time af- 
ter us. 

We found the lady of the houfe a very polite and 
fenfible woman, who had lived for fome time in 
London, and had there been in Dr. Johnfon's com- 
pany. After we had dined, we repaired to the 
drawing-room, where fome of the young ladies of the 
family, with their mother, were at tea. This room 
had formerly been the bed-chamber of Sir Roderick 
Macleod, one of the old Lairds ; and he chofe it, 
becaufe, behind it, there was a confiderable cafcade, 
the found of which difpofed him to fleep. Above 
his bed was this infcription : " Sir Rorie M'Leod 
of Dunvegan, Knight. God fend good reft !" — 
Rorie is the contradlion of Roderick. He was call- 
ed Rorie AfwT, that is, great Rorie, not from his 
fize, but from his fpirit. — Our entertainment here 
was in lb elegant a ftyle, and reminded my fellow- 
traveller lb much of England, that he became quite 
joyous. He laughed, and faid, " Bofwell, we came 
in at the wrong end of this ifland." — " Sir, (laid I,) 

it 



2o6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

it was befl; to keep this for the laft." — He anfwered^ 

*' I would have it both iirft and laft." 

^uefday, i/^th Septemher. 
Dr. Johnfon faid in the morning, " Is nos: this a 
fine lady?" — There was not a word now of his 
*' impatience to be in civilized life j" — though in- 
deed I ihould beg pardon, — he found it here. We 
had flept well, and lain long. After breakfaft we 
furveyed the caflle, and the garden. Mr. Bethune, 
the parifh miniflcr, — Magnus M'Leod, of Claggan, 
brother to Talifker, and M'Leod, of Bay, two fub- 
flantial gentlemen of the clan, dined with us. We 
had admirable venifon, generous wine; in a word, 
all that a good table has. This was really the hall 
of a chief. Lady M'Leod had been much obliged 
to my father, who had fettled by arbitration, a va- 
riety of perplexed claims between her and her re- 
lation, the Laird of Brodie, which fhe now repaid 
by particular attention to me. — M'Leod flatted the 
fubjedl of making women do penance in the church 
for fornication, — Johnfon. " It is right, fir. Infa- 
my is attached to the crime, by univerfal opinion, as 
foon as it is known. I would not be the man who 
would difcover it, if I alone knew it, for a woman 
may reform j nor would I commend a parfon who di- 
vulges a woman's firft offence ; but being once di- 
vulged, it ought to be infamous. Confider, of what 
importance to fociety the chaftity of women is. 
Upon that all the property in the world depends. 
We hang a thief for Scaling a fheep^ but the un- 
chaftity of a woman transfers flieep, and farm and 
all, from the right owner. 1 have much more re- 
verence for a common proflitute than for a woman 

who 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 'i.:^'j 

who conceals her guilt. The proftitute is known. 
She cannot deceive : (he cannot bring a ftrumpes 
into the arms of an honeft man, without his know- 
ledge." — Bofivcll. " There is, however, a great 
difference between the licentioulhefs of a fingle wo- 
man, and that of a married woman." — Johnfcn^ 
" Yes, fir; there is a great difference between fteal- 
ing a fliilling, and Healing a thoufand pounds ; be- 
tween fimply taking a man's purfe, and murdering 
him firft, and then taking it. But when one be- 
gins to be vicious, it is ealy to goon. Where fingle 
women are licentious, you rarely find faithful mar- 
ried women." — Bofwell. " And yet we are told 
that in fome nations in India, the diilinftion is 
fl:ri6lly obferved." — Johnfon. " Nay, don't give us 
India. That puts me in mind of Montefquieu, 
who is really a fellov/- of genius too in many re- 
fpedls ; whenever he v/ants to fupport a ft range 
opinion, he quotes you the pra6lice of Japan or of 
fome other diftant country, of which he knows no- 
thing. To fupport polygamy, he tells you of the 
ifland of Formola, where there are ten women 
born for one man. He had but to fuppofe another 
ifland, where there are ten men born for one woman,, 
and fo make a marriage between them *." 

At fupper. Lady Macleod mentioned Dr. Cado° 
gan's book on the gout. — Johnfon. " It is a good 
book in general, but a foolifh one in. particulars. 
it is good in general, as recommending temperance 
and exercife, and cheerfulnefs. In that refpefl it is 

only 

* What my friend treated as fo wild a fuppofition, has aflually 
happened in the Weftern iflands of Scotland, if we may believe 
Martin, who tells it of the inlands of Col and Tyr-yi, and fays that 
it is proved by the parifli regifters. 



2o8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Only Dr. Cheyne's book told in a new way ; and 
there fhould come out fuch a book every thirty 
years, drefled in the mode of the times. It is 
foolifh, in maintaining that the gout is not here- 
ditary, and that one fit of it, when gone, is like a 
fever when gone." — Lady Macleod objefted that 
the author does not pradlice what he teaches *. — 
Johnfon. " I cannot help that, madam. That 
does not not make his book the worfe. People are 
influenced more by what a man fays, if his pratlice 
is fuitable to it, — becaufe they are blockheads. 
The more intellectual people are, the readier will 
they attend to what a man tells them. If it is juft, 
they will follow ir, be his practice what it will. No 
man pradifes fo well as he writes. I have, all my 
life long, been lying till noon •, yet I tell all young 
men, and tell them with great fincerity, that nobody 
who does not rife early will ever do any good. 
Only confider ! You read a book ; you are con- 
vinced by it ; you do not know the authour. Sup- 
pofe you afterwards know him, and find that he 
does not praftice what he teaches ; are you to give 
up your former coaviftion ? At this rate you would 
be kept in a ftate of equilibrium, when reading 
every book, till you knew how the authour prac- 
tifed." — ** But, faid Lady IVI'Leod, you would 
think better of Dr. Cadogan, if he afted according 
to his principles." — Johnjon, " Why, madam, to 

be 

• This was a genera] refleflion again ft Dr. Cadogan, when his 
very popular bopk was firft publiflied. It was faid, that whatever 
precepts he might give to others, he himfelf indulged freely in the 
bottle. But I have fince had the pleafure of becoming acquainted 
with him, and, if his own teftimony may be believed, (and I have 
never heard it impeached,) his courfe of life has been conformable to 
his decline. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 209 

fee fufe, a man who adls in the face of light, is worfe 
than a man who does not know fo much j yet I 
think no man fhould be the worfe thought of for 
publifliing good principles. There is fomething 
noble in publifhing truth, though it condemns one's 
felf." — I expreffed fome furprize at Cadogan's re- 
commending good humour, as if it were quite in 
our own power to attain it. — Johnfon. " Why, fir, 
a man grows better humoured as he grows older. 
He improves by experience. When young, he 
thinks himfelf of great confequence, and every 
thing of importance. As he advances in life, he 
learns to think himfelf of no confequence, and lit- 
tle things of little importance ; and fo he becomes 
more patient, and better pleafed. All good-humour 
and complaifance are acquired. Naturally a child 
feizes direcftly what it fees, and thinks of pleafing it- 
felf only. By degrees, it is taught to pleafe others, 
and to prefer others ; and that this will ultimately 
produce the greateft happinefs. \i a man i.o not 
Convinced of that, he never will pradice It. Com- 
mon language fpeaks the truth as to this : we fay, 
a perfon is well hrcd. As it is faid, that all mate- 
rial motion is primarily in a right line, and is never 
"per circuitum^ never in another form, unlefs by fome 
particular caufe ; fo it may be faid inteliedual mo- 
tion is." — Lady M'Leod afked, if no man was na- 
turally good ? — Johnfon. " No, madam, no more 
than a wolf." — Bofwell. " Nor no woman, fir .?"— 
Johnfon. " No, fir." — Lady M'Leod darted at this, 
laying, in a low voice, " This is worfe than Swift.'* 
M'Leod of Ulinifh had come in the afternoon. 
We were a jovial company at fupper. The Laird, 
furrounded by fo many of his clan, was to me a 
P pleafing 



iio JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

pleafing fight. They liftened with wonder and 
pleafure, while Dr. Johnfon harangued. 1 am vexed 
that I cannot take down his full ftrain of eloquence, 

Wednefday^ i^th September. 

The g^entlemen of the clan went away early in 
the morning to the harbour of Lochbradale, to take 
leave of fome of their friends who were going to 
America. It was a very Vv'et djy. Vv^e looked at 
Rorie More's horn, which is a large cow's horn., 
with the mouth of it ornamented with filver curi- 
oufly carved. It holds rather more than a bottle 
and a half. Every Laird of M'Leod, it is faid, 
mufl:, as a proof of his manhood, drink it off full of 
claret, without laying -it down. — From Rorie More 
many of the branches of the family are defcended ; 
in particular, the Talifl<:^r branch j fo that his name 
is much talked of. We alfo faw his bow, which 
hardly any man now can bend, and his Glaymore, 
v/hich was wielded with both hands, and is of a 
prodigious fize. We faw here fome old pieces 
of iron armour, immenfely heavy. The broad- 
fword now ufed, though called the Claymore^ {i. e. the 
great fwcrd,) is much fmaller than that ufed ih 
Rorie More's time. There is hardly a target now to 
be found in the Highlands. After the difarming aft, 
they made them ferve as covers to their butter-milk 
barrels ; a kind of change, like beating fpears into 
pruning-hooks. 

Sir George Mackenzie's Works (the folio edition) 
happened to lie in a window in the dining room. I afk- 
ed Dr. Johnfon to look at ihtChara5kresJdvocatorunt. 
He allowed him power of mind, and that he under- 
flood very well what he tells j but faid, that there 

was 



TD THE HEBRIDES. 211- 

was too much declamation, and that the Latin was 
not correal. He found fault with a-ppropinquahanty 
in the charader of Gilmour. I tried him with the 
oppofition between ^/m^ And palma^ in the compari- 
fon between Gilmour and Nifbet, which I.ord 
Hailes, in his Catalogue of the Lords of Seffion, 
thinks difficult to be underftood. The words are, 
" penes ilium gloria, penes hunc palma" — In a fhort 
Account of the Kirk of Scotland, which I pub- 
lifhed fome years ago, I applied thefe v/ords to the 
two contending parties, and explained them thus : 
" The popular party has moil eloquence ; Dr. 
Roberfon's party moft influence."-— I was ^ery de- 
firous to hear Dr. Johnfon's explication. — Johnfon. 
'^ I fee no difficulty. Gilmour was admired for his 
parts', Nifbet carried his caufe by his flcill inlaw. 
Palma is viclory." — i obferved, that the character 
of Nicholfon, in this book refemblcd that of Burke: 
for it is faid, in one place, *' in cmnes hifos (^ jocQS 
Je fape refolvehat* \ and, in another, "-^ fed accipitris 
more e confpeolu aliqumido aftantium fiihltmi fe protra- 
hens volatu, in pradani miro impel u defcendehat.^''-\' 
' — John/on, " No, fir ; I never heard Burke make 
a good joke in my life." — Bofivell. *' But, fir, you 
will allow he is a hawk," — Dr. Johnfon, thinking 
that I meant this of his joking, faid, " No, fir, he 
is not the hawk there. He is the beetle in the 
mire."— I flip adhered to my mxtaphor, — " But he 
foars as the hawk." — John/on. *' Yes, fir ; but he 
catches nothing." — M'Leod allied, what is the par- 
P 2 ticular 



* He often indulged himfelf in every fpecies of ple^fantry and wit. 

f .But like the hawk, having foared with a lofty flight to a height 
which the eye could not reach, he was waat tofwoop upon his qiiar* 
rj with w"8rnderfui rapidity. 



«a JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

ticular excellence of Burke's eloquence? — Johnfm; 
" Copioufnefs and fertility of allufion -, a power of 
diverfifying his matter, by placing it in various re- 
lations. Burke has great information, and great 
command of language •, though, in my opinion, it 

has not in every refpecfl the higheft elegance." ■ 

BofwelL " Do you think, fir, that Burke has read 
Cicero rvw^zhV—Johnfon. " I don't believe it, 
fir. Burke has great knowledge, great fluency of 
words, and great promptnefs of ideas, fo that he 
can fpeak with great illuftration on any fubjed that 
comes befoi^e him. He is neither like Cicero, nor 
like Demofthenes, nor like any one elfe, but fpeaks 
as well as he can." 

In the 65th page of the firfb volume of Sir George 
Mackenzie, Dr. Johnfon pointed out a paragraph 
beginning with Ariftotle, and told me there was an 
error in the text, which he bade me try to difcover. 
I was lucky enough to hit it at once. As the paf- 
fage is printed, it is faid that the devil anfwers even 
in engines. I corre6led it to — ever in anigmas, 
*' Sir, (faid he,) you are a good critick. This 
would have been a great thing to do in the text of 
an ancient authour.'* 

I'hurfday, 16th Septemher. 
Laii: night much care was taken of Dr. John- 
fon, who was ftill diftreffed by his cold. He had 
hitherto moft ftrangely flept without a night-cap. 
Mifs M'Leod made him a large flannel one, and he 
was prevailed with to drink a little brandy when he 
was going to bed. He has great virtue, in not 
drinking wine or any fermented liquor, becaufe, as 
lie acknowledged to us, he could not do it in 

moderation. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 213 

moderation. — Lady M'Leod would hardly believe 
him, and laid, " I am fure, fir, you would not carry- 
it too far." — John/on. " Nay, madam, it carried 
me. I took the opportunity of a long ilinefs to 
Jeave it off. It was then prefcribed to me not to 
drink wine ; and having broken ofF the habit, I 
have never returned to it." 

In the argument on Tuefday night, about natural 
goodnefs. Dr. Johnfon denied that any child was bet- 
ter than another, but by difference of inflrudion ; 
though, in confequence of greater attention being 
paid to infirudion by one child than another, and 
of a variety of imperceptible caufes, fuch as in- 
ftrudion being counteraded by fervants, a notion 
was conceived, that of two children, equally well 
educated, one was naturally much worle than ano- 
ther. He owned, this morning, that one might 
have a greater aptitude to learn than another, and 
that we inherit difpofitions from our parents. " I 
inherited, (faid he,) a vile melancholy from my fa- 
ther, which has made me mad all my life, at leaft 
not Ibber." — Lady M'I.eod wondered he Ihould tell 
this. — ** Madam, (laid I,) he knows that with that 
madnefs he is fuperior to other men,."^ 

I have often been aftoniOied with what exadnefs 
and perfpicuity he will explain the procefs of any 
art. He this morning explained to us all the opera- 
tion of coining, and, at night, all the operation of 
brewing, fo very clearly, that Mr. M'Queen faid, 
when he heard the firit, he thought he had been 
bred in the Mint •, when he heard the fecond, thac 
he had been bred a brewer. 

I was elated by the thought of having been able 

£0 entice fuch a man to this remote part of the 

P 3 world. 



214 JOURNAL O^ A TOUR 

world. A ludicrous, yet juft image prefented itfelf 
to my mind, which I expreffed to the company. I 
compared myfelf 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, Rey- 
nolds, Beaucierk, and all of them, are contending 
who fhall enjoy Dr. Johnfon's converfation. We 
are feafting upon it, undifturbed, at Dunvegan.'* 

It was {till a florm of wind and rain. Dr. John- 
fon however walked out with M'Leod, and faw 
Rorie More's cafcade in full perfection. Colonel 
M'Leod, inftead of being all life and gaiety, as I 
have feen him, was at prefent grave, and fomevvhat 
deprefled by his anxious concern about M'Leod's 
affairs, and by finding fome gentlemen of the clan by 
no means difpofed to adt: a generous or affeftionate, 
part to their Chief in his diitrefs, but bargaining 
with him as with a ftranger. Flowever, he was agree- 
able and polite, and Dr. Johnfon faid, he was a 
very pleafing man. — My fellow-traveller and I talk- 
ed of going to Sweden ; and, while we were fettling 
our plan, I expreffed a pleafure in the profpe6t of 
feeing the king. — Johnfon. *' I doubt, fir, if he 
would fpeak to us." — Colonel M'Leod faid, " I 
am fure Mr. Bofwell v/ould fpeak to bhn." Bur, 
feeing me a little difconcerted by his remark, he po- 
litely added, " and with great propriety." — Here 
let me me offer a fhort defence of that propenfity 
in my difpofition, to which this gentleman alluded. 
It has procured me much happinefs, I hope it does not 
deferve fo hard a name as either forvvardneis or im- 
pudence. If I know myfelf, it is nothing more than 
an eagernefs to lliare the fociety of men diftinguiflied 
I either 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 215 

either by their rank or their talents, and, a diligence 
to attain what I defire. If a man is praifed for feek- 
ing knowledge, though mountains and feas are in 
his way, may he not be pardoned, whofe ardour, in 
the purluit of the fame objeft, leads him to encoun- 
ter difficulties as great, though oi a different kind ? 

After the ladies were gone from table, we talked 
of the Highlanders not having fheets; and this led 
ns [O confider the advantage of vyearing linen.— 
Johnfon. "All animal fubftances are lefs cleanly 
than vegetables. Wool, of which flannel is made, 
is an animal fubftance ; flannel therefore is not fo 
cleanly as linen. I remember I ufed to think tar 
dirty ; but when I knew it to be only a preparation 
of the juice of the pine, i thought fo no longer. It 
is not difagreeable to have the gum that oozes from 
a plumb-tree upon your fingers, becaufe it is vege- 
table; but if you have any candle-greafe, any tallow 
upon your fingers, you are uneafy till you. rub it 
off. — I have often thought, that, if I kept a fe- 
raglio, the ladies Ihould all wear linen gowns, — or 
cotton; — I mean ftuffs made of vegetable fubftances. 
I would have no filk ; you cannot tell when it iss 
clean : It will be very nafty before it is perceiyecj 
to be fo. Linen detects its own dirtinefs." 

To hear the grave Dr. Samuei Johnfon, " that ma- 
jeftick teacher of moral and religious wifdom," while 
fitting folemn in an arm-chair in the Ifle of Sky, 
talk, €.v cathedra^ of his keeping a feraglio, and ac- 
knowledge that the fuppofition had often been in his 
thoughts, ftruck me fo forcibly with ludicrous con- 
trail, that I could* not but laugh immoderately. He 
was too proud to fubmit, even for a moment, to be 
the obje(i of ridicule, and inflantly retaliated with 
P 4 fuch 



2i6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fuch keen farcaftick wit, and fuch a variety of de- 
grading images, of every one of which I was the 
objed, that, though I can bear fuch attacks as well 
as moft men, I yet found myfelf fo much the fport 
of all the company, that I would gladly expunge 
from my mind every trace of this fevere retort. 

Talking of our friend Langton's houfe in Lin- 
colnfhire, he faid, " the old houfe of the family 
was burnt. A temporary building was erefted in its 
room •, and to this day they have been always adding 
as the family increafed. It is like a lliirt made for 
a man when he was a child, and enlarged always as 
he grows older." 

We talked to-night of Luther's allowing the 
Landgrave of HelTe two wives, and that it was with 
the confent of the wife to whom he was firft mar- 
ried. — Johnfon. "There was no harm in this, fo 
far as Ihe was only concerned, becaufe volenti nonfit 
injuria. ' But it was an offence againft the general 
order of fociety, and againft the law of the Gofpel, 
by which one man and one woman are to be united, 
.No man can have two wives, but by preventing 
Ibmebody elfe from having one." 

Friday J lyth September, 
After dinner yefterday, we had a converfation 
upon cunning. M'Leod laid that he was not afrai4 
of cunning people; but would let them play their 
tricks about him like monkeys. " But, (laid I,) 
they'll fcratch ;" and Mr. M'Qiieen added, " they'll 
invent new tricks, as foon as you find out what they 
do." — Johnfon, " Cunning has cffed from the cre- 
dulity of others, rather than from the abilities of 
thofe who are cunning. It requires no extraordi^ 
5 ^'^1 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 217 

nary talents to lie and deceive." — This led us to 
confider whether it did not require great abilities to be 
very wicked, — Johnfon, *' It requires great abilities 
to have the power of being very wicked ', but not to 
l?e very wicked. A man who has the power, which 
great abilities procure him, may ufe it well or ill; 
and it requires more abilities to ufe it well, than to 
ufe it ill. Wickednefs is always eafier than virtue; 
for it takes the fhort cut to every thing. It is much 
eafier to fteal a hundred pounds, than to get it by 
labour, or any other way. Confider only what adt 
of wickednefs requires great abilities to commit it, 
when once the peifon who is to do it has the power ; 
for there is the diftinftion. It requires great abili- 
ties to conquer an army, but none to maffacre it af- 
ter it is conquered." 

The weather this day was rather better than any 
that we had fince we came to Dunvegan. Mr. 
M'Queen had often mentioned a curious piece of 
antiquity near this, which he called a temple of the 
Goddefs Anaitis. Having often talked of going to 
fee it, he and I fet out after breakfaft, attended by 
his fervant, a fellow quite like a lavage. I mult 
obferve here, that in Sky there feems to be much 
idlenefs-, for men and boys follow you, as colts fol- 
low paffengers upon a road. The ulual figure of 
a Sky-boy, is a lown with bare legs and feet, a 
dirty kilt^ ragged coat and waiftcoat, a bare head, and 
a ftick in his hand, which, I fuppofe, is partly to 
help the lazy rogue to walk, partly to ferve as a 
kind of a defenfive weapon. We walked what is 
called two miles, but is probably four, from the 
caftle, till we came to the facred place. The coun- 
frya round is a black dreary moor on all fides, ex- 
cept 



aiS JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

cept to' the lea-cqall, towards which their is a view 
through a valley ^ and the farm of Bay fhews fome 
good land. The place itfelf is green ground, being 
well drained, by means of a deep glen on each fide, 
in both of which there runs a rivulet with a good 
quantity of water, forming Irveral cafcades, which 
piake a confiderable appearance and found. The 
foft thing we came to was an earthen mound, or 
dyke, extending from the one precipice to the other. 
A little farther on, was a ftrong ftone wall, not high, 
but very thick, extending in the fame manner. On 
the outfide of it were the ruins of two houfes, one 
^n each fide of the entry or gate to it. ' 1 he wall is 
bu-vk all along of uncemented ftones, but of fo 
lairge a fize as to make a very firm and durable ram- 
part. Ir h. s been built all about the confecrated 
ground, excet where the precipice is fteep enough 
to torm an enclo'.ure of iticlf. The facred Ipoc con- 
tains rnor^ than two acres. There are within it the 
ruins of many houfes, none of them large, — a cairtiy 
< — and many graves marked by clufters of ftones. 
Mr. M'Queen infilled that the ruin of a fmall build- 
ing, ftanding eaft and weft, was adually the tem- 
ple of the Goddefs Anaiiis, where her ftatue v/as 
kept, and from whence procclTions were made to 
wafh it in one of the brooks. There is, it muft be 
owned, a hollow road vifible for a good way from 
the entrance; but Mr. M'Qiieen, with the keen 
eye of an antiquary, traced it much farther than I 
could perceive it. There is not above a foot and a 
jialf in height of the walls now remaining ; and the 
whole extent of the building was never, I imagine, 
greater than an ordinary Higliland houfe. Mr, 
M'Queen has colled;ed a great deal of learning on the 

lubied 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 21 

fubjetfl of the temple oi Anaitis-, and I had endea- 
voured, in my journal, to ftate fuch particulars as 
might give Tome idea of it, and of the furrounding 
fcenery, but from the great difficulty of deicribing 
vifible objefls, I found my account fo unfatisfa<5lo- 
ry, that my readers would probably have exclaimed 

^' And write- abput it, Goddefs., and about it ;'* 

and therefore I have omitted it. 

When we got home, and were again at table with 
Dr. Johnfon, we firft talked of portraits. He agreed 
in thinking them valuable in families. I wifhed to 
know which he preferred, fine portraits, or thofe of 
which the merit was refemblance. — Johrifon, " Sir, 
their chief excellence is being like." — Bofwell. *'Are 
you of that opinion as to the portraits of ancefl:ors~, 
whom one has never feen V* — Johnfon. " It then be- 
comes of more confequence that they fliould be like ; 
and I would have them in the drefs of the times, 
which makes a piece of hiftory. One fhould like to 
fee how Rcrie More looked. Truth, fir, is of the 
greateft value in thefe things," — Mr. M'Queen ob- 
served, that if you think it of no confequence whe- 
ther portraits are like, if they are but well painted, 
you may be indifferent whether a piece of hiftory is 
true or not, if well told. 

Dr. Johnfon laid at breakfaft today, " that it 
was but of late that hiftorians bellowed pains and 
attention in confulting records, to attain to accura- 
cy. Bacon, in writing his Hiftory of Henry VII. 
does not feem to have confulted any, but to have 
juft taken what he found in other hiftories, and 
blended it, with what he learnt by tradition." He 
agreed with me that there fliould be a chronicle 

kept 



:220 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

kept in every confiderable family, to prefcrve the 
•characters and tranfaflions of fucceflive generations. 
After dinner I ftarted the fubjed of the temple 
oi Anaitts. Mr. M'Qiieen had laid ftrefs on the 
name given to the place by the country people, — 
jiinnit\ and added, *' I knew not what to make of 
this piece of antiquity, till I met with the Anaitidis 
deluhrum in Lydia, mentioned by Paufanias and the 
elder Pliny." — Dr. Johnfon, with his ufual acute^ 
nefs, examined Mr. M'Queen as to the meaning of 
the word Amnit^ in Erie; and it proved to be. a wa^ 
ier-place, or a place near water, " which, faid Mr. 
M'Queen, agrees with all the defcriptions of the 
temples of that goddefs, which were fituated near 
rivers, that there might be water to wafti the ftatue." 
— johnfon. " Nay, fir, the argument from the name 
is gone. The name is exhaufted by what we fee. 
We have no occafion to go to a diftance for what 
we can pick up under our feet. Had it been an 
accidental name, the fimilarity between it and 
Anaitis might have had fomething in it; but it turns 
out to be a mere phyfiological name." — Macleod 
faid, Mr. M'Queen's knowledge of etymology had 
deftroyed his conjedure. — Johnfon. " Yes, fir ; Mr. 
M'Queen is like the eagle mentioned by Waller, 
who v/as fhoc with an arrow feather'd from his own 
wing." — Mr. M'Qiieen would not, however, give 
up his CGn]tdLmt,—Jchnfcn. " You have one pofll- 
bility for you, and all poffibilities againfl. you. It 
is ^olFible it may be the temple of Anaitis, But it 
is alfo poffible that it may be a fortification; — or 
it may be a place of Chriftian worlhip, as the firft 
Chriftians often chofe remote and wild places, to 
make an impreflion on the mind '—^ot^ if it was a 

heathen 



TO THE HEBRIDES; 2^1 

heathen temple, it may have been built near a river, 
for the purpofe of luftration ; and there is fuch a 
multitude of divinities, to whom it may have been 
dedicated, that the chance of its being a temple of 
Anaitis is hardly any thing. It is like throwing a 
grain of fand upon the fea-fhore to-day, and think* 
ing you may find it to-morrow. No, fir, this tem- 
ple, like many an ill-built edifice, tumbles down 
before it is roofed in." — In his triumph over the 
reverend antiquarian, he indulged himfelf in a con" 
ceit ; for, fome veflige of the altar of the goddefs 
being much infifted on in fupport of the hypothefis, 
he faid, *' Mr. M'Queen is fighting pro aris et focis'' 
It was wonderful how well time pafTed in a remote 
caflle, and in dreary weather. After fupper, we 
talked of Pennant. It was objefted that he was fu- 
perficial. Dr. Johnfon defended him warmly. He 
faid, ** Pennant has greater variety of enquiry than 
almoft any man, and has told us more than perhaps 
one in ten thoufand could have done, in the time 
that he took. He has not faid what he was to tell ; 
fo you cannot find fault with him, for what he has 
not told. If a man comes to look for fifhes, you 
cannot blame him if he does not attend to fowls."— 
*' But, faid Colonel M'Leod, he mentions the un- 
reafonable rife of rents in the Highlands, and fays, 
' the gentlemen are for emptying the bag, without 
' filling iti' for that is the phrafe he ufes. Why 
does he not tell how to fill it?" — Johnfon, "Sir, 
there is no end of negative criticifm. He tells what 
he obferves, and as much as he choofes. If he tells 
what is not true, you may find fault with him ; but, 
though he tells that the land is not well cultivated, 
he is not obliged to tell how it may be well culti- 
vated. 



%t^ JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

vated. If I tell that many of the Highlanders go 
bare-footed, I am not obliged to tell how they may- 
get fhoes. Pennant tells a fa6t. ' He need go no 
farther, except he pleafes. He exhaufts nothing •, 
and no fubje<5l whatever has yet been exhaufled. But 
Pennant has furely told a great deal. Here is a man 
fix feet high, and you are angry becaufe he is not 
feven." — Notvvithftanding this eloquent Oratio pro 
Pennantio^ which they who have read this gentle* 
man's 1'ourSy and recolledl the Savage and the Shop- 
keeper Sit Monhoddoy will probably impute to the 
fpirit of contradidtion, I ftill think that he had bet- 
ter have given m.ore attention to fewer things, than 
have thrown together fuch a number of imperfed 
accounts. 

Saturday, iSih September, 
Before breakfaft. Dr. Johnfon came up to my 
room, to forbid me to mention that this was his 
birth-day; bur I told him I had done it already 5 
at which he was difpleafed •, I fuppofe from wilhing 
to have nothing particular done on his account. 
Lady M'Leod and I got into a warm difpute. She 
■Wanted to build a houfe upon a farm which fhe has 
taken, about five miles from the caftle, and to make 
gardens and other ornaments there ; all of which I 
approved of-, but infilled that the feat of the family 
fhould always be upon the rock of Dunvegan. — ■ 
Johnfon. " Ay, in time we'll build ail round this 
rock. You may make a very good houfe at the 
farm ; but it muft not be fuch as to tempt the Laird 
of M'Leod to go thither to re fide. Moil of the 
great families of England have a fecondary refi- 
dence, which is called a jointure-houfe : let the new 

houfe 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 253 

houfe be of that kind." — The lady infifted that the 
rock was very inconvenient ; that there was no place 
near it where a good garden could be made; that 
it muft always be a rude place; that it was a Her^ 
culean labour to make a dinner here. — I was vexed 
to find the alloy of modern refinement in a lady who 
had fo much old family Ipirit. — " Madam, (laid I,) 
if once you quit this rock, there is no knowing 
where you may fettle. You move five miles fijft; 
—then to St. Andrews, as the late Laird did ; — 
then to Edinburgh; — ^and fo on till you end at 
Hampftcad, or in France. No, no ; keep to the 
rock : it is the very jewel of the eftate. It looks 
as if it had been let down from heaven by the four 
corners, to be the refidence of a Chief. Have all 
the comforts and conveniencies of life upon it, buc 

never -leave Rorie Morc's cafcade." *' But, (faid 

(lie,) is it not enough if we keep it? Mufl we never 
have more convenience than Rorie More had .^ 
he had his beef brought to dinner in one bafket, and 
his bread in another. Why not as well be Rorie 
More all over, as live upon his rock .? And fhould 
not we tire, in looking perpetually on this rock ? It 
is very well for you, who have a fine place, and every 
thing eafy, to talk thus, and think of chaining ho- 
neft folks to a rock. You would not live upon is 
yourfelf.'* — " Yes, madam, (faid I,) I would live 
upon it, were I Laird of M'Leod, and Ihould be 

unhappy if I were not upon it." Johnfcn. (vvitU 

a ftrong voice, and moil determined manner,) 
" Madam, rather than quit the old rock, Bofwell 
would live in the pit ; he would make his bed in 
the dungeon." — I felt a degree of elation, at find- 
ing my refolute feudal enthufiafm thus confirraed 
by fuch a fanftion. The lady was puzzkd a little. 

She 



iU JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

She flill returned to her pretty farm, rich ground^ 

— fine garden. " Madam, (faid Dr. Johnfon,) 

were they in Afia, I would not leave the rock".— • 
My opinion on this fubjedl is ftill the fame. An 
ancient family refidence ought to be a primary ob- 
ject J and though the fituation of Dunvegan be fuch 
that little can be done here in gardening, or pleafure- 
ground, yet, in addition to the veneration acquired 
by the lapfe of time, it has many circumftances of 
natural grandeur, fuited to the feat of a Highland 

Chief: it has the fea, — iflands, — rocks, — hills, 

a noble cafcade-, and when the family is again in 
opulence, fomething may be done by art." 

Mr. Donald M'Queen went av/ay to-day, in or- 
der to preach at Bracadale next day. We were fo 
comfortably fituated at Dunvegan, that Dr. John- 
fon could hardly be moved from it. I propofed to 
him that we Ihould leave it on Monday. " No, fir, 
(faid he,) I will not go before Wednefday. I will 

have fome more of this good." However, as the 

weather was at this feafon fo bad, and fo very un- 
certain, and we had a great deal to do yet, Mr. 
M'Queen and I prevail'd with him to agree to fet 
out on Monday, if the day fiiould be good. Mr. 
M'Queen though, it was inconvenient for him to 
be abfent from his harveft, engaged to wait on Mon- 
day at Ulinifli for us. When he was going away. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, " I fliall ever retain a great re- 
gard for you ;" then afked him if he had the Rd?}i' 
hler. — Mr. M'Qiieen faid, " No ; but my brother 

has it." 'Johnfon, « Have you the Idler T 

M-§}ueen. *' No, fir." — Johnfon, " Then I will or- 
der one for you at Edinburgh, which you will 

keep in remembrance of me." Mr. M'Queen was 

much 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 225 

much pleafed with this. He exprefled to me, in 
the ftrongeft terms, his admiration of Dr. Johnibn's 
wonderful knowledge, and every other quality for 
which he is diftinguilhed. 1 afl^:ed Mr. M'QLieen, if 
he was fatisfied with being a minifter in Sky. He faid 
he was ; but he owned that his forefathers having 
been fo long there, and his having been born there, 
made a chief ingredient in forming his contentment* 
I fliould have mentioned, that on our left hand, be- 
tween Portree and Dr. Macleod's houfe, Mr. 
M'Queen told me there had been a college of the 
Knights Templars j that tradition faid fo •, and that 
there was a ruin remaining of their church, which 
had been burnt : but I confefs Dr. Johnfon has 
weakened my belief in remote tradition. In the dif- 
pute about Anaitis, Mr. M'Queen faid, Afia Minor 
was peopled by Scythians, and, as they were the 
anceftors of the Celts, the fame religion might be 

in Afia Minor and Sky.- Johnfon. *' Alas ! fir, 

what can a nation that has not letters tell of its ori- 
ginal. 1 have always difficulty to be patient when 
I hear authors gravely quoted, as giving accounts 
of fa vage nations, which accounts they had from 
the favages themfelves. What can the M'Craas 
tell about themfelves a thoufand years ago ? There 
is no tracing the connexion of ancient nations, but 
by language j and therefore I am always lorry when 
any language is loft, becaufe languages are the pe- 
digree of nations. If you find the fame language 
in diftant countries, you may be fure that the inha- 
bitants of ea^h have been the fame people •, that is 
to fay, if yoti find the languages a good deal the 
fame ; for a word here and there being the fame, 
will not do. Thus Butler, m his Hudihas, remem- 
Q^ bering 



226 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

bering that Penguin^ in the Straits of Magellan, 
fjgnifies a bird with a white head, and that the fame 
word has, in Wales, the fignification ot a white- 
headed wench, {pen head, and guin white,) by way 
of ridicule, concludes that the people of thofe 
Straits are Welch." 

A young gentleman of the name of M'Lean, 
nephew to the Laird of the ifle of Muck, came 
this morning; and, juft as we fat down to dinner, 
came the Laird of the ifle of Muck himfelf, his 
lady, filler to Taliflcer, two other ladies their rela- 
tions, and a daughter of the late M'Leod of 
Hamer, who wrote a treatife on the fecond fight, 
under the defignation of Theophilus Infulanus. It 
was fomewhat dr^U to hear this Laird called by his 
title. Muck would have founded ill ; fo he was 
called IJle of Muck^ which went off with great rea- 
dinefs. The name, as now written, is unfeemly, 
but is not fo bad in the original Erfe, which is 
Mouach^ fignifying the Sows' Ifland. Buchanan 
calls it Infiila Porcorum. It is fo called from its 
form. Some call it Ifle of Monk. The Laird 
infiflis that this is the proper name. It was for- 
merly church-land belonging to Icolmkill, and a 
hermit lived in it. It is two miles long, and about 
three quarters of a mile broad. The Laird faid, 
he had i&vtn fcore of fouls upon it. Laft year he 
had eighty peribns inoculated, moftly children, but 
fome of them eighteen years of age. He agreed 
■with the furgeon to come and do ii, at half a crown 
a head. — It is very fertile in corn, of which they 
export fome -, and its coafl:s abound in fifli. A 
taylor comes there fix times in a year. They get a 
good blackfmith from the ifle of Egg. 

Sunday^ 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 227 

Sunday^ jg^b September. 

It was rather worfe weather than any that we 
had yet. At breakfaft Dr. Johnfon faid, *' Some 
cunning men choofe fools for their wives, thinking 
to manage them, but they always fail. There is a 
fpaniel fool and a mule fool. The fpaniel fool may 
be made to do by beating. The mule fool will 
neither do by words or blows 5 and the fpaniel fool 
often turns mule at lafb : and fuppofe a fool to be 
made do pretty well, you muft have the continual 
trouble of making her do. Depend upon it, no 
woman is the worfe for fenfe and knowledge."— 
Whether afterwards he meant merely to fay a polite 
thing, or to give his opinion, I could not be fure ; 
but he added, " Men know that women are an 
over-match for them, and therefore they choofe the 
weakeft or moll ignorant. If they did not think 
fo, they never could be afraid of women knowing 
as much as themfelves." — In juftice to the fex, I 
think it but candid to acknowledge, that, in a fub- 
fequent converfation, he told me that he was fe- 
rious in what he had faid. 

He came to my room this morning before 
breakfaft, to read my Journal, which he has done 
all along. He often before faid, " I take great 
delight in reading it." To-day he faid, " You 
improve : it grows better and better." — I obferved, 
there was a danger of my getting a habit of writing 
in a llovenly manner. — " Sir, faid he, it is not 
written in a flovenly manner. It might be printed, 
.were the fubjedt fit for printing*." — While Mr; 

• As I have faithfully recorded fo many minute particulars, I 
hope I fliall be pardoned for inferting fo flattering an encomium on 
what is now offered to the publick. 

0^2 Beaton 



228 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 
Beaton preached to us in the dining-room, Dr. 
Johnlbn fat in his own room, where I faw lying 
before him a volume of Lord Bacon's works, the 
Decay of Chrifiian Piety^ Monboddo's Origin of 
Language, and Sterne's Sermons. — He afked me 
to-day, how it happened that we were fo little toge- 
ther: I told him, my Journal took up much time. 
Yet, on refledion, it appeared ftrange to me, that 
although I will run from one end of London to 
another, to pafs an hour with him, 1 fhould omit 
to feize any fpare time to be in his company, when 
I am fettled in the fame houfe with him. But my 
Journal is really a tafk of much time and labour, 
and he forbids me to contracfb it. 

I omitted to mention, in its place, that Dr. 
Johnfon told Mr. M'QLieen that he had found the 
belief of the fecond fight univerfal in Sky, except 
among the clergy, who feemed determined againft: 
it. I took the liberty to obfeive to Mr. M'Queen, 
that the clergy were afluated by a kind of vanity. 
" The world, (fay they,) takes us to be credulous 
men in a remote corner. We'll fhew them that we 
are more enlightened than they think." The worthy 
man faid, that his difbelief of it was from his not 
finding fufficient evidence-, but I could perceive 
that he was prejudiced againft it. 

After dinner to-day, we talked of the extraordi- 
nary faft of Lady Grange's being fent to St. Kilda, 
and confined there for feveral years, without any 
means of lelief *. Dr. Johnfon faid, if M'Leod 

would 

* The tr»e flory of this lady, whic happened in this century, 
is as frightfully roniantick as if it had been the fi6\ion of a gloomy 
fbncy. She was tiit wife of ono of the Lords of Seflion in Scotland, 

a man 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 229 

would let it be known that he had fuch a place for 
naughty ladies, he might make it a very profitable 
ifland. — We had, in the courfe of our tour, heard 
of St. Kilda poetry. Dr. Johnfon obferved, " ic 
muft be very poor, becaufe they have very few 
images." — Bofwell. " There may be a poetical 
genius ihewn in combining thefe, and in making 
poetry of them." — Johnfon. " Sir, a man cannor 
make fire but in proportion as he has fuel. He 
cannot coin guineas but in proportion as he has 
Q. 3 gold." 

a man of the very firft blood of his country. For fome iv.yfterioiis 
reafons, which have never been difcovered, (he was feized and cai- 
ried off in the dark, flie knew not by whom, and by nightly jour- 
nies was conveyed to the Highland flioies, from whence ihe was 
tranfported by fea to the remote rock of St. Kilda, where ihe re- 
mained, amongft its few wild inhabitants, a forlorn prifoner, but 
had a conftant fiipply of provifions, and a woman to wait on her. 
No inquiry was made after her, till flie at lall found means to convey 
a letter to a confidential friend, by the daughter of a Catechill, who 
concealed it in a clue of yarn. Information beii,^^ thus obtained at 
Edinburgh, a fliip was fent to bring her off; but intelligence of this 
being received, (he was conveyed to M'Leod's ifland of Herrics, 
where ftie died. 

In Carjlares's State Papers, we find an authentick narrative of 
Connor, a catholick prielt, who turned proteftant, being feized by 
fome of Lord Seaforth's people, and detained prifoner in the iflanj 
of Herries feveral years ; he was fed with bread and water, aiwl 
lodged in a houfe where he was expofed to the rams and cold. Sir 
James Ogilvy writes, (June i8 1667,) that the Lord Chancellor, 
the Lord Advocate, and himfclf, were to meet next day, to take 
cfFeftual methods to have this redreffed. Connor was then ftill de- 
tained, p. 310.— This fhews what private opprefllon might in the laft 
century be pra6lired in the Hebrides. 

In the fame colledion, the Earl of Argyle gives a piflurefque 
account of an embafly from the great McNeil of Barra, as that infular 

Chief ufed to be denominated '« I received a letter yefterday from. 

M'Neil of Barra, who lives very far off, fent by a gentleman in all 
formality, offering his fervice, which had made you laugh to fee 
his entry. His ftyle of his letter runs as if \^t were of another king- 
dom."— -P. 643. 



»30 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

gold." — At tea he talked of his intending to go to 
Italy in 1775. M'Leodfaid, he would like Paris better. 
• — Johnfon. " No, fir; there are none of the French 
literati now alive, to vifit whom I would crofs a fea. 
I can find in Buftbn's book all that he can fay*." 

After fupper he faid, " I am foiry that prize- 
fighting is gone out ; every art lliould be preferved, 
and the art of defence is furely important. It is 
abiurd that our foldiers fliould have fwords, and 
not be taught the ufe of them. Prize-fighting 
made people accnftomed not to be alarmed at 
feeing their own blood, or feeling a little pain from 
a wound. I think the heavy glaymore was an 
ill-contrived weapon. A man could only ftrike 
once with it. It employed both his hands, and he 
muft of ,courfe be foon fatigued with wielding it ; 
fo that if his anragonift could only keep playing a 
while, he was lure of him. I would fight with a 
dirk again ft Rorie More's fword. I could ward off 
a blow with a dirk, and then run in upon my 
enemy, "When within that heavy fword, I have 
him ; he is quite helplcfs, and I could fc.-b him at 
my leifurc, like a calf. — It is thought by fenfible 
military men, that the Englifii do nor enough avail 
themfelves of their fuperior ftrength of body agalnft 
the French ; for that muft always have a great ad- 
vantage in pufhing with bayonets. I have heard 
an officer fay, that if women could be made to 
ftand, they would do as well as men in a mere in- 

• I doubt the juftice of my fellow-traveller's remark concerning 
the French literati, many of whom, I am told, have confiderable 
merit in converfation, as well as in their writings. That of Mon- 
fieur de BufFon, in particular, I am well affured is highly inftruaive 
and entertaining. 

I tcrchangc 



TO THE HEBRIDES. ^31 

tcrchange of bullets from a diftancc : but, if a body 
of men fliould come clofe up to them, then to be 
fure they mult be overcome*, now, (faid he,) in the 
fame manner the weaker- bodied French muft be 
overcome by our ftrong foldiers." 

The fubjcd of duelling was introduced.— 
Johnfon. " There is no cafe in England where one 
Or other of the combatants muji die : if you have 
Overcome your adverfary by difarming him, that is 
fufficient, though you fhould not kill him ; your 
honour, or the honour of your family, is reftored, 
as much as it can be by a duel. It is cowardly to 
force your antagonift to renew the combat, when 
you know that you have the advantage of him by 
fuperior (kill. Yf^iu might juft as v/ell go and cut 
his throat while he is aQeep in his bed. When a 
duel begins, it is fuppofed there may be an equa- 
lity ; becaufe it is not always fkill that prevails. Ic 
depends much on prefence of mind ; nay on acci- 
dents. The wind may be in a man's face. He 
may fall. Many fuch things may decide the fupe- 
riority. — A man is fufficienrly punifhed, by being 
called out, and fubjeded to the rifk that is in a 
duel." — But on my fuggefting that the injured 
perfon is equally fubje^^led to rifk, he fairly owned 
he could not explain the rationality of duelling. 

Monday^ 10th September. 
When I awaked, the ftorm was higher ftill. It 
abated about nine, and the fun fhone j but it rained 
again very foon, and it was not a day for travelling. 
At breakfaft, Dr. Johnfon told us, " there was 
once a pretty good tavern in Cacharine-ftreet in the 
Strand, where very good company met in an even- 
Q.4 ing. 



234 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

ing, and each man called for his own half- pint of 
wine, or gill, if he pleafed ; they were frugal men, 
and nobody paid but for what he himfelf drank. 
The houfe furnifhed no fupper •, but a woman at- 
tended with mutton-pies, which any body might 
purchafe. I was introduced to this company by 
Gumming the Quaker, and ufed to go there fome- 
times when I drank wine. In the laft age, when 
my mother lived in London, there were two fets of 
people, thofe who gave the wall, and thofe who 
took it •, the peaceable and the quarrelfome. When 
I returned to Lichfield, after having been in 
London, my mother alked me, whether I was one 
of thofe who gave the wall, or thofe who took it. 
>Jow, it is fixed that every man keeps to the right -, 
or, if one is taking the wall, another yields it, and 

it is never a difpute." -He was very fevere on a 

lady, whofe name was mc tioned. He faid, he 
would have fent her to St. Kilda. That fhe was as 
bad as negative badnefs could be, and ftood in the 
way of what was good : that infipid beauty would 
not go a great^way -, and that fuch a woman might 
be cut out of a cabbage, if there was a fkilful 
artificer. 

M'Leod was too late in coming to breakfaft. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, lazinefs was worfe than the tooth- 

ach. Bofwell. " I cannot agree with you, fir ; a 

bafon of cold water, or a horfe whip, will cure 
lazinefs." — Johnfon. " No, fir -, it will only put off 
the fit ; it win not cure the difeafe. 1 have been 
trying to cure my lazinefs all my life, and could 
not do it," — Bof-well. " But if a man does in a 
(horter time what might be the labour of a life, 

there is nothing to be faid againil him." Johnfon 

3 (perceivinLj 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 233 

(perceiving ac once that I alluded to him and his 
Didionary). " Suppofe that flattery to be true, the 
confequcnce would be, that the world would have 
no right to cenfure a man ; but that will not juftify 
him to himlelf." 

After breakfafl:, he laid to me, " A Highland 
Chief fliould now endeavour to do every thing to 
raife his rents, by means of the induftry of his 
people. Formerly, it was right for him to have 
his houfe full of idle fellows ; they were his de- 
fenders, his fervants, his dependants, his friends. 
Now they may be better employed. The fyftem of 
things is now lb much altered, that the family 
cannot have influence but by riches, becaufe it has 
no longer the power of ancient feudal times. An 
individual of a family may have it -, but it cannot 
now belong to a family, unlefs you could have a 
perpetuity of rnen with the fame views. M'Leod 
has four times the land that the Duke of Bedford 
has, I think, with his fpirir, he may in time make 
himfelf the greatefl: man in the king's dominions ; 
for land may always be improved to a certain degree. 
1 would never have any man fell land, to throw 
money into the funds, as is often done, or to try 
any other fpecies of trade. Depend upon it, this 
rage of trade will deflroy itfelf. You and I fliall 
not fee it •, but the time will come when there will 
be an end of it. Trade is like gaming. If a whole 
company are gamefters, play mufl: ceafe •, for there 
is nothing to be won. When all nations are traders, 
there is nothing to be gained by trade, and it will 
ftop firfl: where it is brought to the greateft perfec- 
tion. Then the proprietors of land only will be the 
great men."— I obferved, it was hard that ^4'Leod 

Iliould 



234 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fhould find ingratitude in fo many of his people.— i 
Jobnfon. " Sir, gratitude is a fruit of great cultiva- 
tion j you do not find it among grofs people." — I 
doubt of this. Nature feems to have implanted 
gratitude in all living creatures. The lion, men- 
tioned by Aulas Gellius, had it*. It appears to 
me that culture, which brings luxury and felfiflinefs 
with it, has a tendency rather to weaken than pro- 
mote this affedion. 

Dr. Johnfon faid this morning, when talking of 
our fctLmg out, that he was in the ftate in which 
Lord Bacon reprefents kings. He defired the end, 
but did not like the means. He wiflied much to 
get home, but was unwilling to travel in Sky.— — 
" You are like kings too in this, fir, (faid 1,) that 
you mull act under the diredion of others.'* 

*Tuefday, iifl September. 

The uncertainty of our prefent fituation having 
prevented me from receiving any letters from home 
for fome time, I could not help being uneafy. Dr. 
Johnfon bad an advantage over me, in this refped, 
he having no wife or child to occafion anxious ap- 
prehenfions in his mind. — It was a good morning-, 
fo we refolved to fet out. Bu:, before quitting this 
caftle, where we have been fo well entertained, let 
me give a (liort defcription of it. 

Along the edge of the rock, there are the re- 
mains of a wall, which is now covered with ivy. 
A fquare court is formed by buildings of different 
ages, particularly fome towers, faid to be of great 
antiquity; and at one place there is a row of falfe 

* Aul. Gellius, Lib. t. c. xiv. 

cannon 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 235 

cannon of ftone. There is a very large unfinifhed 
pile, four ftories high, which we were told was 
here when Leod^ the firft of this family, came from 
the Ifle of Man, married the heirels of the M'Crails, 
the ancient pcOeiTors of Dunvegan, and afterwards 
acquired by conqueft as much land as he had got 
by marriage. He furpaffed the houfe of Auftria ; 
for he was felix both hella gsrere et niihere. John 
Breck M*Leod, the grandfather of the hue laird, 
began to repair the callle, or rather to complete 
it : but he did not live to finifh his undertaking. 
Not doubting, however, that he lliould do it, he, 
like thole who have had their epitaphs written be- 
fore they died, ordered the following infcription, 
compofed by the minifter of the parifh, to be cue 
upon a broad ftone above one of the lower windows, 
where itftill remains to celebrate what was not done, 
and to ferve as a memento of the uncertainty of 
life, and the prelumption of man: 

" Joannes Macleod Beganoduni Dominus gentis 
fuse Philarchus, Durinefi^ Haraise Vaternefis, &c; 
Baro D. Florse Macdonald matrimoniali vinculo 
conjugatus turrcm hanc Beganodunenfem proavorum 
habitaculum longe vetuftillimum diu penitus labe- 
fedatam Anno ^rai vulgaris MDCLXXXVI in- 
ftauravit. 

** Quern llabilire juvat proavorum te£i:a vetufta, 

" Omne fcelus fugiat, juftitiamque colat. 

*' Vertit in aerias turres magalia virtus, 

" Inque cafas hurailes tefta luperba nefas." 

M'Leod and Talifker accompanied us. We 
pafled by the parifh church of Durinijh. The 
church-yard is not enclofed, but a pretty murmur- 



23^ JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

ing brook runs along one fide of it. In it is a pf- 
ramid erefted to the memory of Thomas Lord 
Lovat, by his fon Lord Simon, who fuffered on 
Tower-hill. It is of free-ftone, and, I fuppofe, 
about thirty feet high. There is an infcription on a 
piece of white marble inferied in it, which I fuipedl 
to have been the compofition of Lord Lovat him- 
fclf, being much in his pompous ftyle : 

*' This pyramid was erefted by Simon Lord 
Fraser of Lovat, in honour of Lord Thomas his 
Father, a Peer of Scotland, and Chief of the great 
and ancient Clan of the Frasers. Being attacked 
for his birthright by the family of Atholl, then in 
power and favour with King William, yet, by the 
valour and fidelity of his clan, and the affiftance of 
the Campbells, the old friends and allies of his 
family, he defended his birthright with fuch great- 
nefs and fermety of Ibul, and fuch valour and afli- 
vity, that he was an honour to his name, and a good 
pattern to all brave Chiefs of clans. He died in the 
month of May, 1699, in the 63d year of his age, 
in Dunvegan, the houfe of the Laird of Mac Leod, 
whofe lifter he had married : by whom he had the 
above Simon Lord Fraser, and feveral other 
children. And, for the great love he bore to the 
family of Mac Leod, he defired to be buried near 
his wife's relations, in the place where two of her 
uncles lay. And his fon Lord Simon, to fhew to 
pofterity his great affedlion for his mother's kindred, 
the brave Mac Lecds, choofes rather to leave his 
father's bones with them, than carry them to his 
own burial-place, near Lovat." 



Ihr 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 237 

I have prelerved this infcription, though of no 
great value, thinking it charadleriftical of a man 
who has made fome noile in the world. Dr. John- 
fon faid, it was poor flufF, fiich as Lord Lovat's 
butler might have written. 

I obferved, in this church-yard, a parcel of people 
aflfembled at a funeral, before the grave was dug. 
The coffin, with the corpfe in it, was placed on 
the ground, while the people alternately affifted in 
making a grave. One man, at a little diftance, 
was bufy cutting a long turf for it, with the crooked 
fpade which is ufed in Sky j a very aukward inftru- 
ment. The iron part of it is like a plough- coulter. 
It has a rude tree for a handle, in which a wooden 
pin is placed for the foot to prefs upon. A tra- 
veller might, without further enquiry, have kt this 
down as the mode of burying in Sky. I was toid, 
however, that the ufual way is to have a grave pre- 
vioufly dug. 

I obferved to-day, that the common way of car- 
rying home their grain here is in loads on horfe- 
back. They have alfo a few fleds, or cars, as we 
call them in Ayrfhire, clumfily made, and rarely 
ufed. 

We got to Ulinifii about fix o'clock, and found 
a very good farm-houfe, of two (lories. Mr, 
M'Lleod of Ulinifh, the fherifF-fubftitute of the 
ifland, was a plain honeft gentleman, a good deal 
like an English jullice of peace; not much given 
to talk, but fufficientiv fagacious, and fomewhat 
droll. His daughter, though Ihe was never out of 
Sky, was a very well-bred woman. — Our reverend 
friend, Mr. Donald M'Queen, kept his appoint- 
ment, and met us here. 

Talking 



23S JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Talking of Phipps's voyage to the North Pole, 
Dr. Johnfon obferved, that it " was conjcdured 
that our former navigators have kept too near land, 
and fo have found the fea frozen far north, becaufe 
the land hinders the free motion of the tide ; bur, 
in the wide ocean, where the waves tumble at their 
full convenience, it is imagined that the froft does 
not take effed." 

Wednefday, iid September. 
In the morning I walked out, and faw a fhip, 
the Margaret of Clyde, pafs by with a number of 
emigrants on board. It was a melancholy fight. — 
After breakfaft, we went to fee what was called a 
fubterraneous houfe, about a mile off, It was upon 
the fide of a rifmg-ground. It was difcovered by a 
fox's having taken up his abode in it, and in chac- 
ing him, they dug into it. It was very narrow and 
low, and feerned about forty feet in length. Near 
■ it, we found the foundations of feveral fmall huts, 
built of ftone. — Mr. M'Queen, who is always for 
making every thing as ancient as poflible, boafted 
that it was the dwelling of fome of the firft inha- 
bitants of the ifland, and obferved, what a curiofity 
it was to find here a fpecimen of the houfes of the 
Aborigines^ which he believed could be found no 
where elfe ; and it was plain that they lived without 
fire. — Dr. Johnfon remarked, that they who made 
this were not in the rudeft ftate j for that it was 
more difficult to make it than to build a houfe ; 
therefore certainly thofe who made it were in pof- 
feflion of houfes, and had this only as a hiding- 
place.- — It appeared to me, that the veftiges of 
houfes, juft by it, confirmed Dr. Johnfon's opi!- 
nion. 

From 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 239 

From an old tower, near this place, is an cxten- 
five view of Loch-Braccadil, and, at a diftance, of 
the ifles of Barra and South Uift ; and on the land- 
fide, the Cuillin, a prodigious range of mountains, 
capped with rocky pinnacles in a ftrange variety of 
fhapes. They refemble the mountains near Corte 
in Corfica, of which there is a very good print. 
They make part of a great range for deer, which, 
though entirely devoid of trees, is in thefe countries 
called diforejl. 

In the afternoon, Ulinilh carried us in his boat 
to an ifland poflelTed by him, where we faw an im- 
menfe cave, much more deferving the title 0^ antrum 
immane than that of the Sybil defcribed by Virgil, 
which I likewife have vifited. It is one hundred 
and eighty feet long, about thirty feet broad, and 
at leaft thirty feet high. This cave, we were told, 
had a remarkable echo ; but we found none. They 
faid it was owing to the great rains having made it 
damp. Such are the cxcufes by which the exag- 
geration of Highland narratives is palliated. — 
There is a plentiful garden at Ulinifli, (a great ra- 
rity in Sky,) and feveral trees -, and near the houfe 
is a hill, which has an Erfe name, fignifying " the 
hill of Jlrife" where, Mr. M'Queen informed us, 
juftice was of old adminiftered. It is like the mons 
placiti of SconCy or thofe hills which are called laws, 
fiich as Kelly /izw, North Berwick law^ and feveral 
others. It is fmgular that this fpot Ihould happen 
now to be the flieriff's refidence. 

We had a very cheerful even'ng, and Dr. John- 
fon talked a good deal on the fubjed of literature. 
— Speaking of the noble family of Boyle, he faid, 
that all the Lord Orrerys, till the prefent, had been 

writers 



240 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

writers. The firft wrote feveral plays ; the fecond 
was Bentley's antagonift ; the third wrote the Lite 
of Swift, and feveral other things ; his fon Hamil- 
ton wrote fome papers in the yldventurer and World. 
He told us, he was well acquainted with Swift's 
Lord Orrery. He laid, he was a feeble-minded 
man; that, on the publication of Dr. Delany's 
Remarks on his book, he was fo much alarmed that 
he" was afraid to read them. Dr. Johnfon com- 
forted him, by telling him they were both in the 
right ; that Delany had feen moft of the good fide 
of Swift, — Lord Orrery moil of the bad.— M'Leod 
afked, if it was not wrong in Orrery to expofe the 
defeats of a man with whom he lived in intimacy. 
— Johnfon. " Why no, fir, after the man is dead; 
for then it is done hiflorically." He added, *' If 
Lord Orrery had been rich, he would have been a 
Very liberal, patron. His converfation was like his 
writings, neat and elegant, but without ftrength. 
He grafped at more than his abilities could reach ; 
tried to pafs for a better talker, a better writer, and 
a better thinker than he was. There was a quarrel 
betwet-n him and his father, in which his father 
was to blame ; becaufe it arofe from the fon's not 
allowing his wife to keep company with his father's 
miftrefs. The old lord fliewed his refentment in 
his will, — leaving his library from his fon, and 
alTigning, as his reafon, that he could not make ufe 
of it." 

1 mentioned the afFedation of Orrery, in ending 
all his letters on the Life of Swift in fludied va- 
rieties of phrafe, and never in the common mode of 
'*/^;k," &c. an abfervation which I remember to 
have been made feveral years ago by old Mr. Sheri- 
dan. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 241 

d-an. This fpecies of affe6lation in writingj as a 
foreign lady of diftinguifhed talents once remarked 
to me, is almoft peculiar to the Englifh. I took up 
a volume of Dryden, containing the Conquefi of 
Granada^ and feveral other plays, of which all the 
dedications had fuch ftudied conclufions. Dr. 
Johnfon faid, fuch conclufions were more elegant, 
and, in addreffing perfons of high rank, (as when 
Dryden dedicated to the Duke of York,) they were 
likewife more refpedful. I agreed that there it 
was much better: it was making his efcape from 
the Royal prefence with a genteel fudden timidity, 
in place of having the refolution to ftand flill, and 
make a formal bow. 

Lord Orrery's unkind treatment of his fon in his 
will, led us to talk of the difpofitions a man fliould 
have when dying. I faid, I did not fee why a man 
fhould a6t differently with refpetft to thofe of whom 
he thought ill when in health, merely becaufe he 
was dying. — Johnfon. " I fhould not fcruple to fpeak 
againft a party, when dying ; but fhould not do it 
againfl an individual. — It is told of Sixtus Quintus, 
that on his death-bed, in the intervals of his laft 
pangs, he figned death-warrants." — Mr. M'Queen 
faid, he fhould not do fo ; he would have more 
tendernefs of heart. — Johnfon. " I believe 1 fhould 
not either ; but Mr. M'Queen and I are cowards. 
It would not be from tendernefs of heart ; for the 
heart is as tender when a man is in health as when 
he is fick, though his refolution may be ftronger. 
Sixtus Quintus was a fovereign as well as a prieft ', 
and, if the criminals deferved death, he was doing 
his duty to the lafl. You would not think a judge 
died ill, who fhould be carried off by an apopledick 
i R fi: 



444 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fit while pronouncing fentence of death. Confidef 
a clal's ot men whole bufinefs it is to diftribute 
death : — foldicrs, who die Icattering bu]lets. — No- 
body thinks they die ill on that account." 

Talking of Biography, he faid, he did not think 
that the life of any literary man in England had 
been well written. Befide the common incidents of 
life, it fhould tell us his ftudies, his mode of liv- 
ing, the means by which he attained to excellence, 
and his opinion of his own wc-ks. He told us, he 
had knt Derrick to Dryden's relations, to gather 
materials for his Life ; and he believed Derrick had 
got all that he himfelf fhould have got ; but it was 
nothincf. He added, he had a kindnefs for Der- 
rick, and was forry he was dead. 

His notion as to the poems publiihed by Mr. 
M'Pherfon, as the works of Offian, was not fnaken 
here. Mr. M'Queen always evaded the point of 
authenticity, faying only that Mr. M'Pherfon's 
pieces fell far fhort of thofe he knew in Erfe, which 
were faid to be Ofiian*s. — John/on, " I hope they 
do. 1 am not difputing that you may have poetry 
of o-reat merit •, but that M'Pherfon's is not a tran- 
fiation from ancient poetry. You do not believe it. 
I lay before you, you do not believe it, though you 
are very willing that the world fhould believe it."— 
Mr. M'Qiieen made no anlwer to this. — Dr. John- 
fon proceeded " I look upon M'Pherfon's Fingal 
to be as grofs an impofition as ever the world was 
troubled with. Had it been really an ancient work, 
a true fpecimen how men thought at that time, it 
would have been a curiofity of the firft rate. As a 
modern produdion, it is nothing." — He faid, he 
could never get the meaning of an Erfe fong ex- 
plained 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 243 

plained to him. They told him, the chorus was 
generally unmeaning. *' I take it, (faid he,) Erfe 
longs are like a fono; which I remember : it was 
compofed in Queen Elizabeth's time, on the Earl 
of Effex ; and the burthen was 

*' Radaratoo, radarate, radara tadara tandore." 

** But furely, faid Mr. M'Queen, there were 
words to it, which had meaning. — Johnfon. " Why, 
yes, fir ; 1 recolleft a ftanza, and you Hiall 

have it : 

** O ! then befpoke the prentices all, 

** Living in London, both proper and tall, 

** For EiTex's fake they would fight all. 

** Radaratoo, radarate, radara, tadara, tandore*.'* 

When Mr. M'Queen began again to expatiate 
on the beauty of Ofiian's poetry. Dr. Johnfon en- 
tered into no further controverfy, but, with a plea- 
fant fmile, only cried, " Ay, ay -, Radaratoo ra- 
darate:' 

Thurfday, 2^d September. 
I took Fingal down to the parlour in the morn- 
ing, and tried a teft propofed by Mr. Roderick. 
M'Leod, fon to Ulinilh. Mr. M'Queen had faid 
he had fome of the poem in the original. I defired 

* This droll quotation, I have fince found, was from a fong ia 
honour of the Earl of Effex, called " Slueen Elizabeths Champion,^' 
which is preferved in a coUeftion of Old Ballads, in three volumes, 
publiftied in London in different years, between 1720 and I730» 
The full verfe is as follows : 

" Oh ! then befpoke the prentices all, 
" Living in London, both proper and tall, 
" In a kind letter fent ilraight to the Queen, 
** For EflejL's fake they would fight all. 

" Raderer too, tandaro te, 

<« Raderer, tandorer, tan do re." 

R 2 hlni 



244- JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

him to mention any pafiage in the printed book, of 
which he could repeat the original. He pointed 
out one in page 50 of the quarto edition, and read 
the Erfe, while Mr. Roderick M'Leod and I looked 
on the Englifh ; — and Mr, M'Leod faid, that it was 
pretty like what Mr. M'Qtieen had recited. But 
when Mr. M'Queen read adefcription ofCuchuUin's 
fword in Erfe, together with a tranflation of it in 
Engliili verfe, by Sir James Foulis, Mr. M'Leod 
faid, that was much more like than Mr. M'Pherfon^s 
tranflation of the former paflage. Mr. M'Qiieen 
then repeated in Erfe a defcription of one of the 
horfes in Cuchillin's car. Mr. M'Leod faid, Mr. 
M'Pherfon's Englifli was nothing like it. 
. When Dr. Johnfon came down, I told him that 
I had now obtained fome evidence concerning Fin- 
gal ; for that Mr. M'Qiieen had repeated a paflage 
in the original Erfe, which Mr. M'Pherfon's tran- 
flation was pretty like ; and reminded him that he 
himfelf had once faid, he did not require Mr. 
M'Pherfon's Ofllan to be more like the original than 

Pope's Homer. Johnfon. " Well, fir, this is juft 

what I always maintained. He has found names, 
and flories, and phrafes, nay paflTages in old fongs, 
and with them has blended his own compofitions, 
and fo made what he gives to the world as the tran- 
flation of an ancient poem." If this was the cafe, 

I obferved, it was wrong to publifh it as a poem in 
fix books. — Johnfon. " Yes, fir ; and to afcribe it 
to a time too when the Highlanders knew nothing of 
hooks^ and nothing oi fix-y — or perhaps were got 
the length of counting fix. We have been told, by 
Condamine, of a nation that could count no more 
than four. This fliould be told to Monboddo ; it 
5 would 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 24^ 

v?ould' help him. There is as much charity in help- 
ing a man down-hill, as in helping him up-hill."— 
Bofwell. '* I don't think there is as much charity." 
^—Johnfon. *' Yes, fir, if his tendency be downwards. 
Till he is at the bottom, he flounders-, get him 
once there, and he is quiet. Swift tells, that Stella 
had a trick, which flie learned from Addifon, of 
encouraging a man in abfurdity, inftead of endea- 
vouring to extricate him." 

Mr. M'QLieen's anlwers to the inquiries con- 
cerning OfTian were fo unfatisfaflory, that I could 
not help obferving, that, were he examined in a 
court of juftice, he would find himfelf under a ne- 
ceffity of being more explicit. — Johnfon. " Sir, he 
has told Blair a little too much, which is publilhcd ; 
and he fticks to it. He is fo much at the head of 
things here, that he has never been accuftomed to 
be clofely examined; and fo he goes on quite 
fmoothly." — Bofwell. ^'- He has never had any body 
to work hina." — John/on. *' No, fir ; and a man is 
feldom difpofed to work himfelf; though he ought 
to work himfelf, to be fure." — Mr. M'Queen made 
no reply *. 

Having talked of the flricflnefs with which wit- 
neffes are examined in courts of juftice. Dr. John- 
Ion told us, that Garrick, though accuftomed to 
face multitudes, when produced as a witnefs in 
Weftminfter-hall, was fo difconcerted by a new 
mode of publick appearance, that he could not 
underftand what was aflced. It was a caufe where 
an aftor claimed a free benefit ; that is to fay, a 
R 3 benefit 

* I think it but Juftice to fay, that I believe Dr. Johnfon meant to 
jjcribe Mr. M'Queen's conduft to inaccura-cy and entliufiafm, and 
did not mean any levere imputation againft him. 



246 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

benefit without paying the expence of the houfe 5 
but the meaning of the term was difputed. Gar- 
rick was afked, " Sir, have you a free benefit ?"— 

" Yes."—" Upon what terms have you it ?" 

" Upon — the terms — of — a free benefit." He 

was difmilled as one from whom no information 

could be obtained. Dr. Johnfon is often too 

hard on our friend Mr. Garrick. When I afked 
him, why he did not mention him in the Preface to 
his Shakipeare, he faid, " Garrick has been liberally 
paid for any thing he has done for S.'iakfpeare. If 
I fhould praife him, I fliould much more praife the 
nation who paid him. He has not made Shakfpeare 
better known * ; he cannot illuftrate Shakfpeare : 
So I have reafons enough againft mentioning him, 
were reafons neceflary. There fhould be reafons /cr 

it." 1 fpoke of Mrs. Montague's very high 

praifes of Garrick.^— J(j/J?;z/o«. " Sir, it is fit (he 
ihould fay fo much, and 1 fhould lay nothing. Rey- 
nolds is fond of her book, and I wonder at it ; for 

neither 

• It has been Iriumphantly afked, " Had not the plays of Shak- 
fpeare lain dormant for many years before tlie appearance of Mr, 
■ Garrick ? Did he not exhibit the moft excellent of them frequently 
for thirty years together, and render them txtremeiy popular by his 
own inimitable performance?" He undoubtedly did. But Dr. John- 
Ion's atfertion has been mifunderftood. Knowing as well as the 
objeilors what has been jull itated, he mult ntcefl'.ij-ily have meant, 
that " Mr. Garrick did not as a cntick make Shakfpeare better 
known ; he did not illufirate any ovis pajfage in any of his plays fay. 
acurenefs of dilquifiiion, or fagacity of conjecture ;" and what had 
been done with any degree of excellence in that way was the proper 
and immediate fubje6l of his preface, I may add in fupport of this 
cxphanation the following anecdote, related to me by oncof the ableft 
commentatois on Shakipeare, who knew much of Dr. Johnfon : 
•' Now I have quitted the theatre, cries Garrick, I will lit down and 
read Shakfpeare." " 'Tis time you Ihould, exclaimed Johnfon, for 
I much doubt if you ever examined one of his plays from the firft 
Icene to the lalt." 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 247 

neither I, nor Beauckrk, nor Mrs. Thrale, could 
gee through it *." ^^^ 

• No man has lefs inclmation to controverfy than I have, particu. 
iarly with a lady. But as I have claimed, and am conlc.ous of be.ng 
entitled to, cred.t. for the it-a.ft fidel.ty, my refpea for the pub- 
lick obliges tne to take notice of an infinuation which tends to im. 

^''Mrsl'piozzi (late Mrs. Thrale), to her " Anecdotes of Dr. John- 
foil," added the following potlfcipt: ^^ , „ , .. 

' Naples, Feb. 10, 1786. 

" Since the foregoing went to the prefs, having (een a paflTsge 
from Mr. Bolwell's ' Tour to the Hebrides,' in which it ,s fa.d, 
tliat 1 iouldnot get through Mrs. Montagues « ffay on Shakfpeare, I 
do not delay a moment to declare, that, on the contrary, I have al- 
ways commended it myielf, and heard it commended by every one 
fife ; and few things would give me more concern than to be thought 
incapable of tafting, or unwilling to leltify my opinion of us excel- 

^Tt is remarkable that this poftfcript is fo expreffed, as not to point 
out the perion who faid that Mrs. Thrale could not get through Mrs. 
Montague-s book j and therefore I think it necelTary to remmdMrs. 
Piozzi, that the alTertion concernmg her was Dr. Johnlon's, and not 
mine ' Tliefecond obfervation that I (liail make on this poftlcriptis, 
that i't does not deny the tad aflerted, though I muft acknowledge 
from the praile it bettows on Mrs. Montague's book, it may have 
been defigned to convey that meaning. 

What Mrs. Thrale's opinion is or was, or what (lie may or may 
not have faid to Dr. Johnfow concerning Mrs. Montague's book, it 
is not neceffary for me to enquire. It is only incumbent on me to • 
afcertain what Dr. Johnlbn faid to me. 1 fliall therefore confine 
myfclf to a very fliort ftate of the faa. 

The unfavourable opinion of Mrs. Montague's book, which Dr. 
Johnlbn is here reported to have given, is known to have been that 
which he un*%mly expreffed, as many of his friends well remember. 
So much for the authenticity of the paragraph, as far as it relates 
to his own fcfitiments. The words containing the affertion, to 
which Mrs. Piozzi objeas, are printed from my inanufcript Journal, 
and were taken down at the time. The Journal was read by Dr. 
Johnlbn, who pointed out fome inaccuracies, which I correaed, but 
did not mention any inaccuracy in the paragraph in quelfion : and 
what is (t.U more material, and very flattering to me, a confiderable 
part of my Journal, containing this paragraph, 'was read fewral 
years ago by Mrs. thrale herfelf, who had it for fome time in her pof- 
J ^ -^ j^ ^ lefllow 



24S JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Laft night Dr. Johnfon gave us an account of 
the whole procefs of tanning, — and of the nature of 
inilk, and the various operations upon it, as making 
whey, &c. His variety of information is furpriz- 
ing ; and it gives one much fatisfaftion to find fuch 
a man bellowing his attention on the ufcful arts of 
life. Ulinifh was much flruck with his knowledge ; 
and faid, " He is a great orator, fir -, it is mufick 
to. hear this man fpeak." — A (Irange thought flruck 
me, to try if he knew any thing of an art, or Vv'hat- 
ever it fhould be called, which is no doubt very 
iifeful in life, but which lies far out of the way of 
a philofopher and poet ; I mean the trade of a 
butcher. I enticed him into the fubjed, by con^ 
nefting it with the various refearches into the man- 
ners and cuftoms of uncivilized nations, that have 
been made by our late navigators into the South 
?^as.— I began with obferving, that Mr. (now Sir 

Jofeph) 

feffion, and returned it to me, without intimating that Dr, Johnfon 
Jiad miftaken her fentiments. 

When the firft edition of my Journal was pafling through the 
prefs, it occurred to me, that a peculiar delicacy was neceffary to be 
pbferved in reporting the opinion of one literary lady concerning the 
performance of another ; and I had fuch fcruples on that head, that 
in the proof fheet I (truck out the name of Mrs. Thrale from the 
^bove paragraph, and two or three hundred copies of my book were 
aflually printed and publiflied without it ; of thefe Sir Jofhua Rey- 
nolds's copy happened to be one. But while the (heet was working 
off, a friend, for whofe opinion I have great refpe6l, fuggefted that 
I had no right to deprive Mrs. Thrale of the high honour which 
Dr; Johnfon had done her, by ftating her opinion along with that of 
M>'- Peauclerk, as coinciding with, and, as it were, fanftioninghis 
pwn. The obfervation appeared to me fo weighty and conclufive, 
that I haflened to the printing houfe, and, as a piece of juftice, re- 
ftored Mrs. Thrale to that place from which a too fcrupulous delicacy 
fiad excluded her. 

On this fiiiiple ftaie of fafls | fhall mal^e ^o obfbrvation whaU 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 249 

Jofcph) Banks tells us, that the art of flaiightering 
animals was not known in Otaheite, for, inftead of 
bleeding to death their dogs, (a common food with 
them,) they ftrangle them. This he told me him- 
-felf ; and I fuppofed that their hogs were killed in 
the fame way. Dr. Johnfon faid, *' This miift be 
owing to their not having knives, — though they 
have (harp flones with v/hich they can cut a carcafe 
in pieces tolerably." By degrees, he (hewed that 
he knew fomething even of butchery. *' Different 
animals (faid he) are killed differently. An ox is 
knocked down, and a calf ftunned ; but a (heep has 
its throat cui, without any thing being done to flu- 
pify it. The butchers have no view to the eafe of 
the animals, but only to make them quiet, for their 
own fafety and convenience. A (heep can give them 

little trouble. Hales is of opinion, that every 

animal Ihould be blooded, without having any blow 

given to it, becaufe it bleeds better. Bo/well. 

« That would be cruel." Johnfon. *' No, fir; 

there is not much pain, if the jugular vein be pro- 
perly cut." — Purfuing the fubjed, he faid, the 
kennels of Southwark ran with blood two or three 
days in the week ; that he was afraid there were 
flaughter-houfes in more ftreets in London than one 
fuppofes -, (fpeaking with a kind of horrour of 
butchering \) and, yet he added, " any of us would 

kill a cow, rather than not have beef." 1 laid 

v?e could not.— — *' Yes, (faid he,) any one may. 
The bufmefs of a butcher is a trade indeed, that is 
to fay, there is an apprenticelhip ferved to it j but 
it may be learnt in a month." 

I mentioned a club in London, at the Boar's 
Jiead in Eaftcheap, the very tavern where Falftaff 

and 



250 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

and his joyous companions met; the members of 
which all affume Shakf^eare's charatfters. One is 
Falftaff, another Prince Henry, another Bardolph, 
and lb on. — Johnfori. *^ Don't be of it, fir. Now 
that you have a name, you muft be careful to 
avoid many things, not bad in themfclves, but 
which will leflen your character *. This every man 
who has a name muft obferve. A man who is not 
publickly known may live in London as he pleafes, 
without any notice being taken of him \ but it is 
wonderful how a perfon of any confequence is 
watched. There was a member of parliament, 
who wanted to prepare himielf to fpcak on a quef- 
tion that was to come on in the Houfe ; and he and 
I were to talk it over together He did not wifh it 
Ihould be known that he talked with me; fo he 
would not let me come to his houfe, bur came to 
mine. Some time after he had made his fpeech in 
the houfe, Mrs. Cholmondeley, a very airy lady, 
told me, * Well, you could make nothingof him 1' 
naming the gentleman ; which was a proof that he 
was watched. — I had once fome bufinefs to do for 
government, and I went f) Lord North's. Pre- 
caution was taken that it (hould not be known. It 
was dark before I went ; yet a few days after I was 
told, ' Well, you have been with Lord North.* 
That the door of the prime minifter ihould be 
watched, is not ftrange j but that i v.embcr of 
parliament fhould be watched, or that my door 
fhouid be watched, is wonderful." 

We 

• I tlo not fee why I miglit not have been of this club without . 
kflening my cbaia6ler. But Dr. Johiilon's caution againft fuppofing 
one's felF concealed in London, may be very ufeful to prevent fome 
people from doing many things, not only fo- iilh, Lut criminal. 



TO tt^E HEBRIDES. 25^ 

We fet out this morning on our way to Talifker, 
in Ulinifh's boat, having taken leave of him and 
his family. Mr. Donald M'Qiieen ftill favoured us 
with his company, for which we were much obliged 
to him. As we failed along Dr. Johnfon got into 
one of his fits of railing at the Scots. He owned 
that they had been a very learned nation for a hun- 
dred years, from about 1550 to about 1650; but 
that they afforded the only inftance of a people 
among whom the arts of civil life did not advance 
in proportion with learning -, that they had hardly 
any trade, any money, or any elegance, before the 
Union •, that it was (Irange that, with all the ad- 
vantages poffeffcd by other nations, they had not 
any of thofe conveniencies and embellifhmerits which 
are the fruit of ir.duftry, till they came in conta<ft 
with a civilized people. " We have taught you, 
(faid he,) and Vv^e'll do the fame in time to all bar- 
barous nations, — .to the Cherokees, — and at laft to 
the Ouran-Outangs ;" laughing with as much glee 
as if Monboddo had been preient. — Bopusell. " We 
had wine before the Union." — Johnfon. "No, fir; 
you had fome weak ftiiff, the refufe of France, 
which would not make you drunk." — Bofwell, *' I 
afiiire you, fir, there was a great deal of drunken- 
nefs." — Johnfon. *' No, fir ; there were people who 
died of dropfies, which they contra6led in trying to 
get drunk," 

I muil here gleen fome of his converfation at 
Ulinifh, which 1 have omitted. He repeated his 
remark, that a man in a fhip was worfe than a man 
in a jail. " The man in a jail, (faid he,) has more 
room, better food, and commonly better company, 
iind is in fafety." — *' Ay j but, (laid Mr. M'Queen,) 

the 



252 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

the man in the fhip has the pleafing hope of getting 
to fhore." — Johnfon. " Sir, I am not talking of a 
man's getting to (hore ; but of a man while he is 
in a fhip : and then, 1 fay, he is worfe than a man 
while he is in a jail. A man in a jail may have the 
*• pleafing hope' of getting out. A man confined 
for only a limited time, adlually has it." — M'Leod 
mentioned his fchemes for carrying on fifheries with 
i^irit, and that he would wifli to underftand the 
conftrudion of boats. 1 fuggefted that he might 
go to a dock-yard and work, as Peter the Great 
did. — John/on. " Nay, fir, he need not work. 
Peter the Great had not the fenfe to fee that the mere 
mechanical work may be done by any body, and 
that there is the fame art in conflrudling a veflel, 
whether the boards are well or ill wrought. Sir 
Chriftopher "Wren might as well have ferved his 
time to a bricklayer, and firft, indeed, to a brick- 
maker." 

There is a beautiful little ifland in the Loch of 
Dunvegan, called Ifa. M'Leod faid, he would 
give it to Dr. Johnfon, on condition of his refiding 
on it three months in the year j nay one month. 
Dr. Johnfon was highly amufed with the fancy. I 
have feen him pleafe himfelf with httle things, even 
with mere ideas like the prefent. He talked a 
great deal of this ifland ;- — how he would build a 
houfe there, — how he would fortify it, — how he 
■would have cannon, — how he would plant, — how 
he would fally out, and take the ifle of Muck ; — ^ 
and then he laughed with uncommon glee, and 
could hardly leave off. I have feen him do fo at a 
fmall matter that ftruck him, and v/as a fport to no 
one elfe. Mr. Langton told me, that one night he 

did 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 453 

did fo while the company were all grave about 
him : — only Garrick, in his fignificant fmart man- 
ner, darting his eyes around, exclaimed, " Very 
jocofe, to be fure !" — M'Leod encouraged the 
fancy of Dr. Johnfon's becoming owner of an iQand ; 
told him, that it was the pradice in this country to 
name every man by his lands ; and begged leave to 
drink to him in that mode : " IJland Ifa, your 
health !'*-— Ulinifh, Taliflcer, Mr. M'Queen, and I, 
all joined in our different manners, while Dr. John- 
fon bowed to each, with much good humour. 

We had good weather, and a fine fail this day. 
The (hore was varied with hills, and rocks, and 
corn fields, and bufhes, which are here dignified 
with the name of natural wood. We landed near 
the houfe of Ferneley, a farm pofTcffed by another 
gentleman of the name of M'Leod, who, expe6ling 
our arrival, was waiting on the fliore, with a horfe 

for Dr. Johnfon. The reft of us walked. At 

dinner, I exprefied to M'Leod the joy which I had 
in feeing him on fuch cordial terms with his clan. 
" Government (faid he) has deprived us of our 
ancient power ; but it cannot deprive us of our do- 
meftick fatisfadions. 1 would rather drink punch 
in one of their houfes, (meaning the houfes of his 
people,) than be enabled by their hardfhips, to 
have claret in my own." — This (hould be the fen- 
timent of every Chieftain. All that he can get by 
raifing his rents, is more luxury in his own houfe. 
Is it not better to Ihare the profits of his eftate, to 
a certain degree, with his kinfmen, and thus have 
both focial intercourfe and patriarchal influence ? 

We had a very good ride, for about three miles, 
to Talifker, where Colonel M'Leod introduced us 

to 



254 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

to his lady. We found here Mr. Donald M'Lean, 
the young Laird of Col, (nephew to Talifker,) to 
whom I delivered the letter with which I had been 
favoured by his uncle, ProfelTor M*Leod, at Aber- 
deen. He was a little lively young man. We 
found he had been a good deal in England, ftudy* 
ing farming, and was refolved to improve the value 
of his father's lands, without opprefllng his tenants, 
or lofing the ancient Highland fafhions. 

Talifker is a better place than one commonly 
finds in Sky, It is fituated in a rich bottom. Be- 
fore it is a wide expanfe of lea, on each hand of 
which are immenfe rocks •, and, at fome diitance in 
the fea, there are three columnal rocks rifing to 
fharp points. The billows break with prodigious 
force and noife on the coaft of Talifker, There are 
here a good many well- grown trees. Talifker is an 
extenfive farm. The pofTefTor of it has, for feveral 
generations, been the next heir to M'Leod, as 
there has been but one fon always in that family. 
The court before the houfe is motl injudicioufly 
paved with the round blueifh-grey pebbles which 
are found upon the fea-fhore ; fo chat you v. alk as 
if upr,n cannon-balls driven into the ground. 

After fupper, I talked of the afTiduicy of the 
Scottifh clergy, in vifiting and privately inftruding 
their pariOiioners, and obferved how much in this 
they excelled the Englifn clergy. Dr. Johnfon 
would not let this pafs. He tried to turn it off, by 
faying, •* There are different ways of inftru6ting. 
Our clergy pray and preach." — M'Leod and I 
prefTed the fubjedl, upon which he grew warm, and 
broke forth : *' I do not believe your people are 
better intruded. If they are, it is the blind lead- 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 255 

ing the blind •, for your clergy are not inftrucled 
themfelves." Thinking he had gone a little too far, 
he checked himfelf, and added, " WJien I talk of 
the ignorance of your clergy, I talk of them as a 
body : I do not mean that there are not individuals 
who are learned (looking at Mr. M'QLieen). I 
fuppofe there are I'uch among the clergy in Muf- 
covy. The clergy of England have produced the 
moft valuable books in iupport of religion, both in 
theory and pradice. What have your clergy done, 
fince you funk into prefbyterianifm ? Can you name 
one book of any value, on a religious fubjeft, 
written by them ?" — We were filent. — " I'll help 
you. Forbes wrote very well ; but I believe he 
wrote before epifcopacy was quite extinguifhed."— • 
And then paufing a little, he faid, " Yes, you have 
Wifliart AGAINST Repentance*." — Bofwell. " But, 
fir, we are not contending for the fuperior learning 
of our clergy, but for their fuperior afllduity." — 
He bore us down again, with thunderinfj aaainfi; 
their ignorance, and laid to me, *' I fee you have 
not been well taught; for you have not charity." — 
He had been in ibme meafure forced into this 
warmth, by the exulting air which I affumed ; for, 
when he began, he faid, " Since you will drive the 
nail 1" — He again thought of good Mr. M'Queen, 
and, taking him by the hand, faid, " Sir, 1 did 
not mean any difrefpedc to you." 

Here 

* This was a dexterous mode of defcription, for the purpofe of 
his argument j for what he alluded to was, a Sermon publi/lied by 
the learned Dr. William Wi/hart, formerly principal of the college 
at Edinburgh, to warn men agoinj} confiding in a death-bed ?v- 
pentance, of the inefficacy of which he entertained notions very dif- 
ierent frotn thole of Dr. Johnfon. 



256 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Here I muft obferve, that he conquered by de- 
ferting his ground, and not meeting the argument 
as I had put it. The afliduity of the Scottifh clergy 
is certainly greater than that of the Englifh. His 
taking up the topick of their not having fo much 
learning, was, though ingenious, yet a fallacy in 
logick. It was as if there fhould be a difpute 
whether a man's hair is well dreiTed, and Dr. John- 
fon fhould fay, " Sir, his hair cannot be well dreiTed ; 
for he has a dirty fhirt. No man who has not clean 
linen has his hair well drelTed." — When fome days 
afterwards he read this paffage, he faid, " No, fir; 
I did not fay that a man's hair could not be well 
dreiTed becaufe he has not clean linen, but becaufe 
he is bald." 

He ufed one argument againft the Scottifli clergy 
being learned, which I doubt was not good. " As 
we believe a man dead till we know that he is alive; 
fo we believe men ignorant till we know that they 
are learned." Now our maxim in law is, to pre- 
fume a man alive, till we know he is dead. How- 
ever, indeed, it may be anfwered, that we muft 
firft know he has lived ; and that we have never 
known the learning of the Scottifli clergy. Mr. 
M'Qiieen, though he was of opinion that Dr. 
Johnfon had dcferted the point really in difpute, was 
much pleafed with what he faid, and owned to me, 
he thought it very juft ; and Mrs. M'Leod was fo 
much captivated by his eloquence, that flie told me 
*' I was a good advocate for a bad caufe." 

Friday, 7./\.th September. 
This was a good day. Dr. Johnfon told us, at 
breakfaft, that he rode harder at a fox chace than 

any 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 257 

any body. " The Englilh (faid he) are the only 
nation who ride hard a-hunting. A Frenchman 
goes out upon a managed horfe, and capers in the 
field, and no more thinks of leaping a hedge than 
of mounting a breach. Lord Powerfcourt laid a 
wager, in France, that he would ride a great many 
miles in a certain (hort time. The French acade- 
micians let to work, and calculated that, from the 
refiftance of the air, it was impoffible. His lord- 
Ihip however performed in." 

Our money being nearly exhaufted, we fent a 
bill for thirty pounds, drawn on Sir William Forbes 
and Co. to Lochbraccadale, but our meffenger 
found it very difficult to procure cafh for it j ac 
length, however, he got us value from the mafter 
of a veflel which was to carry away fome emigrants. 
There is a great Icarcity of fpecie in Sky. Mr. 
M'Queen faid he had the utmoft difficulty to pay 
his fervants' wages, or to pay for any little thing 
which he has to buy. The rents are paid in bills, 
which the drovers give. The people confume a 
vaft deal of fnuff and tobacco, for which they muft 
pay ready money ; and pedlers, who come about 
felling goods, as there is not a ffiop in the ifland, 
carry away the calh. If there were encouragement 
given to fiffieries and manufadures, there might be 
a circulation of money introduced. I got one-and- 
twenty fliillings in filver at Portree, which was 
thought a wonderful ftore. 

Talifker, Mr. M'Queen, and I, walked our, 
and looked at no lefs than fifteen different water- 
falls near the houfe, in the fpace of about a quarter 
of a mile. We alfo faw Cuchillin's well, faid to 
have been the favourite fpring of that ancient hero.' 
S I drank 



258 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

I drank of it. The water is admirable. On the 

fhore are many ftones full of cryftallizations in the 

heart. 

Though our obliging friend, Mr. M'Lean, was 
but the young laird, he had the title of Col con- 
ftantly given him. After dinner he and I walked 
to the top of Priefliwell, a very high rocky hill, 
from whence there is a view of Barra, — the Long 
Ifland,— Bernera, — the Loch of Dunvegan,— pare 
of Rum — part of Rafay, and a vaft deal of the ide 
of Sky. Col, though he had come into Sky with 
an intention to be at Dunvegan, and pafs a confi- 
derable time in the ifland, moft politely refolved 
firft to conduct us to Mull, and then to return to 
Sky. This was a very fortunate circumftance •, for 
he planned an expedition for us of more variety 
than merely going to Mull. He propofed we 
Ihould fee the iflands of Egg^ Mtick^ Col, and 
^yr-yi. In all thefe iflands he could Ihew us every 
thing worth feeing •, and in Mull he faid he Ihould 
be as if at home, his father having lands there, and 
he a farm. 

Dr. Johnfon did nof talk much to-day,, but 
feemed intent in lifl:ening to the fchemes of future 
excurfion, planned by Ccl. Dr. Birch, however, 
being mentioned, he faid, he had more anecdotes 
than any man. I faid, Percy had a great many ; 
that he flowed with them like one of the brooks 

here. Johnfon. " If Percy is like one of the brooks 

here. Birch was like the river Thames. Birch ex- 
celled Percy in that, as much as Percy excels Gold- 

fmith." 1 mentioned Lord Hailes as a man of 

anecdote. He was not pleafed with him, for pub- 
iilhing only fuch memorials and letters as were un- 
favourable. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 259 

fiivourable for the Stuari: family. " If, (faid he,) 
a man fairly warns you, ' I am to give all the ill ; 
do you find the good ;' he may : but if the object 
which he profelTes be to give a view of a reign, let 
him tell all the truth. I would tell truth of the two 
Georges, or of that fcoundrel, king William.— 
Granger's Biographical Hiftory is full of curious 
anecdote, but might have been better done. The 
dog is a Whig. I do not like much to fee a Whig 
in any drefs y but I hate to fee a Whig in a parfon's 
gown.'* 

Saturday, 25/^^ September. 
It was refolved that we fhould fet out, in order 
to return to Slate, to be in readinefs to take boat 
whenever there fhould be a fair wind. Dr. John- 
fon remained in his chamber writing a letter, and it 
was long before we could get him into motion. He 
did not come to breakfaft, but had it fent to him. 
When he had finifhed his letter, it was twelve 
o'clock, and we fhould have fet out at ten. When 
I went up to him, he faid to me, " Do you re- 
member a long which begins, 

** Every ifland is a prifon 

*' Strongly guarded by the fea ; 
" Kings and princes, for that reafon, 

*' Prifoners are, as well as we." 

I fuppofe he had been thinking of our confined 
fituation. He would fain have gone in a boat from 
hence, inftead of riding back to Slate. A fcheme 
for it was propofed. He faid, " We'll not be 
driven tamely from it :" — but it proved impradli- 
cable. 

S 2 W« 



26a JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We took leave of M'Leod and Talifker, from 
whom we parted with regret. Talifker, having 
been bred to phyfick, had a tinfture of fcholarfliip 
in his converfation, which pleafed Dr. Johnfon, and 
he had fome very good books ; and being a colonel 
in the Dutch fervice, he and his lady, in confe- 
quence of having lived abroad, had introduced 
the eafe and politenefs of the continent into this rude 
region. 

Young Col was now our leader. Mr. M'Queen 
was to accompany us half a day more. We flopped 
at a little hut, where we faw an old woman grinding 
with the quern^ the ancient Highland inflrument, 
which it is faid was ufed by the Romans, but which, 
being very (low in its operation, is almofl entirely 
gone into difufe. 

The walls of the cottages in Sky, infiead of being 
one compared mafs of ftones, are often formed by 
two exterior lurfaces of flone, filled up with earth 
in the middle, which makes them very warm. The 
roof is generally bad. They are thatched, fome- 
times with ftraw, fometimes with heath, fometimes 
with fern. The thatch is fecured by ropes of ftraw, 
or of heath ; and, to fix the ropes, there is a flone 
tied to the end of each. Thefe flones hang round 
the bottom of the roof, and make it look like a 
lady's hair in papers ; but I fhould think that, when 
there is wind, they would come down, and knock 
people on the head. 

We dined at the inn at Sconfer, where I had the 
pleafure to find a letter from my wife. Here we 
parted from our learned companion, Mr. Donald 
M'Qtieen. Dr. Johnfon took leave of him very 
affedlionately, faying, *' Dear fir, do not forget 

mei" 



TO THE HEBRIDES, 261 

me !" — We fettled, that he fhould write an account 
of the Ifle of Sky, which Dr. Johnfon promifed to 
revife. He faid, Mr. M'Queen fhould tell all that 
he could J diftinguifhing what he himfelf knew, 
what was traditional, and what conjeftural. 

We fent our horfes round a point of land, that 
we might Ihun fome very bad road; and refolved 
■ to go forward by lea. It was feven o'clock when 
we got into our boat. We had many Ihowers, and 
it foon grew pretty dark. Dr. Johnfon fat filent 
and patient. Once he faid, as he looked on the 
black coaft of Sky, — black, as being compofed of 
rocks feen in the dufk, — " This is very folemn." 
Our boatmen were rude fingers, and feemed fo like 
wild Indians, that a very little imagination was ne- 
ceflary to give one an imprefTion of being upon an 
American river. We landed at Strolimus, from 
whence we got a guide to walk before us, for two 
miles, to Corrichatacbin. Not being able to pro- 
cure a horfe for our baggage, I took one portman- 
teau before me, and Jofeph another. We had but 
a fmgle ftar to light us on our way. It was about 
eleven when we arrived. We were moll hofpitably 
received by the mafter and miftrefs, who were juft 
going to bed, but, with unafFe(^ed ready kindnefs, 
made a good fire, and at twelve o'clock at night 
had fupper on the table. 

James Macdonald, of Knockoiv, Kingfburgh's 
brother, whom we had feen at Kingfburgh, was 
there. He fliewed me a bond granted by the late 
Sir James Macdonald, to old Kingfburgh, the 
preamble of which does fo much honour to 
the feelings of that much-lameitted gentleman, 
S 2 that 



262 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

that I thought it worth tranfciibing. It was as 

follows . 

" I, Sir James Macdonald, of Macdonald, 
Baronet, now, after arriving at my perfe6t age, 
from the friendfhip 1 bear to Alexander Macdonald 
of Kingfburgh, and in return for the long and 
faithful fervices done and performed by him to my 
deceafed father, and to myfelf during my minority, 
when he was one of my Tutors and Curators ; be- 
ing refolved, now that the faid Alexander Macdo- 
nald is advanced in years, to contribute my endea- 
vours for making his old age placid and comforta- 
ble," — therefore he grants him an annuity of fifty 
pounds flerling. 

Dr. Johnfon went to bed foon. "When one bowl 
of punch was finifhed, I rofe, and was near the 
door, in my way up flairs to bed ; but Corrichata- 
chin faid, it was the firft time Col had been in his 
houfe, and he fhould have his bowl -, — and would 
not I join in drinking it ? The heartinefs of my 
honeft landlord, and the defire of doing focial honour 
to our very obliging condudor, induced me to fit 
down again. Col's bowl was finiflied •, and by that 
time we were well warmed. A third bowl was foon 
made, and that too was finiflied. We were cordial, 
and merry to a high degree j but of what pafled I 
have no recolledion, with any accuracy. I remem- 
ber calling Corrichatachin by the familiar appella- 
tion of Ccrri^ which his friends do. A fourth bowl 
was made, by which time Col^ and young M'Kinnon, 
Corrichatachin's fon, flipped away to bed. I con- 
tinued a little v/ith Ccrri and Kncckoiv 5 but at laft 

I left 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 263 

I left them. It was near five in the morning when 
I got to bed. 

Sunday, iGih September, 
\ awaked at noon, with a fevere head-ach. I 
was much vexed that I (hould have been guilty of 
fuch a riot, and afraid of a reproof from Dr. John- 
fon. I thought it very inconfiftent with that condufl 
which I ought to maintain, while the companion of 
the Rambler. About one he came into my room, 
and accofted me, " What, drunk yet ?" — His tone 
of voice was not that of fevere upbraiding •, fo I 

was relieved a little. " Sir, faid I, they kept me 

up." He anfwered, " No, you kept them up, 

you drunken dog :" — This he laid with good« 
humoured EngliJIo pleafantry. Soon afterwards, 
Corrichatachin, Col, and other friends alTembled 
round my bed. Corri had a brandy- bottle and glafs 
with him, and infilled I fhould take a dratrj. — " Ay, 
faid Dr. Johnlbn, fill him drunk again. Do it in 
the morning, that we may laugh at him all day. It 
is a poor thing for a fellow to get drunk at night, 
and fculk to bed, and let his friends have no fport.'* 
' — Finding him thus jocular, I became quite eafy ; 
and when I offered to get up, he very good natuiedly 

faid, " You need be in no fuch hurry novy ^."' 1 

8 4 took 

* My ingenuoufly relating this occafional inftance of intemperance 
has I find been made the fubjefl both of ferious criticilm and ludi- 
crous banter. With the banterers I fliall not trouble niyfelf, but I 
wonder that thofe who pretend to the appellation of ferious criticks 
fhould not have had fagacity enough to perceive that here, as in every 
other part of the prefent woik, my principal obje6l was to delineate 
Dr. Johnfon's manners and character. In julUce to him I would 
not omit an anecdote, which, though in feme degree to myowndifad- 
vantage, exhibits in fo ftrong a light the indulgence and good humour 

with 



2^4 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

took my hoft's advice, and drank feme brandy, 
which I found an efFedual cure for my head-ach. 
When 1 rofe, I went into Dr. Johnfon's rooin, and 
taking up Mrs. M'Kinnon's Prayer-book, I opened 
it at the twentieth Sunday after Trinity, in the 
epiftle for which I read, " And be not drunk with 
"wine, wherein there is excefs." Some would have 
taken this as a divine interpofition. 

Mrs. M'Kinnon told us at dinner, that old 
Kingfburgh, her father, was examined at Mugftot, 
by General Campbell, as to the particulars of the 
drefs of the perfon who had come to his houfe in 
woman's clothes, along with Mils Flora M'Donald j 
$s the General had received intelligence of that dif- 
guife. The particulars were taken down in writ- 
ing, that it might be feen how far they agreed with 
the drefs of the Irijh girl who went v/ith Mifs Flora 
from the Long Ifland, Kingfburgh, fhe faid, had 
but one fong, which he always fung when he was 
merry over a glafs. She diftated the words to me, 
which grjs fooliih enough : 

Green fleeves and pudding pies. 
Tell me where my miftrel's lies. 
And I'll be with her before fhe rife^ 
Fiddle and aw' together. 

May our affairs abroad fucceed. 

And may our king come home with fpeed. 

And all pretenders fhake for dread. 

And let his health go round. To 

■with which he conld treat thpfe excefies in his friends, of v/bich hp 
ihfghlydifapproved. 

In feme other inftances, the criticks have been equally wrong as to 
the true motive of my recording particulars, the pbjeiSlions to which 
! faw as clearly as they. But )t would be an endlefs tafk for an 
authour to point out upon every ocpafion the precife objeil he has in 
view. Contenting himfelf witli the ai)probalion of readers of difcern- 
incnt and tafte, he ought not to complain that feme are found wlip 
cannot or will not underltand him. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 265 

To all our injured friends in need. 
This fide and beyond the Tweed !— 
J^et all pretenders Ihake for dread. 
And let his health go round. 
Green fleeves, &c. 

While the examination was going on, the pre- 
fent Taliflcer, who was there as one of M'Leod's 
militia, could not refift the pleafantry of afking 
Kingfburgh, in alluGon to his only fong, " Had 
llie green Jleeves ?" Kingfburgh gave him no anfwer. 
Lady Margaret M'Donald was very angry at Ta- 
lifker for joking on fuch a ferious occafion, as 
Kingfburgh was really in danger of his life. — Mrs. 
M'Kinnon added that Lady Margaret was quite 
adored in Sky. That when fhe travelled through 
the ifland, the people ran in crowds before her, and 
took the flones off the road, left her horle fhould 
ftumble and fhe be hurt. Her hufband. Sir Alex- 
ander, is alfo remembered with great regard. We 
were told that every week a hoglhead of claret was 
drunk at his table. 

This was another day of wind and rain ; but good 
cheer and good fociety helped to beguile the time. 
I felt myfelf comfortable enough in the afternoon. 
I then thought that my lafl night's riot was no more 
than fuch a fecial excefs as may happen without much 
moral blame; and recolleded that fome phyficians 
maintained, that a fever produced by it was, upon 
the whole, good foi health : fo different are our re- 
fledions on the fame fubjed, at different periods ; 
and fuch the excufes with which we palliate what we 
J^npw to be wrong. 

Monday^ 



266 JOURNAL OF A TOUR. 

Monday y lyth September. 

Mr. Donald M'Leod, our original guide, who 
had parted from us at Dunvegan, joined us again 
to-day. The weather was ftill fo bad that we could 
nor travel. I found a clofet here, with a good 
many books, befide thofe that were lying about. 
Dr. Johnfon told me, he found a library in his room 
at Talij[ker ; and obferved, that it was one of the 
remarkable things of Sky, that there were fo many 
books in it. 

Though we had here great abundance of provi-^ 
fions, it is remarkable that Corrichatachin has li- 
terally no garden : not even a turnip, a carrot 
or a cabbage.-^ — After dinner, we talked of the 
crooked fpade ufed in Sky, already delcribed, and 
they maintained that it was better than the ufual 
garden-fpade, and that there was an art in tolfing 
it, by which thofe who were accuftomed to it could 
work very eafily with it. — " Nay, (faid Dr. John- 
fon,) it may be ufeful in land where there are many 
llcnes to raife ; but it certainly is not a good in- 
flrument for digging good land. A man may tofs 
it, to be fure ; but he will tofs a light fpade much 
better : its weight makes it an incumbrance. A 
man may dig any land with it; but he has no occa- 
fion for fuch a weight in digging good land. You 
may take a field piece to flioot fparrows ; but all 
the fparrows you can bring home will not be worth 
the charge." — He was quite fecial and cafy amongft 
them •, and, though he drank no fermented liquor, 
toafted Highland beauties with great readinefs. His 
conviviality engaged them fo much, that they 
feemed eager to fhew their attention to him, and 

vied 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 267 

vied with each other in crying out, with a ftrong 
Celtick pronunciation, " Todlor Shonfon, Toi5lor 
Shonfon, your health !" 

This evening one of our married ladies, a lively 
pretty little woman, good-humouredly fat down 
upon Dr= Johnfon's knee, and, being encouraged 
by fome of the company, put her hands round his 
neck, and kilTed him. — " Do it again, (laid he,) 
and let us fee who will tire firft." — He kept her on 
his knee fome time, while he and flie drank tea. He 
was now like a buck indeed. All the company were 
much entertained to find him fo eafy and pleafant. 
To me it was highly comick, to fee the grave phi- 
lofopher, — the Rambler, — toying with a Highland 
beauty ! But what could he do ? He muft have 

been furly, and weak too, had he not behaved as he 
did. He would have been laughed at, and not 
more refpe6led, though lefs loved. 

He read to-night, to himfelf, as he fat in com- 
pany, a great deal of my Journal, and faid to me, 
** The more I read of this, I think the more highly 
of you." — The gentlemen fat a long time at their 
punch, after he and I had retired to our chambers. 
The manner in which they v/ere attended ftruck me 
as fingular: — The bell being broken, a fmart lad 
lay on a table in the corner of the room, ready to 
fpring up and bring the kettle, whenever it was 
wanted. They continued drinking, and fmging 
Erie fongs, till near five in the morning, when they 
all came into my room, where fom.e of them had 
beds. Unluckily for me, they found a bottle of 
punch in a corner, which they drank •, and Corri- 
chatachin went for another, which they alfo drank. 
They made many apologies for difturbing me. I 

told 



^63 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

told them, that, having been kept awake by their 
mirth, I had once thoughts of getting up, and 
joining them again. Honeft Corrichatachin faid, 
'* To have had you done fo, I would have given a 
cow." 

Tuefday^ iSth September, 

The weather was worfe than yefterday. I felt as 
if Jmprifoned. Dr. Johnfon faid, it was irkfome to 
be detained thus : yet he feemed to have lels uneafi- 
nefs, or more patience, than I had. What made 
our fituation worfe here was, that we had no rooms 
that we could command; for the good people had 
no notion that a man could have any occafion but 
for a mere fleeping-place ; fo, during the day, the 
bed chambers were common to all the houfe. Ser- 
vants eat in Dr. Johnfon's ; and mine was a kind of 
general rendezvous of all under the roof, children 
and dogs not excepted. As the gentlemen occu- 
pied the parlour, the ladies had no place to fit in, 
during the day, but Dr. Johnfon's room. I had 
always fome quiet time for writing in it, before he 
was up ; and, by degrees, I accuftomed the ladies 
to let me fit in it atter breakfaft, at my Journal, 
without minding me. 

Dr. Johnfon was this morning for going to fee 
as many illands as we could ; not recoUeding the 
uncertainty of the feafon, which might detain us in 
one place for many weeks. He faid to me, " I 
have more the fpirit of adventure than you." — For 
my part, I was anxious to get to Mull, from whence 
we might almoft any day reach the main land. 

Dr. Johnfon mentioned, that the few ancient Irifli 
gentlemen yet remaining have the higheft pride of 

family \ 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 269 

family •, that Mr. Sandford, a friend of" his, whofe 
mother was Irifh, told him, that O'Hara (who was 
true Irifh, both by father and mother) and he, and 
Mr. Ponlbnby, fon to the Earl of Befborough, the 
greateft man of the three, but of an Englifh family, 
went to fee one of thole ancient Irifh, and that he 
diflinguifhed them thus : " O'Hara, you are wel- 
come ! Mr. Sandford, your mother's fon, is wel- 
come ! Mr. Ponlbnby, you may fit down." 

He talked both of threlhing and thatching. He 
faid, it was very difficult to determine how to agree 
with a threfher. " If you pay him by the day's 
wages, he will threfh no more than he pleafes; 
though, to be lure, the negligence of a threflier is 
more eafily detedled than that of mofl labourers, 
becaufe he muft always make a found while he 
works. If you pay him by the piece, by the quan- 
tity of grain which he produces, he will threlh only 
while the grain comes freely, and, though he leaves 
a good deal in the ear, it is not worth while to threfh 
the ftraw over again; nor can you fix him to do it 
fufficiently, becaufe it is fo difficult to prove how 
much lefs a man threfhes than he ought to do. 
Here then is a delemma: bur, for my part, I would 
engage him by the day ; I would rather truft his 
idlenefs than his fraud." He faid, a roof thatched 
with Lmcolnfhire reeds would lafl feventy years, as 
he was informed when in that county ; and that he 
told this in London to a great thatcher, who faid, he 
beheved it might be true. — Such are the pains that 
Dr. Johnfon takes to get the befl information on 
every fubje6t. 

He proceeded: "It is difficult for a farmer in 
England to find day-labourers, becaufe the lowed 

manu- 



270 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

manufaflurers can always get more than a day- 
labourer. It is of no confequence how high the 
wages of manufafturers are •, but it would be of 
very bad confequence to raife the wages of thofe 
who procure the immediate neceffaries of life, for 
that would raife the price of provifions. Here then 
is a problem for politicians. It is not reafonable 
that the mod ufeful body of men fhould be the 
worft paid ; yet it does not appear how it can be or- 
dered otherwife. It were to be wifhed, that a mode 
for its being otherwife were found out. In the mean 
time, it is better to give teniporary afliftance by 
charitable contributions to poor labourers, at times 
when provifions are high, than to raife their wages ;' 
becaufe, if wages are once raifed, they will never 
get down again." 

Happily the weather cleared up between one and 
two o'clock, and we got ready to depart j but our 
kind hoft and hoflefs would not let us go without 
taking a fnatch^ as they called it ; which was in 
truth a very good dinner. While the punch went 
round, Dr. Johnfon kept a clofe whifpering con- 
ference with Mrs. M'Kinnon, which, however, was 
loud enough to let us hear that the fubjed of it was 
the particulars of Prince Charles's efcape. The 
company were entertained and pleafed to obferve it. 
Upon that fubjed, there was fomething congenial 
between the foul of Dr. Samuel Johnfon, and that 
of an ifle of Sky farmer's wife. It is curious to fee 
people, how far foever removed from eacli other in 
tl"!e general fyitem of their lives, come clofe together 
on a particular point which is common to each. We 
were merry with Corrichatachin, on Dr. Johnfon's 
whifpering with his wife. She, perceiving this, hu- 

mouroudy 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 271 

mouroufly cried, " I am in love with him. What 
is it to live and not to love ?" Upon her faying 
fomething, which I did not hear, or cannot recoUeft, 
he feized her hand eagerly, and kiffed it. 

As we were going, the Scottiih phrafe of " honejl 
manP' which is an cxpreffion of kindnefs and re- 
gard, was again and again applied by the company 
to Dr. Johnfon. I was alfo treated with much civi- 
lity ; and I muft take fome merit from my afliduous 
attention to him, and from my contriving that he 
fhall be eafy wherever he goes, that he fhall not be 
afked twice to eat or drink any thing, (which always 
difgufts him) that he fhall be provided with water 
at his meals, and many fuch little things, which, if 
not attended to would fret him. I alfo may be al- 
lowed to claim fome merit in leading the converfa- 
tion : I do not mean leading, as in an orcheflra, by 
playing the firfl fiddle; but leading as one does in 
examining a wicnefs, — ftarting topics, and making 
him purfue them. He appears to me like a great 
mill, into which a fubjedt is thrown to be ground. 
It requires, indeed, fertile minds to furnifh mate- 
rials for this mill. I regret whenever I fee it un- 
employed ; but fometimes 1 feel myfelf quite bar- 
ren, and having nothing to throw in, — I know not 
if this mill be a good figure-, though Pope makes 
his mind a mill for turning verfes. 

We fet out about four. Young Corrichatachin 
went with us. We had a fine evening, and arrived 
in good time at OJtig^ the refidence of Mr. Marti;it 
M'Pherfon, minifter of Slate. It is a pretty good 
houfe, built by his father, upon a farm near the 
church. We were received here with much kind- 
nefs by Mr. and Mrs. M'Pherfon, and his fifier, 

Mifs 



274 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Mifs M'Pherfon, who pleafed Dr. Johnfon much, 
by finging Erfe fongs, and playing on the 
guittar. He afterwards fent her a prefent of his 
Rajfelas. In his bed-chamber was a prefs ftored 
with books, Greek, Latin, French, and Enghfh, 
moil of which had belonged to the father of our 
hoft, the learned Dr. M'Pherfon \ who, though his 
'Differ tations have been mentioned in a former page 
as unfatisfadory, was a man of diftinguiihed talents. 
Dr. Johnfon looked at a Latin paraphrafe of the fong 
of Moles, written by him, and publiflied in the 
ocots Magazine for 1747, and faid, *' It does him 
honour; he has a great deal of Latin, and good 
Latin." — Dr. M'Pherfon publifhed alfo in the fame 
magazine, June 1739, an original Latin ode, which 
he wrote from the ifle. of Barra, where he was minif- 
ter for lome years. It is very poetical, and exhibits 
a (Iriking proof how much all things depend upon 
comparifon : for Barra, it feems, appeared to him 
fo much worfe than Sky, his natale folum, that he 
languiOied for its " bleffed mountains," and thought 
himfelf buried alive amongft barbarians where he 
was. — My readers will probably not be difpleafed 
to have a fpecimen of this ode : 

** Hei mihi ! quantos patior dolores, 
** Dum procul fpedo juga ter beata; 
*' Dura fers Barrs fteriles arenas 
" Solus oberro. 

*' Ingemo, indignor, crucior, quod inter 
" Barbaros Thulen lateam colentes ; 
*' Torpeo languens, morior fepultus, 
Carcere coeco." 

After wifhing for wings to. fly over to his dear 
country, which v/as in his view, from what he calls 



TO THE HEBRIDES.- 37^ 

Thule, as being the moft weftern ifle of Scotland, 
except St. Kilda ; after defcribing the pleafures of 
fociety, and the miferies of folitude, he at laft, with 
becoming propriety, has recourfe to the only fure 
relief of thinking men, — Surfum corda^ — the hope 
of a better world, and difpofes his mind to refig- 
nation ; 

" Interim fiat, tua, rex, voluntas : 
" Erigor furfum quoties fubit fpes 
" Carta migrandi Solymam fupernam, 
" Numinis aulam." 

He concludes in a noble ftrain of orthodox piety : 

*' Vita turn demum vocitanda vita eft. 
** Turn licet gratos focios habere, 
*' Seraphim et fanftos triadem verendam 
" Concelebrantes." 

Wednefday^ 2<^th September. 

After a very good fleep, I rofe more refrefhed 
than I had been for fome nights. We were now at 
but a little diftance from the fliore, and faw the fea 
from our windows, which made our voyage feem 
nearer. Mr. M*Pherfon's manners and addrefs 
pleafed us much. He appeared to be a man of fuch 
intelligence and tafte as to be fenfible of the extra- 
ordinary powers of his illuftrious guefl. He faid to 
me, " Dr. Johnfon is an honour to mankind ; and, 
if the expreilion may be ufed, is an hopour to re- 
ligion." 

Col, who had gone yefterday to pay a vifit at 

Camufcrofs, joined us this morning at breakfaft. 

Some other gentlemen alfo came to enjoy the enter- 

T tainment 



174 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

tainment of Dr. Johnfon's conv^erfation. — The day 
-was windy and rainy, fo that we had juft feized a 
happy interval for our journey lail night. We had 
good entertainnient here, better accomodation than 
at Corrichatachin, and time enough to ourfelves. 
The hours flipped along imperceptibly. We talked 
of Shenftone. Dr. Johnion faid, he was a good 
layer-out of land, but would not allow him to ap- 
proach excellence as a poet. He faid, he believed 
he had tried to read all his Love Paftorals, but drd 
not get through them. I repeated the ftanza, 

She gazed as I flovvly withdrew ; 

My path I could hardly difcern ; 
So fweetly fhe bade me adieu, 

I thought that ihe bade me return. 

he faid, " That feems to be pretty." I obferved that 
Shenftone, from his fhort maxims in profe, appear- 
ed to have fome power of thinking ; but Dr. John- 
fon would not allow him that merit. He agreed, 
however, with Shenftone, that it was wrong in the 
brother of one of his correfpondents to burn his let- 
ters ; *' for, (faid he,) Shenftone was a man whofe 
correfpondence was an honour." — He was this after- 
noon full of critical feverity, and dealt about his 
cenfures on all fides. He faid, Hammond's Love 
Elegies were poor things. He fpoke contemptu- 
oufly of our lively and elegant, though too licen- 
tious, Lyrick bard, Hanbury Williams, and laid, 
** he had no fame, but from boys who drank with 
him." > 

While he was in this mood, I was unfortunate 
enough, fimply perhaps, but I could not lielp think- 
ing, undefervedly, to come within " the whiff and 

wind 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 275 

Vv/ind of his fell fword." I afkcd him, if he had ever , 
been accuftomed to wear a night- cap. He faid 

" No." I a(kcd, if it was beft not to wear one 

Johvfon. ** Sir, I had this ci (torn by chance, and 
perhaps no man Ihal ever know whether it is beft to 
fleep v/ith or w.rhout a night- cap." — Soon after- 
wards he was laughing at fome deficiency in the 
H ghlands, and laid, " One might as well go with- 
out Ihoes and (lockings." — Thinking to have a lit- 
tle hit at his own deficiency, 1 ventured to add,— — 
<' or without a night cap, fir " But I had better 
have been filcnt; for he retorted directly. " I do 
not fee the connedlion there (laughing). Nobody 
before was ever foolifh enough to afk whether it was 
beft to wear a night- cap or not. This comes of be- 
ing a little wrong headed." — He carried the compa- 
ny along with him : and yet the truth is, that if 
he had always worn a night -cap, as is tlie common 
pradlice, and found the Highlanders did not wear 
one, he would have wondered at their barbarity j fo 
that my hit was fair enough. 

^'hurfday, o^oth Sepi ember. 
There was as great a ftorm of wind and rain as I 
have almoft ever feen, which necefiarily confined us 
to the houfe j but we were fully compenfated by Dr. 
Johnfon's converfation. He faid, he did not grudge 
Burke's being the firft man in ihe Houfe of Com- 
mons, for he was the firft man every where ; but 
he grudged that a fellow who makes no figure in 
company, and has a mind as narrow as the neck of 
a^ vinegar cruet, fhould make a figure in the Houfe 
of Commons, merely by having the knowledge of 
a few forms, and being turnifhed with a little occa- 
T 2 fional 



2;6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Tional information *. He told us, the firfl; time he 
faw Dr. Young was at the houfe of Mr. Richardfon, 
the author of ClariJJa. He was fent for, that the 
docbor might read to him his Conje5iitres on original 
Compofition^ which he did, and Dr. Johnfon made 
his remarks ; and he was furprized to find Young 
receive as novelties, what he thought very common 
maxims. He faid, he believed Young was not a 
great fcholar, nor had ftudied regularly the art of 
writing; that there were very fine things in his 
Night Thoughts^ though you could not find twenty 
lines together without fome extravagance. He re- 
peated two paflages from his Love of Fame^ — -the 
chara6lers of Brunetta and Stella, which he praifed 
highly. He faid Young prelTed him much to come 
to Wellwyn. He always intended it, but never 
went. He was forry when Young died. The caufe 
of quarrel between Young and his fon, he told us, 
was, that his fon infilled Young fhould turn away 
a clergyman's widow, who lived with him, and who, 
having acquired great influence over the father, was 
faucy to the fon. Dr. Johnfon faid, Ihe could not 
conceal her refentment at him, for faying to Young, 
that " an old man Ihould not refign himfelf to the 
management of any body." — 1 afked him, if there 
was any improper connexion between them. — " No, 
fir, no more than between two ftatues. — He was pad 
fourfcore, and fhe a very coarfe woman. She read 
to him, and, I fuppofe, made his cofii^e, and frothed 

his 

* He did not mention the name of any particular perfon ; but 
tliofe who are converl'ant with the political world will probably re-f 
col left more perfons than one to whom this obfervaiion may be ap- 
plied. 

5 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 277 

his chocolate, and did fuch things as an old man 
wifhes to have done for him." 

Dr. Dodridge being mentioned, he obferved that 
" he was author of one of the fineft epigrams in 
the Englifh language. It is in Orton's Life of 
him. The fubjeft is his family-motto, — Bum vi- 
'vimus^ vivamus ; which, in its primary fignification, 
is, to be fure, not very fuitable to a Chriftian di- 
vine; but he paraphrafed it thus:'* 

** Live, while you live, the f//r7(;;v would fay, 
*' And feize the pleafures of the prefent day. 
*' Live, while you live, the facred preacher cries, 
*' And give to God each moment as it flies. 
•* Lord, in my views let both united be ; 
*' I live \n plea/ure, when I live to thee.''* 

I afked if it was not ftrange that government 
fhould permit fo many infidel writings to pafs with- 
out cen fure. —J^i';?^;^. "Sir, it is mighty foolilh. 
It is for want of knowing their own power. The 
prefent family on the throne came to the crown 
againfl: the will of nine tenths of the people. Whe- 
ther thofe nine tenths were right or wrong, it is not 
our bufinefs now to inquire. But fuch being the 
fituation of the royal family, they were glad to en- 
courage all who would be their friends. Now you 
know every bad man is a Whigj every man who 
has loofe notions. The church was all againfl this 
family. They were, as I fay, glad to encourage 
any friends ; and therefore, fince their accelTion, 
there is no inflance of any man being kept back on 
account of his bad principles ; and hence this inun- 
dation of impiety." I obferved that Mr. Hume, 
ibme of whofe writings were very unfavourable to 
T 3 religion, 



27^ JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

religion, was, however, a Tory. — Joknfon. " Sir, 
Hume is a Tory by chance, as being a Scotchman ; 
but not upon a principle of duty ; for he has no 
principle. If he is any thing, he is a Hobbift." 

There was lomething not quite ferene in his hu- 
mour to ni^ht, after fupper ; for he fpoke of haflen- 
ing away to London, without flopping much at 
Edinburgh. I reminded him, that he had General 
Oughton and many others to fee. — John/on. *' Nay, 
I fliall neither go in jcfl-, nor {lay in ieft ' I fhall do 
what is fii." — Bofwdl. " Ay, fir, but all I defire is, 
that you will let me tell you when it is fit." — John- 
fon. " Sir, I lliall not confult you." — Bofwell. " If 
you are to run away from us, as loon as you get 
loofe, we will keep you confined in an ifland." — He 
was, however, on the whole, very good company. 
Mr Donaid M*Leod exprefled very well the gra- 
dual imprcfTion made by Dr. Johnfon on thole who 
are fo fortunate as to obtain his acquaintance. " When 
you fee him firft, you are ftruck with awful reve- 
rence-, — rhen you admire himj — and then you love 
him cord. ally." 

1 read this evening fome part of Voltaire's Hif- 
tory of the War in 1741, and of Lord Karnes againft 
Hereditary Indefeafible Right. This is a very flight 
circumftance, with which I fliould not trouble my 
reader, but for the fake of obferving, that every 
man fliould keep minutes of whatever he reads. 
Every circumftance of his ftudies fhould be re- 
corded i what books he has confulted ; how much 
of them he has read ; at what times ; how often the 
fame author^: j and what opinions he formed of 
them, at different periods of his life. — Such an ac- 
count would much illuftraie the hiflory of his mind. 



TO THE HEBRIDES,' 279 

Friday, ift OHoher. 
I fhevvcd to Dr. Johnfon verfes in a magazine, 
on his Didionary, compofed of uncommon words 
taken from it j 

" L'mlGofJ/iflrcpctat/^yhzshe," Arc. 

He read a few of them, and faid, " I am not an- 
fwerable for all the words in my Didionary." — I 
told him, that Garrick kept a book of all who had 
either praifed or abufed him. — On the fiibjed of 
his own reputation, he faid, " Now that I fee it has 
been fo current a topick, I wifli I had done fo too; 
but it could not well be done now, as fo many things 
are fcattered in news- papers." — He faid he was 
angry at a boy of Oxford, who wrote in his de- 
fence againft Kenrick -, becaufe it was doing him 
hurt to anlwer Kenrick. He was told afterwards, 
the boy was to come to him to afk a favour. He 
firft thought to treat him rudely, on account of his 
meddling in that bufinefs ; but then he confidered, 
he had meant to do him all the fcrvice in his power, 
and he took another refolution ; he told him he 
would do what he could for him, and did fo; and 
the boy was fatisfied. He faid, he did not know 
how his pamphlet was done, as he had read very 
little of it. The boy made a good figure at Ox- 
ford, but died. He remarked, that attacks on au- 
thors did them much fervice. *' A man who tells 
me my play is very bad, is lefs my enemy than he 
who lets it die in filence. A man, whofe bufinefs 
it is to be talked of, is much helped by being at- 
tacked." — Garrick, I obferved, had been often fo 
helped. — Johvfon. " Yes, fir ; though Garrick had 
more opportunities than almoft any man, to keep 
T 4 the 



So JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

the publick in mind of him, by exhibiting himfelf 
to fuch numbers, he would not have had lb much 
reputation, had he not been fo much attacked. 
Every attack produces a defence ; and fo attention 
•is engaged. There is no fport in mere praife, when 
people are all of a mind." — Bofwell. " Then Hume 
is not the worfe for Beattie's attack ?"■ — Johnfon. 
" He is, becaufe Beattie has confuted him. I do 
not fay, but that there may be fome attacks which 
^ill hurt an author. Though Hume fuffered from 
Beattie, he was the better for other attacks." (He 
certainly could not include in that number thole of 
Dr. Adams, and Mr. Tyi\QX.)— Bofwell. " Gold- 
fmith is the better for attacks."— -J(7/&«/c7i. " Ye?, 
fir i but he does not think fo yet. When Goldfmith 
and I publilhed, each of us fomething, at the fame 
time, we vv'ere given to underftand that we might 
review each other, Goldfmith v/as for accepting 
'the offer. I faid, No ; fet Reviewers at defiance. 
- — It was faid to old Bentley, upon the attacks 
againfthim, * Vv^iy, they'll write you down.' 'No, 
lir, he replied ; depend upon it, no man was ever 
■written down but by himfelf." He obferved to me 
afterwards, that the advantages authours derived 
from attacks, were chiefly in fubjedls of tafte, where 
you cannot confute, as fo much may be faid on 
cither fide.— He told me he did not know who v;as 
the authour of xh^ Adventures of a Guinea, but that 
the bookfeiler had fent the firft volume to him in 
manufcript, to have his opinion if it fhould be 
printed ; and he thought it fhould. 

The weather being now Ibmewhat better, Mr. 
James M'Donald, fadlor to Sir Alexander M' Donald 
in Sl;itej infilled that all the company at Oftig 

fliould 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 281 

iliould go to the houfe at Armidale, which Sir Alex- 
ander had left, having gone with his lady to Edin- 
burgh, and be his giiefts, till we had an opportu- 
nity of failing to Mull, We accordingly got there 
to (pinner; and pafied our day very cheerfully, be- 
in2 no lefs than fourteen in number. 



o 



Saturday, 2d Ouloher. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, that " a Chief and his Lady 
fhould make their houfe like a court. They fhould 
have a certain number of the gentlemen's daughters 
to receive their education in the family, to learn 
paftry and fuch things from the houfekeeper, anci 
manners from my lady. That was the way in the 
jgreat families in Wales ; at Lady Salilbury's, Mrs. 
Thrale's grandmother, and at Lady Philips's. I 
diftinguifh the families by the ladies, as I fpeak of 
what was properly their province. There were 
always fix young ladies at Sir John Philips's : v/hen 
one was married, her place was filled up. There 
was a large fchool-room, where they learnt needle- 
work and other things." — I obferved, that, at fome 
courts in Germany, there were academies for the 
pages, who are the fons of gentlemen, and receive 
their education without any expence to their parents. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, that manners were beft learnt at 
thofe courts. " You are admitted with great fa- 
cility to the prince's company, and yet muft treat 
him with much refped. At a great court, you are 
at fuch a diftance that you get no good." — I faid, 
*' Very true : a man fees the court of Verfailles, as 
if he faw it on a theatre." — He faid, " The beft 
book that ever was written upon good breeding, // 
Corteggiano, by Caftiglione, grew up at the little 

court 



282 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

court of Urbino, and you fhould read it." — I am 
glad always to have his opinion of books. At Mr. 
M'Pherfon's, he commended fVhitby's Commeniary^ 
and faid, he had heard him called rather lax-, but 
he did not perceive it. He had looked at a novel, 
called The Alan of the JVerld, at Rafay, but thought 
there was nothing in it. He faid to-day, while 
reading my Journal, " This will be a great treafure 
to us fome years hence." 

Talking of a very penurious gentleman of our 
acquaintance, he obferved, 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's farces -, that the beft way to get it done, 
woukl be to bring Foote to be entertained at his 
houfe for a week, and then it would ht facit indig- 

natio. John/on* " Sir, I wifh he had him. I, 

who have eaten his bread, will not give him to 
him •, but I fhould be glad he came honeftly by 
him." 

He faid, he was angry at Thrale, for fitting at 
General Oglethorpe's without fpeaking. He cen« 
fured a man for degrading himlelf to a non-entity. 
I obferved, that Goldfmith was on the other ex- 
treme j for he fpoke at all ventures. — Johnfon. 
*' Yes, fir; Goldlmith, rather dian not fpeak, will 
talk of what he knows himfelf to be ignorant, which 

can only end in expofing him." " I wonder, 

(faid I,) if he feels that he expofes himfelf. If he 
was with two taylors" — *' Or with two founders, 
(faid Dr. Johnfon, interrupdng me,) he would fail 
a talking on the method of making cannon, though 
both of them would foon fee that he did not know 
what metal a cannon is made of." — We were very 

fecial 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 283 

focial and merry in his room this forenoon. In the 
evening the company danced as ufual. We per- 
formed, with much aflivity, a dance which, I fup- 
pole, the emigration from Sky has occafioned. They 
call it America. Each of the couples, after the 
common involutions and evolutions, fucceflively 
whirls round in a circle, rill ail are in motion -, and 
the dance leems intended to fliew how emigration 
catches, till a whole neighbourhood is fet afloat. — • 
Mrs. iM'Kinnon told me, that laftyear when a (hip 
failed from Portree for America, the people on 
fh>jre were almoil diftrafted when they faw their re- 
lations go off , they lay down on the ground, tum- 
b.ed, and tore the grafs with their teeth. — This 
year there was not a tear flied. The people on 
ihore feemed to think that they would foon follow. 
This indifference is a. mortal fign for the country. 

We danced to-night to the mufick of the bagpipe, 
which made us beat the ground with prodigious 
force. I thought it better to endeavour to conci- 
liate the kindnefs of the people of Sky, by joining 
heartily in their amufements, than to play the ab- 
ftra6t Icholar. I looked on this Tour to the 
Hebrides as a copartnerlhip between Dr. Johnfon 
and me. Each was to do all he could to promote 
its fuccefs ; and I have fome reafon to flatter myfelf, 
that my gayer exertions were of fervice to us. Dr. 
Johnfon's immcnfe fund of knowledge and wit was a 
wonderful fource of admiration and delight to them ; 
but they had it only at times -, and they required to 
have the intervals agreeably filled up, and even little 
elucidations of his learned text. I was alio fortu- 
nate enough frequently to draw him forth to talk, 
when he would otherwife have been filent. The 

fountain 



2S4 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fountain was at times locked up, till I opened the 
fpring. — It was curious to hear the Hebndians, 
when any difputtr happened while he was out of the 
room, laying, " Stay till Dr. Johnfon comes: fay 
that to him /" 

Yefterday Dr. Johnfon faid, " I cannot but laugh, 
to think of mylelf roving among the Hebrides at 
fixty. I wonder where I fliall rove at fourlcore !'* 
— This evening he difputed the truth of what is 
faid, as to the people of St. Kilda catching cold 
whenever ftrangers come. " How can there (faid 
he) be a phyfical effed without a phyfical caufe }'* 
— He added, laughing, " the arrival of a fhip full 
of ftrangers would kill them ; for, if one ftranger 
gives them one cold., two ftrangers muft gi"e them 
two colds ; and fo in proportion." — I wondered to 
hear him ridicule this, as he had praifed M'Aulay 
for putting it in his book : faying, that it v/as manly 
in him to tell a fa6t, however ftrange, if he himfelf 
believed it. He faid, the evidence was not adequate 
to the improbability of the thing ; that if a phyfi- 
cian, rather diipoied to be incredulous, ftiould go 
to St. Kilda, and report the fad, then he would 
begin to look about him. They laid, it was annually 
proved by M'Leod's fteward, on whofe arrival all 
the inhabitants caught cold. He jocularly remarked, 
" the fteward always comes to demand fomething 
from them ; and fo they fall a coughing. I fup- 
pofe the people in Sky all take a cold, when — — 
(naming a certain perfon) comes." — They faid, he 
came only in lummer. — Johnfon. " That is out of 
tendernefs to you. Bad weather and he, at the 
fame time, would be too much." 

Sunday^ 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 2^5 

Sunday^ 3J OBoher. 

Jofeph reported that the wind was ftill againft us. 
Dr. Johnfon laid, " A wind, or not a wind ? that is 
the queftion i" tor he can amufe himfelf at times 
with a little play of words, or rather fentences. I 
remember when he turned his cuf) at Aberbrothick, 
where we drank tea, he muttered, Claudite jam 
rivos, pueri. I muft again and again apologize to 
faftidious readers, for recording fuch minute parti- 
culars. They prove the fcrupulous fidelity of my 
Journal. Dr. Johnfon faid it was a very exaft 
pifture of a portion of his life. 

While we were chatting in the indolent flile of 
men who were to ftay here all this day at leaft, we 
were fuddenly roufed at being told that the 
wind was fair, that a little fleet of herring-bufle 
was paffing by for Mull, and that Mr. Simpfon's 
vefl[el was about to fail. Hugh M'Donald, the 
Ikipper, came to us, and was impatient that we 
fhould get ready, which we foon did. Dr. John- 
fon, with compofure and folemnity, repeated the 
obfervation of Epifletus, that, " as man has the 
voyage of death beforj him, — whatever may be his 
employment, he lliould be ready at the mafler's call j 
and an old man fhould never be far from the Ihore, 
kfl: he fhould not be able to g'et himfelf ready." He 
rode, and I and the other gentlemen walked, about 
an Engl i Hi mile to the fhc-re, where the vefTel lay. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, he fhould never forget Sky, and 
returned thanks for all civilities. We were carried 
to the vefTel in a fmaJ 1 boat which fhe had, and we 
fet fail very brifkly ^.'bout one o'clock. I was much 
pleafed with the nrotion for many hours. Dr. John- 
fon 



286 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fon grcwfick, and retired under cover, as it rained 
a good deal. 1 kept above, that I might have 
frefh air, and finding myfelf not afFedled by the mo- 
tion of the veflfel, I exulted in being a ftout Teaman, 
while Dr. Johnfon was quite in a ftate of annihila- 
tion. But 1 was foon humbled ; for after imagining 
that I could go with eafe to America or the Eaft- 
Indies, I became very fick, but kept above board, 
thougii it rained hard. 

As we had been detained fo long in Sky by bad 
weather, we gave up the fcheme that Coi had 
planned for us of vifiting feveral iflands, and con- 
tented ourfelves with the profpefl of feeing Mull, 
and Icolmkill and Inchkenneth, which lie near 
to it, 

Mr. Simpfon was fanguine in his hopes for a- 
wbile, the wind being fair for us. He faid, he 
would land us at Icolmkill that night. But when 
the wind failed, it was refolved we iliould make for 
the fovind of Mull, and land in the harbour of To- 
bermor;e. We kept near the five herring veflels 
for fom.c': time ; but afterwards four of them got 
before us, and one little wherry fell behind us. 
When we g'Ot in full view of the point of Ardna- 
murchan, tiSe wind changed, and was diredly 
againft our ge.uing into the found. We were then 
obliged to tack', and get forward in that tedious 
manner. As we advanced, the ftorm grew greater, 
and the Tea very rc'>ugh. Col then began to talk of 
making for Egg, or Canna,> or his own ifland. Our 
flcipper laid, he would get us into the Sound. H;iv- 
ing ftruggled for this .a good v'^hile in vain, he laid, 
he would pufli forward till we ^v^ere near the land of 
Mull, wheie we might cvft ancho. r, and lie till the 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 287 

morning -, for although, before this, there had been 
a good moon, and I had pretty diftinctly feen not 
only the land of Mull, but up the Sound, and the 
country of Morven as at one end of it, the night 
was now grown very dark. Our crew confided of 
one M'Donald, our (kipper, and two failors, one 
of whom had but one eye j Mr. Simpfon himfelf. 
Col, and Hugh M*Donald his fervant, all helped. 
Simpfon faid, he would willingly go for Col, if 
young Col or his fervant would undertake to pilot 
us to a harbour ; but, as the ifland is low land, it 
was dangeious to run upon it in the dark. Col and 
his fervant appeared a little dubious. The fcheme 
of running for Canna feemed then to be embraced ; 
but Canna was ten leagues off, all out of our way ; 
and they were afraid to attempt the harbour of Egg. 
All thefe different plans were fuccefiively in agita- 
tion. The old fkipper ftill tried to make for the 
land of Mull ; but then it was confidered that there 
was no place there where we could anchor in fafety. 
Much time was loft in ftriving againft the ftorm. At 
laft it became fo rough, and threatened to be fo much 
worfe, that Col and his fervant took more courage, 
and faid they would undertake to hit one of the 
harbours in Col. — " T^ien let us run for it in God's 
name," faid the fkipper -, and inftantly we turned 
towards it. The little wherry which had fallen be- 
hind us, had hard work. Themafter begged that, 
if we made for Col, we Ihould put out a light to 
him. Accordingly one of the Jailors waved a glov/- 
ing peat ;or fome time. The various difficulties 
that were ftarted, gave me a good deal of appre- 
henfion, from which 1 was relieved, when 1 found 
we were to run for a harbour before the wind. But 

my 



288 JOURNAL OF A TOUlt 

my relief was but of (liort duration ; for I foon heard 
that our fails were very bad, and were in danger of 
being torn in pieces, in which cafe we fliould be 
driven upon the rocky ihore of Col. It was very 
dark, and there was a heavy and inceflant rain. 
The fparks of the burning peat flew fo much about, 
that I dreaded the veffel might take fire. Then, as 
Col was a fportman, and had powder on board, I 
figured that we might be blown up. Simpfon and 
he appeared a little frightened, which made me more 
fo ; and the perpetual talking, or rather fhouting, 
which was carried on in Erfe, alarmed me flill more. 
A man is always fufpicious of what is faying in an 
unknown tongue ; and, if fear be his pafTion at the 
time, he grows more afraid. Our velTel often lay 
fo much on one fide, that I trembled left fhe fhould 
be overfer, and indeed they told me afterwards, 
that they had run her fometimes to within an inch 
of the water, fo anxious were they to make what 
h;:fte they could before the night fhould be worfe. I 
now faw what I never faw before, a prodigious fea, 
with immenfe billows coming upon a veflel, fo as 
that it feemed hardly pofiible to efcape. There was 
fomething grandly horrible in the fight. I am glad 
I have feen it once. Amidft all thefe terrifying 
circumftances, 1 endeavoured to compofe my mind. 
It was not eafy to do it ; for all the ftories that I had 
heard of the dangerous failing among the Hebrides, 
which is proverbial, came full upon my recolleftion. 
When I thought of thofe who were deareft to me, 
and would fuffer feverely, fliould 1 be loft, I ' up- 
braided myfelf, as not having a fufficient caufe for 
putting myfelf in fuch danger. Piety afforded me 
comfort ; yet I was difturbed by the objedions that 

have 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 289 

have been made againft a particular providence, and 
by the arguments of thofe who maintain that it is in 
vain to hope that the petitions of an individual, or 
even of congregations, can have any influence with, 
the Deity ; objeftions which have been often made, 
and which Dr. Hawkefworth has lately revived, in 
his Preface to the Voyages to the South Seas -, but 
Dr. Ogden's excellent do6lrine on the efficacy of in- 
tcrceffion prevailed. 

It was half an hour after eleven before we fet our- 
felves in the courfe for Col. As I faw them all bufy 
doing fomething, I afked Col, with much earneft- 
nefs, what I could do. He, with a happy readi- 
nefs, put into my hand a rope, which was fixed to 
the top of one of the mafts, and told me to hold it 
till he bade me pull; If I had confidered the matter, 
I might have feen that this could not be of the lead 
fervice ; but his objed: was to keep me out of the 
way of thofe who were bufy working the veflel, and 
at the fame time to divert my fear, by employing 
me, and making me think that I was of ufe. Thus 
did I Hand firm to my poft, while the wind and 
rain beat upon me, always expedling a call to pull 
my rope. 

The man with one eye fleered ; old M'Donald, and 
Col and his fervanr, lay upon the fore-caftle, look- 
ing fharp out for the harbour. It was neceffary to 
carry much cloth, as they termed it, that is to fay, 
much fail, in order to keep the veflel off the fhore 
of Col. This made violent plunging in a rough 
fea. At lafl: they fpied the harbour of Lochiern, and 
Col cried, " Thank God, we are fafe !" We ran 
up till we were oppofite to it, and foon afterwards 
we got into it, and caft anchor. 

W Dr. 



290 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Dr. Johnfon had all this time been quiet and un- 
concerned. He had lain down on one of the beds, 
and having got free from ficknefs, was fatisfied. 
The truth is, he knew nothing of the danger we 
were in : but, fearlefs and unconcerned, might have 
faid, in the words which he has chofen for the motto 
to his Rambler, 

^uo me cunque raph tcmpcjlas, dcferor hofpes *. 

Once, during the doubtful confultations, he aflced 
whither we were going •, and upon being told that it 
was not certain whether to Mull or Col, he cried, 
" Col for my money !" — I now went down, with 
Col and Mr. Simpfon, to vifit him. He was lying 
in philofophick tranquillity with a greyhound of 
Col's at his back, keeping him warm. Col is quite 
the Juvems qui gaiidet canihis. He had, when we 
left Talifl^er, two greyhounds, two terriers, a pointer, 
and a large Newfoundland water-dog. He loft one 
of his terriers by the road, but had ftill five dogs 
with him. I was very ill, and very defirous to get 
to (hore. When I was told that we could not land 
that night, as the ftorm had now increafed, I looked 
fo miferably, as Col afterwards informed me, that 
what Shakfpeare has made the Frenchman fay of the 
Englifli foldiers, when fcantily dieted, " Piteous 
they ivill look, like drowned mice /" might, I believe, 
hive been well applied to me. There was in the 
harbour, before us, a Campbell-town veflel, the 
Betty, Kenneth Morifon mafter, taking in kelp, 
and bound for Ireland. We fent our boat to beg 
beds for two gentlemen, and that the mafter vvould 
fend his boar, which was larger than ours. He ac- 
cordingly 

* For as the tempell drives, I flinpe my way. Francis. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 291 

cordingly did fo, and Col and I were accommodated 
in his vefTel till the morning. 

Monday^ ^.tb Oulohr, 

About eight o'clock we went in the boat to Mr. 
Simpfon's veflel, and took in Dr. Johnfon. He was 
quite well, though he had tailed nothing but a difli 
of tea fince Saturday night. On our expreffing fome 
furprife at this, he faid, that, " when he lodged in 
the Temple, and had no regular fyftem of life, he 
had failed for two days at a time, during which he 
had gone about vifiting, though not at the hours of 
dinner or fupperj that he had drunk tea, but eaten 
no bread ; that this was no intentional falling, but 
happened juft in the courfe of a literary life." 

There was a little miferable publick-houfe clofe 
upon the fhore, to which we ihould have gone, had 
we landed laft night : but this morning Col refolved 
to take us diredly to the houfe of Captain Lauchlan 
M'Lean, a defcendant of his family, who had ac- 
quired a fortune in the Eaft-Indies, and taken a 
farm in Col. We had about an Englifh mile to go 
to it. Col and Jofeph, and fome others, ran to 
fome little horfes, called here SbeltieSy that were 
running wild on a heath, and catched one of them. 
We had a faddle with us, which was clapped upon 
it, and a flraw-halter was put on its head. Dr. 
Johnfon was then mounted, and Jofeph very flowly 
and gravely led the horfe. I faid to Dr. Johnfon, 
*' I wifli, fir, the cluh faw you in this attitude*." 

U 2 It 

* This curious exhibition may perhaps remind fome of my readers 
•f the ludicrous lines, made, during Sir Robert Walpole's adminiftra-^ 

tioc. 



1<)2 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

It was a very heavy rain, and I was wet to the 
fkin. Captain M'Lean had but a poor temporary 
houfe, or rather hut; however, it was a very good 
haven to us. There was a blazing peat-fire, and 
Mrs. M'Lean, daughter of the minifter of the pa- 
rifli, got us tea^ I felt ftill the motion of the fea. 
Dr. Johnlbn faid, it was not in imagination, but a 
continuation of motion on the fluids, like that of the 
fea itfelf after the ftorm is over. 

There were fome books on the board which ferved 
as a chimney-piece. Dr. Johnfon took up Burnefs 
Hifiory of his own 'Times. Pie laid, " The firft pare 
of it is one of the mofl entertaining books in the 
Englifli language ; it is quite dramatick : while he 
went about every where, faw every where, and heard 
every where. By the firft parr, I mean fo far as it 
appears that Burnet himfelf was a6lually engaged in 
what he has told ; and this may be eafily diftinguifh- 
ed." Captain M'Lean cenfured Burnet, for his 
high praile of Lauderdale in a dedication, when he 
Hiews him in his hiftory to have been fo bad a man. 
. — Johnfon. " I do not myfelf think that a man 
fliould iay in a dedication what he could not fay in a 
hiftory. However, allowance ftiould be made •, for 
there is a great difference. The known ftyle of a 
dedication is flattery : it profeflfes to flatter. There 
Is tlie fame difi'erence between what a man fays in a 
dedication, and what he fays in a hiftory, as between 
a lawyer's pleading a caufe, and reporting it." 

The 



tion, on Mr. George (afterwards Lord) Littelton, though the figures 
of the two perfonages mull be allowed to be very different : 

" But v. Iio is tliis allride the pony; 

•* So long, fo lean, fo lank, I'o bony ? 

" Dat be de gruat orator, Littletony." 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 1293 

The day paffed away pleafantly enough. The 
wind became fair for Mull in the evening, and Mr. 
Simpfon refolved to fail next morning : but having 
been thrown into the ifland of Col, we were unwil- 
ling to leave it unexamined, efpecially as we conli- 
dered that the Campbell-town vefiel would fail for 
Mull in a day or two, and therefore we determined 
to ftay. 

'ituefday^ c^th 05ioher. 

I rofe, and wrote my Journal till about nine; 
and then went to Dr. Johnfon, who fat up in bed 
and talked and laughed. 1 faid, it was curious to 
look back ten years, to the time when we firft 
thought of vifiting the Hebrides. How diftant and 
improbable the fcheme then appeared ! Yet here 
we were actually among them.— " Sir, (faid he,) 
people may come to do any thing almoft, by talk- 
ing of it. I really believe, I could talk myfelf into 
building a houfe upon ifland Ifa, though I (hould 
probably never come back again to fee it. I could 
eafily perfuade Reynolds to do it; and there would 
be no great fin in perfu^ding him to do it. Sir, he 
would reafon thus: ' "What will it coft me to be 
there once in two or three fummers ? — Why, per- 
haps, five hundred pounds ; and what is that, in 
comparifon of having a fine retreat, to which a man 
can go, or to which he can fend a fnend?' He 
would never find out that he may have this within 
twenty miles of London. — Then I would tell him, 
that he may marry one of the Mifs M'Leods, a lady 
of great family. — Sir, it is furprifing how people 
will go to a diftance for what they may have at 
home. 1 knew a lady who came up from Lincoln- 
U 3 Ihirc 



294 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fhire to Knlghifbridge with one ot her daughters 
and gave five guineas a week for a lodging and a 
warm bath -, that is, mere warm water. Thaty you 
know, could not be had in Lincoln/hire ! She faid, 
it was made either too hot or too co:d there." 

After breakfaft. Dr. Johnfon and J, and Jofeph, 
mounted horfes, and Col and the captain walked 
with us about a fhort mile acrofs the ifland. We 
paid a vifit to the Reverend Mr. Hedor M'Lean. 
His parifh confifts of the iflands of Col and Tyr-yi. 
He was about feventy-feven years of age, a decent 
ecclefiaftick, drefled in a full fuit of black clothes, 
and a black wig. He appeared like a Dutch paftor, 
or one of the affembly of divines at Weftminfter. 
Dr. Johnfon obferved to me afterwards, " that he 
was a fine old man, and was as well- drefled, and 
had as much dignity in his appearance as the dean 
of a cathedral." We were told, that he had a valu- 
able library, though but poor accomodation for it, 
being obliged to keep his books in large chefts. It 
was curious to fee him and Dr. Johnfon together. 
Neither of them heard very diftin(5lly ; fo each of 
them talked in his own way, and at the fame time. 
Mr. M'Lean laid, he had a confutation of Bayle, 
by Leibnitz. — Johnfon. " A confutation of Bayle, 
fir ! What part of Bayle do you mean ? The great- 
eft part of his writings is n-.t confutable: it is hif- 
torical and critical." — Mr. M'Lean faid, '* the ir- 
religious part •" and proceeded to talk of Leib- 
nicz'i. controverTy with Clarke, calling Leibnitz a 
great man, — Jcbnjbn. " Why, fir, Leibnitz per- 
fifled in affirming that Newton called (^2ict fenjori- 
tm numir:is, notwithitanding he was corre(51:ed, and 
defired to bbferve chat Newtoji's words were qltasi 

Jenjorium 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 295 

j-enforium numinis. No, fir-, Leibnitz was as paltry 
a fellow as 1 know. Out of refped to Qiieen Ca- 
roline, who patronifed him, Clarke treated him too 
well." 

During the time that Dr. Johnfon was thus go- 
ing on, the old minifter was Handing with his back 
to the fire, crefting up ered, pulling down the front 
of his periwig, and talking what a great man Leib- 
nitz was. To give an idea of the fcene, would re- 
quire a page with two columns j but it ought ra- 
ther to be reprefented by two good players. The 
old gentleman faid, Clarke was very wicked, for 
soing fo much into the Arian fvftem. " 1 will not 
fay he was wicked, faid Dr. Johnfon ; he might be 
miftaken." — M'-Lean. " He was wicked, to fhut 
his eyes againft the Scriptures ; and worthy men in 
England have fince confuted him to all intents and 
purpofes." — Johnfon. " I know not ijoho has con- 
futed him to all intents and purpofes'^ — Here again 
there was a double talking, each continuing to 
maintain his own argument, without hearing exadly 
what the other faid. 

I regretted that Dr. Johnfon did not pradice the 
art of accommodating himfelf to different forts of 
people. Had he been fofter with this venerable old 
man, we might have had more converfation ; but 
his forcible fpirit, and impetuofity of manner, may 
be faid to fpare neither fex nor age. I have fcen 
even Mrs Thrale ftunned j but I have often main- 
tained, that it is better he fliould retain his own 
manner. Pliability of addrefs I conceive to be in- 
confiftent with that majeftick power of mind which 
he polfeffes, and which produces fuch noble effeds. 
A lofty oak will not bend like a fupple willow. 

U 4 He 



496 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

He told me afterwards, he liked firmnefs in an 
old man, and was pleafed to fee Mr. M'Lean fo 
orthodox. '' At his age, it is too late for a man 
to be afking himfelf queftions as to his belief." 

We rodt to the northern part of the iQand, where 
we faw the ruins of a church or chapel. We then 
proceeded to a place called Grifllpol, or the rough 
Pool. 

At Griffipol we found a good farm houfe, be- 
longing to the Laird of Col, and poffeffed by Mr. 
M'Svveyn. On the beach here there is a fingular 
variety of curious ftones. I picked up one very 
like a fmall cucumber. By the by. Dr. Johnfon 
told me, that Gay's Line in the Beggar's Opera, 
" As men fhould ferve a cucumber," &c. has no 
waggifli meaning, with reference to men flinging 
away cucumbers as too cooling, which fome have 
thought i for it has been a common faying of phy- 
ficians in England, that a cucumber fhould be well 
fliced, and drefled with pepper and vinegar, and 

then thrown out, as good for nothing. Mr. 

M'Sweyn's predecelTors had been in Sky from a 
very remote period, upon the eftate belonging to 
M*Leodi probably before M'Leod had it. The 
name is certainly Norwegian, from Sueno, King of 
Norway. The prefent Mr. M'Svveyn left Sky upon 
the late M*Leod's raifing his rents. He then got 
this farm from Col. 

He appeared to be near fourfcore j but looked 
as frelh, and was as ftrong as a man of fifty. His 
fon Hugh looked older-, and, as Dr. Johnfon ob- 
ferved, had more the manners of an old man than 
he. I had often heard offuch inflances, but never 
faw one before. Mrs. M'Sweyn was a decent old 

s;entle- 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 297 

gentlewoman. She was drefled in tartan, and could 
Ipeak nothing but Erie. She laid, (lie taught Sir 
James M'Donald Erie, and would teach me loon. 
I could now fing a verfe of the fong Hatyin foar,i'eru 
made in Flonour of Allan, the famous Captain of 
Clanranald, who fell at Sherrif-muir ; whofe fer- 
vant, who lay on the field watching his mailer's 
dead body, being afked next day who that was, an- 
fwered, " He was a man yellerday." 

We were entertained here with a primitive hearti- 
nefs. Whifky was ierved round in a fliell, accord- 
ing to the ancient Highland cuftom. Dr. Johnfon 
would not partake of it •, but, being delirous to do 
honour to the modes " of other times," drank fomc 
water out of the fhell. 

In the forenoon Dr. Johnfon faid, " it would re- 
quire great refignation to live in one of thefe 
iflands." — Bofwell. *' I don't know, fir; I have felt 
myfelf at times in a ftate of almoft mere phyfical 
exiftence, fatisfied to ear, drink, and deep, and 
walk about, and enjoy my own thoughts ; and I 
can figure a continuation of this." — Johnfon. *' Ay, 
fir; but if you were fhut up here, your own thoughts 
would torment you; you would think of Edin- 
burgh or London, and that you could not be 
there." 

We fet out after dinner for Breacacha^ the fami- 
ly feat of the Laird of Col, accompanied by the 
young laird, who had now got a horfe, and by the 
younger IMr. M'Sweyn, whofe wife had gone thither 
before us, to prepare every thing for our reception, 
the laird and his family being abfent at Aberdeen. 
It is called Breacacha^ or the Spotted Field, becaufe 
in fummer it is enamelled with clover and daifies, 

as 



2^8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 
as young Col told me. We pafled by a place where 
there is a very large ftone, I may call it a rock i— 
" a vaft weight for Ajax." The tradition is, that a 
giajit threw fuch another ftone at his miilrefs, np to 
the top of a hill, at a fmall diftance j and that Ihe 
in return, threw this mafs down to him. It was 
all in fport. 

Mah me -petit lafciva puella. 

As we advanced, we came to a large extent of 
plain ground. 1 had not fcen fuch a place for a 
long time. Col and I took a gallop upon it by way 
of race. It was very refrefhing to me, after hav- 
ing been fo long taking fhort fteps in hilly coun- 
tries. It was like flretching a man's legs after being 
cramped in a fliort bed. We alfo pafled dole by a 
large extent of fand-hills, near two miles fquare. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, " he never had the image before. 
It was horrible, if barrennefs and danger could be 
io^** I heard him, after we were in the houfe of 
Breacacha, repeating to himfelf, as h^ walked about 
the room, 

** And Tmothcr'd in the dufly wliirlwind, dies." 

Probably he had been thinking of the whole of the 
fimile in Cato^ of which that is the concluding line j 
the fandy defart had (truck him fo ftrongly. The 
fand has of late been blown over a good deal of 
meadow; and the people of the ifland fay, that 
their fathers remembered much of the fpace which is 
now covered with land, to have been under tillage. 
Col's houfe is fituated on a bay called Breacacha 
Bay. We found here a neat new-built gentleman's 
houfe, better than any we had been in fince we 

were 



TO THE HEBRIDES, 299 

were at Lord Errol's. Dr, Johnfon reliHied it much 
at firfl, but foon remarked to me, that " there was 
nothing becoming a Chief about it: it was a mere 
tradefman's box." He leemed quite at home, and no 
longer found any difficulty in ufing the Highland 
addrefs •, for .is foon as we arrived, he faid, with a 
fpirited familiarity, " Now, Cc/, if you could get 
us a diQi of tea." — Dr. Johnfon and I had each an 
excellent bed-chamber. We had a difpute which 
of us had the beft curtains. His were rather the 
beft, being of linen ; but 1 infifted that my bed had 
the beft pofts, which was undeniable. ♦' Well, (faid 
he,) if you have the beft pojls^ we will have you tied 
to them and whipped." — 1 mention this flight cir- 
cumftance, only to ftiew how ready he is, even in 
mere trifles, to get the better of his antagonift, by- 
placing him in a ludicrous view. I have known him 
fometimes ufe the fame art, when hard prefled in fe- • 
rious difputation. Goldfmith, 1 remember, to reta- 
liate for many a fevere defeat which he has fufFered 
from him, applied to him a lively faying in one of 
Gibber's comedies, which purs this part of his cha- 
rader in a ftrong light. — " There is no arguing 
with Johnfon; fov^ if his pijlol mijfes fire^ he knocks 
you down zvith the but -end of itP 

Wednefday^ 6th OBober. 
After a fufficiency of fleep, we affembled at break- 
faft. We werejuftas if in barracks. Every body 
was mafter. We went and viewed the old caftle 
of Col, which is not far from the prefent houfe, 
near the fhore, and founded on a rock. It has ne- 
ver been a large feudal refidence, and has nothing 
about it that requires a particular defcription, Lilie 

other 



300 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

other old inconvenient buildings of the fame age, it 

exemplified Gray's pidurefque lines, 

*' Huge windows that exclude the light, 
•' And paflages that lead to nothing." 

It may however be worth mentioning, that on the 
fecond ftory we law a vault, which was, and ftill is, 
the family priibn. There was a woman put into ic 
by the laird, for theft, within thefe ten years ; and 
any offender would be confined there yet; for, from 
the neceffity of the thing, as the ifland is remote 
from any pov/er eftablifhed by law, the laird muft 
exercife his jurifdidion to a certain degree. 

We were fliewn, in a corner of this vault, a hole, 
into which Col faid greater criminals uftd to be put. 
It was nov/ filled up with rubbifli of different kinds. 
He faid, it was of a great depth. " Ay, (faid Dr. 
Johnfon, fmiling,) all fuch places, that are filled up, 
were of a great depth." He is very quick in fhewing 
that he does not give credit to carelefs or exaggerated 
accounts of things. After feeing the caftle, we 
looked at a fmall hut near it. Jt is called Teigh 
Franchich, i. e. the Frenchman's Houfe. Col could 
rot tell us the hiflory of it. A poor man with a 
wife and children now lived in ic. We went into 
it, and Dr. Johnfon gave them fome charity. There 
was but one bed for all the family, and the hut was 
very fmoky. When he came out, he faid to me, 
*' Et hoc fecundum fententiam philofophorum efi ejfe 
leatiis'" — Bofwell. *' The philofophers, when they 
placed happinefs in a cottage, fuppofed cleanlinefs 
and no fmoke." — Jolmfcn. '* Sir, they did not think 
about either." 



We 



TO THE HEBRIDES. ^oi 

We walked a little in the laird's garden, in which 
endeavours have been ufed to rear fome trees -, but, 
as loon as rhey got above the furrounding wall, they 
died. Dr. Johnfqn recommended Towing the feeds 
of hardy trees, inftead of planting. 

Col and I rode out this morning, and viewed a 
part of the ifland. In the courfe of our ride, we 
faw a turnip-field, which he had hoed with his own 
hands. He firft introduced this kind of hufbandry 
into the Weftern iflands. We alfo looked at an ap- 
pearance of lead, which Teemed very promifmg. It 
has been long known -, for I found letters to the late 
laird, from Sir John Arelkine and Sir Alexander 
Murray, refpefting it. 

After dinner came Mr. M'Lean, of Corneck, 
brother to Ifle of Muck, who is a cadet of the fa- 
mily of Col. He pofTeffes the two ends of Col, 
which belong to the Duke of Argyll. Corneck had 
lately taken a leafe of them at a very advanced rent, 
rather than let the Campbells get a footing in the 
ifland, one of whom had offered nearly as much as 
he. Dr. Johnfon well obferved, that, " landlords 
err much when they calculate merely what their 
land may yield. The rent mufl; be in a proportion- 
ate ratio of what the land may yield, and of the 
power of the tenant to make it yield. A tenant 
cannot make by his land, but according to the corn 
and cattle which he has. Suppofe you fliould give 
him twice as much land as he has, it does him no 
good, unlefs he gets alio more ftock. It is clear 
then, that the Highland landlords, who let their 
fubftantial tenants leave them, are infatuated ; for 
the poor fmall tenants cannot give them good rents, 
from the very nature of things. They have not the 

means 



3C2 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

means of raifing more from iheir farms.'* Corneck, 
Dr. Johnfon faid, was the moft diftinft man that he 
had met with in thefe ifles ; he did not {hut his eyes, 
or put his fingers in his ears, which he feemed to 
think was a good deal the m.ode with moft of the 
people whom we have feen of late. 

Thurfdayy jth 05loher, 

Captain M'Lean joined us this morning atbreak- 
faft. There came on a dreadful ftorm of wind and 
rain, which continued all day, and rather increafed 
at night. The wind was direftly againft our get- 
ting to Mull. We were in a ftrange ftate of ab- 
ftradlion from the world : we could neither hear 
from our friends, nor write to them. Col had 
brought Daille on the Fathers^ Lucas on Happinefs, 
and More's Dialogues., from the Reverend Mr* 
M'Lean's, and Burnet's Hijhry of his own ^imes, 
from Captain M'Lean's ; and he had of his own 
fome books of farming, and Gregory's Geometry. 
Dr. Johnfon read a good deal of Burner, and of 
Gregory, and I obferved he made fome geometrical 
notes in the end of his pocket-book. I read a little 
ofYouno-'s Six Weeks Tour through the Southern 
Counties ; and Ovid's Epiftles, which I had bought 
at Invernefs, and v^hich helped to folace many a 
weary hour. 

We were to have gone with Dr. Johnfon this 
morning to fee the mine j but were prevented by 
the ftorm. While it was raging, he faid, *' We 
may be glad we are not damnati ad tnetalla" 

Friday, Sth Ocloher. 
Dr. Johnfon appeared to day very weary of our 
prefent confined fituation. Ik faid, *' 1 want to be 

2 OTi 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 35^ 

on the main land, and go on with exiftence. This 
is a wafte of life." 

I (hall heie infert, without regard to chronology, 
feme of his converfation at different times. 

" There was a man fome time ago, who was well 
received for two years, among the gentlemen of 
Northamptonfliire, by calling himfelf my brother. 
At laft he grew fo impudent as by his influence to 
get tenants turned out of tlicir farms. Allen the 
Printer, who is of that county, came to me, aflcing, 
with much appearance of doubtfulnefs, if I had 
- a brother ; and upon being allured I had none 
alive, he told me of the impofition, and imme- 
diately wrote to the country, and the fellow was 
difmilTed. It pleafed me to hear that fo much was 
got by ufing my name. It is not every name that 
can carry double; do' both for a man's felf and his 
brother (laughing). I fhould be glad to fee the 
fellow. However, I could have done nothing 
againfl him. A man can have no redrefs for his 
name being ufed, or ridiculous ftories being told 
of him in the news-papers, except he can fhew that 
he has fuffered damage. — Some years ago a foolifh 
piece was publifhed, fald to be written * hy S. John- 
fon.* Some of my friends wanted me to be very 
angry about this. I faid, it would be in vain ; 
for the anfwer would be, S. Johnfon may be Simon 
Johnlbn, or Simeon Johnfon, or Solomon Johnfon •,* 
and even if the full name, Samuel Johnfon, had been 
ufed, it might be laid ; ' it is not you ; it is a much 
cleverer fellow,' 

" Beauclerk and I, and Langton, and Lady 
Sydney Beauclerk, mother to our friend, were one 
day driving in a coach by Cuper's Gardens, which 

were 



304 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

were then unoccupied. I, in fport, propofed that 
Beauclerk and Langton, and mylelf fhoujd take 
them ; and we amufed ourfeives with fcheming how 
we (hould all do our parts. Lady Sydney o-rew 
angry, and faid, ' an old man fhould not put kich 
things in young people's heads.' She had no notion 
of a joke, fir-, had come late into life, and had a 
mighty unpliable underilanding. 

" Carte's Life of the Duke of Ormond is confidered 
as a book of authority ; but it is ill-written. The 
matter is difFufed in too many words; there is no 
animation, no compreffion, no vigour. Two good 
volumes in duodecimo might be made out of the 
two in folio." 

Talking of our confinement here, I obferved, that 
our difcontent and impatience could not be confi- 
dered as very unreafonable ; for that we were jui: 
in the (late of which Seneca complains fo grievouflv, 
while in exile in Corfica. " Yes, (faid Dr. Johnfon,) 
and he was not farther from home than we are."- 
The truth is, he was much nearer. 

There was a good deal of rain to-day, and the 
wind v/as ftiil contrary. Corneck attended me.. 
while I amufed mylelf in examining a colle6lion of 
papers belonging to the family of Col. The firft laird 
was a younger fon of the Chieftain M'Lean, and 
got the middle part of Col for his patrimony. Dr. 
Johnfon having given a very particular account of 
the conne6tion between this family and a branch of 
the family of Camerons, called M'Lonich, I fliall 
only infert the following document, (which I found 
in Col's cabinet,) as a proof of its continuance, even 
to a late period ; 

To 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 305 

To the Laird of Col. 

^* Dear Sir^ 

" THE long-ftanding trafl of firm affec- 
tionate friendfhip 'twixt your worthy predeceflbrs 
and ours affords us fuch affurance, as that we may 
have full relyance on your favour and undoubted 
friendfliip, in recommending the bearer, Ewen Ca- 
meron, our coufin, fon to the deceaft Dugall 
M'Connill of Innermaillie, fometime in Glenpean, 
to your favour and condud, who is a man of un- 
doubted honefly and difcretion, only that he has the 
misfortune of being alledged to have been acceflbry 
to the killing of one of M*Martin's family about 
fourteen years ago, upon which alledgeance the 
M'Martins are now fo fanguine on revenging, that 
they are fully refolved for the deprivation of his 
life; to the preventing of which you are relyed on 
by us, as the only fit inftrument, and a mod capa- 
ble perfon. Therefore your favour and protedion 
is expeded and intreated, during his good beha- 
viour; and failing of which behaviour, you'll 
pleafe to ufe him as a moll infignificant perfon 
defer ves. 

" Sir, he had, upon the alledgeance forefaid, 
been tranfported, at Lochiel's defire, to France, to 
gratify the M'Martins, and upon his return home, 
about five years ago, married : But now he is fo 
much threatened by the M'Martins, that he is not 
fecure enough to ftay where he is, being Ardmur- 
chan, which occafions this trouble to you. Wifh- 
ing profperity and happinefs to attend ftill yourfelf, 
X worthy 



3o5 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

worthy Lady, and good family, we are. In the moft 
afFedionate manner. Dear fir. 

Your mQft obliged, affedionate, 

and moft humble fervants. 

Dug ALL Cameron, of Strone. 
DuGALL Cameron, of Barr. 
DuGALL Cameron, of Inverijkvouilline. 
Dugall Cameron, of Invinvalie" 

Strone, nth March, 1737. 

Ewen Cameron was proteded, and his fon has 
now a farm from the Laird of Col, in Mull. 

The family of Col was very loyal in the time of 
the great Montrofe, from whom I found two letters 
in his owa hand-writing. The firft is as follows . 

For my very loving friend the Laird of CoalL 
«' Sir^ 

" I mufl heartily thank you for all your 
willingnefs and good affeiftion to his Majefty's fer- 
vice, and particularly the fending alongs of your 
fon, to who I will heave ane particular refpeft, 
hopeing alfo that you will Hill continue ane goode 
inftrument for the advanceing ther of the King^s 
fervice, for which, and all your former loyal car- 
riages, be confident you fhall find the effefts of his 
Ma"^s favour, as they can be witnefled you by 
Your very faithful friende, 

Strethearne MONTROSE." 

20 Jan . i&46. 

The Other is. 

For 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 307 

For the Laird of CoL 
«' Sir, 

" HAVING occafion to write to your fields, 
I cannot be forgetful of your willingnel's and good 
affedion to his Majefty's fervice. 1 acknowledge 
to you, and thank you heartily for it, aflliring, that 
in what lies in my power, you Ihall find the good. 
Mean while, I fhall expeft that you will continue 
your loyal endeavours, in wifhing thofe flack people 
that are about you, to appear more obedient than 
they do, and loyal in their prince's fervice j where- 
by I afifure you, you lliall find me ever 

Your faithful friend, 
j'''y> , Montrose*." 

T7 April, 1646. - 

I found fome uncouth lines on the death of the 
prefent laird's father, intituled " Nature's Elegy 
upon the Death of Donald Maclean of Col." They 
are not worth infertion. I ihall only give what is 
called his Epitaph, which Dr. Johnfon faid, " was 
not fo very bad." 

*' Nature's minion. Virtue's wonderj 
•♦ Art's correftive here lyes under." 

I afked, what *' Art's corredtive" meant. " Why, 
fir, (faid he,) that the laird was fo exquifite, that he 
fet Art right, when ftie was wrong." 

I found feveral letters to the late Col, from my 

father's old companion at Paris, Sir Heftor M'Lean, 

one of which was written at the time of fettling the 

X 2 colony 

* It is obferveable that men of the firft rank fpelt very ill in the laft 
century. In the fitft of thefe letters I have prelerved the original 
fpjlling. 



3oS JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

colony in Georgia. It diffuades Col from letting 
people go there, and affures him there will foon be 
an opportunity of employing them better at home. 
Hence it appears that emigration from the High- 
lands, though not in fuch numbers at a time as of 
late, has always been praflifed. Dr. Johnfon ob- 
ferved, that, " the Lairds, inftead of improving their 
country, diminifhed their people.'* 

There are feveral diftrifts of fandy defart in Col. 
There are forty-eight lochs of frefh water ; but ma- 
ny of them are very fmall, — meer pools. About 
one half of them, however, have trout and eel. 
There is a great number of horfes in the ifland, 
moftly of a fmall fize. Being over-ftocked, they fell 
fome in Tir-yi, and on the main land. Their black 
cattle, which are chiefly rough-haired, are reckoned 
remarkably good. The climate being very mild in 
winter, they never put their beads in any houfe. 
The lakes are never frozen fo as to bear a man ; 
and fnow never lies above a few hours. They have 
a gcod many (heep, which they eat moftly them- 
fclves, and fell but a few. They have goats in fe- 
veral places. There are no foxes; no ferpents, 
toads, or frogs, nor any venomous creature. They 
have otters and mice here ; but had no rats till late- 
ly that an American veiTel brought them. There is 
a rabbit-warren on the north-eaft of the ifland, be- 
longing to the Duke of Argyle. Young Col in- 
tends to get fome hares, of which there are none at 
preftnt. There are no black-cock, muir-fowl, nor 
partridges •, but there are fnipe, wild-duck, wild- 
geefe, and iwans, in winter ; wild-pidgeons, plover, 
and great number of ftarlings ; of which I fliot fome, 
and found them pretty good eating. Woodcocks 

come 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 309 

come hither, though there is not a tree upon the 
ifland. There are no rivers in Col ; but only fome 
brooks, in which there is a great variety of fiih. In 
the vi^hole ifle there are but three hills, and none of 
them confiderable, for a Highland country. The 
people are very induftrious. Every man can tan. 
They get oak, and birch-bark, and lime, from the 
main land. Some have pits ; but they commonly 
life tubs. I faw brogues very well tanned ; and 
every man can make them. They all make candles 
of the tallow of their beads, both moulded and dip- 
ped ; and they all make oil of the livers of fi(h. 
The little fifh called Cuddies produce a great deal. 
They fell fome oil out of the ifland, and they ufe it 
much for light in their houfes, in little iron lamps, 
moft of which they have from England ; but of late 
their own blackfmith makes them. He is a good 
workman; but he has no employment in flioeing 
horfes, for they all go unfhod here, except fome of 
a better kind belonging to young Col, which were 
now in Mull. There are two carpenters in Col ; 
but mod of the inhabitants can do fomething as 
boat-carpenters. They can all dye. Heath is ufed 
for yellow -, and for red, a mofs which grows on 
(tones. They make broad-cloth, and tartan, and 
linen, of their own wool and flax, fufficient for their 
own ufe •, as alio {lockings. Their bonnets come 
from the main land. Hard-ware and feveral fmall 
articles are brought annually from Greenock, and fold 
in the only fliop in the ifland, which is kept near the 
houfe, or rather hut, ufed for publick worfliip, there 
being no church in the ifland. — The inhabitants of 
Col have increafed confiderably within thefe thirty 
years, as appears from the parifli regift;ers. There 
X 3 are 



310 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

are but three confiderable tackfmen on Col's part of 
the ifland : the reft is let to fmall tenants, fome of 
whom pay fo low a rent as four, three, or even two 
guineas. The highcft is feven pounds, paid by a 
farmer, whofe fon goes yearly on foot to Aberdeen 
for education, and in fummer returns, and a(5ts as 
a fchool-mafter in Col. Dr. Johnfon faid, '• There 
is fomethjng noble in a young man's walking two 
hundred miles and back again, every year, for the 
fake of learning." 

This day a number of people came to Col, with 
complaints of each others' trefpafles. Corneck, to 
prevent their being troublefome, tuld them, that the 
lawyer from Edinburgh was here, and if they did 
not agree, he would take them to tafk. They were 
alarmed at this ; faid, they had never been ufed to 
go to law, and hoped Col would fettle matters him- 
felf,— In the evening Corneck left us. 

Saturday^ ^th OSfoher, 
As, in our prefent confinement, any thing that 
had even the name of curious was an objed of at- 
tention, I propofed that Col fiiould fhow me the 
great ftone, mentioned in a former page, as having 
been thrown by a giant to the top of a mountain. 
Dr. Johnfon, who did not like to be left alone, faid 
he would accompany us as far as riding was pradi- 
cable. We afcended a part of the hill on horfeback, 
and Col and I fcrambled up the reft. A fervant 
held our horfes, and Dr. Johnfon placed himfelfon 
the ground, v^ith his back againft a large fragment 
of rock. The wind being high, he let down the 
cocks of his hat, and tied it with his handkerchief 
under his chin. While we were employed in exa- 
mining 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 311 

mining the Hone, which did not repay our trouble 
in getting to it, he amufed himfelf with reading Gata- 
ker on Lots and on the Chrijlian Watch, a. very learned 
book, of the laft age, which had been found in the 
garret of Col's houfe, and which he faid was a trea- 
fure here, When we defcried him from above, he 
had a mofl eremitical appearance ; and on our re- 
turn told us, he had been lb much engaged by Gata- 
ker, that he had never miffed us. His avidity for 
variety of books, while we were in Col, was fre- 
quently expreffed ; and he often complained that fo 
ftw were within his reach. Upon which I obferved 
to him, that it was ftrange he fhould complain of 
want of books, when he could at any time make 
fuch good ones. 

We next proceeded to the lead mine. In our way 
we came to a ftrand of fome extent, where we were 
glad to take a gallop, in which my learned friend 
joined with great alacrity. Dr. Johnfon, mounted 
on a large bay mare without flioes, and followed by 
a foal, which had fome difficulty in keeping up 
with him, was a fingular fpe(ftacle. 

After examining the mine, we returned through 
a very uncouth diftrid, full of fand hills; down 
which, though apparent precipices, our horfes car- 
ried us with fafety, the fand always gently Aiding 
away from their feet. Veftiges of houfes were point- 
ed out to us, which Col, and two others who had 
joined us, afferted had been overwhelmed with fand 
blown over them. But, on going clofe to one of 
them. Dr. Johnfon (hewed the abfurdity of the no- 
tion, by remarking, that " it was evidently only a 
houfe abandoned, the ftones of which had been taken 
away for other purpofes ; for the large ftones, which 
X 4 form 



312 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

form the lower part of the walls, were ftill ftanding 
higher than the fand. If they were not blown over, 
it was clear nothing higher than they could be blown 
over.'* This was quite convincing to me ; but it 
made not the lead impreflion on Col and the others, 
who were not to be argued out of a Highland tra- 
dition. 

We did' not fit down to dinner till between fix 
and feven. We lived plentifully here, and had a 
true welcome. In fuch a feaibn, good firing was 
of no fmall importance. The peats were excellent, 
and burned cheerfully. Thofe at Dunvegan, which 
■were damp, Dr. Johnfon called " a fullen fuel." — 
Here a Scottifh phrafe was Angularly applied to 
him. One of the company having remarked that 
he had gone out on a ftormy evening, and brought 
in a fupply of peats from the ftack, old Mr. 
M'Sweyn faid, " that was main honeft /" 

Blenheim being occafionally mentioned, he told 
me he had never feen it : he had not gone formerly ; 
and he would not go now, juft as a common fpec- 
tator, for his money: he would not put it in the 
power of fome man about the Duke of Marlborough 
to fay, * Johnfon was herej 1 knew him, but I took 
no notice of him.' He faid, he fliould be very glad 
to fee it, if propely invited, which in all probability 
would never be the cafe, as it was not worth his 
while to feek for it. — I obferved, that he might be 
eafily introduced there by a common friend of ours, 
nearly related to the duke. He anfwered, with an 
uncommon attention to delicacy of feeling, " 1 doubt 
whether our friend be on fuch a footing with the 
duke as to carry any body there \ and I would not 

give 



TO THE HEBRIDES. sr^ 

give him the uneafinefs of feeing that I knew he was 
not, or even of being himfelf reminded of it." . 

Sunday^ loih OBoher. 
There was this day the moft terrible florm of 
wind and rain that I ever remember. It made fuch 
an awful impreffion on us all, as to produce, for 
fome time, a kind of difmal quietnefs in the houfe. 
The day was pafied without much converfation : 
only, upon my obferving that there muft be fome- 
thing bad in a man's mind, who docs not like to 
give leafes to his tenants, but wifhes to keep them 
in a perpetual wretched dependence on his will. Dr. 
Johnfon faid, " You are right : it is a man's duty 
to extend comfort and fecurity among as many peo- 
ple as he can. He fhould nor wifh to have his te- 
nants mere E-phemera, — mere beings of an hour." 
— Bofivell, " But, fir, if they have leafes, is there 
not fome danger that they may grow infolent ? I 
remember you yourfelf once told me, an Englifh 
tenant was fo independent, that, if provoked, he 
would throw his rent at his landlord." — John/on, 
*' Depend upon it, fir, it is the landlord's own fault, 
if it is thrown at him. A man may always keep 
his tenants in dependence enough, though they have 
leafes. He muft be a good tenant indeed, who will 
not fall behind in his rent, if his landlord will lee 
him ; and if he does fall behind, his landlord has 
him at his mercy. Indeed, the poor man is always 
much at the mercy of the rich ; no matter whether 
landlord or tenant. If the tenant lets his landlord 
have a little rent before-hand, or has lent him mo- 
ney, then the landlord is in his power. There can- 
not be a gi eater man than a tenant who has lent 

money 



314 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

money to his landlord •, for he has under fubjeflion 
the very man to whom he fhould be fubjeded." 

Monday^ nth OEioler. 

We had fome days ago engaged the Campbelt- 
town veOel to carry us to Mull, from the harbour 
where fhe lay. The morning was fine, and the wind 
fair and moderate ; fo we hoped at length to get 
away. 

Mrs. M'Sweyn, who officiated as our landlady 
here, had never been on the main land. On hear- 
ing this, Dr. Johnfon faid to me, before her, " That 
is rather being behind -hand with life. I would at 
leaft go and fee Glcnelg." — Bofwell. " You yourfelf, 
fir, have never feen, till now, any thing but your 
native ifland." — Johnfon. " But, fir, by feeing Lon- 
don, rhave feen as much of life as the world can 
{hew."—BofwelL " You have not ken Pekin." — 
Johnfon. " What is Pekin ? Ten thoufand Lon^ 
doners would drive all the people of Pekin : they 
would drive them like deer." 

We fet out about eleven for the harbour ; but, 
before we reached it, fo violent a ftorm came on, 
that we were obliged again to take fhelter in the 
Iioufe of Captain M'Lean, where we dined, and 
paiTed the night. 

Tuefday, i ith OEloher. 

After breakfaft, we made a fecond attempt to 
get to the harbour; but another ftorm foon con- 
vinced us that it would be in vain. Captain M 'Lean's 
houfe being in fome confufion, on account of Mrs. 
M'Lean being expeded to lie-in, we refoivcd to go 
to Mr. M'Sweyn's, where we arrived very wet, fa- 
tigued. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 3x5 

ttgued, and hungry. In this fituation, we were 
fomewhat difconcerted by being told that we fhould 
have no dinner till late in the evening ^ but fhould 
have tea in the mean time. Dr. Johnfon oppofed 
this arrangement; but they perfifted, and he took 
the tea very readily. He faid to me afterwards, 
" You muft confider, fir, a dinner here is a matter 
of great confequence. It is a thing to be firft 
planned, and then executed. I fuppofe the mutton 
was brought fome miles off, from fome place where 
they knew there was a flieep killed." 

Talking of the good people with whom we were, 
he faid, " Life has not got at all forward by a ge- 
neration in M'Sweyn's family •, for the fon is exactly 
formed upon the father. What the father fays, 
the fon faysi and what the father looks, the fon 
looks." 

There being little converfation to-night, I mult 
endeavour to recolleil what I may have omitted on 
former occafions. — When I boafted, at Rafay, of 
my independency of fpirit, and that I could not be 
bribed, he faid, "Yes, you maybe bribed by flat- 
tery." At the Reverend Mr. M'Lean's, Dr. 

Johnfon afked him, if the people of Col had any 
fuperftitions. He faid, *' No." The cutting peats 
at the increafe of the moon was mentioned as one ; 
but he would not allow it, faying, it v/as not a fu- 
perftition, but a whim. Dr. Johnfon would not 
admit the diftinition. There were many fuperfti- 
tions, he maintained, not conneded with religion -, 

and this was one of them. On Monday we had 

a difpute at the Captain's, whether fand-hllls could 
be fixed down by art. Dr. Johnfon faid, " How 
the devil can you do it ?" but inftantly correfted 

himfelf. 



Ji6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

himfelf, " How can you do it ?" 1 never before 

heard him ufe a phrafe of that nature. 

He has particularities which it is impoffible to 
explain. He never wears a night-cap, as I have 
already mentioned ; but he puts a handkerchief on 
his head in the night. — The day that we left Ta- 
lifker, he bade us ride on. He then turned the 
head of his horfe back towards Talifker, flopped for 
fome time; then wheeled round to the fame dire£iion 
with ours, and then came brifkly after us. He fets 
open a window in the coldeft day or night, and ftands 
before it. It may do with his conftitution ; but 
mod people, amongft whom I am one, would fay, 
with the frogs in the fable, " This may be fport to 
you ; but it is death to us." — It is in vain to try to 
find a meaning in every one of his particularities, 
which, I fuppofe, are mere habits, contracted by 
chance ; of which every man has fome that are more 
or lels remarkable. His fpeaking to himfelf, or 
rather repeating, is a common habit with ftudious 
men accuftomed to deep thinking •, and, in confe- 
■quenc-e of their being thus rapt, they will even laugh 
by themfelves, if the fubjeft which they are mufing 
on is a merry one. Dr. Johnfon is often uttering 
pious ejaculations, when he appears to be talking to 
himfelf; for fometimes his voice grows ftronger, 
and parts of the Lord's Prayer are heard. I have fat 
befide him with more than ordinary reverence on fuch 
occafions *. 

In our Tour, I obferved that he was difgulled 
whenever he met with coarfe manners. He laid to 

me, 

* It is remarkable, that Dr. Johnfon fiioiild have read this ac- 
count of fome of his own peculiar habits, without faying any thing 
« . lilt fubJLtt, which I hoped he would have dene. 



TO THE HEBRIDES, 317 

me, " I know not how it is, but I cannot bear low 
life : and I find others, who have as good a right as 
I to be faftidious, bear it better, by having mixed 
more with different forts of men. You would think 
that I have mixed pretty well too." 

He read this day a good deal of my Journal, 
written in a fmall book with which he had fupplied 
me, and was pleafed, for he faid, " I wifh thy books 
were twice as big." He helped me to fill up blanks 
which I had left in firft writing it, when I was not 
quite fure of what he had faid, and he corrected any 
miftakes that I had made. " They call me a fcholai^ 
(faid he,) and yet how very little literature is there 
in my converfation." — BofwelL " That, fir, muft 
be according to your company. You would not 
give literatui-e to thofe who cannot tafte it. Stay 
till we meet Lord Elibank." 

We had at laft a good dinner, or rather fupper, 
and were very well fatisfied with our entertain- 
ment. 

Wednejday i2ih O£ioher. 

Col called me up, with intelligence that it was a 
good day for a pafTage to Mull ; and jufl as we 
rofe, a failor from the vefTcl arrived for us. We 
got all ready with difpatch. Dr. Johnfon was dif- 
pleafed at my buftling, and walking quickly up and 
down. He faid, " It docs not haften us a bit. It 
is getting on horfeback in a (hip. All boys do it; 
and you are longer a boy than others." He himfelf 
has no alertnefs, or whatever it may be called j fo 
he may diflike it, as Oderuni hilarem trijies. 

Before we reached the harbour, the wind grew 
high again. However, the fmall boat was waiting, 

and 



3iS JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

and took us on board. We remained for fome time 
in uncertainty what to do : at laft it was determined, 
that, as a good part of the day was over, and it was 
dangerous to be at fea at night, in fuch a veflel, 
and fuch weather, we fhouid not fail till the morn- 
ing tide, when the wind would probably be more 
gentle. We refolved not to go aihore again, but 
lie here in readinefs. Dr. Johnfon and I had each a 
bed in the cabbin. Col fat at the fire in the fore- 
caftle, with the captain, and Jofeph, and the reft. 
I eat fome dry oatmeal, of which I found a barrel in 
the cabbin. I had not done this fince I was a boy. 
Dr. Johnfon owned that he too was fond of it when 
a boy j a circumftance which I was highly pleafed to 
hear from him, as it gave me an opportunity of 
obferving that, notwithflanding his joke on the arti- 
cle of OATS, he was himfelf a proof that this kind 
of food was not peculiar to the people of Scotland. 

Thurfday, i^th O^ioher. 

When Dr. Johnfon awaked this morning, he 
called, " Lanky /" having, I fuppofe, been thinking 
of Langton ; but correfted himfelf inftantly, and 
cried, " Bo-zzy V He has a way of contrading the 
names of his friends. Goldfmith feels himfelf fo 
important now, as to be difpleafed at it. I remember 
one day, when Tom Davies was telling that Dr. 
Johnfon faid, " We are all in labour for a name to 
Goldfs play," Goldfmith cried, " I have often de- 
fired him not to call me Goldy.^* 

Between fix and feven we hauled our anchor, and 
fet fail with a fair breeze •, and, after a pleafant 
voyage, wc got fafely and agreeably into the har- 
bour 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 319 

bour ofTobermorie, before the wind rofe, which k 
always has done, for fome days, about noon. 

Tobermorie is an excellent harbour. An ifland 
lies before it, and it is furrounded by a hilly theatre. 
The ifland is too low, otherwife this would be quite 
a fecure port ; bur, the ifland not being a fufficienc 
protedion, fome ftorms blow very hard here. Not 
long ago, fifteen veflels were blown from their 
moorings. There are fometimes fixty or feventy 
fail here : to-day there were twelve or fourteen 
veflels. To fee fuch a fleet was the next thing to 
feeing a town. The veflels were from different 
places J Clyde, Campbelltown, Newcaftle, &c. 
One was returning to Lancafl:er from Hamburgh. 
After having been fliut up fo long in Col, the flght 
of fuch an aiTemblage of moving habitations, con- 
taining fuch a variety of people, engaged in difix^- 
rent purfuits, gave me much gaiety of fpirit. When 
we had landed, Dr. Johnfon laid, " Bofwell is now 
all alive. He is like Anr^us j he gets new vigour 
whenever he touches the ground." — I went to the 
top of a hill fronting the harbour, from whence I 
had a good view of it. We had here a tolerable inn. 
Dr. Johnfon had owned to me this morning, that he 
was out of humour. Indeed, he fliewed it a good 
deal in the fliip; for when I was exprefllng my joy 
on the profped: of our landing in Mull, he faid, he 
had no joy, when he recollefted that it would be five 
days before he fliould get to the main land, I was 
afraid he would now take a fudden refolution to give 
up feeing Icolmkill. A difli of tea, and fome good 
bread and butter, did him fervice, and his bad hu- 
mour went off. 'I told him, that I was diverted to 
hear all the peopk* whom we had viflted in our Tour, 

fay 



320 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fay, '•'' Honeji man I he's pleafed with every thing j 
he*s always content !" — " Little do they know,'* laid 
I. He laughed, and faid, " You rogue 1" 

We fent to hire horles to carry us acrofs the 
ifland of Mull to the fhore oppofite to Inchkenneth, 
the refidence of Sir Allan M'Lean, uncle to young 
Col, and Chief of the M'Leans, to whofe houfe we 
intended to go the next day. Our friend Col went 
to vifit his aunt, the wife of Dr. Alexander 
M*Lean, a phyfician, who lives about a mile from 
Tobermorie. 

Dr. Johnfon and I fat by ourfelves at the inn, 
and talked a good deal. — I told him, that I had 
found, in Leandro Alberti's Defcription of Italy, 
much of what Addifon has given us in his Remarks. 
He faid, ** The colleclion of paflages from the 
Clafficks has been made by another Italian : it is, 
however, impoffible to detecft a man as a plagiary 
in fuch a cafe, becaufe all who fet about making 
fuch a coUcdion muft find the fanie pafTages ; but, 
if you find the fame applications in another book, 
then Addifon's learning in his Remarks tumbles 
down. It is a tedious book •, and, if it were not 
attached to Addifon's previous reputation, one 
would not think much of it. Had he written 
nothing elfe, his name would not have lived. Addi- 
fon does not feem to have gone deep in Italian lite- 
rature : he fhews nothing of it in his fubfequent 
writings. He fhews a great deal of French learn- 
ing. — There is, perhaps, more knowledge circu- 
lated in the French language than in any other. 
There is more original knowledge in Englifh." — 
" But the French (faid 1) have the art of accom- 
modating literature," — Johnfon. \\ Yes, fir; we 

have 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 321 

jhave no fUch book as Moreri's Ditflionary." — » 
Bofwell. " Their /4na are good." — Johnfon. " A 
few of them are good ; but we have one book of 
that kind better than any of them ; Selden's 'Tabk^ 
talk. As to original literature, the French have a 
couple of tragick poets who go round the world, 
Racine and Corneille^ and one comick poet. Mo- 
Here." — Bofwell. " They have Fenelon."— Johnfon. 
" Why, fir, Telemachus is pretty well." — Bofwell, 
*' And Voltaire^ fir." — Johnfon. " He has not flood 
his trial yet. And what makes Voltaire chiefly 
circulate is colledlion •, fuch as his Univerfal Hif- 
tory." — Bofwell. '* What do you fay to the Bilhop 
of Meaux r' — Johnfon. " Sir, nobody reads him *." 
— He would not allow Maffillon and Bourdaloue to 
go round the world. In general, however, he gave 
the French much praife for their induftry. 

He aflced me whether he had mentioned, in any 
of the papers of the Rambler, the defcription in 
Virgil of the entrance into Hell, with an applica- 
tion to the prefs ; " for (laid he) I do not much 
remember them." I told him, " No." Upon which 
he repeated it : 

Veftibulum ante ipfum, primifque in faucibus orci, 
Luftus et ultrices pofuere cubilia Curae ; 
Pallentefque habitant Morbi, triftifque Seneftus, 
Et metus, et malefuada Fames, etturpis Egeftas, 
Terribiles vifu forms ; Lethumque, Laborque f . 

Y Now, 

* I take leave to enter my ftrongeft proteft againft this Judgement. 
Bvffiiet I hold to be one of the firft luminaries of religion and literature. 
If there are who do not read him, it is full time they fliould begin, 
"I" Juft in the gate, and in tlie jaws of hell. 
Revengeful cares, and fuUen forrows dwell j 
And pale difeaCes, and repining age ; 
Want, fear, and famine's unrefilted rage} 
Heie toils and death, and death's half-brother, fleep, 
Foiins terrible to view, their fentry keep. DrydBNi 



322 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

" Now, (faid he,) almoft all thefc apply exadly to 
an authourj all thcfe are the concomitants of a 
printing-houfe." I propofed to him to diflate an 
effay on it, and offered to write it. He faid, he 
would not do it then, but perhaps would write one 
at fome future period. 

The funday evening that we fat by ourfelves at 
Aberdeen, I afked him feveral particulars of his 
life, from his early years, which he readily told me; 
and I wrote them down before him. This day I pro- 
ceeded in my inquiries, alfo writing them in his pre- 
fence. I have them on detached fheets. I fhall col- 
le6l authentick materials for The Life of Samuel 
Johnson, LL. D.-, and, if I furvive him, I fhall 
be one who will moft faithfully do honour to his 
memory. I have now a vaft treafure of his conver- 
fation, at different times, fince the year 1762, when 
I fitft obtained his acquaintance ; and, by afiiduous 
inquiry, I can make up for not knowing him 
fooner *. 

A Newcaftle fhip-mafter, who happened to be. 
in the houfe, intruded himfelf upon us. He was 
much in liquor, and talked nonfenfe about his be- 
ing a man for Wilkes and Liberty^ and againfl the 
miniftry. Dr. Johnfon was angry, that " a fellow 
fhould come into our company, who was fit for no 
company." He left us foon. 

Col returned from his aunt, and told us, ilie in- 
fifted that we fhould come to her houfe that night. 
He introduced to us Mr. Campbell, the Duke of 

Argyle's 

• It is no fmall fatisfa^lion to me to refleft, tint Dr. Johnron read 
this, and, after being apprized of my intention, communicated to 
me, at fubfequent periods, many particulars of his life, which pro- 
bably could not otherwife have been preferved. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 323 

Afgyle's fa(5tor in Tyr-yi. He was a genteel, agree- 
able man. He was going to Inveraray, and pro- 
mifed to put letters into the poft-office for us. I 
now found that Dr. Johnfon's defire to get on the 
main land, arofe from his anxiety to have an op- 
portunity of conveying letters to his friends. 

After dinner, we proceeded to Dr. M'Lean's, 
which was about a mile from our inn. He was 
not at home, bur we were received by his lady and 
daughter, who entertained us fo well, that Dr. John- 
fon feemed quite happy. When we had fupped, 
he afked me to give him fome paper to write letters. 
I^begged he would write Ihort ones, and not expa- 
tiate^ as we ought to fet off early. He was irritated 
by this, and faid, "What muft be done; muft be 
done : the thing is paft a joke." — "Nay, fir, (faid 
I,) write as much as you pleafe ; but do not blame 
me, if we are kept fix days before we get to the 
main land. You were very impatient in the morn- 
ing : but no fooner do you find yourfelf in good 
quarters, than you forget that you are to move.** 
I got him paper enough, and we parted in good 
humour. 

Let me now recoUecfl whatever particulars I have 
omitted. — In the morning I faid to him, before we 
landed at Tobermorie, "We fhall fee Dr. M'Lean, 
who has written the Hiftory of the M'Leans." — 
Johnfon. " I have no great patience to ftay to hear 
the hiftory of the M'Leans. I would rather hear 
the Hiftory of the Thrales."— When on Mull, I 
faid, •' Well, fir, this is the fourth of the Hebrides 
that we have been upon." — Johnfon. " Nay, wc 
cannot boaft of the number we have feen. We 
thought we rtiould fee many more. We thought of 
Y 2 Jailing 



324 JOURNAL OF A TOUR, 

failing about eafily from ifland to illand •, and fo we 
fhould, had we come at a better feafon-, but we, 
being wife men, thought it would be fummer all 
the year where ive were. However, fir, we have 
feen enough to give us a pretty good notion of the 
fyftem of infular life."-^— 

Let me not forget, that he fometimes amufed 
himfelf with very flight reading -, from which, how- 
ever, his converfation fliewed that he contrived to 
€Xtra6l fome benefit. At Captain M 'Lean's he read 
a good deal in The Charmer^ a coUedtion of fongs. 

Friday, i^th OEloher. 

We this morning found that we could not pro- 
ceed, there being a violent ftorm of wind and rain, 
and the rivers being impaffable. When I exprefled 
my difcontent at our confinement. Dr. Johnfon faid, 
** Now that I have had an opportunity of writing 
to the main land, I am in no fuch hafte." I was 
amufed with his being fo eafily fatisfied \ for the 
truth was, that the gentleman who was to convey 
our letters, as I was now informed, was not to fee 
out for Inveraray for fome time; fo that it was pro- 
bable we fhould be there as loon as he : however, 
1 did not undeceive my friend, but fuffered him to 
enjoy his fancy. 

Dr. Johnion afl<:ed, in the evening;, to fee Dr. 
M'Lean's books. He took down Willis de Anima 
Brutorum, and pored over it a good deal. 

MilsM'Lean produced fome Erfe poems by John 
M'Lean, who was a famous bard in Mull, and had 
died only a few years ago. He could neither read 
nor write. She read and tranflated two of them i 
one, a kind of elegy on Sir John M'Lean's being 

obliged 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 325 

obliged to fly his country in 1715 •, another, a dia- 
logue between two Roman Catholick young ladies, 
fifters, whether it was better to be a nun or to mar- 
ry. I could not perceive much poetical imagery in 
the tranflation. Yet all of our company who un- 
derftood Erfe, feemed charmed with the original. 
There may, perhaps, be fome choice of expreffion, 
and fome excellence of arrangement, that cannot be 
Ihewn in tranflation. 

After we had exhaufl:ed the Erfe poems, of which 
Dr. Johnfon faid nothing, Mifs M'Lean gave us fe- 
veral tunes on a fpinnet, which, though made fo long 
ago, as in 1667, was fl:ill very well toned. She 
fung along with it. Dr. Johnfon feemed pleafed with 
the mufick, though he owns he neither likes it, nor 
has hardly any perception of it. At Mr. M'Pher- 
fon's, in Slate, he told us, that " he knew a drum 
from a trumpet, and a bagpipe from a guittar, 
which was about the extent of his knowledge of mu- 
fick." To-night he faid, that, " if he had learnt 
mufick, he fliould have been afraid he would have 
done nothing elfe but play. It was a method of 
employing the mind, without the labour of think- 
ing at all, and with fome applaufe from a man's 
felf." 

We had the mufick of the bagpipe every day, at 
Armidale, Dunvegan, and Col. Dr. Johnfon ap- 
peared fond of it, and ufed often to fl:and for fome 
time with his ear clofe to the great drone. 

The penurious gentleman of our acquaintance, 
formerly alluded to, affbrded us a topick of conver- 
fation to-night. Dr. Johnfon faid, I ought to write 
down a colledtion of the inftances of his narrownefs, 
as they almoin exceeded belief. Col. told us, that 
Y 3 O'Kane, 



326 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

O'Kane, the famous Irifh harper, was once at that 
gentleman's houfe. He could not find in his heart 
to give him any money, but gave him a key 
for a harp, which was finely ornamented with gold 
and filver, and with a precious (lone, and was worth 
eighty or a hundred guineas. He did not know the 
value of it j and when he came to know it, he would 
fain have had it back -, but Q-Kane took care that 
he (hould not. — John/on. " They exaggerate the 
value ; every body is fo defirous that he Ihould be 
fleeced. I am very willing it (hould be worth eighty 
or a hundred guineas; but I do not believe it" — 
Bofwell. " I do not think O'Kane was obliged to 
give it back." — Johnfoftn " No, fir. If a man with 
his eyes open, and without any means ufed to de- 
ceive him, gives me a thing, I am not to let him 
have it again when he grows wifer. I like to fee how 
avarice defeats itfelf: how, when avoiding to part 
with money, the mifer gives fomething more valua- 
ble." — Col faid, the gentleman's relations were angry 
at his giving away the harp-key, for it had been 
long in the family. — John/on. " Sir, he values a new 
guinea more than an old friend." 

Col alfo told us, that the fame perfon having 
come up with a ferjeant and twenty men, working 
on the high road, he entered into difcourfe with the 
ferjeant, and then gave him fixpence for the men to 
drink. The ferjeant afked, " Who is this fellow ?'* 
Upon being informed, he faid, " If i had known 
who he was, I fhould have thrown it in his face." — - 
Johnjon " There is much want of fenfe in all this. 
He had no bufmefs to fpeak with the ferjeant. He 
might have been in hafte, and trotted on. He has 
not learnt to be a mifer ; 1 believe we muft take him 

apprentice." 



TO TPIE HEBRIDES. 327 

apprentice." — BofwelL " He would grudge giving 
half a guinea to be taught." — Johnfon. " Nay, fir, 
you mud teach him gratis. You muft give him an 
opportunity to pra6lice your precepts." 

Let me now go back, and glean Johnfoniana.—^ 
The Saturday before we failed from Slate, I fat 
awhile in the afternoon with Dr. Johnfon in his room, 
in a quiet ferious frame. I obferved, that hardly 
any man was accurately prepared for dying ; but 
almoft every one left fomething undone, fomething 
in confufion ; that my father, indeed, told me he 
knew one man, (Carlifle of Limekilns,) after whofe 
death all his papers were found in exadl order ; and 
nothing was omitted in his will. — Johnfon. " Sir, I 
had an uncle who died fo; but fuch attention re- 
quires great leifure, and great firmnefs of mind. 
If one was to think conflantly of death, the bufmefs 
of life would ftand ftill. I am no friend to making 
religion appear too hard. Many good people have 
done harm, by giving fevere notions of it. In the 
fame way, as to learning : I never frighten young 
people with difficulties •, on the contrary, I tell them 
that they may very eafily get as much as will do very 
well, i do not indeed tell them that they will be 
l^entleysr 

The night we rode to Col's houfe, I faid, " Lord 
Elibank is probably wondering what is become of 
us." — Johnfon. " No, no; he is not thinking of us.'* 
« — BofwelL " But recollecl the warmth with which he 
wrote. Are we not to believe a man, when he fays 
he has a great defire to fee another ? Don't you be- 
lieve that I Was very impatient for your coming to 
Scotland?" — Johnfon, "Yes, fir-, I believe you 
were j and I was impatient to come to you. A young 
Y 4 man 



3?8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

ipan feels fo, but feldom an old man." I however con^ 
vinced him that Lord Elibank, who has much of the 
fpirit of a young man, might feel fo. — He afl<;ed me 
if our jaunt had anfwered expectation. I faid it had 
much exceeded it. 1 expefted much difficulty vith 
him, and had not found it. " And (he added) 
Mvherever we have come, we have been received like 
princes in their progrefs." 

He faid, he would not wilh not to be difgufted 
in the Highlands ; for that would be to lofe the 
power of diftinguifhing, and a man might then lie 
(down in the middle of them. He wiflied only to 
conceal his dilguft. 

At Captain M'Lean's, I mentioned Pope's friend, 

Spence.^ John/on. *' He was a weak conceited 

TC\2in*:'—BofwcU. " A good fcholar, fir.?" — John-. 
fen. " Why, no, fir." — Bofwell. " He was a pretty 
fcholar."^ — John/on. " You have about reached 
him." 

Laft night at the inn, when the faflor in Tyr-yi 
fpoke of his having heard that a roof v/as put oq 
feme part of the buildings at Icolmkill, 1 unluckily 
faid, " It will be fortunate if we find a cathedral 
with a roof on it." I faid this from a fooliflh anxiety 
to engage Dr. Johnfon's curiofity more. He took 
me fhort at once. " What, fir ? how can you talk 
fo } If we (hall find a cathedral roofed ! as if we 
^erc going to a terra incognita : when every thing 

that 

• Mr. Langton thinks this muft have been the hafty expreflion of 
a fplenetick moment, as he has heard Dr. Johnfon fpeak of Mr. 
Spences judgement in ciiticifm with fo high "a degree of refpe6i-, as 
to fliew that this was not his fettled opinion of him. Let me add that, 
in the preface to the Preceptor, he recommends Spence's EJfay on Pete's 
Ody£ejy and that his admirable Lives of the Englifh Poets are much 
pni jched by Spence's Anecdo^s at Popes 

5 



TO THE HEBRIDES. ' 329 

tbat is at Icolmkill is fo well known. You are 
like fome New-England-men who came to the mouth 
of the Thames. ' Come, (faid they,) let us go up 
and fee what fort of inhabitants there are here.' 
They talked, fir, as if they had been to go up the 
;§ufquehannah^ or any oih.er American river." 

Saturday, i6^h OHoher. 

This day there was a new moon, and the weather 
changed for the better. Dr. Johnfon faid of M;fs 
M'Lean, ." She is the mod accomplifhed lady that 
I have found in the Highlands. She knows French, 
ipufick, and drawing, fews neatly, makes ihelU 
work, and can milk cows-, in fhort, fhe can do 
every thing. She talks fenfibly, and is the firft per- 
son whciTi 1 have found, that can tranflatc Erfe 
poetry literally."— We let out, mounted on little 
Miill horfes. "Mull correfponded exadly with the 
idea which I had always had of it ; a hilly country, 
^iverfified with heath and grafs, and many rivulets. 
Ij)r. Johnfon Vv^as not in very good humour. He 
faid, it was a dreary country, much worle than Sky. 
I differed from him. " O, fir, (laid he,) a moft do- 
Jprou? country 1" 

We had a very hard journey to-day. I had no 
bridle for my fheltie, but only a halter ; and Jofeph 
rode without a faddle. At one place, a loch having 
fA^elled over the road, we were obliged to plunge 
through pretty deep water. Dr. Johnfon oblerved, 
how helplefs a man would be, were he travelling 
here alone, and (hould meei with any accident ^ and. 
faid, *' he longed to get to a country of /addles and 
^ridks" He was more out of humour to-day, than 
))e has been in the courfe of our Tour, being fretted 

to 



530 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

to find that his little horfe could fcarcely fupport 
bis weighty — and having fufFered a lofs, which, 
though Imall in itfelf, was of fome confequence to 
him, while travelling the rugged fteeps of IVlull, 
where he was at times obliged to walk. The lofs 
that I allude to was that of the large oak-ftick, 
which, as I formerly mentioned, he had brought 
with him from London. It was of great ufe to him 
in our wild peregrination ; for, ever fince his laft 
illnefs in 1766, he has had a weaknefs in his knees, 
and has not been able to walk eafily. It had too 
the properties of a meafure ; for one nail was driven 
into it at the length of a foot ; another at that of a 
yard. In return for the fervices it had done him, 
he faid, this morning he would make a prefent of it 
to fome Mufeum •, but he little thought he was fo 
foon to lofe it. As he preferred riding with a fwitch, 
it was intrufted to a fellow to be delivered to our 
baggage-man, who followed us at fome diftance; 
but we never faw it more. I could not perfuade hini 
out of a fufpicion that it had been ftolen. " No, 
no, my friend, (faid he,) it is not to be expected 
that any man in Mull, who has got it, will part 
with it. Confider, fir, the value of fuch a piece of 
timber here 1" 

As we travelled this forenoon, we met Dr. 
M'Lean, who expreffed much regret at his having 
been fo unfortunate as to be abfent while we were 
at his houfe. 

We were in hopes to get to Sir Allan Maclean's 
at Inchkenneth, to-night j but the eight miles, of 
which our road was faid to confift, were fo very long, 
that we did not reach the oppofite coaft of Mull 
till feven at night, though we had fee cue about eleven 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 331 

in the forenoon-, and when we did arrive there, wc 
found the wind (Irong againft us. Col determined 
that wc (hould pafs the night at M'Quarrie's, in the 
ifland of Uiva, which lies between Mull and Inch- 
kenneth ; and a fervant was fent forward to the 
ferry, to fecure the boat for us : but the boat was 
gone to the Ulva fide, and the wind was fo high 
that the people could not hear him call ; and the 
night fo dark that they could not fee a fignal. We 
fhould have been in a very bad ficuation, had there 
not fortunately been lying in the little found of Ulva 
an Irifh veflel, the Bonnetta, of Londonderry, 
Captain M'Lure, mailer. He himfelf was at 
M'Qiiarrie's; but his men obligingly came with 
their long- boar, and ferried us over. 

M'QLiarrie's houfe was mean ; but we were agree- 
ably furprifed with the appearance of the mailer, 
whom we found to be intelligent, polite, and much 
a man of the world. Though his clan is not nu- 
merous, he is a very ancient Chief, and has a burial 
place at Icolmkill. He told us, his family had pof- 
fefled Ulva for nine hundred years •, but I was dif- 
treffed to hear that it was foon to be fold for 
payment of his debts. 

Captain M'Lure, whom we found here, was of 
Scotch extradion, and properly a M*Leod, being 
defcended of fome of the M'Leod's who went with 
Sir Normand of Bernera to the battle of Worcefter ; 
and after the defeat of the royaliils, fled to Ireland, 
and, to conceal themfelves, took a different name. 
He told me, there was a great number of them 
about Londonderry ; fome of good property. I faid, 
they fhould now refume their real name. The Laird 
of M'Leod fhould go over, and affemble them, and 

make 



332 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

make them all drink the large horn full, and from 
that time they ihould be M'Leods — The captain 
informed us, he had named his fliip the Bonnetta, 
out of gratitude to Providence; for once, when he 
was failing to America with a good number of paf- 
fengers, the fhip in which he then failed was be- 
calmed for 5ve weeks,/ and during all that time, 
numbers of the fifh Bonnetta fwam clofe to her, and 
were caught for food ; he refolved therefore, that 
the Ihip he fhould next get, fliould be called the 
Bonnetta. 

M'Quarrie told us a ftrong inftance of the feeond 
fight. He had gone to Edinburgh, and taken a 
man-fervant along with him. An old woman, who 
was in the houie, faid one day, •" M'Quarrie will be 
at home to-morrow, and will bring two gentlemen 
with him •," and (lie laid, ihe faw his fervant return 
in red and green. He did come home next day. He 
had two gentlemen with him •, and his fervant had 
a new red and green livery, which M'Quarrie had 
bought for him at Edinburgh, upon a fudden 
thought, not having the leaft intention when he left 
home to put his fervant in livery -, fo that the old 
woman could not have heard any previous mentipn 
of it. This, he affured us, was a true ftory. 

M'Qi-iarrie infifted that the Mercheta Mulieruniy 
mentioned in our old charters, did really mean the 
privilege which a lord of a manor, or a baron, had, 
to have the firft night of all his valTal's wives. Dr. 
Johnfon faid, the belief of fuch a cuftom having ex- 
iftcd was alfo held in England, where there is a 
tenure called Borough Englijh^ by which the eldeft 
child does not inherit, from a doubt of his being the 

fon 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 333 

Ion of the tenant *. M'Quarrie told us, that ftill, 
on the marriage of each of his tenants, a fheep is 
due to him i for which the compofition is fixed at 
five (hillings. I fuppofe, Ulva is the only place 
where this cuftom remains. 

Talking of the fale of an eftate of an ancient fa- 
mily, which was faid to have been purchafed much 
under its value by the confidential lawyer of that fa- 
mily, and it being mentioned that the fale would 
probably be fet afide by a fuit in equity, Dr. Johnfon 
faid, " I am very willing that this fale fhould be 
fet afide, but I doubt much whether the fuit will 
be fuccefsful ; for the argument for avoiding the 
fale is founded on vague and indeterminate princi- 
ples, — as that the price was too low, and that there 
was a great degree of confidence placed by the feller 
in the perfon who became the purchafer. Now, 
how low fhould a price be ? or what degree of con- 
fidence (hould there be to make a bargain be fet 
afide ? a bargain, which is a wager of {kill between 
man and man. — If, indeed, any fraud can be prov« 
jed, that will do." 

When Dr. Johnfon and I were by ourfelves at 
night, I obferved of our hoft, *' afpeSfum generofum 
hahet ;" — " et generofum animum^^ he added. — ^For 
fear of being overheard in the fmall Highland houfes, 
I often talked to him in fuch Latin as I could fpeak, 
and with as much of the Englifh accent as I could 
affume, fo as not to be underftood, in cafe our con- 
verfation ihould be too loud for the fpace. 

We 

• Sir William Elackftone fays In his Commentaries, that "he 
cannot find that ever this cuftom prevailed in England \^ and there- 
fore he is of opinion that it could not have given rife to Borough' 
Englijlj, 



334 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We had each an elegant bed in the fame rooffi $ 
and here it was that a circumftance occurred, as td 
which he has been ftrangely mifunderftood. From 
his defcription of his chamber, it has erroneoufly 
been fuppofed, that his bed being too fhort for him, 
his feet, during the night, were in the mire ; where- 
as he has only faid, that when he undrelTed, he felt 
his feet in the mire: that is, the clay-floor of the 
room, on which he ftood upon before he went into 
bed, was wet, in confequence of the windows being 
broken, which let in the rain. 

Smiday, \yth OUoler. 

Being informed that there was nothing v/orthy of 
obfervation in Ulva, we took boat, and proceeded 
to Inchkenneth, where we were introduced by our 
friend Col to Sir Allan M*Lean, the Chief of his 
clan, and to two young ladies, his daughters. Inch- 
kenneth is a pretty little ifland, a mile long, and 
about half a mile broad, all good land. 

As we walked up from the fhore. Dr. Johnfon's 
heart was cheered by the fight of a road marked 
with cart-wheels, as on the main land; a thing 
which we had not feen for a long time. It gave us 
a pleafure fimilar to that which a traveller feels, 
when, whiift wandering on what he fears is a delert 
jfiand, he perceives the print of human feet. 

Military men acquire excellent habits of having 
all conveniencies about them. Sir Allan M'Lean, 
who had been long in the army, and had now a leafe 
of the ifland, had formed a commodious habitation, 
though it confifted but of a few fmall buildings, 
only one (lory high. He had, in his liccle aj art- 

ments. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 335 

merits, more things than I could enumerate in a 
page or two. 

Among other agreeable circumftances, it was not 
the lead, to find here a parcel of the Caledonian 
Mercury^ publiflied lince we left Edinburgh ; which 
I read with thatpleafure which every man feels who 
has been for fome time fecluded from the animated 
fcenes of the bufy world. 

Dr. Johnfon found books here. He bade mc 
buy Bifhop Gaftrell's Chriftian Infiitutes^ which was 
lying in the room. He laid, *' I do not like to 
read any thing on a Sunday, but what is theologi- 
cal; not that I would fcrupuloufly refufe to look at 
any thing which a friend fhould fhew me in a news- 
paper i but in general, I would read only what is 
theological. — I read juft now fome of Drummond's 
Travels, before I perceived what books were here. 
I then took up Derham's Phyfico-Theology." 

Every particular concerning this iiland having 
been fo well defcribed by Dr. Johnfon, it would be 
fuperfluous in me to prefent the publick with the 
obfervations that I made upon it, in my journal. 

I was quite eafy with Sir Allan almolt inftanta- 
neouQy. He knew the great intimacy that had been 
between my father and his predecefTor, Sir He(5lor, 
and was himfelf of a very frank dirpofKion. — After 
dinner. Sir Allan faid he had got Dr. Campbell 
about an hundred fubfcribers to his Britannia Eluci- 
data^ (a work fince publifhed under the title of A 
Political Survey of Great Britain^) of whom he be- 
lieved twenty were dead, the publication having been 
fo long delayed. — Johnfon. " Sir, 1 imagine the de- 
lay of publication is owing to this ; — that, after 
publication, there will be no more fubfcribers, and 

few 



3^5 Journal of a tous: 

few will fend the additional guinea to get theif 
books : in which they will be wrong -, for there will 
be a great deal of inftruftion in the work* I think 
highly of Campbell. In the firft place, he has very 
good parts. In the fecond place, he has very ex- 
tenfive reading; not, perhaps, what is properly 
called learning, but hiftory, politicks, and, in fhort, 
that popular knowledge which makes a man very 
iifeful. In the third place, he has learned much by 
what is called the vox viva. He talks with a greaC 
many people." 

Speaking of this gentleman, at Rafay, he told 
us, that he one day called on him, and they talked 
of TuWs Hujhandry. Dr. Campbell faid fomething. 
Dr. Johnlon began to difpute it. " Come, faid Dr. 
Campbell, we do not want to get the better of one 
another : we want to encreafe each other's ideas." — ^^ 
Dr. Johnfon took it in good part, and the converfa- 
tion then v\ent on coolly and inftrucflively. — His can- 
dour in relating this anecdote does him "much credit, 
and his conduft en that occafion proves how eafily 
he could be perfuaded to talk from a better motive 
than '* for vidory." 

Dr. Johnfon here (hewed fo much of the fpirit of 
a Highlander, that he won Sir Allan's heart : in- 
deed, he has fhtwn it during the whole of our 
Tour. — One night, in Col, he ftrurted about the 
room with a broad fword and target, and made a 
formidablt appearance-, and, another night, I took 
the liberty to put a large blue bonnet on his head. 
His age, his fize, and Lis bufhy grey wig, with ihis 
covering on it, prelenicd the image i t a venerable 
Senachi : and, however unfavourable to the Low- 
land Scots, he feemed much plealed to afllime the 

appearance 



to THE HEBRIDES. 337 

appearance of an ancient Caledonian. We only re- 
gretted that he could not be prevailed with to par- 
take of the focial glafs. One of his arguments 
againft drinking, appears to me not convincing. He 
urged, that, " in proportion as drinking makes a 
man different from what he is before he has drunk* 
it is bad ; becaufe it has fo far affedled his realbn." 
But may it not be anfweredj that a man may be al- 
tered by it for the better ; that his fpirits may be 
exhilarated, without his reafon being affedled ? On 
the general fubjecSt of drinking, however, I do not 
mean pofitively to take the other fide. I am duhius^ 
non improbiis. 

In the evening, Sir Allan inform.ed us that it was 
the cuftom of his houfe to have prayers every Sun- 
day ; and Mifs M'Lean read the evening fervice, in 
v/hich v/e all joined. I then read Ogden's fecond and 
ninth Sermons on Prayer, which, with their other 
ditringuilhed excellence, have the merit of being 
fhort. Dr. Johnfon faid, that it was the moft agree- 
able Sunday he had ever paiTed \ and it made fuch 
an imprefiion on his mind, that he afterwards wrote 
the following Latin verfes upon Inchkenneth : 

Insula Sangti Kennethi. 
Parva quidem regie, fed relllgione prlorum 

Nota, Caledonias panditur inter aquas; 
Voce ubi Cennethus populos domuifle feroces 

Dicitur, at vanos dedocuilTe deos. 
Hue ego delatus placldo per coerula curfu 

Scire locum volui quid daret ille novi. 
Illic Leniades humili regnabat in aula, 

Leniades magnis nobilitatus avis : 
Una duas habuit cafa cum genitore puellas, 

Quas Amor undarum fingeret efle deas : 
Non tamen inculti gelidis latuere fub antris> 



338 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Accola Danubii qualia fevus habet ; 
MoUia non deerant vacu^e folatia vita;, 

Sive libros pofcant otia, five lyram. 
Luxerat ilia dies, legis gens dofta fuperna: 

Spes hominum ac curas cum procui eiTe jubet, 
Ponti inter ftrepitus facri non munera cultiis 

CCiTarunt; pietas hie quoque cura fuit: 
Quid quod facrifici verfavit femina libros, 

Legitimas faciunt peftora pura preces. 
Quo vagor ulterius ? quod ubique requiritur hie cfl ; 

Hie fecura quies, hie et honeilus amor. 

Monday, iStb O^oher, 

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

Being novv^ foon to be feparated from our amiable 
friend young Col, hiy merits vi'ere all remembered. 
At Ulva he had appeared in a new character, hav- 
ing given us a good prefcription for a cold. On my 
mentioning him with warmth, Dr. Johnfon faid, 
" Col does every thing for us : we will ered a fta- 
tue to Col." — " Yes, faid I, and we will have him 
with his various attributes and charaders, like Mer- 
cury, or any other of the heathen gods. We will 
have him as a pilot j we will have him as a fifher- 
man, as a hunter, as a hufbandman, as a phy- 
fician." 

I this morning took a fpade, and dug a little 
grave in the floor of a ruined chapel, near Sir Allan 
M'Lean's houfe, in which I buried fome human 
bones I found there. Dr. Johnfon praifed me 
for what I had done, though he owned, he could not 
have done it. He Ihewed in the chapel at Rafay 
his horrour at dead men's bones. He fliewed it 
again at Col's houfe. In the Charter-room there 

was 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 339 

was a remarkable large fliin-bone, which was faid to 
have been a bone of John Garve, one of the lairds. 
Dr. Jchnfon would not look at it; but ftarted 
away. 

At breakfaft, I adved, " What is the reafon that 
we are angry at a trader's having opulence ?" — 
John/on. " Why, fir, the reafon is, (though I don't 
undertake to prove that there is a reafon,) we fee no 
qualities in trade that fhould entitle a man to fupe- 
riority. We are not angry at a foldier's getting 
riches, becaufe we fee that he polTefTes qualities 
which we have not. If a man returns from a battle, 
having loft one hand, and with the other full of 
gold, we feel that he defcrves the gold ; but we 
cannot think that a fellow, by fitting all day at a 
defk, is entitled to get above us."— Bofwell. " But, 
fir, may we not fuppofe a merchant to be a man of 
an enlarged mind, fuch as Addifon in the Spe5iator 
defcribes Sir Andrew Freeport to have been ?" — 
Johnfon. " Why, fir, we may fuppofe any fictitious 
character. We may fuppofe a philofophical day- 
labourer, who is happy in refleding that, by his la- 
bour, he contributes to the fertility of the earth, 
and to the fupport of his fellow- creatures ; but we 
find no fuch philofophical day-labourer. A merchant 
may, perhaps, be a man of an enlarged mind ; but 
there is nothing in trade connefted with an enlarged 
mind." 

I mentioned that I had heard Dr. Solander fay 
he was a SwediQi Laplander. — Johnfon, " Sir, I 
don't believe he is a Laplander. The Laplanders 
are not much above four feet high. He is as tall 
as you ; and he has not the copper colour of a 
Laplander." — Eofivdl, " But what motive could 
Z 2 he 



340 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

he have to make himfelf a Laplander ?" — Johnfon, 
" Why, fir, he mud either mean the word Lap- 
lander in a very excenfive fenfe, or may mean a 
voluntary degradation of himfelf. ' For all my being, 
the great man that you fee me now, I was originally 
a Barbarian ;' as if Burke fhould fay, * I came over 
a wild Irilhman.' — which he might fay in his pre- 
fent ftate of exaltation." 

Having exprefied a defire to have an iQand like 
Inchkenneth, Dr. Johnfon fet himfelf to think what 
would be necelTary for a man in fuch a fituation. 
•* Sir, I Ihould build me a fortification, if I came 
to live here j for, if you have it not, what fnould 
hinder a parcel of ruffians to land in the night, and 
carry off every thing you have in the houfe, which, 
in a remote country, would be more valuable than 
cows and iheep ? add to all this the danger of hav- 
ing your throat cut." — -Bofwell. " I would have a 
large dog." — Johnfon. " So you may, fir ; but a 
large dog is of no ufe but to alarm." — He, however, 
^apprehend, thinks too lightly of the power of that 
animal. 1 have heard him fay, that he is afraid of 
no dog. " He would take him up by the hinder 
legs, which would render him quite helplefs, — and 
then knock his head againft a ftone, and beat out 
his brains." — Topham Beauelerk told me, that at 
his houfe in the country, two large ferocious dogs 
were fighting. Dr. Johnfon looked fi:eadily at them 
for a little while ; and then, as one would feparate 
two little boys, who are foolifhly hurting each other, 
he ran up to them, and cuffed their heads till he 
drove them afunder. But few men have his intre- 
pidity, Herculean flrength, or prefence of mind. 

Moil 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 341 

Mofl thieves or robbers would be afraid to encoun- 
ter a maftiff. 

I Gbferved, that, when young Col talked of the 
lands belonging to his family, he always faid, " ;;zy 
lands." For this he had a plaufibie pretence ; for 
he told me, there has been a cuftom in this family, 
that the laird refigns the eftate to the eldeft fon when 
he comes of age, referving to himfelf only a certain 
life-rent. Ke faid, it was a volutary cuftom ; but 
I think I found an inftance in the charter-room, that 
there was fuch an obligation in a contrail of mar- 
riage. If the cuftom was voluntary, it was only cu- 
rious ; but if founded on . obligation, it might be 
dangerous ; for I have been told, that in Otaheite, 
whenever a child is born, (a fon, I think,) the father 
lofes his right to the eftate and honours, and that 
this unnatural, or rather abfurd cuftom, occafions 
the murder of many children. 

Young Col told us he could run down a grey- 
hound; " for, (faid he,) the dog runs himfelf out 
of breath, by going too quick, and then I get up 
with him.'' I accounted for his advantage over the 
dog, by remarking that Col had the faculty of rea- 
fon, and knew hov/ to moderate his pace, which the 
dog had not fenfe enough to do. Dr. Johnfon faid, 
*' He is a noble animal. He is as complete an 
iflander as the mind can figure. He is a farmer, a 
failor, a hunter, a fifher : he will run you down a 
dog : if any man has a tail, it is Col. He is hof- 
pitable-, and he has an intrepidity of talk, whether 
he underftands the fubjedl or not. I regret that he 
is^not more intelledual." 

Dr. Johnfon obferved, that there was nothing of 

which he would not undertake to perfuade aFrench- 

Z 3 man 



342 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

man in a foreign country. " I'll carry a French- 
man to St. Paul's Church-yard, and I'll tell him, 
* by our law you may walk half round the church j 
but, if you walk round the whole, you will be 
punifhed capitally ;' and he will believe me at once. 
Now, no Englifliman would readily fwallow fuch a 
thing : he would go and inquire of fomebody elfe." 
— The Frenchman's credulity, I obferved, muft be 
owing to his being accuftomed to implicit fub- 
miffion -, whereas every Englifnman reafons upon 
the laws of his country, and inftrutfls his reprei'en- 
tatives, who compofe the legiflature. 

This day was palled in looking at a fmall ifland 
adjoining Inchkenneth, which aftorded nothing wor- 
thy of obfervation ; and in fuch fecial and gay en- 
tertainments as our little fociety could furnifh. 

T'uefday, igth OEiohcr. 

After breakfaft we took leave of the young ladies, 
and of our excellent companion Col, to whom we 
had been fo much obliged. He had now put us un- 
der the care of his Chief; and was to haften back 
to Sky. We parted from him wirh very ftrong feel- 
ings of kindncfs and gratitude ; and we hoped to 
have had fome future opportunity of proving to him 
the fincerity of what we felt -, but in the following 
year he was unfortunately loft in the Sound between 
Ulva and Mull ; and this imperfedl memorial, join- 
ed to the high honour of being tenderly and re- 
fpeftfully mentioned by Dr. Johnfon, is the only 
return which the uncertainty of human events has 
permitted us to make to this deferving young man. 

Sir Allan, who obligingly undertook to accom- 
pany us to Icolmkill had a ftrong good boat, with 

four 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 343^ 

four ftoiit rowers. We coafted along Mull till we 
reached Gribon^ where is what is called Mackinnon's 
cave, compared with which that at Ulinifh is in- 
confiderable. Jt is in a rock of a great height, 
clofe to the Tea. Upon the left of its entrance there 
is a cafcade, almoft perpendicular from the top to 
the bottom of the rock. There is a tradition 
that it was conduced thither artificially, to fupply 
the inhabitants of the cave with water. Dr. John- 
fon gave no credit to this tradition. As, on the 
one hand, his faith in the Chriftian religion is firm- 
ly founded upon good grounds j fo, on the other, 
he is incredulous when there is no fufficient reafon for 
belief; being in this refpect juft: the reverfe of mo- 
dern infidels, who, however nice and fcrupulous in 
weighing the evidences of religion, are yet often fo 
ready to believe the moft abfurd and improbable 
tales of another nature, that Lord Hailes well ob- 
ferved, a good efiay might be written Stir la credii- 
lite, des Incredules, 

The height of this cave I cannot tell with any- 
tolerable exaftnefs ; but it feemed to be very lofty, 
and to be a pretty regular arch. We penetrated, by 
candlelight, a great way; by our meafurement, no 
lefs than four hundred and eighty-five feet. Tra- 
dition fays, that a piper and twelve men once ad- 
vanced into this cave, nobody can tell how far ; and 
never re:urned. At the diftance to which we pro- 
ceeded the air was quite pure ; for the candle burned 
freely, without the lead appearance of the flame 
growing globular; but as we had only one, we 
thought it dangerous to venture farther, left, fhould 
it have been extinguifhed, we fliould have had no 
means of afcertaining whether we could remain with- 
Y 4 out 



344 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

out danger. Dr. Johnfon faid, .this was the greateft 

natural curiofity he had ever fcen. 

We faw the iQand of Staffa, at no very great 
diftance, but could not land upon it, the llirge was 
fo high on its rocky coaft. 

Sir Allan, anxious for the honour of Mull, was 
flill talking of its woods-, and pointing them out to 
Pr. Johnfon, as appearing at a diftance en the flcirts 
of that jfland, as we failed along. — Johnfon. " Sir, 
I faw at Tobermorie what they called a wood, which 
I unluckily took for heath. If you fhev/ me what 
I fhall take for /z^rz<f, it will be fomething." 

In the afternoon we went afhore on the coaft of 
Mull, and partook of a cold repaft, which we car- 
ried with us. We Iioped to have procured fome rum 
or brandy for our boatmen and fervants, from a 
publick-houfe near where we landed j but unfor- 
tunately a funeral a few days before: had exhaufted 
all their ftore. Mr. Campbell however, one of the 
Duke of Argyle's tackfmen, who lived in the neigh- 
bourhood, on receiving a meffage from Sir Allan, 
fent us a liberal fupply. 

We continued to coaft along Mull, and pafTed 
by Nuns' Ifland, which j it is faid, belonged to the 
nuiys of Icolmkill, and from which, we were told, 
the ftone for the buildings there was taken. As we 
failed along by moon-light, in a fea fomewhat rough, 
and often between black and gloomy rocks, Dr, 
Johnfon faid, " If tliis be not roving among the He- 
brides, nothing is." — The repetition of words which 
'he had fo often previoufly ufed, madi a ftrong im- 
preffion on my imagination-, and, by a natural 
courfe of thinking, led me to confider how our pre- 

fent 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 345 

fent adventures would appear to me at a future 
period. 

I have often experienced, that fcenes through 
which a man has paffed, improve by lying in the 
memory: they grow mellow. Aofi labor es funt jii^ 
fundi. This may be owing to comparing them with, 
prefent litliers eafe. Even harfii fcenes acquire a 
Ibftnefs by length of time*; and fome are like very- 
loud founds, which do not pleafe, or at leaftdonot 
pleafe fo much, till you are removed to a certain 
diftance. Tiiey may be compared to flrong coarfe 
pi(5lures, wliich will not bear to be viewed near. 
Even pleafing fcenes improve by time, and feem 
more exquifite in recolledion, than when they were 
prefent ; if they have not faded to dimnefs in the 
memory. Perhaps, there is fo much evil in every 
liuman enjoyment, when prefent,— fo much drofs 
mixed with ir, that it requires to be refined by timej 
and yet I do not fee why time Ihould not melt away 
the good and the evil in equal proportions \ — why 
the fhade fliould decay, and the light remain in pre- 
fervation. 

After a tedious fail, which, by our following va- 
rious turnings of the coaft of Mull, was extended 
to about forty miles, it gave us no fmall pleafure to 
perceive a light in the village at Icolmkill, in whiqli 
almoft all the inhabitants of the ifland live, clofe to 
where the ancient building ftood. As we approached 
the fhore, the tower of the cathedral, juft difcerna- 
ble in the air, was a pidurefque objed:. 

When we had landed upon the facred place, 

which, 

* T have lately cbferved that this thought has been elegantly 
exprefled by Cowley •. 

'• Things wliich offend when prefent, and affright, 
" In memory, well painted, move delight, 



346 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

which, as long as I can remember, I had thought 
on with veneration, Dr. Johnfon and I cordially 
embraced. We had long talked of vifiting Icolm- 
kiil ; and, from the latenefs of the feafon, were at 
times very doubtful whether we fliould be able to 
effcft our purpofe. To' have ieen it, even alone, 
would have given me great fatisfadion -, but the 
venerable fcene was rendered much more pleafing 
by the company of my great and pious friend, who 
was no lefs affedled by it than I was ; and who has 
defcribed the impreflions it Ihould' make on the 
mind, with fuch ftrength of thought, and energy of 
language, that I fhall quore his vvfords, as convey- 
ing my own fenfations much more forcibly than I 
am capable of doing: 

" WE were now treading that illuftrious IQand, 
which was once the luminary of the Caledonian re- 
gions, whence favage clans and roving barbarians 
derived the benefits of knowledge, and the bielTings 
of religion. To abftrad: the mind from all local 
emotion would be impoffible, if it were endeavoured, 
and would be foolifh if it were poflible. Whatever 
withdraws us from the power of our fenfes, what- 
ever makes the paft, the diftant, or the future, pre- 
dominate over the prefent, advances us in the dig- 
nity of thinking beings. Far from me, and from 
my friends, be fuch frigid philofophy as may con- 
duct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground 
which has been dignified by wifdom, bravery or vir- 
tue. That man is little to be envied, whofe pairi- 
otifm would not gain force upon the plain of Mara- 
thon^ or whofe piety would not grow warmer among 
the ruins of lona'^ !" Upon 

* Had our Tour produced nothing elfe but this fublime pHfu.ge, 
the world muft have acknowledged that it was not made in vain. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 347 

Upon hearing that Sir Allan M'Lean was ar- 
rived, the inhabitants, who flill confider themfelves 
as the people of M'Lean, to whom the ifland for- 
merly belonged, though the Duke of Argyle has at 
prefent pofleffion of it, ran eagerly to him. 

We were accommodated this night in a large barn, 
the ifland affording no lodging that we fliould have 
liked fo well. Some good hay was ftrewed at one 
end of it, to form a bed for us, upon which we lay 
with our clothes on ; and we were furnilhed with 
blankets from the village. Each of us had a port- 
manteau for a pillow. When I awaked in the morn- 
ing, and looked round me, I could not help fmiling 
at the idea of the chief of the M'Leans, the great 
Englifli Moralifl:, and myfelf, lying thus extended 
in fuch a fituation. 

JVednefday, 10th 05loher, 
Early in the morning we furveyed the remains of 
antiquity at this place, accompanied by an ilHterate 
fellow, as Cicerone^ who called himfelf a defcendant 
of a coufm of Saint Columba, the founder of the 
religious eftablirnment here. As I knew that many 
perlbns had already examined them, and as I faw Dr. 
Johnfon infpeding and meafuring feveral of the 
ruins of which he has fince given fo full an account, 
my mind was quiefcent; and 1 refolved to ftroU 
among them at my eafe, to take no trouble to in- 
veftigate minutely, and only receive the general im- 
prefTion of Iblemn antiquity, and the particular ideas 
of fuch objeds as fhould of themfelves ftrike my 
attention. 

We 

The prefent refpeflaMe Prefident of the Royal Society wis £b much 
ftruck on reading it, that he clafped his hands together, and remain- 
ed for fwme lime in an attitude of fiient admiration. 



34-S JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We walked from the monaftery of Nuns to the 
great church or cathedral, as they call it, along an 
old broken caufeway. They told us, that this had been 
a ftreetj and that there were good houles built on 
each fide. Dr. Johnfon doubted if it was any thing 
more than a paved road for the nuns. The convent 
of Monks, the great church. Gran's chapel, and 
four other chapels, are ftill to be difcerned. But I 
muft own that Icolmkill did not anfwer my expec- 
tations ; for they were high, from what I had read 
of it, and ftill more from what I had heard and 
thought of it, from my earlieft years. Dr. Johnfon 
faid, it came up to his expedations, becaufe he had 
taken his impreffion from an account of it fubjoined 
to Sacheverel's Hiftory of the Ifle of Man, where it 
is faid, there is not much to be feen here. We were 
both difappointed, when we were ihewn what are 
called the monuments of the kings of Scotland, 
Ireland, and Denmark, and of a King of France. 
There are only fome grave-ftones flat on the earth, 
and we could fee no infcriptions. How far fhorc 
Hvas this of marble monuments, like thofe in Weft- 
minfter-Abbey, which I had imagined here ! The 
grave-ftones of Sir Allan M'Lean's family, and of 
that of M'Qtiarrie, had as good an appearance as 
the royal grave-ftones j if they were royal, we 
doubted. 

My eafmefs to give credit to what I heard in the 
courfe of our Tour was too great. Dr. Johnfon's 
peculiar accuracy of inveftigatioii detedled much 
traditional fiction, and many grofs miftakes. It is 
not to be wondered at, that he was provoked by 
people carelefsly telling him, with the utmofl: readi- 
nefs and confidence, wliat lie found, on queftioning 

ihem 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 349 

them a little more, was erroneous. Of this there 
were innumerable inftances. 

I left him and Sir Allan at breakfaft in our barn, 
and ftole back again to the cathedral, to indulge in 
folitude and devout meditation. While contem- 
plating the venerable ruins, 1 reflected with much 
fatisfaftion, that the lolemn fcenes of piety never 
lofe their fanflity and influence, though the cares 
and follies of life may prevent us fron-i viflting them, 
or may even make us fancy that their effeds are 
only " as yefterday, when it is paft," and never 
again to be perceived. I hoped, that, ever after 
having been in this holy piace, I fhould miaintain 
an exemplary condudl. One has a ftrange pro- 
penfity to fix upon fome point of time from whence 
a better courfe of life may begin. 

Being defirous to viflt the oppofite fliore of the 
ifland, where Saint Columba is faid to have landed, 
I procured a horfe from one M'Ginnis, who ran 
along as my guide. The M'Ginnifes are faid to be 
a branch of the clan of JVl'Lean. Sir Allan had 
been told that this man had refuled to fend him loms 
rum, at which the knight was in great indignation. 
*' You rafcal ! (faid he,) don't you know that I caii 
hang you, if I pleafe?" — Not adverting to the 
Chieftain's power over his clan, I imagined that 
Sir Allan had known of fome capital crime that the 
fellow had committed, which he could difcover, and 
fo get him condemned ; and faid, " How fo ?" — 
*' Why, (faid Sir Allan,) are they not all my peo- 
ple ?" — Senflble of my inadvertency, and moft will- 
ing to contribute what I could towards the continu- 
ation of feudal authority, *' Very true." faid I. — 
Sir Allan went on : *' Refufe to fend rum to me, 

you 
5 



^50 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

you rafcal ! Don't you know that, if I order you 
to go and cut a man's throat, you are to do it ?" — - 
'* Yes, an't pleafe your honour ! and my own too, 
and hang myfelf too." — The poor fellow denied that 
he had refufed to fend the rum. His making thefe 
profcffions was not merely a pretence in prefence o^ 
his Chiefs for after he and I were out of Sir Allan's 
hearing, he told me, " Had he fent his dog for the 
rum, I would have given it : I would cut my bones 
for him." — It was very remarkable to find fuch an 
attachment to a Chief, tliough he had then no con- 
nexion with the ifland^ and had not been there for 
fourteen years. — Sir Allan, by way of upbraiding 
the fellow, faid, " I believe you are a Campbell." 

The place which I went to fee is about two miles 
from the village. They call it 'Porta-ivhirr\\ from 
the wherry'in which Columba cat;ne ; though, when 
they fhcw the length of his veflel, as marked on the 
beach by two heaps of ftones, they fay, " Flere is 
the length of the Currach^^ ufmg the Erfeword. 

Icolmkill is a fertile illand. The inhabitants ex- 
port fome cattle and grain ; and I was told, they 
import nothing but iron and fait. They are induf- 
trious, and make their ov/n woollen and linen cloth ; 
and they brew a good deal of beer, which we did 
not find in any of the other iflsnc's. 

We fee fail again about mid-day, and in the 
evening landeil on Mull, near the houfe of the Re- 
verend Mr. Neal M'Leod, who having been in- 
formed of our coming, by a mefTage from Sir Allan, 
came out to meet us. We were this night very 
agreeably entertained at his houfe. Dr. johnfon ob- 
ierved to n e, that he was the cleaneR-headed man 
that he had met with in the Weftern iflands. He 

fecmed 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 351 

feemed to be well acquainted with Dr. Johnfon's 
writings, and courteoufly faid, " I have been often 
obliged to you, though I never had the pleafure of 
feeing you before." 

He told us, he had lived for fome time in St. 
Kilda, under the tuition of the minifter or catechifi: 
there, and had there firft read Horace and Virgil. 
The fcenes which they defcribe muft have been a 
ftrong contrail to the dreary wafte around hirn. 

Tl'urfday, 21ft 05loher. 
This morning the fubjed of politicks was intro- 
duced. — John/on. " Pulteney was as paltry a fellow 
as could be. He was a Whig, who pretended to 
be honeft ; and you know it is ridiculous for a "Whig 
to pretend to be honeft. He cannot hold it out."— 
He called Mr. Pitt a meteor ; Sir Robert Walpole a 
fixed ftar. — He faid, " It is wonderful to think that 
all the force of government was required to prevent 
\Vilkes from being chofen the chief magiftrate of 
London, though the liverymen knew he would rob 
their fliops, — knew he would debauch their dauo-h- 
ters *." 

Bofwell, 

* I think it incumbent on me to make fome obfervation on tliis 
ftrong fatiiical fally on my claffical companion, Mr. Wilkes. Re- 
porting it lately from memory, in his prefence, I exprelFed it tlius: — 
•' They knew he woulil rob ther fliops, if he durjl ; they knew he 
would debauch their daughters, if hs could;'''' which, accordint^ to 
the French phrafe, may be faid rencber'ir on Dr. Johnfon ; but on 
looking into my Journal, I found it as above, and would by no 
means make any addition. Mr. Wilkes received both readings with 
a good humour that I cannot enough admire. Indeed both he and 
I (as, with refpeil to myfelf, the reader has more than once had oc- 
cafion to obferve in the courfe of this Journal,) are too fond of a ban 
mot, not to jelifla it, though we ihould be ourfelves theobjeft of it. . 

Let 



35i JOURNAL OF A tOUR 

Bof'well. "The Hiftory of England is lb ftrangc^ 
that, if it were not fo well vouched as it is, it would 
hardly be credible." — Johnfon. '* Sir, if it were told as 
fhortly, and with as little preparation for introducing 
.the different events, as the Hiftory of the Jewifli 
Kings, it v/ould be equally liable to objcdions of 
improbability." — Mr. M'Leod was much pleafed 
with the jufiice and novelty of the thought. — Dr. 
Johnfon illuftrated what he had faid, as follows: 
" Take, as an inftance, Charles the Firft's concef- 
fions to his parliament, which were greater and 
greater, in proportion as the parliament grew more 
jnfolent, and leis deferving of truft. Had thefe con- 
ceffions been related nakedly, without any detail of 
the circumftances which generally led to them, they 
w^ould not have been believed." 

Sir Allan M'Lean bragged, that Scotland had the 
advantage of England, by its having more water. 
johtifon. " Sir we would not have your water, to 
take the vile bogs which produce it. You have too 
much ! A man who is drowned has more v/ater than 
either of us ;" — and then he laughed. — (But this 
was furely robuft fophiftry : for the people of tafte 
in England, who have feen Scotland, own that its 
variety of rivers and lakes makes it naturally more 
beautiful than England, in that refpetSt.) — Purfuing 
his victory over Sir Allan, he proceeded : " Yout 

country 

Let me add, in jiiftlce to the gentleman here mentioned, that at 
a lubfeqiient period, he fjas elecled chief magiftrate of London, and 
difcharged the dunes of that high office with great honour to him- 
felf, and advantage to the city.— Some years before Dr. Johnfon died, 
1 was fortunate enough to bring him and Mr. Wilkes together; the 
coiifequence of which was, that they were ever afterwards on eafy and 
not unfriendly terms. The particulars I fliail have great pleaftire \n 
relating at large in my Life of Dr. Johnson. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 353 

country confilb of two things, ftone and water. 
There is, indeed, a little earth above the ftone in 
fome places, but a very little; and the ftone is al- 
ways appearing. It is like a man in rags; the 
naked fkin is ftill peeping out." 

He took leave of Mr. M'Leod, faying, " Sir, 
I thank you for your entertainment, and your con- 
verfation." 

Mr. Campbell, who had been fo polite yefterday, 
came this morning on purpofe to breakfaft with us, 
and very obligingly furnifhed us with horfes to pro- 
ceed on our journey to Mr. M'Lean's of Lochbuy, 
where we were to pals the night. We dined at the 
houfe of Dr. Alexander M'Lean, another phyfician 
in Mull, who was fo much ftruck with the uncom- 
mon converfation of Dr. Johnfon, that he obferved 
to me, " This man is juft a hogjhead of fenfe." 

Dr. Johnfon laid of the Ttirkijh Spy, which lay in 
the room, that it told nothing but what every body 
might have known at that timie; and that what was 
good in it, did not pay you for the trouble of read- 
ing to find it. 

After a very tedious ride, through what appeared 
to me the moft gloomy and defolate country I had 
ever beheld, we arrived, between feven and eight 
o'clock, at Moy, the feat of the Laird of Lochbuy.— 
Buy^ in Erfe, fignifies yellow, and I at firft imagined 
that the loch or branch of the fea here, was thus de- 
nominated, in the fame manner as the Red Sea ; but 
I afterwards learned that it derived its name from a 
hill above it, which being of a yellowifh hue, has 
the epithet of Buy. 

We had heard much of Lochbuy's being a great 

roaring braggadocio, a kind of Sir John Falftaff, 

A a both 



354 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

both in fize and manners •, but we found that thej" 
had fwelled him up to a fiftitious fize, and clothed 
him with imaginary qualities. — Col's idea of him 
was equally extravagant, though very different : he 
told us, he was quite a Don Quixote ; and faid, he 
would give a great deal to fee him and Dr. Johnfon 
together. The truth is, that Lochbuy proved to 
be only a bluff, comely, noify old gentleman, proud 
of his hereditary confequence, and a very hearty and 
hofpitable landlord. Lady Lochbuy was filler to 
Sir Allan M'Lean, but much older. He faid to me, 
*' They are quite Antediluvians,^' Being told that Dr. 
Johnfon did not hear well, Lochbuy bawled out to 
him, " Are you of the Johnftons of Glencro, or of 
Ardnamurchan ?" — Dr. Johnfon gave him a figni- 
ficant look, but made no anfwer ; and I told Loch- 
buy that he was not }o\\nUon, but John/^7?, and that 
he was an Englifiiman. 

Lochbuy Ibme years ago tried to prove himfelf a 
vs/eak man, liable to impofition, or, as we term it 
in Scotland, a facile man, in order to fet afide a 
leafe which he had granted -, but failed in the at- 
tempt. On my mentioning this circumftance to Dr. 
Johnfon, he feemed much furprized that fuch a fuit. 
was admitted by the Scottifh law, and obferved, that 
" in England no man is allowed to fiultify him- 
felf*." 

Sir Allan, Lochbuy, and I, had the converfatioa 
chiefly to ourfelves to-night : Dr. Johnfon, being., 
extremely weary, went to bed foon after fupper. 

Frida^y 

* This maxim, however, has been controverted. See Blackftone's 
COMiJKNTARiss, Vol, II, p. *9* ; and the authorities there qtioted. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 



355 



Friday i 22d O^ober, 

Before Dr. Johnfon came to breakfaft. Lady 
Lochbuy faid, " he was a dungeon of witi" a very 
common phrafe in Scotland to exprefs a profound- 
nefs of incelleft, though he afterwards told me, that 
he never had heard it. She propofed that he (houtd 
have fome cold fheep's-head for breakfaft. Sir Allaa 
leemed difpleafed at his fifter's vulgarity, and won- 
dered how fuch a thought Ihould come into her 
head. From a mifcheivous love of fport, I took 
the lady's part j and very gravely faid, " I think 
it is but fair to give him an offer of it. If he does 
not choofe it, he may let it alone." — " I think fo,'* 
faid the lady, looking at her brother with an air of 
viftory. Sir Allan, finding the matter defperate, 
ftrutted about the room, and took fnuff. When Dr. 
Johnfon came in, fhe called to him, " Do you 

choofe any cold flieep's-head, fir ?" " No, 

Madam," faid he, with a tone of furprife and 
anger. — " It is here, fir," faid fiie, fuppofing he 
had refufed it to fave the trouble of bringing it in. 
They thus went on at crofs purpofes, till he con- 
firmed his refufal in a manner not to be mifunder- 
ftood ; while I fat quietly by, and enjoyed my 
fuccefs. 

After breakfaft, we furveyed the old caftle, in 
the pit or dungeon of which Lochbuy had fome 
years before taken upon him to imprifon feveral per- 
fons', and though he had been fined in a confidera- 
ble fum by the Court of Jufticiary, he was fo little 
affefted by it, that while we were examining the 
dungeon, he faid to me, with a fmile, *' Your fa- 
ther knows fomeching of this i" (alluding to my 
A a 2 father's 



356 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

tether's having fat as one of the judges on his trial.) 
Sir Allan whilpered me, that the laird could not 
be perfuaded, that he had loft his heritable jurif- 
didtion. 

We then fet out for the ferry, by which we were 
to crofs to the main land of Argylefhire. Lochbuy 
and Sir Allan accompanied us. We were told much 
of a war-faddle, on which this reputed Don Quixote 
ufed to be mounted •, but we did not fee it, for the 
young laird had applied it to a kfs noble purpofe, 
having taken it to Falkirk fair 'Lvith a drove cf black 
cattle. 

We bade adieu to Lochbuy, and to our very 
kind conductor, Sir Allan McLean, on the fhore of 
Mull, and then got into the ferry-boat, the bottom 
of which was ftrewed with branches of trees or 
bufhes, upon which we fat. We had a good day 
and a fine palTage, and in the evening landed at 
Oban, where we found a tolerable inn. After hav- 
ing been fo long confined at difi^erent times in iflands,. 
from which it was always uncertain when we could 
get away, it was comfortaWe to be now on the miaia 
land, and to know that, if in health, we might get 
to any place in Scotland or England irr a certain, 
number of days. 

Here we difcovered from the conjeftures which, 
were formed, that the people on the main land 
were intirely ignorant of our motions ; for in a 
Glafgow news-paper we found a paragraph, which,, 
as it contains a juft and well-turned compliment to 
my illuftrious friend, 1 fl:iall here infert: 

" We are well affured that Dr. Johnfon is con- 
*' fined by tempeftuous weather to the ifle of Skyj 
" it being unfafe to venture, in a fmali boat upon 
*' fuch a ftormy furge as is very common there at 

" this 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 357 

*' this time of the year. Such a philofopher, dc- 
" tained on an ahnofl: barren illand, refembles a 
" whale left upon the ftrand. The latter will be- 
" welcome to every body, on account of his oil, 
** his bone, &c. and the other will charm his com- 
" panions, and the rude inhabitants, with his iupe- 
'-' rior knowledge and wifdom, calm refignation, 
" and unbounded benevolence.'* 

Saturday^ lo^d Ooloher. 
After a good night's reft, we breakfafted at our 
leifure. We talked of Goldfmith's Traveller, of 
which Dr. Johnlbn fpoke highly, and, while I 
was helping him on with his great coat, he repeated 
from it the charaflerof the Britifli nation, which he 
did with luch energy, that the tear ftarted into his 
eye : 

" Stern o'er each bofom reafoii holds her ftatc. 
" With daring aims irregularly great, 
*' Pride in their port, defiance in their eye, 
*' I fee the lords of humankind pafs by, 
" Intent on high defigns, a thoughtful band, 
" By forms unfafhion'd, frefh from nature's 'hand; 
*• Fierce in their native hardinefs of foul, 
*• True to imagin'd right, above control, 
•' While ev'n the peafant boafts thefe rights to fcan, 
*• And learns to venerate himfelf as man." 

"We could get but one bridle here, which, accord- 
ing to the maxim detur digniorl, was appropriated 
to Dr. Johnfon's fhehie. 1 and Jofeph rode with 
halters. We crofied in a ferry-boat a pretty wide 
lake, and on the farther fide of it, clofe by the 
fhore, found a hut for our inn. We were much 
wet. I changed my clothes in part, and was at 
pains to get myfelf well dried. Dr. Johnfon refo- 
A a 3 lutely 



358 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

lutely kept on all his clothes, wet as they were, 
letting them fteam before the fmoky turf fire. I 
thought him in the wiong; but his firmnefs was, 
perhaps, a fpecies of heroifm. 

I remember but little of our converfation. I 
mentioned Shenftone's faying of Pope, that he had 
the art of condenfing fenfe more than any body. 
Dr. Johnfon faid, "It is not true, fir. There is 
more fenfe in a line of Cowley than in a page (or 
a fentence, or ten lines, — I am not quite certain of 
the very phrafe) of Pope." He maintained that 
Archibald, Duke of Argyle, v/as a narrow man. I 
wondered at this -, and obferved, that his building 
fo great a houfe at Inveraray was not like a narrow 
man. " Sir, (faid he,) when a narrow man has re- 
folved to build a houfe, he builds it like another 
man. But Archibald, Dtvke of Argyle, was narrow 
in his ordinary expences, in his quotidian expences." 

The diftindlion is very juft. It is in the ordinary 
expences of life that a man's liberality or narrow- 
nefs is to be difcovered. — I never heard the word 
quotidian in this fenfe, and I imagined it to be a 
word of Dr. Johnfon's own fabrication ; but I have 
fmce found it in Toung's Night Thoughts^ (Night 
fifth,) 

*' Death's a deflroyer of quotidian prey." 

and in my friend's Di6lionary, fupported by the 
authorities of Charles I. and Dr. Donne. 

It rained very hard as we journied on after din- 
ner. The roar of torrents from the mountains, as 
we pafiTed along in the duO^, and the other circum- 
ftances attending our ride this evening, have been 
mentioned with fo much animation by Dr. Johnfon, 

that 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 35^ 

t1iat I Ihall not attempt to fay any thing on the 
fubjed. 

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

The profpefl of good accommodation cheered us 
much. We fupped wellj and after fupper. Dr. 
Johnfon, whom I had not feen tafte any fermented 
liquor during all our travels, called for a gill of 
whifky. " Come, (faid he,) let me know what it 
is that makes a Scotchman happy !'* He drank it 
all but a drop, which I begged leave to pour into 
my glafs, that 1 might fay we had drunk whifky 
together. I propofed Mrs. Thrale fliould be our 
toaft. He would not have her drunk in whifky, but 
rather " fome infular lady," fo we drank one of the 
ladies whom we had lately left.— ^He owned to- 
night, that he got as good a room and bed as at an 
Englifh inn. 

I had here the pleafure of finding a letter from 
home, which relieved me from the anxiety I had fuf- 
fered, in confequence of not having received any 
account of my family for many weeks. I alfo found 
a letter from Mr. Garrick, which was a regale as 
agreeable as a pine-apple would be in ^ defert. He 
had favoured me with his correfpondence for many 
years -, and when Dr. Johnfon and I were at Inverr 
nefs, 1 had written to him as follows: 

« My dear Sir, . , i^^ernefs, 

•' ' Sunday, 29 Auguft, 1773. 

" HERE I am, and Mr. Samuel Johnfon 

actually with me. We were a night at Fores, in 

coming to which, in the duflc of the evening, we 

paiTcd over the bleak and blafted heath where Mac- 

A a -4 beth 



36o JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

beth met tlie witches. Your old preceptor repeat- 
ed, with much Iblemnity, the fpeech — 

" How far is't called to Fores? What are thefe, 
*' So wither'd and lb wild in their attire," &c. 

This day we vifited tf.e rUins of iVIacbeth's caftle at 
Invernefs. I have had great romantick fatisfadlion 
in feeing Johnfon up ^n the clafiical fcenes of Shak- 
fpeare in Scotland; which I really looked upon as 
almoft as improbable as that * Birnam wood fhould 
come to Dunfmane' Indeed, as ; I have always 
been accu domed to view him' as a permanent Lon- 
don objefl, it would not be much more wonderful to 
me to fee St. PauPs church moving along where we 
now are. As yet we haye travelled in poft-chailes ; 
but to-morrow we are to mount on horfebx^ck, and 
afcend into the mountains by Fort Auguftus, and 
fo on to the ferry, where we are "to crofs to Sky. 
We fliall feethat Ifland fully, and then vifit fome 
more of the Hebiides ;. after which we are to land 
in A''gylefhire, proceed by Glalgow to i^uchinleck, 
repofe there a competent time, and then return to 
Edinburgh, from whence the Rambler will depart 
for old England again, as loon as he finds it conve- 
nient. Hitherto we have had a very profperous ex- 
pedition. I flatter myfelf, fervetur ad imum^ qualis 
ah incepto procejferit. He is in excellent fpirits, and 
I have a 'rich jburnal of his converfation. Look 
back, Davy^i to Litchfield-, — run up through the 
time that has elapled fince you firft; knew Mr. John- 
fon, — and enjoy with me his preient extraordinary 
Tour. I could not refill the impulle of wriiing to 

you 

* i took the liberty of giving this familiar appellation to my ceje- 
brflted friend, to bring in a moi'e lively manner to liis remembrance 
the period when he was Dr. Johnlbn's pupil. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. . 361 
you from this place. The fituation of the old caftle 
correfponds exadtly to Shaklpeare's defcription. 
"While we were there to-day, it happened oddly, 
that a raven perched upon one of the chimney tops, 
and croaked. Then I in my turn repeated — 

" The raven himfelf is hoarfe, 

** That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan, 

♦* Under my battle:nents." 

" I wijh you had been with us. Think what 
enthufiaftick happinefs I fhall have to fee Mr. 
Samuel Johnfon walking among the romantick 
rocks and woods of my anceftors at Auchinleck ! 
Writje to me at Edinburgh. You owe me his verfes 
on great George and tuneful Gibber, and the bad 
verfes which led him to make his fine ones on Philips 
the mufician. Keep your promife, and let me have 
tj^em, I offer my very bcft compliments to Mrs. 
Garrick, and ever am 

" Your warm admirer and friend,- 
'* To David Garrick f Efg; _ t^ „ 

His anfwcr was as follows , 

" Dear Sir Hampton, September 14, 

" YOU flole away from London, and left us 
all in the lurch ; for we expe6led you one night at 
the club, and knew nothing of your departure. 
Had I payed you what J owed you, for the book 
you bought for me, I (hould only have grieved for 
the lofs of your company, and (lept wth a quiet 
confcience •, but, wounded as it is, it muft remain 
fo till I fee you again, though I am fure our good 
friend Mr. Johnfon will difcharge the debt for me, 
if you will let him. — Your account of your journey 
to FcuSi the raie!?^ old cajile, &c. &c, made me 

half 



362 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

half mad. Are you not rather too late in the year 
for fine weather, which is the life and foul of feeing 
places? — I hope your pleafure will continue qualis 
ah incepto, &c. 

" Your friend*' threatens rr.e much. I 

only wifh that he would put his threats in execution, 
and, if he prints his play, I will forgive him. I 
remember he complained to you, that his bookfeller 

called for the money for fome copies of his -^ , 

which I fubfcribed for, and that 1 defired him to 
call again. — The truth is, that my wife was not at 
home, and that for weeks together I have not ten 

fhillings in my pocket. However, had It been 

otherwife, it was not fo great a crime to draw his po- 
etical vengeance upon me.- — I defpife all that he 
can do, and am glad that I can fo eafily get rid of 
him and his ingratitude. — I am hardened both to 
abufe and ingratitude. 

" You, 1 am fure, will no more recommend 
your poetafters to my civility and gocd offices. 

" Shall 1 recommend to you a play of Efchylus, 
(the Prometheus,) publilhed and tranflated by poor 
old Morell, who is a good fcholar, and an ac- 
quaintance of mine ? It will be but half a guinea, 

and 

• I have AipprefTed my friend's name from an apptehenfion of 
wounding his fenfibility ; but I would not withhold from my readers 
a paflage which fliews Mr. Garriclc's mode of writing as the Manager 
of a Theatre, and contains a pleafing trait of his domeftick life. His 
judgment of dramatick pieces, fo far as concerns their exhibition on 
the rtage, m-uft be allowed to have confiderable weight. But from 
the effeil which a perufal of the tragedy here condemned had upon 
myfelf, and from the opinions of fome eminent criticks, I venti^-e 
to pronounce that it has much poetical merit; and its authour has 
diftinguiflied himfelfby feveral performances which fliew that the 
epithet poetafer was, in th« prefent inftance, much mifapplied. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 363 

and your name (hall be put in the lift I am making 
for him. You will be in very good company. 



Now for the Epitaphs 



[Tbefe^ together with the verfes on George the 

Secondy and Colley Cihher^ as his Poet Laureate 

of which imperfect copies are gone about ^ will 

appear in my Life of Dr, Johnfon.] 

*» I have no more paper, or I (hould have 

faid more to you. My love and refpe6ls to Mr. 

Johnfon. 

« Yours ever, 

D. Garrick. 

" I can't write. I have the gout in my hand." 
*' To James Bofwell, Efq^. Edinburgh" 

Sunday, 24th OSIober. 

We palled the- forenoon calmly and placidly. I 
prevailed on Dr. Johnfon to read aloud Ogden*s 
fixth Sermon on Prayer, which he did with a diftindt 
expreffion, and pleafing folemnity. He praifed my 
favourite preacher, his elegant language, and re- 
markable acutenefs ; and faid, he fought infidels 
with their own weapons. 

As a fpecimen of Ogden's manner, I infert the 
following paflage from the fermon which Dr. John- 
fon now read. The preacher, after arguing againft 
that vain philofophy which maintains, in confor- 
mity with the hard principle of eternal necefTity, or 
unchangeable predetermination, that the only effedl 
of prayer for others, although we are exhorted to 
pray for them, is to produce good difpofitions in 
ourlelves towards them ; thus exprefies himfelf : 

" A plain 
4 



304 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

*' A plain man may be apt to afk, But if this 
** then, though enjoined in the holy fcriptures, is 
" to be my real aim and intention, when I am 
*' taught to pray for other peribns, why is it that 
«' I do not plainly fo exprefs it ? Why is not the 
•' form of the petition brought nearer to the mean- 
*' ing? Give them, fay I to our heavenly father, 
" what is good. But this, I am to underftand, 
" Vvill be as it will be, and is not for me to alter. 
*' What is it then that I am doing ? I am defiring 
** to become charitable mylelf j and why may I 
** not plainly: fay fo ? Is there fhame in it, or im- 
" piety ? The wifh is laudab e : why fhould I form 
" defigns to hide it ? , 

" Or is it, perhaps, better to be brought about 
" by indirect means, and in this artful manner? 
*' Alas ! who is it that I would impofe on ? From 
" whom can it be, in this commerce, that I defire 
*' to W^e af^^ thing ? M/hen, as my Saviour com- 
*' mands me, I have entered h:to my clofet^ and Jhiit 
*' my door^ there are but two parties privy to my 
*' devotions, God and my own heart ; which of the 
*' two am 1 deceiving ?" 

He wiflied to have more books, and, upon in- 
quiring if there were any in the houfe, was told that 
a waiter had fome, which were brought to him; but 
1 recollect none of them, except Hervefs Medita- 
tions, He thought flightingly of this admired book. 
He treated it with ridicule, and would not allow 
even the fcene of the dying Hufband and Father to 
be pathetick. I am not an impartial judge ; for 
Hcrvefs Meditations engaged my affedions in my 
early years. — He read a paffage concerning the 
moon, ludicroufly, and fliewed how eaff y he could, 

in 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 365 

in the fame ftyle, make refiedions on that planet, 
the very reverfe of Hervey's, reprefenting her as 
treacherous to mankind. He did this with much 
humour ; but I have not preferved the particulars. 
He then indulged a playful fancy, in making a 
Meditation on a Pudding, of which I haflily wrote 
down, in his prefence, the following note ; which, 
though imperfed, may ferve to give my readers 
fome idea of it. 

Meditation on a Pudding. 
*' LET us ferioufly refled of what a pudding 
is compofed. It is compofed of flour that once 
waved in the golden grain, and drank the dews of 
the morning v of milk prefTed from the fwelling 
udder by the gentle hand of the beauteous milk- 
maid, whofe beauty and innocence might have re- 
commended a worfe draught J wh'o/,* wJiiJe jPig 
ftroked the udder, indulged no ambirtofl^^tfti^ughts- 
of wandering in palaces, formed no plans for the 
deftrudioa of her fellow-creatures : milk, which i^ 
drawn from the cow, that uleful animal, that eats- 
the grafs of the field, and fupplies us with thas 
which made the greateft part of the food of man- 
kind in the age which the poets have agreed to calB 
golden. It is made v/ith an egg, that miracle of 
nature, which the theoretical Burnet has comparecfc 
to creation. An egg contains v/ater within its beau- 
tiful fmooih furface ; and an unformed mafs, by 
the incubation of the parent, becomes a regular 
animal, furniflied with bones and finews, and co- 
vered with feathers. — Let us confider j can there be 
more wanting to complete the Meditation on a 
Padding I If more is wanting, more m.ay be found. 

k 



366 JOURNx-^L OF A TOUR 

It contains fak, which keeps the Tea from putre- 
fadion : fak, which is made the image of intellec- 
tual excellence, contributes to the formation of a 
pudding." 

' • In a Magazine I found a faying of Dr. Johnfon's, 
fomething to this purpofe j that the happieft part 
of a man's life is what he paffes lying awake In bed 
in the morning. I read it to him. He faid, " I 
may, perhaps, have faid this ; for nobody, at times, 
talks more laxly than I do." ! ventured to fugged 
to him, that this was dangerous from one of his 
authority. 

I fpoke of living in the country, and upon what 
footing one fhould be with neighbours. I obferved 
that fome people were afraid of being on too eafy a 
footing with them, from an apprehenfion that their 
time would not be their own. He made the obvi- 
ous remark, that it depended much on what kind 
of neighbours one has, whether it was defirable to 
be on an ealy footing with them, or not. I men- 
tioned a certain baronet, who told me, he never 
was happy in the country, till he was not on fpeak- 
ing terms with his neighbours, which he contrived 

in different ways to bring about. " Lord 

(faid he) ftuck along ; but at laft the fellow 
pounded my pigs, and then I got rid of him." — 
Johnfon. " Nay, fir, My Lord got rid of Sir 
John, and fhewed how little he valued him, by 
putting his pigs in the pound." 

I told Dr. Johnfon 1 was in fome diiiicuky how 
to ad at Inveraray. I had reafon to think that the 
Ducheis of Argyle difliked me, on account of my 
2eal in the Douglas caufe •, but the Duke of Argyle 

"had 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 367 

had always been pleafed to treat me with great ci- 
vility. They were now at the cadle, which is a 
very fhort walk from our inn ; and the queftion 
was, whether I ihould go and pay my refpedts there. 
Dr. Johnfon, to whom I had ftated the cafe, was 
clear that .1 ought ; but, in his ufual way, he was 
very (hy of dilcovering a defire to be invited there 
himfelf. Though from a conviflion of the benefit 
of fubordination to fociety, he has always ihewn 
great refpecft to perfons of high rank, when he 
happened to be in their company, yet his pride of 
charafler has ever made him guard againft any ap- 
pearance of courting the great. Befides, he was 
impatient to go to Glafgow, where he expected let- 
ters. At the fame time he was, I believe, fecretly 
not unwilling to have attention paid him by fo great 
a Chieftain, and fo exalted a nobleman. He in- 
filled that I fhould not go to the caftle this day be- 
fore dinner, as it would look like feeking an invi- 
tation. " But, (faid I,) if the duke invites us to 
dine with him to-morrow, fhall we accept.'"* — 
«' Yes, firj" I think he faid, " to be fure." But, 
he added, " He won't afk us !" — I mentioned, that 
I was afraid my company might be difagreeable to 
the duchefs. He treated this objedlion with a man- 
ly dildain : " That^ fir, he muft fettle with his wife.'* 
— We dined well. I went to the caftle juft about 
the time when I fuppofed the ladies would be retired 
from dinner. I fentin my name ; and, being Ihewn 
in, found the amiable duke fitting at the head of 
his table with feverai gentlemen. I v/as moft po- 
litely received, and gave his grace fome particulars 
©f the curious journey which I had been making 
with Dr. Johnfon. When we rofc from table, the 

duke 



368 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

duke faid to me, " I hope you and Dr. Johnfon 
will dine with us to-morrow." 1 thanked his grace j 
but told him, my friend was in a great hurry to get 
back to London. The duke, with a kind compla- 
cency, faid, " He will (lay one day -, and I will take 
care he fhall fee this place to advantage." I faid, I 
iliould be lure to let him know his grace's invitation. 
—As I was going away, the duke faid, "Mr, Bof- 
well, won't you have fome tea .''" — I thought it bell 
to get over the meeting with the duchefs this night; 
fo refpedlfully agreed. I was condudled to the 
drawing-room by the duke, who announced my 
name; but the duchefs, who was lilting with her 
daughter. Lady Betty Hamilton, and fome other 
ladies, took not the lead notice of me. I fliould 
have been mortified at being thus coldly received by 
a lady of whom I, with the reft of the world, have 
always entertained a very high admiration, had I not 
been confoled by the t)bliging attention of the 
duke. 

When I returned to the inn, I informed Dr. 
Johnfon of the Duke of Argyle's invitation, with 
which he was much pleafed, and readily accepted of 
it. — We talked of a violent conteft which was then 
carrying on, with a view to the next general eledion 
for Ayrlhire; where one of the candidates, in order 
to undermine the old and eftabliflied interell, had 
artfully held himfelf out as a champion for the in- 
dependency of the county againft ariftocratick in- 
fluence, and had perfuaded feveral gentlemen into 
a refolution to oppofe every candidate who was fup- 

ported by peers. " Foolifh fellov/s ! (faid Dr. 

Johnfon,) don't they fee that they are as much de- 
pendent upon the peers one way as the other. The 

peers 
I 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 365 

peers have hut to oppofe a candidate, to enfure hiin 
fticcefs. It is faid, the only way to make a pig go 
forward, is to pull him back by the tail. Thefe 
people muft be treated like pigs." 

Monday, 25/^ OBoher. 

My acquaintance, the Reverend Mr. Johrl 
M'Aulay, one of the Minifters of Inveraray, and 
brother to our good friend at Calder, came to us 
this morning, and accompanied us to the caftle, 
where I prefented Dr. Johnfon to the Duke of Ar- 
gyle. We were (hewn through the houfe •, and I 
never fiiall forget the impreffion made upon my 
fancy by fome of the ladies' maids tripping about 
in neat morning dreiTes. After feeing for a long 
time little but ruflicity, their lively manner, and 
gay inviting appearance, pleafed me ib much, thaC 
I thought, for the moment, I could have been a 
knight-errant for them *. 

We then got into a low one-horfe chair, ordered 
for us by the duke, in which we drove about the 
place. Dr. Johnfon was much ftruck by the gran- 
deur and elegance of this princely feat. He thought, 
however, the caftle too low, and wifhed it had been 

a flory higher He faid, " What I admire here, 

is the total defiance of expence." I had a particu- 
lar pride in fhewing him a great number of fine old 
trees, to compenfate for the nakednefs which had 
made fuch an imprelTion on him on the eaftern coaft 
of Scotland. 

B b When 

• On refleaion, at the diftance of feveral years, I wonder that my 
venerable fellow-traveller ftioiild have read this paffage without cen- 
furing my levity. 



370 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

When we came in, before dinner, we found the 
duke and fome gentlemen in the hall. Dr. Johnfon 
took much notice of the large colledion of arms, 
which are excellently difpofed there. I told what 
he had faid to Sir Alexander M'Donald, of his an- 
ceftors not fuffering their arms to ruft. " Well, 
(faid the dodtor,) but let us be glad we live in times 
when arms may ruft. We can fit to-day at his 
grace's table, without any rifk of being attacked, 
and perhaps fitting down again wounded or 
maimed." The duke placed Dr. Johnfon next 
himfelf at table. 1 was in fine fpirits ; and though 
fenfible that I had the misfortune of not being in fa- 
vour v;ith the duchels, I was not in the lead difcon- 
certed, and offered her grace fome of the dilh that 
was before me. It mull be owned that I was in the 
right to be quite unconcerned, if I could. I was 
the Duke of Argyle's gueft ; and I had no reafon to 
fuppofe that he adopted the prejudices and refent- 
ments of the Duchefs of Hamilton. 

I knew it was the rule of modern high life not to 
drink to any body j but, that I might have the fatis- 
fadion for once to look the duchefs in the face, with 
a glafs in my hand, I with a refpeftful air addreflbd 
her, — " My Lady Duchefs, I have the honour to 
drink your grace's good health." — I repeated the 
words audibly, and with a fteady countenance. 
This was, perhaps, rather too much ; but fome al- 
lowance muft be made for human feelings. 

The duchefs was very attentive to Dr. Johnfon. 
I know not how a middle Jiate came to be men- 
tioned. Her grace wiflied to hear him on that 
point. " Madam, (faid he,) your own relation, 
Mr. Aixhibald Campbell, can tell you better about 

it 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 371 

it than I can. He was a bifl:iop of the nonjuring 
communion, and wrote a book upon the fubjed*.'* 
— He engaged to get it for her grace. He after- 
wards gave a full hidory of Mr. Archib tld Camp- 
bell, which I am forry I do not recclle<5l particu- 
larly. He faid, Mr. Campbell had been bred a vio- 
lent Whig, but afterwards " kept l^sUer companyy 
and became a Tory." He faid this with a fmile, in 
pleafant allufion, as I thought, to the oppofition be- 
tween his own political principles and thofe of the 
duke's clan. He added that Mr. Campbell, after 
the Revolution, was thrown into gaol on account 
of his tenets i but, on application by letter to 
the old Lord Townfhend, was releafed : that he 
always fpoke of his Lordlhip with great gratitude, 
faying, •' though a PFhig, he had humanity." 

Dr. Johnfon and I pafled feme time together, in 
June 1784, at Pembroke college Oxford, with the 
Reverend Dr. Adams, the mafter ; and I having ex- 
prefied a regret that my note relative to Mr. Archi- 
bald Campbell was imperfed, he was then fo good 
B b 2 as 

* As this book is now become very fcarce, I fliall fubjoin the title, 
which is curious: 

" The Doflrines of a Middle State between Death and the Refur- 
«' reaion : Of Prayers for the Dead : And the Neceflity of Purifica- 
" tion ; plainly proved from the holy Scriptures, and the Writings 
*' of the Fathers of the Primitive Church : And acknowledged by fe- 
" veral learned Fathers and great Divines of the Church of Eng- 
" land and others fince the Reformation. To which is added, an 
*« Appendix concerning the Defcent of the Soul of Chriftinto Hell, 
«« while his Body lay in the Grave. Together with the Judgment 
*' of the Reverend Dr. Hickes concerning this Book, fo far as re- 
** lates to a Middle State, particular Judgment, and Prayers foi 
" the Dead as it appeared in the firft Edition. And a Manufcript 
«' of the Right Reverend Bi/hop Overall upon the Subject of a Mid- 
♦* die State, and never before printed. Alfo, a Prefervative againft 
«« feveral of the Errors of the Roman Church, in fix fmall Treatifes. 
" By the Honourable Archib.Hld Campbell." Folio, 1721. 



372 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

as to write with his own hand, on the blank page? 
of my Journal, oppofue to that which contains 
what I have now mentioned, the following para- 
graph •, which, however, is not quite lb full as the 
narrative he gave at Inveraray : 

" The Honourable Archibald Campbell ivas, I he^ 
*' lieve, the nephew of the Marquis of Argyle. He 
*' began life by engaging in Monmouth'' s rebellion^ 
** aiidy to efcape the law, lived feme time in Surinam. 
*' When he returned^ he became zealous for epifcopacy 
" and jnonarchy ; and at the Revolution adhered not 
*' only to the Nonjurors^ but to thofe who refiifed to 
*' communicate with the Church of England^ or to be 
*' prefent at any worfhip where the ufurper was men- 
*' tioned as king. He was^ I believe, m.ore than once 
*' apprehended in the reign of King William^ and once 
** at the acceffon of George. He was the familiar 
** friend of Hicks and Nelfon -, a man of letters^ hut 
*' injudicious ; and very curious and inquijjtive^ but 
" credulous. He lived in 1743, cr 44, about j^ 
" years eld." 

The fubjeifl of luxury having been introduced. 
Dr. Johnfon defended it. " We have now (faid 
he) a fplendid dinner before us ; Which of all thefe 
diihes is unwholfome ?" The duke afferted, that he 
had obferved the grandees of Spain diminifiied in 
their fize by luxury. Dr. Johnfon politely refrained 
from oppofing diredly an obfervation which the 
duke hhnfelf had made -, but faid, " Man muft be 
very different from other animals, if he is diminifii- 
ed by good living •, for the fize of ail other aniraafs 
is incrcafed by it." I made fome remark that feemed 
to imply a btlld in feco7tdJ/ght, The duchefs faid, 

" I fancy 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 373 

" I fancy you will be a Methodifi'^ — This was the 
only fentence her grace deigned to utter to me; and I 
take it for granted, fhe thought it a good hit on 
my credulity in the Douglas caufe. 

A gentleman in company, after dinner, was de- 
fircd by the duke to go to another room, for a fpeci- 
men of curious marble, which his grace wifhed to 
fliew us. He brought a wrong piece, upon which the 
duke fent him back again. He could not refufe ; but, 
to avoid any appearance of fervility, he whiftled as 
he walked out of the room, to fhow his indepen- 
dency. On my mentionmg this afterwards to Dr. 
Johnfon, he (aid, it was a nice trait of charafter. 

Dr. Johnfon talked a great deal, and was fo en- 
tertaining, that Lady Betty Hamilton, after dinner, 
went and placed her chair clofe to his, leaned upon 
the back of it, and liftened eagerly. It would have 
made a fine piflure to have drawn the Sage and her 
at this time in their feveral attitudes. He did not 
know, all the w^hile, how much he was honoured. 
I told him afterwards. I never law him fo gentle 
and complaifant as this day. 

We went to tea. The duke and I walked up and 
down the drawing-roorii, converfmg. The duchefs 
flill continued to fhew the fame marked coldnefs 
for me; for which, though I fuffered from it, I 
made every allowance, confidering the very warm 
part, that I had taken for Douglas, in the caufe in 
■which fhe thought her fon deeply inrerefted. Had 
not her grace dil'covered fome difpleafure towards 
me, I thouid have fufpefted her of infenfibility or 
dlffimulation. 

Her grace made Dr. Johnfon come and fit by her, 

and ;ifked him why he made his journey fo late in 

Bb 3 the 



374 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

the year. *' Why, madam, (faid he,) you know 
Mr. Bofwell muft attend the Court of Scfllon, and 
it does not rife till the twelfth of Auguft." — She 
faid, with fome fharpnefs, " I know nothing of Mr. 
Bofwell." Poor Lady Lucy Douglas, to whom I 
mentioned this, obferved, " She knew too much of 
Mr. Bofv/ell." 1 fliall make no remark on her 
grace's fpeech. I indeed felt it as rather too fevere ; 
but when 1 recolledled that my punifhment was in- 
fiifted by fo dignified a beauty, I had that kind of 
confolation which a man would feel who is ftrangled 
by a filken cord. Dr. Johnfon was all attention to 
her grace. He ufed afterwards a droll expreflion, 
upon her enjoying the three titles of Hamilton, 
Brandon, and Argyle. Borrowing an image from 
the Turkilh empire, he called her a Dtichefs with 
three tails. 

He was much pleafed with our vifit at the caftle 
of Inveraray. Ti.e Duke of Argyle was exceed- 
ingly polite to him, and, upon his complaining of 
the ihelties which he had hitherto ridden being too 
fmall for him, his grace told him he fliould be pro- 
vided with a o;ood horfe to carry him next day. 

Mr. John M'Aulay pafled the evening with us at 
our inn. When Dr. Johnfon fpoke of people whofe 
principles were good, but whofe pradice was faulty, 
Mr. M'Aulay faid, he had no notion of people be- 
ing in earneil in their good profeflions, whole prac- 
tice was not fuitable to them. The Dodor grew 
v^^arm, and faid, " Sir, you are fo grofsly ignorant 
of human nature, as not to know that a man may be 
very fincere in good principles, without having 
good praftice ?" 

Dr. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 375 

Dr. Johnfon was unqueftionably in the right ; 
and whoever examines himfelf candidly, will be fa- 
tisfied of it, though the inconfiftency between prin- 
ciples and pradice is greater in fome men than in 
others. 

I recoUeJt very little of this night's converfation. 
I am ferry that indolence came upon me rewards 
the conclufion of our journey, fo that I did not 
write down what pafied with the fame afiiduity as 
during the greatefl part of it. 

Tuefday^ 7.6th OBoher. 

Mr. M'Aulay breakfafted with us, nothing hurt 
or difmayed by his laft night's correction. Being a 
man of good fenfe, he had a juft admiration of 
Dr. Johnfon. 

Either yefterday morning, or this, I commu- 
nicated to Dr. Johnfon, from Mr. M'Aulay's infor- 
mation, the news that Dr. Beattie had got a penfion 
of two hundred pounds a year. He lat up in his 
bed, clapped his hands, and cried, " O brave we!"— 
a peculiar exclamation of his when he rejoices *. 

As we fat over our tea, Mr. Home's Tragedy of 
"Douglas was mentioned. I put Dr. Johnfon in mind, 
that once, in a cofFee-houfe at Oxford, he called to 
old Mr. Sheridan, " How came you. Sir, to give 
Home a gold medal for writing that foolifh play ?'* 
and defied Mr. Sheridan to fliew ten good lines in it. 
He did not infill they fliould be together ; but that 
there were not ten good lines in the whole play. He 
nowperfifted in this. I endeavoured to defend that 
B b 4 pathetick 

* Having mentioned, more than once, that my Journal was perufed 
by Dr. Johnfon, I think it proper to inform my readers that this is 
the laft paragraph which he read. 



376 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

pathetick and beautiful tragedy, and repeated the 
following paiTage : 

" — — •- " Sincerity, 

" Thou firft orvirtues ! let no mortal kave 

*• Thy onward path, although the earth Ihould gape, 

** And from thegulph of hell deftrudion ery, 

^' To take diffimulation's winding way." 

Johnfon. " That will not do, fir. Nothing is good 
but what is confiftent with truth or probability, 
which this is not. Juvenal, indeed, gives us a noble 
pidlure of inflexible virtue : 

*' Ejio bonus 7niles, tutor bonus, arbiter idem 
*' Integer : mnbigu/z Jl quando citabere tejlis, 
^? Incertaque rei, Phalaris licet imperet, ut Jis 
*' FalfuSy et admoto di£iet perjuria tauro, 
** Summum crede nejas animam praferre pudori , 
*' Et propter 'vito.vi iji~oendi perdere caujas *." 

He repeated the lines with great force and dig- 
nity ; then added, "And, after this, comes Johnny 
Home, with his earth gaping, and his dejiru^Aon cry^ 
;>;^;_Pooh!"t 

While 

• An honed guardian, arbitrator Juft, 

Ee thou ; thy ftation deem a iacred truft. 
With thy good fword maintain thy country's caufe : 
In every aftion venerate its laws : 
The lie i'uborn'd if falfely ui'g'd to fwear. 
Though torture wait thee, torture firmly bear j 
To forfeit honour, think the higheft Oianie, 
And life too dearly bought by lofs of fame j 
Nor, to preferve it, with thy virtue give 
That for.which only man fliould wiHi to live. 
For this and the other tranflations to which no fignature is affixed, 

I am indebted to the friend whofe obfervations are mentioned in the 

pptes, p. 78 and 503. 

+ I am ferry that I was unlucky in my quotation. But nofwithr 

fianding the acutenel's of Dr. Johnlon's cnticilm, and tht power of 

his ridicule, the Tragedy of Douglas Hill continues to be generally 

{|knd defifvedly admired. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 377 

While we were lamenting the number of ruined 
religious buildings which we had lately feen, I 
fpoke with peculiar feeling of the miferable negled: 
of the chapel belonging to the palace of Holyrood- 
houfe, in which are depofited the remains of many 
of the Kings of Scotland, and of many of our no- 
bility. 1 faid, it was a cifgrace to the country that 
it was not repaired: and particularly complained 
that my friend Douglas, the reprefentativeof a great 
houfe, and proprietor of a valt eftate, (hould fuf- 
fer the facred fpot where his mother lies interred, to 
be unroofed, and expofed to all the inclemencies of 
the weather. Dr. Johnfon, who, I know not how, 
had formed an opinion on the Hamilton fide, in the 
Douglas caufe, flily anfwered, " Sir, fir, don't be too 
fevere upon the gentleman ; don't accufe him of 
want of filial piety ! Lady Jane Douglas was not 
his mother." — He roufed my zeal fo much that I 
took the liberty to tell him he knew nothing of the 
caufe ; which I do mofl ferioufly believe was the 
cafe. 

We were now " in a country of bridles and fad- 
dies," and fet out fully equipped. The Duke of 
Argyle was obliging enough to mount Dr. Johnfon 
on a ftately fteed from his grace's ftable. My friend 
was highly pleafed, and Jofeph faid, " He now 
looks like a bifhop," 

We dined at the inn at Tarbat, and at night came 
to Roledow, the beautiful feat of Sir James Colqu- 
houn, on the banks of Lochlomond, where I, and 
any friends whom I have introduced, have ever been 
received with kind and elegant hofpitality. 

JVednefday^ 



378 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Wednefday, 2yth 05ioher. 
When I went into Dr. Johnfon*s room this morn- 
ing, I obferved to him how wonderfully courteous he 
had been at Inveraray, and faid, " You were quite a 
fine gentleman, when with the duchefs." He an- 
Iwered, in good humour, " Sir, I look upon myleif 
as a very polite man :" and he was right, in a proper 
jnanly fenfe of the word. As an immediate proof 
of it, let meobferve, that he would not fend back the 
Duke of Argyle's horfe without a letter of thanks, 
which I copied. 

To his Grace the Duke of Akgylz, 
*' My Lord, 

" THAT kindnefs which difpofed your 
grace to fupply me with the horfe, which I have now 
returned, will make you pleafed to hear that he has 
carried me well. 

" By my diligence in the little commifiion with 
which I was honoured by the duchefs, I will endea- 
vour to Ihew how highly I value the favours which 
I have received, and how much I defire to be 
thought, 

«' My lord, 
** Your grace's moft obedient, 
" and moft humble fervant, 

*' Sam. Johnson." 

Rofedow, Oa, 29, 1773, 

The duke was fo attentive to his refpeftable gueft, 
that on the fame day, he wrote him an anfvver, 
which was received at Auchinleck : 



r# 



TO TPIE HEBRIDES. 379 

To Br. Johnson, AucUnleck^ JyrJI:ire, 
« Sir, 

*' I am glad to hear your journey from this 
place v/as not unpleafant, in regard to your horfe. 
I vvifli I could have fupplied you with good weather, 
which I am afraid you felt the want of. 

" The Duchefs of Argyle defires her compli- 
ments to yo'j, and is much obliged to you for re- 
membering her commiffion. I am, fir, 

" Your moil obedient humble fervant, 

" Argyle." 

Inveraray, 061. 29, 1773. 

I am happy to infert every memorial of the ho- 
nour done to my great friend. Indeed, I was at all 
times defirous to preferve the letters which he re- 
ceived from eminent perfons, of which, as of all 
other papers, he was very negligent ; and I once 
propoled to him, that they (hould be commiuted to 
my care, as his Cujios Rotulorum^ I wifli he had 
complied with my requeft, as by that means many 
valuable writings might have been preferved, that 
are now loft*. 

After breakfaft, Dr, Johnfon and I were furnilhed 
with a boat, and failed about upon Locklomond, 
and landed on fome of the iflands which are inter- 

fperfed, 

* As a remarkable inftanceofhis negligence, I remember fome 
years ago to have found lying loofe in his ftudy, and without the 
covei", which contained the addrefs, a letter to him from Lord Thur- 
low, to whom he had made an application as Chancellor, in behalf of 
a poor literary friend. It was exprefled in fuch terms of refpeft for Dr, 
Johnfon, that, in my zeal for his reputation, I remoniliated warmljr 
with him on his ftrange inattention, and obtained his permifllon to 
take a copy of it; by v.'hich probably it has been preferved, as the 
original 1 have reafun to fuppofe is loli. 



380 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

fperied. Pie v/as much pleafed with the fcenc, 
which is To well known by the accounts of various 
travellers, that it is unnecelTary for me to attempt 
any defcription of it. 

I recollect none of his converfation, except that, 
■when talking of drefs, he laid, " Sir, were I to 
have any thing fine, it fhould be very fine. Were 
1 to wear a ring, it Ihould not be a bauble, but a 
Hone of great value. Were I to wear a laced or 
embroidered waiftcoat, it fhould be very rich. I 
had once a very rich laced waiftcoat, which I wore 
the firft night of my tragedy." 

Lady Helen Colquhoun being a very pious wo- 
man, the converfation, after dinner, to-k a religious 
turn. Her ladyfhip defended the crefbyterian mode 
of publick worfhip ; upon which Dr. Johnibn de- 
livered thofe excellent arguments for a form of prayer 
which he has introduced into his " journey." I am 
myfelf fully convinced that a form of prayer for 
publick worfliip is in general mod decent and edi- 
fying. Scknnia verba have a kind of prefcriptive 
fanftity, and make a deeper imprefTion on the mind 
than extemporaneous eftufions, in which, as we 
know not what they are to be, we cannot readily 
acquiefce. Yet I would allow alfo of a certain por- 
tion of extempore addrefs, as occafion may require. 
This is the pradice of the French Proteflant 
churches. And although the ofHce of forming fup- 
plications to the throne of Heaven is, in my mind, 
too great a truft to be indifcriminately commincd 
to the difcretion of every miniflcr, 1 do not mean 
to deny that fincere devotion may be experienced 
when joining in prayer with thofb who uie no 
X^iturgy. 

We 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 381 

We were favoured 'with Sir James Colquhoun's 
coach to convey us in the evening to Cameron, the 
feat of Commiffary Smollet, Our fatisfa6tion of 
finding ourfelves again in a comfortable carriage 
was very great. We had a pleafing conviction of 
the commodioufnefs of civilization, and heartily 
laughed at the ravings of thofe abfurd vifionaries 
who have attempted to perfuade us of the fuperior 
advantages of ^Jiate of nature. 

Mr. Smollet was a man of confiderable learning, 
with abundance of animal fpirits ; fo that he was a 
very good companion for Dr. Johnfon, who faid to 
me, " We have had more folid talk here than at any 
place where we have been." 

I remember Dr. Johnfon gave us this evening 
an able and eloquent difcourfc on the Origin of Evil, 
and on the confiftency of moral evil v/ith the power 
and goodnels of God. He fliewed us how it arofe 
from our free agency, an extinction of which would 
be a ftill greater evil than any we experience. I 
know not that he faid any thing abfolutely new, but 
he faid a great deal wonderfully well •, and perceiv- 
ing us to be delighted and fatisfied, he concluded 
his harangue with an air of benevolent triumph 
over an objeftion which has diftreiTed many worthy 
minds : " This then is the anfwer to the queftion, 
IIoOeu to Kcixov ?" — Mrs. Smollet whifpered me, that 
it was the bed fermon flie had ever heard. Much 
do I upbraid myfelf for having ncglcded to pre- 
ferve it. 

Tburfday, iSlb Ocfcher. 
Mr. Smollet pleafed Dr. Johnfon, by producing 
a collcdion of news-papers in the time of the Ufurpa- 

tion. 



^%^ JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

tion, from which it appeared that all forts of crimes 
were very frequent during that horrible anarchy. 
By the fide of the high road to Glalgow, at fome 
diftance from his houfe, he had ere6led a pillar to 
the memory of his ingenious kinfman, Dr. Smollet; 
and he confuked Dr. Johnfon as to an infcnption 
for it. Lord Karnes, who, though he had a great 
(tore of knowledge, with much ingenuity, and un- 
common activity of mind, was no profound fcholar, 
had it feems recommended an Englifh infcription. 
Dr. Johnfon treated this with great contempt, fay- 
ing, " An Englilh infcription would be a difgrace 
to Dr. Smollet-," and, in anfvver to what Lord 
Kames had urged, as to the advantage of its being 
in Englifh, becaufe it would be generally under- 
ilood, I obferved, that all to whom Dr. SmoUct's 
merit could be an objeft of re'ped and imitation, 
would underftand i[ as well in Latin ; and that fure- 
ly it was not meant for the Highland drovers, or 
other fuch people, who pafs and repafs that way. 

We were then fhewn a Latin infcription, pro- 
pofed for this monument. Dr. Johnfon fat down 
with an ardent and liberal earneftnefs to revife it, 
and o-reatly improved it by feveral additions and 
variations. 1 unfortunately did not take a copy of 
it, as it originally flood; but I have happily pre- 
ferved every fragment of what Dr. Johnfon wrote : 

^u'tfquis ades, vlaicr, 

Vel mente fcUx, vcljludiis cultus, 

Immorare paululum meynor'ics 

T O B I iS SMOLLET M. D. 

Viri lis vlrtutibus 



Et laudes^ et miteris^ 
• « ^ « « 



Pof^t 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 383 

Pojiquam m'lra * * * 

# * * * 

Tali tantoque viro^fuo patrueli, 

* ^ * * ^ if: 

Hanc columnam.y 

AmorU eheu ! inane monumentum^ 

In ipfis Levinia ripis., 

^as primis infans vagitibus perfonuit, 

Verjiculifque ja?n fere moriturus illujiravity 

Ponendain curavit * 

******** 

We 

* The epitaph which has been infciibed on the pillar erefled on 
the banks of the Leven, in honour of Dr. Sniollet, is as follows. 
The part which was written by Dr. Johnfon, it appears, has beea 
altered ; whether for the better, the reader will judge. The altera- 
tions are diltinguiflied by Italicks. 

Sifte viator '. 

Si lepores Ingeniique veiiam benignam. 

Si inorum callidiflimum pit^orem, 

Unquam es miratus, 

Immorare paululuni memorise 

T O B I ^ S M O L L E T, M. D. 

Viri virtutibus kifce 

Quas in honiine et cive 

Et laudes et imitcris. 

Hand mediocriter ornati : 

Qu^i in literis variis verfatus, 

Pollquam felicitate _/?ii propria. 

Sefe pofteris commendaverat, 

Morte acerba raptus 

Anno aetatis 51 

Eheu! quam prociil a patria! 

Prope Liburni portum in Italia, 

Jacet fepiiltus. 

Tali tantoque viro, patruejl fuo, 

Cui in decurlu lampada 

Se potius tradidilFe decuit, 

Hanc Columnam, 

Amorls, eheu! inane nionumentum 

In ipfis Levinia; ripis, 

Quas 'vsrficulis fub exilu 'vi;<e illujlratas 

Primis 



384 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

We had this morning a fingular proof of Dr. 
Johnfon's quick and retentive memory. Hay's 
tranfiacion of Martial was lying in a window, I iaid, 
I thought it was pretty well done, and fhewed him 
a particular epigram, I think, often, but am cer- 
tain of eight, lines. He read it, and tolled away 
the book, faying — " No, it is not pretty well." As 
I perfifted in my opinion, he faid, *' Why, fir, 
the original is thus," — (and he repeated it;) '* and 
this man's tranflation is thus," — and then he re- 
peated that alio, exaftly, though he had rever feen 
it before, and read it over only once, and that too, 
without any intention of getting it by heart. 

Here a poft-chaife, which I had ordered from 
Glafgow, came for us, and we drove on in high 
fpirits. We flopped at Dunbiirton, and though 
the approach to the caftle there is very fteep, Dr. 
Johnibn afcended it with alacrity, and furveyed all 
that was to be feen. During the whole of our Tour 
he fhewed uncommon fpirit, could not bear to be 
treated like an old or infirm man, and was very un- 
willing to accept of any affiftance, infomuch that, 
at our landing at Icolmkill, when Sir Allan M'Lean 
and I fubmitted to be carried on men's flioulders 
from the boat to the fliore, as it could not be 
brought quite clofe to land, he fprang into the fea, 
and waded vigoroufly out. 



On 



Piimis infans vagitibus perfonin't, 

Ponendam curavit 

Jacobus Smolljt de Bonhil! 

Abi et reminifcere. 

Hoc qnidem honore, 

Non modo defunJli memorial, 

Verum etiam exempio, piof^ieftum eflej 

Aliis eiiim, fi niodo digni fint. 

Idem eiit virtutis prrsmiurn I 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 385 

On our arrival at the Saracen's Head Inn, at 
Glafgow, I was made happy by good accounts from 
home -, and Dr. Johnlbn, who had not received a 
fingle letter fince we left Aberdeen, found here a 
great many, the pcrufal of which entertained him 
much. He enjoyed in imagination the comforts 
which we could now command, and leemed to be 
in high gke. I remember, he put a leg up on 
each fide of the grate, and faid, with a mock fo* 
lemnity, by way of foliloquy, but loud enough for 
me to hear it, " Here am i, an English man, fit- 
ting by a coal fire." 

Friday, i^th OBoher. 

The profefibrs of the? univerfity being informed 
of our arrival. Dr. Sc-evenfon, Dr. Reid, and Mr. 
Anderfon, breakfafted with us. Mr. Anderfon ac- 
companied us while Dr. Johnfon viewed this beau- 
tiful city. He had told me, that one day in Lon- 
don, when Dr. Adam Smith was boafting of ir, ht 
turned to him and faid, " Pray, fir, have you evet 
^ttw Brentford ?" — T'his was furely a ftrong inftance 
of his impatience, and fpirit of contradi6tion. I put 
him in mind of it to-day, while he expreflfed his ad- 
mir..Jon of the elegant buildings, and whifpered 
him, " Don't you feel fome remorfe ?" 

We were received in the college by a number of 
the profefibrs, who fiiewed all due refped to Dr." 
Johnfon ; and then we paid a vifit to the principal. 
Dr. Leechman, at his own houfe, where Dr. John- 
fon had the fatisfadion of being told that his name 
had been gratefully celebrated in one of the paro-' 
chial congregations in the Highlands, as the perfon 
to whofc influence it was chiefly owing, that the 
Cc Nevsr 



386 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

New Teftament was allowed to be tranflated fnto 
the Erfe language. It feems fome political mem- 
bers of the Society in Scotland for propagating 
Chriftian Knowledge, had oppofed this pious under- 
taking, as tending to prelerve the diftindion be- 
tween the Highlanders and Lowlanders. Dr. John- 
fon wrote a long letter upon the fubjed to a friend, 
which being Ihewn to them, made them aftiamed, 
and afraid of being publickly expofed ; fo they 
were forced to a compliance. It is now in my pof- 
feflion, and is, perhaps, one of the bell produflions 
of his mafterly pen. 

ProfefTors Reid and Anderfon, and the two 
Meflieurs Foulis, the Elzevirs of Glafgow, dined 
and drank tea with us at our inn, after which the 
profeflbrs went away, and I, having a letter to 
write, left my fellow-traveller with Meflieurs Foulis, 
Though good and ingenious men, they had that un- 
fettled fpeculative mode of converfation which is 
ofFenfive to a man regularly taught at an Englifli 
fchool and univerfity. I found that, inflead of 
liftening to the didates of the Sage, they had teazed 
him with quellions and doubtful difputations. He 
came in a flutter to me, and deflred I might come 
back again, for he could not bear thefe men. " O 
ho ! fir, (faid I,) you are flying to me for refuge !" 
He never, in any fituation, was at a lofs for a ready 
repartee. He anfwered, with quick vivacity, " It 
is of two evils chooflng the leaft." I was delighted 
with this flafli burfiring from the cloud which hung 
upon his mind, clofed my letter diredly, and joined 
the company. 

We fupped at profeflbr Anderfon's. The gene- 
ral impreflTion upon my memory is, that we had not 

much 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 387 

much converfation at Glafgow, where the profeflbrs, 
like their brethren at Aberdeen, did not venture 
to expofe themfelves much to the battery of cannon 
which they knew might play upon them. Dr. John- 
fon, who was fully confcious of his own fuperior 
powers, afterwards praifed Principal Robertfon for 
his caution in this refpeft. He faid to me, *' Ro- 
bertfon, fir, was in the right. Robertfon is a man 
of eminence, and the head of a college at Edin- 
burgh. He had a chara6ler to maintain, and did 
well not to rifk its being leflened.'* 

Saturday, 2'^th OEloher. 

We fet cut towards Ayrfhire. I fent Jofeph on 
to Loudoun, with a meffage, that, if the earl was 
at home, Dr. Johnfon and I would have the honour 
to dine with him. Jofeph met us on the road, and 
reported that the earl *"• jumped for joy ^^ and faid, 
" I fhall be very happy to fee them.'* — We were re- 
ceived with a mofl pleafing courtefy by his lordfhip, 
and by the countefs his mother, who, in her ninety- 
fifth year, had alJ her faculties quite unimpaired. 
This was a very cheering fight to Dr. johnfon, who 
had an extraordinary defire for long life. Her lady- 
fliip was fenfible and well-informed, and had i^txi 
a great deal of the world. Her lord had held feveral 
high offices, and flie was filler to the great Earl of 
Stair. 

I cannot here refrain from paying a juft tribute 
to the character of John Earl of Loudoun, who did 
more fervice to the county of Ayr in general, as 
well as to individuals in it, than any man we have 
ever had. It is painful to think that he met with 
much ingratitude from perfons both in high and 
C c 2 low 



388 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

low rank : but fuch was his temper, fuch his know- 
ledge of " bafe mankind *," that, as if he had ex- 
pefted no other return, his mind was never foured, 
and he retained his good-humour and benevolence 
to the laft. The tendernefs of his heart was proved 
in 1745-6, when he had an important command in 
the Highlands, and behaved with a generous hu- 
manity to the unfortunate. I cannot figure a more 
honeft politician ; for, though his intereft in our 
county was great, and generally fuccefsful, he not 
only did not deceive by fallacious promifes, but 
was anxious that people fhould not deceive them- 
felves by too fanguine expeftations. His kind and 
dutiful attention to his m.other was una^emitted. 
At his houfe w^as true hofpitaiity •, a plain but a 
plentiful table; and every gueft, being kft at per- 
feft freedom, felt himfelf quite eafy and happy. 
While I live, I fhali honour the memory of this 
amiable man. 

At night, we advanced a few miles farther, to 
the houle of Mr. Campbell of Treelbank, who was 
married to one of my vvife's fiilers, and were en- 
tertained very agreeably by a worthy couple. 

Sunday y 3 ijl OEloher. 

We repofed here in tranquillity. Dr. Johnfon was 
pleafed to find a numerous and excellent coUedlion 
of books, which had moftly belonged to the Re- 
verend Mr. John Campbell, brother of our hoft. 
I was denrous to have procured for my fellow tra- 
veller, to-day, the company of Sir John Cuning- 
hame, of Caprington, whofe caftle was but- two 
miles from us. He was a very diftinguifhed fcholar,- 

was 

* The unwilling gratitKcIe of bafe mankind. Pope. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 389 

long abroad, and during part of the time lived much 
with the karned Cuninghame, the opponent of 
Bentley as a critick upon Horace. He wrote Latin 
with great elegance, and, what is very remarkable, 
read Homer and Ariofto through every year. I 
wrote to him to requeft he would come to us ; but 
unfortunately he was prevented by indifpofition. 

Monday^ ijl November. 
Though Dr. Johnlbn was lazy, and averfe to 
move, I infifted that hefhould go with me, and pay 
a vifit to the Countefs of Eglintoune, mother of 
the late and prefent earl. I afllired him, he would 
find himfelf amply recompenfed for the trouble; 
and he yielded to my Iblicitations, though with Ibme 
unwiliingnefs. We were well mounted, and had 
not many miles to ride. He talked of the attention 
that is neceflary in order to diftribute our charity ju- 
dicioufly. " If thoughtlefsly done, we may negleft 
the molt deferving objefls ; and, as every man has 
but a certain proporiion to give, if it is lavifhed 
upon thofe who firft prefent themfelves, there may- 
be nothing left for fuch as have a better claim. A 
man fhould firft relieve thofe who are nearly con- 
nefted with him, by whatever tie ; and then, if he 
has any thing to fpare, may extend his bounty to 3 
wider circle." 

As we paifed very near the caftle of Dundonald, 
which was one of the many refidencies of the kings 
of Scotland, and in which Robert the Second lived 
and died, Dr. Johnfon wifhed to furvey it particu- 
larly. It {lands on a beautiful rifing ground, which 
is feen at a great diflance on feveral quarters, and 
from whence there is an extenfive profpeft of the 
C c 3 rich 



390 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

rich diftrift of Cuninghame, the weftern fea, the 
ifle of Arran, and a part of the northern coaft of 
Ireland. It has long been unroofed ; and, though 
of confiderable fize, we could not, by any power of 
imagination, figure it as having been a fuitable ha- 
bitation for majefty. Dr. Johnfon, to irritate my 
eld Scottijh enthufiafm, was very jocular on the 
homely accommodation of " King Bob" and roared 
and laughed till the ruins echoed. 

Lady Eglintoune, though Ihe was now in her 
eighty-fifth year, and had lived in the retirement of 
the country 'for almoft half a century, was ftill a 
very agreeable woman. She was of the noble houfe 
of Kennedy, and had all the elevation which the 
confcioufnefs of fuch birth infpires. Her figure was 
majeftick, her manners high-bred, her reading ex- 
tenfive, and her converfation elegant. She had 
been the admiration of the gay circles of life, and 
the patronefs of poets. Dr. Johnfon was delighted 
with his reception here. Her principles in church 
and ftate were congenial with his; She knew all 
his merit, and had heard much of him from her 
fon. Earl Alexander, who loved to cultivate the 
acquaintance of men of talents, in every depart- 
ment. 

All who knew his lordfhip, will allow that his 
iinderftanding and accompliftiments were of no or- 
dinary rate. From the gay habits which he had 
early acquired, he fpent too much of his time with 
men, and in purl'uits far beneath fuch a mind as 
his. He afterwards became fenfible of it, and 
turned his thoughts to objeds of importance ; but 
was cut off in the prime of his life. I cannot fpeak, 
but with emotions of the moft afFedionate regret, 
4 of 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 391 

dF one, in whofe company many of my early days 
were pafTed, and to whofe kindnefs I was much in- 
debted. 

Often muft I have cccafion to upbraid myfelf, 
that foon after our return to the main land, I allowed 
indolence to prevail over me fo much, as to fhrink 
from the labour of continuing my journal with the 
fame minutenefs as before ; fheltering myfelf in the 
thought, that we had done with the Hebrides ; and 
not confidering, that Dr. Johnfon's Memorabilia 
were likely to be more valuable when we were re- 
ftored to a more poliflied fociety. Much has thus 
been irrecoverably loft. 

In the courfe of cur converfation this day, it 
came out, that Lady Eglintoune was married the 
year before Dr. Johnfon was born ; upon which IHe 
gracioufly faid to him, that Ihe might have been his 
mother ; and that fhe now adopted him ; and when 
we were going away, fhe embraced him, faying, 
*' My dear fon, farewell !" — My friend was much 
pleafed with this day's entertainment, and ownec^ 
^hat I had done well to force him out, 

Tuefday, 2d November, 

'Vie were now in a country not only " of faddks 
and bridles,^' but of poft-chaifes ; and having orderec} 
one from Kilmarnock, we got to Auchinleck be- 
fore dinner. 

My father was not quite a year and a half older 
than Dr. Johnfon ;. but his confcientious difcharge 
of his laborious duty as a judge in Scotland, where 
the law proceedings are almoft all in writing, — a fe- 
vere complaint which ended in his death, — and the 
lofs of my mother, a woman of almoft unexampled 
Cc 4 piety 



392 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

piety and goodnefs, — had before this time in fome 
degree aflfeded his fpirits, and rendered him lefs 
diipoled to exert his tacukie.x : for he had originally 
a very ftrong mind, and cheerful temper. He 
aflured me, he never had felt one moment of what 
is called low fpirits, or uncafinefs, without a real 
caufe. He had a great many good (lories, which 
he told uncommonly well, and he was remarkable 
for " humour, incolumi gravitate" as Lord Mon- 
boddo ufed to characlerife it. His age, his office, 
and his charader, had long given him an acknow» 
ledged claim to great attention, in whatever compa- 
ny he was ; and he could ill brook any diminution 
of it. He was as fanguine a Wh g and Prtfby- 
terian, as Dr. Johnfon was a Tory and church of 
England man : and as he had not m-uch leifuie to 
be informed of Dr. Johnfon's great merits by read- 
ing his works, he had a partial and unfavourable 
notion ot him, founded on his fuppofed political 
tenets •, which were lb difcordant to his own, thar, 
inftead of fpeaking of him with that refped to which 
he was entitled, he ufed to call him " a Jacobite 
fellow.''* Knowing all this, I (hould not have ven- 
tured to bring them together, had not my father, 
out of kindneis to me, defired me to invite Dr, 
Johnfon to his houfe. 

1 was very anxious that all iliould be well ; and 
begged of my friend to avoid three topicks, as to 
which thev differed very widely, Whiggifm, Pref- 
byterianifm, and — Sir John Pringle. He faid 
courteoufly, " I fhall certainly not talk on lubjeds 
which I am told are difagreeable to a gentleman 
under whofe roof I am j efpecially, 1 Ihall not do 
fo to your father '\ 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 393 

Our firft day went off very fmoothly. It rained, and 
we could not get out; but my father fhewed Dr. 
Johnlbn his library, which, in curious editions of 
the Greek, and Roman clafficks, is, 1 fuppo!e, not 
excelled by any private collection in Great Britain. 
My father had ihidied at Leyden, and ^Deen very 
intimate with the Gronovii, and other learned men 
there. He was a found fcholar, and, in particular, 
had collated manufcripts and different editions of 
Anacreon, and others of the Greek Lyrick poets, 
with great care ; lb that my friend and he had much 
matter for converfation, without touching on the 
fatal topicks of difference. 

Dr. Johnfon found here Baxter's Anacreon^ which 
he told me he had long enquired for in vain, and 
began to fufpeft there was no iuch book. Baxter 
was the keen antagonift of Barnes. His life is in 
the Biographia Britannica. My father has written 
many notes on this book, and Dr. Johnfon and I 
talked of having it reprinted. 

Wednefday^ ^d November. 

It rained all day, and gave Dr. Johnfon an im- 
preffion of that incommodioufnefs of climate in the 
weft, of which he has taken notice in his " Journey ;'* 
but, being well accommodated, and furnifhed with 
variety of books, he was not diffatisfied. 

Some gentlemen of the neighbourhood came to 
vlfit m)* tather ; but there was little converfation. 
One of them afked Dr. Johnfon how he liked the 
Highlands. The queftion i'ecmed to irritate him, 
for lie anfwered, " How, fir, can you afk me what 
obliges me to fpeak unfavourably of a country 
where 1 have been hofpitably entertained ? Who can 

like 
3 



394 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

like the the Highlands? — I like the inhabitants 

very well." — The gentleman afked no more quef- 

tions. 

Lee me now make up for the prefent negledV, by 
again gleaning from the paft. At Lord Monboddo's, 
after the converfation upon the decreafe of learning 
in England, his Lordlhip mentioned Hermes by Mr. 
Harris of Salilbury, as the work of a living authour, 
for whom he had a great refpeifl. Dr. Johnfon faid 
nothing at the time -, but when we were in our poft- 
chaife, told me, he tliought Harris " a coxcomb.** 
This he faid of him, not as a man, but as an au- 
thour ; and I give his opinions of men and books, 
faithfully, whether they agree with my own, or not. 
I do admit, that there always appeared to me fome- 
thing of affeftation in Mr. Harris's manner of 
writing •, fomething of a habit of clothing plain 
thoughts in analytick and categorical formality. 
But all his writings are imbued with learning ; and 
ail breathe that philanthropy and amiable difpofi- 
tion, which diflinguilhed him as a man*. 

At another time, during our Tour, he drew the 
charader of a rapacious Highland Chief with the 

ftrength 

* This gentleman, though devoted to the ftudy of grammar and 
diale6\icks, was not lb ablbrbed in it as to be without a fenfe of 
pleafantry, or to be offended at his favourite topiclcs being treated 
lightly. I one day met him in the ftreet, as I was haftening to 
the Houfe of Lords, and told him, I was forry I could not ftop, 
being rather too late to attend an appeal of the Duke of Hamilton 
againft Douglas. " I thought (faid he) their conteft had been 
over long ago." I anfwered, "The conteft concerning Douglas's 
filiation was over long ago 5 but the conteft now is, who ftiall have 
the eftate." Then, afluming the air of " an antient fage pliilofopher," 
I proceeded thus : ' Were 1 io predicate concerning him, I fliould 
Jay, the conteft formerly was, What /x he? The conteft now is. 
What has he ? ' — " Right, (replied Mr. Harris, fmiling,) you have 
done with quality, and have got into ^uantitjC 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 395 

ftrength of Thcophraftus or la Briiyere •, concluding 
with thefe words : " Sir, he has no more the foul 
of a Chief, than an attorney who has twenty houfes 
in a ftreet, and confiders how much he can make by 
them." 

He this day, when we were by ourfelves, ob- 
ferved, how common it was for people to talk from 
books ; to retail the fentiments of others, and not 
their own -, in fhort, to converfe without any origi- 
nality of thinking. He was pleafed to fay, " You 
and I do not talk from books." 

Thurfday, ^.ih November. 

I was glad to have at length a very fine day, on 
which I could fhew Dr. Johnfon the Place of my 
family, which he has honoured with fo much atten- 
tion in his " Journey." He is, however, miltakea 
in thinking that the Cekick name, Auchinleck^ has 
no relation to the natural appearance of it. I be- 
lieve every Cekick name of a place will be found 
very defcriptive. Auchinleck does not fignify z. ftony 
fields as he has faid, but a field of flag Jiones ; and 
this place has a number of rocks, which abound in 
ftrata of that kind. The " fullen dignity of the old 
caftle," as he has forcibly exprefied it, delighted 
him exceedingly. On one fide of the rock on which 
its ruins ftand, runs the river Lugar, which is here 
of confiderable breadth, and is bordered by other 
high rocks, Ihaded with wood. On the other fide 
runs a brook, fkirted in the fame manner, but on 
a fmaller fcale. 1 cannot figure a more romantick 
fcene. 

I felt myfelf elated here, and expatiated to my 
illuftrious Mentor on the antiquity and honourable 

alliances 



396 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

alliances of my family, and on the merits of its 
founder, Thomas Bofwell, who was highly favoured 
by his fovereign, James IV. of Scotland, and fell 
with him at the battle of Flodden- field ; and in the 
glow of what, I am fenfible, will, in a com.mercial 
age, be confidered as genealogical enthuriafm, did 
not omit to mention what 1 was fure my friend would 
not think lightly of, my relation to the Royal Per- 
ibnage, whofe libenlity, on his acceflion to the 
throne, had given him comfort and independence. 
1 have, in a former page, acknowledged my pride 
of ancient blood, in which 1 was encouraged by 
Dr. Johnfon : my readers therefore vv^iil not be fur- 
prifed at my having indulged it on this occafion. 

Not far from the old caftle is a fpot of confe- 
crated earth, on which may be traced the founda- 
tions of an ancient chapel, dedicated to St. Vincent, 
and where in old times " was the place of graves" 
for the family. It grieves me to think that the remains 
of fandity here, vv'hich were confiderable, were drag- 
ged away, and employed in building a part of the 
houfe of Auchinleck, of the middle age; which was 
the family refidence, till my father erefled that 
*' elegant modern manfion," of which Dr. Johnfon 
Ipeaks fo handfomely. Perhaps this chapel may 
one day be reitored. 

Dr. Johnfon was pleafed, when I fhewed him 
fome venerable old trees, under the fliade of which 
my anceftors had walked. He exhorted me to plant 
affiduoufly, as my father had done to a great ex- 
tent. 

As I wandered with my reverend friend in the 
groves of Auchinleck, I told him, that, if 1 furvived 
him, it was my intention to erecl a monument 

to 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 397 

to him here, among fcenes which, in my mind, 
were all claffical -, for in my youih I had appropri- 
ated to them many of the defcriptions of the Roman 
poets. He could not bear to have death prefented. 
to him in any fhape •, for his conftitutional m.elan- 
choly made the king of terrours more frightful. He 
turned off the fubjeft, faying, " Sir, I hope to fee 
your grand-children !" 

This forenoon he obferved fom.e cattle without 
horns, of which he has taken notice in his " Jour- 
ney," and feems undecided whether they be of a 
particular race. His doubts appear to have had no 
foundation; for my refpeftable neighbour, Mr. Fair- 
lie, who, with all his attention to agriculture, finds 
time both for the clafficks and his friends, afTures mc 
they are a diftinft fpecies, and that, when any of 
their calves have horns, a mixture of breed can be 
traced. In confirmation of his opinion, he pointed 
out to me the following paffage in Tacitus, — *' Ne 
armentis qiiidcm [uus honor ^ aut gloria frontis -" (De 
mor. Germ. § 5.) which he wondered had efcaped 
Dr. Johnfon. 

On the front of the houfe of Auchinleck is this 
infcription : 

' 9lHod petis, hie eji -, 

EJl Uluhris ; animus fi te ncn deficit aquus. 

It is charaderiftick of the founder; but the animus 
*eqiius is, alas ! not inheritable, nor the fubjedt of 
devife. He always talked to me as if it were in a 
man's own power to attain it ; but Dr. Johnfon told 
me that he owned to him, when they were alone, 
his perfuafion that it was in a great meafure con- 
ftitutional, orthe effed of caufes which do not de- 
pend 



39? JOURNAL OF A TOLfR 

pend on ourfelves, and that Hora:ce boafls too 
much, when he fays, ^quum mi animum i^fe 
parabo, 

Friday^ ^th Novemher* 
The Reverend Mr. Dun, our parifh minifter, 
who had dined with us yefterday, with feme other 
company, infifted that Dr. Johnibn and I fhould 
dine with him to-day. This gave me an oppor- 
tunity to fhew my friend the road to the church, 
made by my father at a great expenee, for above 
three miles, on his own eftate, through a range of 
well encloled farms, with a row of trees on each 
fide of it. He called it the Via facra, and was very 
fond of it. Dr. Johnfon, though he held notions 
far diftant from thofe of the prelbyterran clergy, 
yet could afibciate on good terms with them. He 
indeed occafionally attacked them. One of them 
difcovered a narrownefs of information concerning 
the dignitaries of the church of England, among 
whom may be found men of the greateft learning, 
virtue, and piety, and of a truly apoftolic cha- 
rafter. He talked before Dr. Johnfon, of fat 
bilhops and drowfy deans •, and, in fliort, feemed 
to believe the illiberal and profane fcoffings of pro- 
fefied fatyrifts, or vulgar railers. Dr. Johnfon was 
fo highly offended, that he faid to him, " Sir, you 
know no more of our church than a Hottentot." — I 
was forry that he brought this upon himfelf. 

Saturday^ 6th Nove?nher. 
I cannot be certain, whether it was on this day, 
or a former, that Dr. Johnlon and my father came 
in coliifion. If I recoiled right, the comeft began 

while 



TO THE HEBRIDES. ^^g 

while my father was iliewing him his colieclion of 
medals ; and Oliver Cromwell's coin unfortunately 
introduced Charles the Firft, and Toryifm. They 
became exceedingly warm, and violent, and I was 
very much diftrefTed by being prefent at fuch an 
altercation between two men, both of whom I re- 
verenced ; yet I durft not interfere. It would cer- 
tainly be very unbecoming in me to exhibit my 
honoured father, and my refpedled friend, as in- 
telledual gladiators, for the entertainment of the 
publickj and therefore I fupprefs what would, I 
dare fay, make an interefting fcene in this dra- 
matick fketch, — this account of thetranfit of John- 
fon over the Caledonian Hemifphere. 

Yet I think I may, without impropriety, men- 
tion one circumftance, as an inftance of my father's 
addrefs. Dr. Johnfon challenged him, as he did 
us all at Talifker, to point out any theological 
works of merit written by Prefbyterian minifters in 
Scotland. My father, whofe ftudies did not lie 
much in that way, owned to me afterwards, that 
he was fomewhat at a lofs how to anfwer, but that 
luckily he recolle<5led having read in catalogues the 
title of Durham on the Galatians ; upon which he 
boldly faid, " Pray, fir, have you read Mr. Durham's 
excellent commentary on the Galatians?" — "No, 
fir," faid Dr. Johnfon. By this lucky thought my 
father kept him at bay, and for fome time enjoyed 
his triumph -, but his antagonift foon made a retort, 
which I forbear to mention. 

In the courfe of their altercation, Whiggifm and 
Prefbyterianifm, Toryifm and Epifcopacy, were 
terribly buffeted. My worthy hereditary friend, 

Sir 



400 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Sir John Pringle, .never having been mentioned^ 

happily efcaped without a bruife. 

My father's opinion of" Dr. Johnfun may be con- 
jeflured from the name he afterwards gave him, 
which was Ursa Major. But it is not true, as has 
been reported, that it was in confequence of my 
faying that he was a conftellation of genius and Hte- 
rature. It was a fly abrupt expreirion to one of 
his brethren on the bench of the Court of Seflion, 
in which Dr. Johnfon was then Handing j but it was 
not faid in his hearing. 

Sunday^ jth November . 
My father and I went to publick worfhlp in our 
parifli-church, in which I regretted tliat Dr. John- 
fon would not join us •, for, though we hav€ ther<fl 
no form of prayer, nor magnificent folemnity, yet, 
as God is worfliipped in fpirit and in truth, and the 
fame doflrines preached as in the church of Eng- 
land, my friend would certainly have fliewn more 
liberality, had he attended. I doubt not, how- 
ever, but he employed his time in private to very- 
good purpofe. His uniform and fervent piety was 
manifefted on many occafions during our Tour, 
which I have not mentioned.— —His reafon for not 
joining in Prefbyterian worfliip has been recorded in 
a former page *. 

Monday^ %th Novemhet\ 
Notwichflanding the altercation that had pafTcd, 
my father who had the dignified courtefy of an old 
Baron, v/as very civil to Dr. Johnfon, and politely 

attended 

• P. 109. 



TO THE HSBklDES. 401 

attended him to the poll-chaife, which was to 
convey us to Edinburgh. 

Thus they parted. — They are now in another, 
and a higher, (late of exiftence : and as they were 
both worthy chriitian men, I truft they have met in 
happinefs. But I muft obferve, in juftice to my 
friend's political principles, and my own, that they 
have met in a place where there is no room for 
Whiggifm. 

We came at night to a good inn at Hamilton.— 
I recollect no more. 

Tuefday^ ^th No'vemoer. 

\ wirtied to have fhewn Dr. Johnfon the Duke of 
Hamilton's houfe, commonly called the Palace of 
Hamilton, which is clofe by the town. It is an 
objeft which, having been pointed out to me as a 
fplendid edifice, from my earlieft years, in travelling 
between Auchinleck and Edinburgh, has ftiil great 
grandeur in my imagination. My friend confented 
to flop, and view the outfide of it, but could not 
be perfuaded to go into it. 

We arrived this night at Edinburgh, after an 
abfence of eighty- three days. For five weeks toge- 
ther, of the tempeftuous ieafon, there had been no 
account received of us. I cannot exprefs how happy 
I was on finding myfelf again at home. 

Wednefday^ 10 th November. 
Old Mr. Drummond, the bookfeller, came to 
breakfafl. Dr. Johnfon and he had not met for 
ten years. There was refpeft on his fide, and 
kindnefs on Dr. Johnfon's. Soon afterwards Lord 
Elibank came in, and was much pleafed at feeing 
D d Dr. 



402 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Dr. Johnfon in Scotland. His lordfhip faid, 
** hardly any thing Teemed to him more improba- 
ble." Dr. Johnfon had a very high opinion of him. 
Speaking of him to me, he charatlerized him thus : 
" Lord Elibank has read a great deal. It is true, 
I can find in books all that he has read j but he has 
a great deal of what is in books, proved by the teft 

of real life." Indeed, there have been few men 

whole converfation difcovered more knowledge en- 
livened by fancy. He publilhed feveral fmall pieces 
of diflinguifhed merit ; and has left fome in manu- 
fcript, in particular an account of the expeditiori 
againft Carthagena, in which he ferved as an ofHcer 
in the army. His writings deferve to be coUefted, 
He was the early patron of Dr. Robertfon, the hifto- 
rian, and Mr. Home, the tragick poet v who, when 
they were minifters of country parifhes, lived near 
his feat. He told me, '" I faw thefe lads had talents, 
and they were much with me." — I hope they will 
pay a grateful tribute to his memory. 

The morning was chiefly taken up by Dr. 
Johnfon's giving him an account of our Tour. — The 
fubjed of difference in political principles was in- 
troduced. — Johnfon. *' It is much increafed by op- 
pofition. There was a violent Whig, with whom I 
ufed to contend with great eagernefs. After his 
death I felt my Toryifm much abated." — I fuppofe 
he meant Mr. Walmfley of Lichfield, whofe cha- 
rafter he has drawn lb well in his life of Edmund 
Smith. 

Mr. Nairne came in, and he and I accompanied 
Dr. Johnfon to Edinburgh caftle, which he owned 
was " a great place." But I muft mention, as a 
ftriking inftance of that fpirit of contradiction to 

which 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 403 

•which he had a ftrong propenfity, when Lord Eli- 
bank was fome days after talking of it with the 
natural elation of a Scotchman, or of any man who 
is proud of a ftately fortrefs in his own country. 
Dr. Johnfon afFcded to defpife it, obferving that, 
** it would make a good prifon in England." 

Left it Ihould be fuppofed that I have fupprefled 
one of his fallies againft my country, it may not be 
improper here to corred a miftaken account that has 
been circulated, as to his converfation this day. Ic 
has been faid, that being defined to attend to the 
noble profpe(5t from the Caftle-hill, he repl'ed^ 
" Sir, the nobleft profpefl that a Scotchman ever 
fees, is the high road that leads him to London." — 
This lively farcafm Was thrown out at a tavern in 
London, in my prefelice, many years before. 

We had with us to day at dinner, at my houfe, 
the Lady Dowager Colvill, and Lady Anne Erfkine, 
fillers of the Earl of Kelly ; the Honourable Archi- 
bald Erfkine, who has now fucceeded to that title; 
Lord Elibank} the Reverend Dr. Blair j Mr. 
Tytler, the acute vindicator of Mary Queen of 
Scots, and fome other friends. 

Fingal being talked of, Dr. Johnfon, who ufed 
to boaft that he had, from the firft, refifted both 
Oflian and the Giants of Patagonia, averred his po- 
fitive difbelief of its authenticity. Lord Elibank 
faid, " I am fure it is not M'Pherfon's. Mr. John- 
fon, 1 keep company a great deal with you ; it is 
known I do. I may borrov/ from you better thing* 
than I can fay myfeif, and give them as my own \ 
but, if I fhould, every body v/ill know whofe they 
are." — The Doftor was not foftened by this com- 
pliment. Me denied merit to Fingal^ fuppofing it 
Dd 2 to 



404 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

to be the produflion of a man who has had the at!-'" 
vantages that the prefent age affords-, and faid, 
" nothing is more eafy than to write enough in that 
ftyle if once you begin *•" — One gentleman in com- 
pany expreffing his opinion " that Fingal was cer- 
tainly genuine, for that he had heard a great part of 
it repeated in the original," Dr. John Ton indignantly 
aflced him, whether he underftoud the original -, to 
which an anfwer being given in the negative, " Why- 
then, (faid Dr. Johnfon,) we fee to what this tefti- 
mony comes : — thus it is." 

I mentioned this as a remarkable proof how lia- 
ble the mind of man is to credulity, when not 
guarded by fuch ftrid examination as that which Dr. 
Johnfon habitually praftifed. The talents and in- 
tegrity of the gentleman who made the remark, are 
vmqueftionablej yet, had not Dr. Johnfon made him 
advert to the confideration, that, he who does not 
iinderftand a language, cannot know that fomething 
which is recited to him is in that language, he might 
have believed, and reported to this hour, that he 
had " heard a great part of Fingal repeated in the 
original." 

For the fatisfa6lion of thofe on the north of the 
Tweed, who may think Dr. Johnfon's account of 
Caledonian credulity and inaccuracy too ftrong, it is 
but fair to add, that he adm.itted the fame kind of 
ready belief might be found in his own country. 
*' He would undertake, (he faid) to write an epick 
poem on the (lory of Robin Hood, arid half England, 
to whom the na-mes and places he fhould mention 

in 

* I dsilre not to be underftood as agreeing entirely with the opinions 
of Dr. Johnlbn, which I relate wiihout any remark. The many 
imitations, however, of Fingal, that have been publiflied, confiim 
thj$ obfervation in a confideral^le degree. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 405 

m it are familiar, would believe and declare they had 
heard in from their earliell years." 

One of his objci^lions to the authenticity of Fingal, 
during tiie converl'ation ac Ulinifh, is omitted in 
my Journal, but I perfedlly recoiled it. — " Why- 
is not the original depofited in lomepublick library, 
inftead of exhibiting atteilations of its exiftence ? 
Suppofe there were a queftion in a court of jullice, 
whether a man be dead or alive : You aver he is 
alive, and you bring fifty witnefles to fwear it : I 
anfvver, * Why do you not produce the man ?"— 
This is an argument founded on one of the firfl: 
principles of the kw of evidence, which Gilbert 
would have held to be irrefragable. 

I do not think it incumbent on me to give any 
precife decided opinion upon this queftion, as to 
which I believe more than fome, and lefs than 
others. The fubjecft appears to have now become 
very uninterefting to the publick. That Fingal is 
not from beginning to end a tranflation from the 
Gallick, but ihsx fome palTages have been fupplied 
by the editor to conned: the whole, I have heard ad- 
mitted by very warm advocates for its authenticity. 
If this be the cafe, why are not thefe diftindly afcer- 
tained ? Antiquaries, and admirers of the work, 
may complain, that they arc in a fituation fimilar 
to that of the unhappy gentleman whofe wife in* 
formed him, on her death-bed, that one of their re- 
puted children was not his ; and, when he eagerly 
begged her to declare which of them it was, fhe an- 
fwered, " That you fhall never know " and ex^ 
pired, leaving him in irremediable doubt as to 
;hem all 

P d 3 I be^ 



4o6 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

I beg leave now to fay fomething upon fecond 
fight, of which I have related two inftances, as they 
impreffed my mind at the time. I own, I returned 
from the Hebrides with a confiderable degree of faith 
in the many (lories of that kind which I heard with 
a too eafy acquiefcence, without any clofe examina- 
tion of the evidence : but, fince that time, my be- 
lief in thofe ftories has been much weakened, by re- 
fleding on the carelefs inaccuracy of narrative in 
common matters, from which we may certainly 
conclude that there may be the fame in what is more 
extraordinary.— It is but juft, however, to add, that 
the belief in fecond fight is not peculiar to the , 
highlands and Ifles. 

Some years after our Tour, a caufe was tried in 
the Court of Scffion, where the principal fa(^ to be 
afcertained was, whether a fhip-mafter, who ufed 
to frequent the Weftern Highlands and Ifles, was 
drowned in one particular year, or in the year after, 
A great number of witneffes from, thofe parts were 
examined on each fide, and Iwore direftly contrary 
to each other, upon this fimple queftion. One of 
them, a very refpe<flable Chieftain, who told me a 
ftory of fecond fight, which 1 have not mentioned, 
but which I too implicitly believed, had in this cafe, 
previous to this publick examination, not only faid, 
but attefted under his hand, that he had feen the 
Ihip-m after in the year fubfequent to that in which 
the court was finally fatisfied he was drowned, 
"When interrogated with the ftriftnefs of judicial 
inquiry, and under the awe of an oath, he recol- 
leifted himfelf better, and retraded what he haa 
formerly aflferted, apologifing for his inaccuracy, by 
;ellin|5 the judges, " A man will fay what he will 

not 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 407 

tiot /wear." — By many he was much cenfured, and 
it was maintained that every gentleman would be as 
attentive to truth without the fandion of an oath, as 
with it. Dr. Johnlon, though he himfelf was dif- 
tinguilhed at all times by a fcrupulous adherence 
to truth, controverted this propofition ; and, as a 
proof that this was not, though it ought to be, the 
cafe, urged the very different decifions of elections 
under Mr. Grenville's A6t, from thofe formerly 
made. " Gentlemen will not pronounce upon oath, 
what they would have faid, and voted in the houfe, 
without that fandion." 

However difficult it may be for men who believe 
in preternatural communications, in modern times, 
to fatisfy thole who are of a different opinion, they 
may eafily refute the dodlrine of their opponents, 
who impute a belief in fecond fight to fuperjiition. 
To entertain a vifionary notion that one fees a dif- 
tant or future event, may be called ftiperjiition ; but 
the correfpondence of the fad or event with fuch an 
impreffion on the fancy, though certainly very won- 
derful, if proved^ has no more connexion with fu- 
peritition, than magnetifm or eledricity. 

After dinner, various topicks were difcuffed ; 
but I recoiled only one particular. Dr. Johnfon 
compared the different talents of Garrick and Foote, 
as companions, and gave Garrick greatly the pre- 
ference for elegance, though he allowed Foote ex- 
traordinary powers of entertainment. He faid, 
** Garrick is reftrained by fome principle ; but Foote 
has the advantage of an unlimited range. Garrick 
has fome delicacy of feeling j it is poffible to put 
him out ; you may get the better of him ; but Foote 
is the moft incompreffible fellow that I ever knew : 
when you have driven him into a corner, and think 
D d 4 you 



4o8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

you are fure of him, he runs through between your 

kgs, or jumps over your head, and makes his 

efcape." 

Dr. Erfkine and Mr. Robert Walker, two very 
refpeftable minifters of Edinburgh, fupped with 
us, as did the Reverend Dr.Webfter. — The con- 
verfation turned on the Moravian mifiions, and on 
the Methodifts. Dr. Johnfon obferved in general, 
that miffionaries were too fanguine in their accounts 
of their fuccels among favages, and that much of 
what they tell is not to be believed, he owned that 
the Methodifls had done good ; had fpread religious 
imprelTions among the vulgar part of mankind : 
but, he faid, they had great bicternefs againft other 
Chriftians, and that he never could get a Methodill 
to explain in what he excelled others ; that it always 
ended in the indifpenfible nccefficy gf hearing one 
of their preachers, 

Thurfdciy^ I ilh No"jemler, 
Principal Robertfon came to us as we Hit at break- 
faft , he advanced to Dr. Johnfon, repeating a iin^ 
of Virgil, which I forget, I fuppofe, either 

Vofi varios cafus^ per tot difcrimina rcrmn* — . 
or 

— multum ilk et terris jaElatiiSy et alto.-\ 
Every body had accofted us with fome ftudied com- 
pliment on our return. Dr. Johnfon faid, " I am 
really alhamed of the congratulations which we re- 
ceive. We are addreffed as if we had made a voyage 
to Nova Zembla,. and fufFered five perfecutions in 

Japan.'* 

* Through various hazards and events we move, 

•J- Long labours both by fea and lard he bore. Dryden, 



TO THE HEBRIDES, 405 

Japan." And he afterwards remarked, that, *' tp 
jee a man come up with a formal air, and a Latin 
Jine, when we had no fatigue and no danger, was 
provoking." — I told him, he was not fenfible of 
|;he danger, having lain under cover in the boat 
during the dorm: he was like the chicken, that 
hides its head under its wing, and then thinks 
itfelf fafe. 

Lord Eiibank came to us, as did Sir William 
Forbes. The ralli attempt in 1745 being mentionec^, 
I obferved, that it would make a fine piece of Hif- 
tory. Dr. Johnibn faid it would. Lord Eiibank 
doubted whether any man of this age could give it 
impartially. — Johifon. " A man, by talking with 
thofe of different fides, v/ho were a6lors in it, and 
putting down all that he hears, may in time colled the 
materials of a good narrative. You are to confider, 
all hiftory was at firft oral. I fuppofe Voltaire was 
fifty years in coiledting his Louis XIV. which he did 
in the way that I am propofmg.' — Rohertfon. " He 
did fo. He lived much with all the great people 
who were concerned in that reign, and heard them 
talk of every thing ; and then either took Mr. Bof- 
well's way, of writing down what he heard, or, 
which is as good, preferved it in his memory, for 
he has a wonderful memory." — With the leave, 
however, of this elegant hiflorian, no man's memory- 
can preferve fadls or fayings with fuch fidelity as 
piay be done by writing them down when they are 
recent. — Dr. Robertfon laid, " it was now full time 
to make fuch a colieftion as Dr. Johnfon fuggefted ; 
for many of the people who were then in arms, 
^ere dropping off^; and both Whigs and Jacobites 
were now come to talk with moderation." — Lord 

Eiibank 



^10 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Elibank faid to him, " Mr. Robertfon, the firfl: 
thing that gave me a high opinion of you, was your 
faying in the Seletft Society *, while parties ran high, 
foon after the year 174.5, that you did not think 
vorfe of a man's moral charader for his having been 
in rebellion. This was venturing to utter a liberal 
fentiment, while both fides had a deteftation of each 
other." 

Dr. Johnibn obferved^ that being in rebellion 
from a notion of another's right, was not connefted 
with depravity ; and that we had this proof of it, 
that all mankind applauded the pardoning of rebels ; 
which they would not do in the cafe of robbers and 
murderers. He faid, with a fmile, that " he won- 
dered that the phrafe of unnatural rebellion fhould 
be fo much ufed, for that all rebellion was natural 
to man." 



As I kept no Journal of any thing that pafled 
after this morning, I fhall, from memory, group 
together this and the other days, till that on which 
Dr. Johnfori departed for London. They were in 
all nine days ; on which he dined at Lady Colvill's, 
Lord Hailes's, Sir Adolphus Oughton's, Sir Alexan- 
der Dick's, Principal Robertfon's, Mr. M'Laurin's, 
and thrice at Lord Elibank's feat in the country, 
where we alfo paffed two nights. He fupped at the 
Honourable Alexander Gordon's, now one of our 
judges, by the title of Lord Rockville; at Mr. 
Nairne's, now alfo one of our judges, by the title of 
Lord Dunfinan ; at Dr. Blair's, and Mr. Tytler's ; 

and 

* A fociety for debate in Edinbmgli, confiftiiig of die moft emi- 
nent men. 



TO THE HEBRIDES; 4ir 

and at my houfe thrice, one evening with a nume- 
rous company, chiefly gentlemen of the law-, ano- 
ther with Mr. Menzies of Culdares, and Lord Mon- 
boddo, who difengaged himfelf on purpofe to meet 
him •, and the evening on which we returned from 
Lord Elibank's, he fupped with my wife and me by 
ourfelves. 

He break fafted at Dr. Webfter's, at old Mr, 
Prummond's, and at Dr. Blacklock's ; and fpent 
one forenoon at my uncle Dr. Bofwell's, who fhewed 
him his curious mufeum ; and, as he was an elegant 
fcholar, and a phyfician bred in the fchool of Boer- 
haave. Dr. Johnlon was pleafed with his company. 

On the mornings when he breakfafted at my 
houfe, he had, from ten o'clock till one or two, a 
conftant levee of various perfons, of very different 
characters and defcriptions. I could not attend him, 
being obliged to be in the Court of Seflion •, but my 
wife was fo good as to devote the greater part of 
the morning to the endlefs tafk of pouring out tea 
for my friend and his vifitors. 

Such was the difpofition of his time at Edin- 
burgh. He faid one evening to me, in a fit of 
langour, " Sir, we have been harrafled by invita- 
tions." I acquiefced. " Ay, fir, he replied •, but 
how much worfe would it have been, if we had been 
negleded ?" 

From what has been recorded in this Journal, it 
may well be fuppofed that a variety of admirable con- 
verfation has been loft, by my neglefl to prel'ervo 
it. — 1 ftall endeavour to recolleft fome of it, as 
well as I can. 

At Lady Colvill's, to whom I am proud to in- 
troduce any ftranger of eminence, that he may fee 

what 



4J2 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

what dignity and grace is to be found in Scotland, 
an oiEcer obl'erved, that he had heard Lord Mans- 
field was not a great EngliHi lawyer. — Johnfon. 
*' Why, fir, fuppofing Lord Mansfield not to have 
the fplendid talents which he poflclTes, he mull be a 
great Engliih lawyer, from having been fo long at 
the bar, and having pafled through lo many of the 
great offices of the law. Sir, you may as well main- 
tain that a carrier, who has driven a packhorfe be- 
tween Edinburgh and Berwick for thirty years, does 
npt know the road, as that Lord Mansfield does noc 
^now the la v of E.ngland." 

At Mr. Nairne's, he drew the chara(!ter of Ri^ 
chardfon, the author of Clarijfa, with a ftrong yet 
delicate pencil. I lament much that I have noc 
preferved it: : I only remember that he exprefied a 
high opinion of his talents and virtues; but ob- 
ferved, that " his perpetual ftudy was to ward off 
petty inconvenicncies, and procure petty pleafures ; 
that his love of continual fuperiority was fuch, than 
he took care to be always furrounded by women, 
who liilened to him implicitly, and did not venture 
to controvert his opinions •, and that his defne of 
diftinftion was fo great, that he vifed to give large 
vails to the Speaker Onflow's fervants, that they 
jnight treat him with refpeft." 

On the fame evening, he would not allow that 
the private life of a judge, in England, was required 
to be fo flridly decorous as I fyppofed. " V/hy 
then, fir, (faid I,) according to your account, an 
Engliih judge may juft live like a gentleman." — ■ 
Johnfon, " Yes, fir, — if he can" 

At Mr. Tytler's, I happened to tell that one 
evening, a great many years ago, when Dr. Hugl> 

Blair 



to THE HEBRIDES. 413 

Elair and I were fitting together in the pit of Drury- 
lane play-houfe, in a wild freak of youthful extra- 
vagance, I entertained the audience prodigioujlyf by 
imitating the lowing of a cow. A little while after 
I had told this ftory, 1 differed from Dr. Johnfori, 
I fuppofe too confidently, upon fome point, which 
I now forget. He did not fpare me. *' Nay, fir,, 
(faid he,) if you cannot talk better as a man, I'd 
have you bellow like a cow*." 

At Dr. Webfter's, he faid, that he believed hardly 
any man died vv'ithout affetTcation. This remark 
appears to me to be well founded, and will account 
for many of the celebrated death-bed fayings which 
are recorded. 

On one of the evenings at my houfe, when he 
told that Lord Lovat boafted to art Englifli noble- 
man, that though he had not his wealth, he had 
two thoufand men whom he could at any time call 
into the field, the Honourable Alexander Gordon 
obferved, that thofe two thoufand men brought him 
to the block. — ** True, fir, (faid Dr. Johnfon :) 
but you may juft as well argue, concerning a man 
who has fallen over a precipice to which he has 
walked too near, — ' His two legs brought him to 
that,' is he not the better for having two legs?" 

At Dr. Blair's I left him, in order to attend a 
confukation, during which he and his amiable hoil 



* As I have been fcnipuloufly exa<5l in relating anecdotes con- 
«erning other peiCons, I lliall not withhold any part of this ftory, 
however ludicrous. — I was I'o fuccelsful in this boyifli froh'cJc, 
that the univerfai cry of the galleries was, " Encore the cow! En- 
tore the cowl" In the pride of my heart, I attempted imitations 
of fome other animals, but with very inferior effeft. My reverend 
friend, anxious for my fame, with an air of the utmort gravity and 
earneftnefs, addreffed me thus : " My dear fir, I would covfae niy- 
clf to the (Qvt l" 



4i4- JOURNAL OF A TOUR 
were by themfelves. I returned to fnpper, at whici-* 
^vere Principal Robertfon, Mr. Nairne, and fome 
other gentlemen. Dr. Robertfon and Dr. Blair, I 
remember, talked well upon fubordination and go- 
vernment } and, as my friend and I were walking 
home, he faid to me, " Sir, thefe two doftors are 
good men^ and wife men." — 1 begged of Dr. Blair 
to recoiled- what he could of the long converfatiom 
that paiTed between Dr. Johnfon and him alone, this 
evening, and he obligingly wrote to me as follows : 

•* Dear Sir, March 3, 178^^. 

" — AS fo many years have intervened, fince I 
chanced to have that converfation with Dr. Johnfon 
in my houfe, to which you refer, I have forgotten 
moft of what then paffed, but remember that I was 
both inftrufted and entertained by it. Among other 
fubjeds, the difcourfe happening to turn on modern 
Latin poets, the Dr. expreffed a very favourable 
opinion of Buchanan, and inftantly repeated, from 
beginning to end, an ode of his, intituled Calends 
Mai^y (the eleventh in his Mijcellaneorum Liber,) 
beginning with thefe words, *- Salvete facris aeliciis 
facra^ with which 1 had formerly been unacquainted; 
but upon perufmg it, the praife which he bellowed 
upon it, as one of the happieft of Buchanan's poetical 
compofitions, appeared to me very juft. He alfo 
repeated to me a Latin ode he had compofed in one 
of the weftern iflands, from which he had lately re- 
turned. We had much difcourfe concerning his 
excurfion to thofe iflands, with which he expreffed 
himfelf as having been highly pleafed; talked in a 
favourable manner of the hofpitality of the inhabi- 
tants ; and particularly fpoke much of his happi- 

nefs- 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 41^ 

Fiefs in having you for his companion ; and faid, that 
the longer he knew you, he loved and efteemed you 
the more. This converfation pafied in the interval 
between tea and fupper, when we were by ourfelves. 
You, and the reft: of the company who were with us ac' 
fupper, have often taken notice that he was uncom- 
monly bland and gay that evening, and gave much 
pleafure to all who were prefent. — This is all that I 
can recoiled diftindly of that long converfation. 
** Yours fincerely, 

Hugh Blair.'* 

At Lord Hailes's, we fpent a mofl agreeable day ; 
but again I mufl: lament that I was fo indolent as to 
let almofl: all that pafied evaporate into oblivion. Dr. 
Johnfon obferved there, that " it is wonderful how 
ignorant many officers of the army are, confidering 
how much leifure they have for ftudy, and the ac- 
quifition of knov/ledge." I hope he was miftaken ; 
for he maintained that many of them were ignorant 
of things belonging immediately to their own pro- 
feffion ; " for inftajnce, many cannot tell how far a 
mulket will carry a bullet;" in proof of which, I 
fuppofe, he mentioned fome particular perfon, for 
Lord Hailes, from whom I folicited what he could 
recoiled of that day, writes to me as follows : 

<' As to Dr. johnfon's obfervation about the ig- 
norance of officers, in the length that a mulket will 
carry, my brother, Colonel Dalrymple, was prefent, 
and he thought that the dodor was either miftaken, 
by putting the queftion wrong, or that he had con- 
verfed on the fubjed v/ith fome perfon out of 
fervice, 

5 " Was 



4i6 JOURNAL OF A ToilR 

" Was It upon that occafion that he expreffecf nd 
curiofity to fee the room at Dumfermllne, where 
Charles I. was born ? ' I know that he was born, 
(faid he ;) no matter where.* — Did he envy us the 
birth-place of the king ?'* 

Near the end of his " Joufney," Dr. Johnfon 
has given liberal praife to Mr. Braidwood's academy 
for the deaf and dumb. When he vifited it, a cir-a 
cumftance occurred which was truly chara(fi:eriil:ical 
of our great Lexicographer. " Pray, (faid he,) can 
they pronounce any long words ?" — Mr. Braidwood 
ififormed him they could. Upon which Dr. John- 
fon Wrote one of his feqiiipedalia verba^ which was 
pronounced by the fcholars, and he was fatisfied. — • 
My readers may perhaps wifh to know what the 
word was ; but I cannot gratify their curiof]ry> 
Mr. Braidwood told me, it remained long in his 
fchool, but had been loft before I made my inquiry*; 

Dr. Johnfon one day vifited the Court of Seffion. 
He thought the mode of pleading there too vehe- 
ment, and too much addreffed to the paflions of the 
judges. " This (faid he) is not the Areopagus." 

At old Mr. Drummond's, Sir John Dalrymple 
quaintly faid, the two nobleft animals in the world 

were, 

* One of the bed criticks of our age " does not wifh to 
prevent the admirers of the jiicorreft and nervelefs ftyle which 
generally prevailed for a century before Dr. Jolinfon's cnergetick 
writings were known, from enjoying the laugh that this itory may 
produce, in which he is very ready to join them." He, however^ 
requeds me to obferve, that " my friend very properly chofe a 
long word on this occafion, not, it is believed, from any predilediori 
for polyfyllables, (ihougli he certainly had a due refpect for them,) 
but in order to put Mr. Braidwood's (kill to the ftrifteft teft, and 
to try the efficacy of his inltruaion by the jnoft difficult exertio« 
•f the organs of his pupils." 

I 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 417 

V;ere, a Scotch Highlander and an Englifli Sailor. 
" Why, fir, laid Dr. Johnfon, I fhall fay nothing 
as to the Scotch Highlander; but as to the Englilh 
Sailor, I cannot agree with you." — Sir John laid, 
he was generous in giving away his money. — John- 
fon. *' Sir, he throws away his money, without 
thought, and without merit. I do not call a tree 
generous, that fheds its ,fruit at every breeze." — Sir 
John having afieded to cpmplain of the attacks 
made upon his Memoirs, Dr, Johnfon faid, " Nay, 
fir, do not complain. Ic is advantageous to an au- 
thour, that his book Ihould be attacked as well as 
praifed. Fame is a fhuttlecock. If it be ftruck 
only atone end of the room, it v/ill foon fall to the 
ground. To keep it up, it muft be ftruck at both 
ends." — Often have I reflefted on this fince ; and, 
inftead of being angry at many of thofe who have 
written againft me, have fmiled to think that they 
were unintentionally fubfervient to my fame, by ufing 
a battledoor to make me virum 'voUtare per ora. 
• At Sir Alexander Dick's, from that abfence of 
mind to which every man is at times fubjcifV, I told, in 
a blundering manner. Lady Eglingtoune's compli- 
mentary adoption of Dr. Johnfon as her fon ; for I un- 
fortuhatCiy dated that her ladyfhip adopted him as her 
fon, in confequence of her having been married the 
year ^//^r he was born. Dr. Johnfon inftantlycorredled 
me. " Sir, don't you perceive that you are defaming 
the countefs ? For, fuppofing me to be her fon, and 
that Ihe was not married till the year after my birth, 
I muft have been her natural fon." A young lady 
of quality, who was prefent, very handfomely faid, 
" Might not the fon havejuftified the fault" — My 
friend was much flattered by this compliment, which 
he never forgot. When in more than ordinary fpi- 
E e riw 



4i8 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

rits, and talking of his journey in Scotland, he has 
called to me, " Bofwell, what was it that the young 
lady of quality faid of me at Sir Alexander Dick's ?" 
Nobody will doubt that I was happy in repeating it. 
My illuftrious friend, being now defirous to be 
again in the great theatre of life and animated exer- 
tion, took a place in the coach, which was to fet out 
for London on Monday the 2 2d of November. Sir 
John Dalrymple preffed him to come on the Sa- 
turday before, to his houfe at Cranfton, which be- 
ing twelve miles from Edinburgh, upon the middle 
road to Newcaftle, (Dr. Johnfon had come to Edin- 
burgh bf Berwick, and along the naked coaft,) it 
would make his journey eafier, as the coach would 
take him up at a more feafonable hour than that at 
which it fets out. Sir John, I perceived, was am- 
bitious of having fuch a gueft ; but, as I was well 
aflured, that at this very time he had joined with 
fome of his prejudiced countrymen in railing at Dr. 
Johnfon, and had faid, he wondered how any gen- 
tleman of Scotland could keep company with him,'* 
f thought he did not deferve the honour: yet, as it 
might be a convenience to Dr. Johnfon, I contrived 
that he fhould accept the iiivitation, and engaged 
to condud him. I refolved that, on our way to Sir 
John's, we (liould make a little circuit by Roflin 
Cafile, and Hawthornden, and wifhed to fet out 
foon after breakfaft; but young Mr. Tytler came 
to fhew Dr. Johnfon fome efiays which he had writ- 
ten •, and my great friend, who was exceedingly 
obliging when thus confuked, was detained fo long 
that it was, I believe, one o'clock before we got 
into our poft-chaife. I found that we fhould be 
too late for dinner at Sir John Dalrymple's, to which 

wc 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 419 

we were engaged : but I would by no means lofe the 
pleafure of feeing my friend at Hawthornden, — of 
feeing Sam John/on at the very fpot where Ben John- 
fin vifued the learned and poetical Drummond. 

We furveyed Roflin Caftie, the romantick fcen^ 
around it, and the beautiful Gothick chapel, and 
dined and drank tea at the inn j after which wq 
proceeded to Hawthornden, and viewed the caves j 
end I all the while had Rare Ben in my mind, and, 
was pleafed to think that this place was now vifited 
by another celebrated wit or England. 

By this time " the waning night was growing 
old," and we were yet feveral miles from Sir John, 
Palrymple's. Dr. ..Johnfon did not feem much 
troubled at our having treated the baronet with 
fo little attention to politenefs \ but when I talked 
of the grievous difappointment it m.uft have beeri 
to him that we did not come to the feaji that he 
had prepared for us, (for he told ns he had killed a 
feven-year-old fheep on purpofe,) my friend got 
into a merry mood, and jocularly faid, " I dare fay, 
fir, he has been very fadly diftreiTed : Nay, we do 
not know but the confequence may have been fatal. 
Let me try to defcribe his fituation in his own hifto- 
rical ftyle,: I have as good a right to make him 
think and talk, as he has to tell us how people 
thought and talked a hundred years ago, of which 
he has no evidence. All hiftory, fo far as it is not 
fupported by contemporary evidence, is romance, 

■ Stay now.- Let us confider!"' He then 

(heartily laughing all the v/hile) proceeded in his 
imitation, 1 am fure to the following effeift, though 
now, at the diflance of almoft twelve years, I can- 
not pretend tg tecoilecl ail the precife words : 

E e 3 *' Dinner 



420 JOURNAL OF A TOtTR 

" Dinner being ready, he wondered that Ki$ 
" guefts Vv-ere rot yet come. His wonder was foon 
*' fucceeded by impatience. He vyalked about the 
*' room in anxious agitation ; fometimes he looked 
" at his watch, fometimes he looked out at the 
" window with an eager gaze of ex:pe6lacion, and 
" revolved in his mind the various accidents of hu- 
*' man life. His family beheld him with mute 
" concern. ' Surely (faid he, with a flgh,) they 
*' will not fail rrie.' — The mind of man can bear 
*' a certain prefTure ; but there is a point v/hen it 
" can bear no more. A rope v/as in his view, and 
" he died a Roman death *." 

It was very late before we reached the feat of Sir 
John Dalrymple, who, certainly with fome reafon 
was not in very good humour. Our converfation 
was not brilliant. We fupped, and went to bed in 
ancient rooms, which would have better fuited the 
climate of Italy in fummer, than that of Scotland in 
the month of November. 

I recoiled no converfation of the next day, worth 
preferving, except one faying of Dr. Johnfon, which 
Will be a valuable text for many decent old dowa- 
gers, and other good company, in various circles 
to defcant upon. — He faid, " I am forry I have not 
learnt to play at cards. It is very ufeful in life : it 

generates 

* " Eflex was at that time confined to the fame chamber of the 
Tower from which his father Lord Capel had been led to death, 
and in which his wife's grandfather had inflifted a voluntary death 
upon himfelf. When he faw his friend carried to what he reckoned 
certain fate, their common enemies enjoyins; the fpeflacle, and re- 
fl^fled that it was he who had forced Lord Howai-d upon the confi- 
dence of Ruflel, he retired, and, by a Roman death, put an end to- 
his mifery." 

Palrymple's Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland. 
Vol. I, p. 36. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 4^1 

generates kindnefs, and confolidatcs fociety.'^ — He 
certainly could not mean deep play. 

My friend and I thought we fhould be more com- 
fortable at the inn at Blackfliields, two miles farther 
on. We therefore went thither in the evening, and 
he was very entertaining; but I have preferved no- 
thing but the pleafing remembrance, and his verfes 
on George the Second and Gibber, and his epitaph 
on Parnell, which he was then fo good as to didate 
to me. We breakfafted together next morning, and 
then the coach came, and took him up. He had, 
as one of his companions in it, as far as Newcaftle, 
the worthy and ingenious Dr. Hope, botanical pro- 
feflbr at Edinburgh. Both Dr. Johnfon and he ufed 
Ito fpeak of their good fortune in thus accidentally 
meeting; for they had much inftrudive converfa- 
tion, which is always a moft valuable enjoyment, 
and, when found where it is not expected, is pecu- 
liarly reliihed, 

1 have now completed my account of our Tour 
to the Hebrides. I have brought Dr. Johnfon down 
to Scotland, and feen him into the coach which in a 
few hours carried him back into England. He 
faid to me often, that the time he fpent in this Tour 
>vas the pleafanteft part of his life, and afked me if 
I would lofe the recolleflion of it for five hundred 
pounds. I anfwered I would not ; and he applauded 
my fetting fuch a value on an acceffion of new images 
in my mind. 

Had it not been for me, I am perfuaded Dr. 
Johnfon never would have undertaken fuch a jour- 
ney ; and I muft be allov/ed to afliime Ibme merit 
from having been the caule that our language has 
been enriched with fuch a book as that which he 
E e 3 he 



4212 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

he publifhed on his return -, a book which I never 
read but with ihe utmoft admiration, as I had iuch 
opportunities of knowing from what very meao-re 
materials it was compofed. 

But my praife may be fuppofed partial j and 
therefore I fhall infert two teftimonies, not liable to 
that objedlion, both written by gentlemen of Scot- 
land, to whofe opinions I am confident the higheft 
relpeft will be paid. Lord Hailes, and Mr, 
Dempfter, 

I'd James Bofwell, Efq^^. 
« Sir, 

" I have received much pleafure and 
much in(lru(5lion, from perufing ** The Journey" to 
the Hebrides. 

*' I admire the elegance and variety of defcrip- 
tion, and the lively pidure of men and manners. I 
always approve of the moral, often of the political, 
reflexions. I love the benevolence of the authour. 

*' They who fearch for faults, may poffibly find 
them in this, as well as in every other work of lite- 
rature. 

*' For example, the friends of the old family fay 
that the ara of planting is. placed too late, at the 
Union of the two kingdoms. I am known to be no 
friend of the old family, yet I would place the ^ra 
of planting at the Reftoration -, after the murder of 
Charles I, had been expiated in the anarchy which 
fucceeded it. 

'* Before the Reftoration, few trees were planted, 
unlefs by the monartick drones : their fucceflbrs, 
(and worthy patriots they were,) the barons, fifft 

cut 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 423 

cut down the trees, and then fold the eftates. The 
gentlemen at St. Andrews, who faid that there were 
but two trees in Fife, ought to have added, that the 
Elms of Balmerino were fold within thefe twenty- 
years, to make pumps for the fire-engines. 

" In J. Major de Gejiis Scotoruniy L. i. C. 2. lafl 
edition, there is a fingular paffage : 

" Davidi Cranftoneo conterraneo, dum de prima 
*' theologias: licentia foret, duo ei confocii et fami- 
" Hares, et mei cum eo in artibus auditores, fcilicet 
*' Jacobus Almain Senonenfis, et Petrus Bruxcel- 
** lenfis, Prsdicatoris ordinis, in Sorbon^ curia die 
■*' Sorbonico commilironibus fuis publice objece- 
*' runt, quod pane avenaceo plebeii Scoti^ ficut a quo- 
*' dam religiofo intellexerant, vefcebantur, ut virum^ 
'* qtiem cholericum noverant, hotiefiis falibus tentarent^ 
** qui hoc inficiari tanquani patriae dedecus nifus ejl.^* 

" Pray introduce our countryman, Mr. Licentiate 
David Cranfton, to the acquaintance of Mr, 
Johnfon. 

" The fyllogifm feems to have been this: 
They who feed on oatmeal are barbarians ; 
But the Scots feed on oatmeal : 
Ergo— 

The licentiate denied the minor. 

" I am, fir, 
" Your mod obedient fcrvant, 

" Dav. Dalrymple.'* 

Jvfewhailes, 6th Feb. 1775. 

E e 4 To 



424 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

'To James Boswell, Efq, Edinburgh. 

Dunnichen, i6th February, 1775« 

^" My dear Bofwell, 

" I cannot omit a moment to return 
you my beft thanks for the entertainment you hav? 
furnifhed me, my family, and guelts, by the pernfal 
of Dr. John Ton's *' Journey to the Weftern 
Iflands i" — and now for my lenciments of it. — I 
was well entertained. His defcriptions are accu- 
rate and vivid. Pie carried me on the Tour along 
u'ith him. J am plcafed vv^ith the jullice he has 
done to your humour and vivacity. " The noif^e 
" of the vv'ind being all its own," is a hon-'i)iot^ that 
it would have been a pity to have omitted, and 4 
robbery not to have afcribed to its author. 

" There is nothing in the book, from beginning 
to end, that a Scotchman need to take amils; 
What he fays of the country is true, and his ob- 
fervations on the people are what mufl: naturally 
occur to a lenfible, obferving, and refie^ling inha- 
bitant of a convenient Metropolis, where a man on 
thirty pounds a year may be better accommodated 
•with all the little wants of life, than Col or ^ir Al- 
lan. He reaions candidly about the Jecond fight •, 
but I wifii he had enquired more, before he ven- 
tured to fay he even doubted of the pofTibility of 
fuch an unufual and ufeleis deviation from all the 
known laws of nature. The notion of the fecond 
fight I confider as a remnant of fuperftitious igno- 
rance and credulity, which a philofopher will fet 
down as fuch, tiil the contrary is clearly proved, 
and then it will be cla0ed among the other certain, 

though 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 42^ 

though unaccountable, parts of our nature, like 
dreams, and — I do not know what. 

" In regard to the language, it has the merit 
of being all his ov/n. Many words of foreign ex- 
tradion are uied, where, I believe, common ones 
would do as well, efpecially on familiar occafions. 
Yet I believe he could not exprefs himfelf fo forci- 
bly in any other ftile. I am charmed with his re- 
fearches concerning the Erie language, and the an- 
tiquity of their manufcripts. I am quite convinced; 
and I fliall rank Offian, and his Fingals and OfcarSy 
amongft the Nurfery Tales, not the true hifbory of 
our country, in all time to come. 

" Upon the whole, the book cannot difpleafe, 
for it has no pretenfions. The author neither fays 
he is a Geographer, not an Antiquarian, nor very 
learned in the Pliftory of Scotland, nor a Naturalift, 
nor a FofTiliO:. The manners of the people, and 
the face of the country, are all he attempts to de- 
fcribe, or feems to have thought of. Much were it 
to be wiilied, that they who have travelled into 
more remote, and of courfe more curious, regions, 
had all pcffefTed his good fenfe. Of the ftate of 
learning, his obfervations on Glafgow univerfity 
'(hew ^le has formed a very found judgement. He 
underftands our climate too, and he has accurately 
oblerved the changes, however flov/ and impercepti- 
ble to us, which Scotland has undergone, in con- 
fequence of the blefTings of liberty and Internal 
peace. I could have drav^n my pen through the 
ilory of the old woman at St. Andrews, being the 
only filly thing in the book. He has taken the 
opportunity of ingrafting into the work feveral 
i^ood qbkrvations, which I dure fay he had made 

upon 



426 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

upon men and things, before he fet foot on Scotdi 
ground, by which it is confiderably enriched *. A 
long journey, like a tall may-pole, though not very- 
beautiful itfelf, yet is pretty enough, when orna- 
mented with flowers and garlands : it furniOies a 
fort of cloak-pins for hanging the furniture of your 
mind upon; and whoever fcts out upon a journey, 
without furnilhing his mind previoufly with much 
iludy and ufeful knowledge, erecfls a May-pole in 
December, and puts up very ufelefs cloak-pins. 

** I hope the book will induce many of his coun- 
trymen to make the fame jaunt, and help to inter- 
tnix the more liberal part of them ftill more with us, 
and perhaps abate fomewhat of that virulent anti- 
pathy which many of them entertain againft the 
Scotch ; who certainly would never have formed 
thofe combinatmis which he takes notice of, more 
than their anceftors, had they not been neceffary 
for their mutual fafety, at leaft for their fuccefs, 
in a country where they are treated as foreigners. 
They would find us not deficient, at kaft in point 
of hofpitality, and they would be afhamed ever af- 
ter to abufe us in the mafs. 

" So much for the Tour.- — I have now, for 
i\\& Hrft time in my life, pafled a winter in the 
country ; and never did three months roll on with 
more fwiftnefs and fatisfaftion. I ufed not only 
to wonder at, but pity, thofe whofe lot condemned 
them to winter any where but in either of the capi- 
tals. But every place has its charms to' a cheerful 
mind. 1 am bufy planting and taking meafures for 

opening 

* Mr. Orme, one of the ableft liifiorians of this age, is of the 
fame opinion. He faid to me, " There are in that book thoughts, 
which, by long revolution in the great mind of Johnfon, have bees 
formed and polilhcd— -like pebbles rolled in the ocean !" 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 427 

-opening the fummer campaign in farming; and I 
find I have sn ^excellent refource, when revolutions 
in ^politicks perhaps, and revokitions of the fun for 
certain, will make ic decent for me to retreat be- 
hind the ranks of the more forward in life. 

" I am glad to hear the laft was a very bufy 
week with you. I fee you as counfel in fome caufes 
which mufl have opened a charming field for your 
humourous vein. As it is more uncommon, fo I 
verily believe it is more ufeful than the more ferious 
■exercife of reafon j and, to a man who is to appear 
in publick, more eclat is to be gained, fometimes 
more money too, by a bon-mot, than a learned 
fpeech. It is the fund of natural humour which 
Lord North pollelles, that makes him fo much the 
favourite of the houfe, and fo able, becaufe fo 
amiable, a leader of a party. 

" I have now finifhed my Tour of Seven Pages. 
In what remains, I beg leave to offer my compli- 
ments, and thofe of ma ires cherefemme, to you and 
Mrs. Bofweil. Pray unbend the bufy brow, and 
frolick a little in a letter to, 

♦' My dear Bofweil, 

*' Your affedionate friend. 

" George Dempster*.'* 

I fhall alfoprefent the publick with a correfpon- 
dence with the Laird of Rafay, concerning a paf- 
fage in the Journey to the Weftern IJlands., which 
(hews Dr. Johnfon in a very amiable light. 

To 

* Every reader will,! am Aire, join with me in warm admiration 
of the truly patriotick. writer of this letter. 1 know not which mod 
toapplaud, — that good fenfe and liberality of mind, which couid fee 
and admit the defedls of his native country, to which no man is a 
more zealous friend ;— or that candour, which induced him to give 
iuft praife to the miniller whom he honeftly and ftrenuoully oppofed. 



423 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

To James Bos well, Efq^.. 

Rafay, April loth, 1775, 

** Dear Sir, 

" I take this occafion of returning you my 
mod hearty thanks for the civilities lliown to my 
daughter by you and Mrs. Bofvvell. Yet, though 
flie has informed me that I am under this obliga- 
tion, I fhould very probably have deferred troubling 
you with making my acknowledgments at prefenr, 
if I had not feen Dr. Johnion's " Journey to the 
Weflern Ifles," in which he has been pleafed to 
make a very friendly mention of my family, for 
which I am furely obliged to him, as being more 
than an equivalent for the reception you and he mec 
with. Yet there is one paragraph I fhould have 
been glad he had omitted, which I am fure was 
owing to mifinformation •, that is, that I had ac- 
knowledged M'Leod to be my chief, though my 
anceftors difputed the pre-eminence for a long trad 
©ftime. 

*' 1 never had occafion to enter ferioufly on this 
argument with the prefent laird or his grandfather, 
nor could I have any temptation to fuch a renunci- 
ation from either of them. I acknowledge, the be- 
nefit of being chief of a clan is in our days of very 
little fignificancy, and to trace out the progrefs of 
this honour to the founder of a family, of any 
Handing, would perhaps be a matter of fpme dif- 
liculty. 

** The true ftate of the prefent cafe is this : the 
M'Leod family confifts of two diiTerent branches ; 
the M'Leods of Lewis, of which I am delcended, 
and the M'Leods of Harris. And though the for- 
mer 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 42^ 

mer have loft a very extenfive eftate by forfeiture in 
king James the fixth's time, there are ftill feveral 
refpedable families of it exifting, who would juftly 
blame me for fuch an unmeaning ceffion, when they 
all acknowledge me head of that family, which 
though in fa6t it be but an ideal point of honour, 
is not hitherto fo far difregarded in our country, 
but it would determine Ibme of my friends to look 
on me as a much fmaller man than either they or 
myfelf judge me at prefent to be. I will, therefore, 
afk it as a favour of you to acquaint the Dodlor 
with the diiHculty he has brought me to. In tra- 
velling among rival clans, fuch a filly tale as this 
might eafily be whifpered into the ear of a paffing 
ftranger ; but as it has no foundation in fad, I hope 
the Dodor will be fo good as to take his own way 
in undeceiving the pubiick, I principally mean my 
friends and connexions, v/ho will be firft angry at 
me, and next forry to, find fuch an inftance of my 
littlenefs recorded in a book which has a very fair 
chance of being much read. I exped you 'will let 
me know what he will write you in return, and we 
here beg to make ofi^er to you and Mrs. Bofwell of 
our moft refpedlful compliments. 1 am, 
« Dear fir, 
*' Your moft obedient humble fervant, 

" John M'Leod." 

To THE Laird of Rasay. 

" Dear Sir, London, May S, 1775." 

" THE day before yefterday I had the honour 
to receive your letter, and I immediately communi- 
cated 



4^ JOURNAL OF A TOUH 

cated it to Dr. Johnfon. He faid he loved your fpirifj, 
and was exceedingly forry that he had been the caufe 
of the fmalleft uneafinefs to you. There is not a mars' 
candid man in the world than he is, when properly 
addrelled, as you will fee from his letter to you, 
which I now enclofe. He has allov/ed me to take 
a copy of it, and he fays you may read it to your 
clan, or publifh it if you pleafe. Be afTured, fir, 
that I fhail take care of what he has entrufted to me^, 
which is to have an acknowledgment of his errouj: 
inferted in the Edinburgh newfpapers. You will, I 
dare fay, be fully fatisfied with Dr. Johnlbn's be- 
haviour. He is defirous to know that you are -, and 
therefore when you have read his acknowledgement 
in the papers, I beg you may write to me -, and if 
you choofe it, I am perfuaded a letter from you to 
the Do6lor alfo will be taken kind. I fhall be at 
Edinburgh the week after next. 

" Any civilities which my wife and I had in our 
power to fhew to your daughter, Mifs M'Leod, 
were due to her own merit, and were well repaid 
by her agreeable company. But I am fure I fliould 
be a very unworthy man if I did not wifh to llicw a 
grateful fenfe of the hofpitable and genteel manner 
in which you were pleafed to treat me. Be afTured, 
my dear fir, that 1 fhall never forget your goodnefs, 
and the happy hours which I fpent in Rafay. 

'* You and Dr. M'Leod were both fo obliging 
as to promife me an account in writing, of all the 
particulars which each of you remember, concern- 
ing the tranfa'^lions of 1745-6. Pray do not forget 
this, an;:! be as minute and full as you can ; puc 
down e^ery thing j 1 have a great curiofity to know 
3S much as i can, authentically. 

« I beg 



TO THE HEBRIDES; 4St 

• I beg that you may prefent my beft refpefls 
to Lady Rafay, my compliments to your young fa- 
mily, and to Dr. M'Leud i and my hearty good 
wilhes to Malcolm, with whom I hope again to 
ihake hands cordially. I have the honour to be, 
« Dear fir, 
« Your obliged and faithful humble fervant, 

" James Boswell," 

Advertis:ement, written by Dr. Johnfon, and in- 
ferred by his defire in the Edinburgh newfpapers: 
—Referred to in the foregoing letter*. 
** THE authour of the Journey to the Weflern 
•* Iflands, having related that the M'Leods of Rafay 
" acknowledge the chieftainfoip or fuperiority of the 
*' M-Leods of Sky, finds that he has been mijinformed 
*' or miflaken. He means in a future edition to cor^ 
•* re5l his errour, and wifhes to be told of more, if 
*' more have been difcovered" 

Dr. Johnfon's letter was as follows : 

To THE Laird of Rasay. 
Dear Sir, 

" MR, Bofwell has this day fhewn me a 
letter, in which you complain of a paffage in " the 
Journey to the Hebrides." My meaning is miftaken. 
I did not intend to fay that you had perfonally made 
any ceflion of the rights of your houfe, or any ac- 
knowledgement of the fuperiority of M'Leod of 
Dunvegan. I only defigned to exprefs what 1 
thought; generally admitted, — that the houfe of 
Rafay allowed the fuperiority of the houfe of Dun- 
vegan. Even this 1 now find to be erroneous, and 

will 

* The original MS. is now in my poffdfion. 



4.n JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

will therefore omit or retraft it in the nexf 

edition. 

" Though what I had faid had been true, if it 
had been difagreeable to you, I fhould have wifhed 
it unfaidj for it is not my bufinefs to adjuft prece- 
dence. As it is miftaken, I find myfelf difpoled to 
corretfl, both by my refpecl for you, and my re- 
verence for truth. 

^ As I know not when the book will be reprinted, 
I have defired Mr. Bofwell to anticipate the correc- 
tion in the Edinburgh papers. This is all that can 
be done, 

" I hope I may now venture to defire that my 
compliments may be made, and my gratitude ex- 
preffed, to Lady Rafay, Mr. Malcolm M'Leod, Mr, 
Donald M'Queen, and all the gentlemen and all the 
Jadies whom 1 faw in the ifland of Rafiy ; a place 
which I remember with too much plealure and too 
much kindnefs, not to be forry that my ignorance^ 
or hafty perfuafion, fhould, for a fingle moment, 
have violated its tranquillity. 

" I beg you all to forgive an undefigned and in- 
voluntary injury, and to confider me as, 
" Sir, your moft obliged, 

" and moft humble fervanr, 

London, May 6, ijji. tc g^^j^ JqhnsON 



» »» 



It would be improper for me to boaft of my own 
labours"', but I cannot refrain from publifliing fuch 
praife as I received from fuch a man as Sir William 
Forbes, of Pitfligo, after the perufal of the original 
manufcript of my Journal. 

* Rafay wis highly gratified, and afterwards viStetl and diuev'i 
with Dr. Johalon, at his hcul'e in London. 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 433 

To James Boswell, EJ\, 

Edinburgh, March 7, 1777. 

" My dear Sir, 

" I ought to have thanked you fooner, for 
your very obliging letter, and tor the fingular con- 
fidence yt)U are pleafed to place in me, when you 
truft me with fuch a curious and valuable depofic as 
the papers you have fent me*. Be aliured I have a 
due fenle of this favour, and fhall faithfully and 
carefully return them to you. You may rely that 
I (hall neither copy any part, nor permit the papers 
to be kf^n. 

" They contain a curious pi6ture of fociety, and 
form a journal on the moft inftruftive plan thatcaa 
poffibly be thought of; for I am not fure that an 
ordinary obferver would become fo well acquainted 
either with Dr. Johnfon, or with the manners of the 
Hebrides, by a perfonal intercourle, as by a peru- 
fal of your Journal. 

" I am very truly, 
" Dear Sir, 
" Your moft obedient, 

" And affedionate humble fervant, 

" WiLLiAPt Forbes." 

When I confider how many of the perfons men- 
tioned in this Tour are now gone to " that undifco- 
F t vered 

• In juftice both to Sir William Forbes and myfelf, it is proper to 
mention, that the papers which were luhmji'i-d to !ns perufal con- 
tained only an account of our Tour from the time that Dr. Johnfbti 
and I fetcut from Edinburgh (p. 46), and confequently did not con- 
tain the elogium on Sir Willam Forbes (p. i6), which he never faw 
till this book appeared in print; nor did he even know, when ht 
wrote the above letter, that this Journal was to be publiflied. 



4S4 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

Vered country, from whofe bourne no traveller re- 
turns," I feel an impreffion at once awful and ten- 
der. — Req^idefcant in pace! 

It may be objefted by fome perfons, as it ha» 
been by one of my friends, that he who has the 
power of tlius exhibiting an exadl tranfcript of con- 
verfations is not a defirabie member of fociety. I 
repeat the anfwer which I made to that friend :-— 
*' Few, very few, need be afraid that their fayings 
will be recorded. Can it be imagined that I would 
take the trouble to gather what grows on every 
hedge, becaufe I have collefted fuch fruits as the 
Notipareil and the Bon Chretien ?'* 

On the other hand, how ufeful is fuch a faculty, 
if well exercifed ! To it we owe all thofe intereft- 
ing apothegms and inemorcMlia of the ancients, 
which Plutarch, Xenophon, and Valerius Maximus, 
have tranfmitted to us. To it we owe all thofe in- 
Itrudive and entertaining collc6tions which the 
French have made under the title of Ana^ affixed 
to fome celebrated name. To it we owe the Tabk' 
^'alk of Selden, the Con'oerfation between Ben John- 
ion and Drummond of Hawthornden, Spence's 
Anecdotes of Pope, and other valuable remains in 
our own language. How delighted Ihould we have 
been, if thus introduced into the company of Shak- 
fpeare and of Dryden, of whom we know fcarcely 
any thing but their admirable writings ! What plea- 
fure would it have given us, to have known their 
petty habits, their charadleriftick manners, their 
modes of compofition, and their genuine opinion of 
preceding writers and of their contemporaries ! All 
thefe are now irrecoverably loft. — Confidering how 
inany of the ftrongeft and nioft brilliant effufiona 

of 



TO THE HEBRIDES. 435 

of exalted intelledl miift have perifhed, hov^- much 
is it to be regretted that all men of diftinguifhed 
wifdom and wit have not been attended by friends, 
of tafte enough to relifli, and abilities enough tQ 
regiiler their converfation j 

Vixere fortes ante Agaftiemnona 
Multi, fed omnes illacrymabiles 
TJrgentur, ignotique lotiga 
NoSe, carent giiia vatefacro. 

They whofe inferiour exertions are recorded, as 
ferving to explain or illuftrate the fayings of fuch 
men, may be proud of being thus aflbciated, and 
of their names being tranfmitted to pofterity, by 
being appended to an illuftrious charader. 

Before I conclude, I thing it proper to fay, that: 

I have fupprefled * every thing which I thought 

F f 2 COUI4 

* Having found, on a revifion of the iirft edition of this work, 
that, notwithftanding my beft care, a few obfervations had efcaped 
me, which arorefrom the inftant impreflion, the publication of which 
might perhaps be confidered as pafling the bounds of a ftri6l deco- 
rum, I immediately ordered that they fliould be omitted in the fub- 
iequent editions. I was pleafed to find that they did not amount in 
the whole to a page. If any of the fame kind are yet left, it is 
owing to inadvertence alone, no man being more unwilling to give 
pain to others than I am. 

A contemptible fcribbler, of whom I have learned no more th am 
that, after having difgraced and delerted the clerical character, he 
picks up in London a fcanty livelihood by fcurrilous lampoons 
under a feigned name, has impudently and falfely afferted that the 
pafiages omitted were defamatory, and that the omiflion was not 
voluntary, but compulfory. The laft infmuation I took the trouble 
publickly to difprove ; yet, like one of Pope's dunces, he perfevered 
in " the lie o'erthrown." As to the charge of defamation, there is 
an obvious and certain mode of refuting it. Any perfon who thinks 
it worth while to compare one edition with the other, will find that 
the palTages omitted were not in the leaft degree of thnt nature, but 
cxaftly fuch as I have rHprsfented them in the former part of this 
note, the lially effdfion of momentary feelings, which the delicacy of 
pplithicfs fliould have fu pprcffsd. 



436 JOURNAL OF A TOUR 

could really hurt any one now living. Vanity and 
felf-cona;ii indeeo may iometimes lufFer. "With re- 
fpefl to what is related, I confidered it my duty to 
" extenuate nothing, nor let down aught in malice ;" 
and with thole lighter ilrokes of Dr. Johnlbn's fatire, 
proceeding troiii a warmth and quicki;efs of ima- 
gination, not from any malevolence of heart, and 
which, on account of their excellence, could not be 
omitted, I truf. that they who are the fubjeft of 
them have p^ood lenfe and good temper enough not 
to be difpleafed. 

I have only to add, that I fball ever refleft with 
great piealure on a Tour, a hich has been the means 
of prelerving lo much of the enlightened and \n- 
llrucnve converlation of one whole virtues will, I 
hope, ever be an objt(5t of imitation, and whofc 
powers of mind were lo extraordinary, that ages 
may revolve before iuch a man (hall again appear. 



APPENDIX. 



A P P E N D I X- 

No. 1., 

Injujiice to the ingenious Br. Blacklock, I puhlijh 
the following letter from him, relative to a pajfagi 
in p. 34. 



To James Boswell, Esq. 

Dear Sir, 

HAVING lately had the pleafure of reading 
your account o\ the journey which yoj took 
with Dr. Samuel Johnlon to the Weflern Ides, I 
take the liberty of tranlmitung my ideas of the con- 
verfation which happened between the doclor and 
myfeif concerning Lexicography and Poetry, which, 
as it is a little different from the delineation exhi- 
bited in the former edition of your Journal, cannot, 
I hope, be unacceptable -, particularly fince I have 
been informed that a fecond edition of that work 
is now in contemplation, if not in execution : and I 
am ftill more ftrongly tempted to encourage that 
hope, from confidering that, if every one concerned 
in the converfacions related, were to fend you what 
they can recoiled of thefe colloquial entertainments^ 
many curious and interefting particulars might be 
recovered, which the mod affiduous attention could 
not obfcrve, nor the molt ttnacious memory retain. 

A little 



438 APPENDIX. 

A little refledion, fir, will convince you, that ther^ 
is'not an axiom in EucFd more intuitive nor more 
evident than the do6lor's aCertion that poetry was 
of-nuich eafier execution than lexicography. Any 
mind therefore endowed with common lenfe, muft- 
have been extremely abfent from itfelf, if it difco- 
vered the leaft aftori'iflim,ent from hearing that a 
poem might be written with muqh more facility 
than the fame quantity pf a dicTtionary. 

The real caufe of my furpriie was what appeared 
to me much more paradoxical, that he could write 
a (heet of dictionary "doith as much pkafure as a flieet 
of poetry. He acknowledged, indeed, that the lat- 
ter was much eaficr than the former. Fot* in the one 
cafe, books and a def!<: were requifite ; in the other, 
you might compofe when lying in bed, or walking 
in the fields, occ. He did not, however, defcend to 
explain, nor to this moment can i comprehend, 
how the labours of a mere Philologift, in the moft- 
refined kn\t of tjiat term, could give equal plea-; 
lure with the exercife of a mind replete with elevated 
^oncepcjons and pathetic ideas, while tafte, fancy,, 
and inrellecl were deeply enamoured of nature, and 
i,n fuU e>:;ertion. You may likewife, perhaps, re- 
member, that when I complained of the giound 
^b.i.ch Scepticifm in reiigicn and morals was con- 
tinually gaining, it did not ;ippear to be on my owji 
account, as my {;riv-ate opinions upon thele impor- 
tant fubjeiSs had long, been inflexibly determined, 
Y?Ji\v^i 1 then deplored, and Rill deplore, was the 
vnhappy influence v^hich that gloomy hefitation had, 
not only upon particular characters, but even upon 
lite in general •, as being equally the bane ot aftion 



•APPENDIX. 439 

in our prefent ftate, and of fuch confolatlons as we 
might derive from the hopes of a future. 

I have the pleafure of remaining with fincere 
cfteem and refped. 

Dear Sir, 
Your moft obedient humble fervant, 

Edinburgh, Nov. iz, 1785. ThOMAS BlACKLOCK,^ 

I am very happy to find that Dr. Blacklock's 
apparent uneafinefs on the fubjed of Scepticifni was 
not on his own account, (as I fuppofed,) but from a 
benevolent concern for the happinefs of mankind. 
"With refpefl, however, to the quellion concerning 
poetry, and compofing a didionary, I am coniidenc 
that my ftate of Dr. Johnfon's pofition is accurate. 
One may milconceive the motive by which a perfon 
is induced to difcufs a particular topick (as in the 
cafe of Dr. Blacklock's fpeaking of Scepticifm); 
but an alTertion, like that made by Dr. Johnfon, 
cannot be eafily miftaken. And indeed it leems noc 
very probable, that he who fo pathetically laments 
the drudgery to which the unhappy lexicographer is 
doomed, and is known to have written his fplendid 
imitation of Juvenal with aftonifhing rapidity, fhould 
have had " as much pleafure in writing a flieet of 
a didionary as a fheet of poetry.'* Nor can I con- 
cur with the ingenious v/riter of the foregoing let- 
ter, in thinking it an axiom as evident as any in 
Euclid, that " poetry is of eafier execution than 
lexicography." I have no doubt that Bailey, and 
the " mighry blunderbuis of law," Jacob, v/rcte 
ten pages of their refpedive Didionaries v/ith more 
eafe than they could have written five pages of 
poetry. 

If 



440 APPENDIX. 

If this book fhoLild again be reprinted, I fliall, 
with the utmoft readinefs correfl any ci r urs 1 may 
have committed, in ftating converfations, provided 
it can be clearly fhewn to me that 1 have been in- 
accurate. But I am flow to believe, (as I have 
elfewhere obferved,) that any man's memory, at the 
diftance of feverai yea; s, can preferve fafls or fay- 
ings with fuch fiuclity as may be done by writing 
them down when they are recent : and I beg it may 
be remembered, that it is not upon memory^ but 
upon what was written at the timet that the authen- 
ticity of my Journal refls. 



fro. IL 



APPENDIX. 44i 



No. IL 

VERSES written by Sir AIexand--r (now Lord) 
Macdonald ; addirfled and prelented to Dr. 
Johnfon, ac Armidale in the Ifle of Sky. 

Viator, qui voflra per aquora 
V'ljurus agros Sk at ices venisy 
En te falutmites tributim 

Undique conglomerantur oris, 

Donaldiavi, — quctquot in iJifulis 
Compefcit arilis liniitibus tiiare ; 
Jlitaue jaindudum^ ac alendos 
Pij'cibus indlgenas fovcbit. 

Cicre Jiuf.lns fijh^ Pr ocelli ger^ 
JSfec tu liborans perge, precor^ ratis^ 
Ne conjugem plan gat marita^ 

Ne dolcat jibolcs tareniem. 

Nee te vicifjitn pcvnitcat "oirum 
LuxiJJe; — 'vcjlro fcimus ut ajiuant 
In corde luSlantes dolores. 
Cum feriant inopina corpus. 

^uidnl ! perimpium clade tuent'ibiis 
Plus f ember illo qui moritur pati 
Datur, dolotis dum profunda s 
Pervia nuns aperit tecejTas. 

J'alete luSIus ; — hinc lacr^nialiles 
/irate vifus : — ibimus, ibirnus 
Huperbicnti qua theatro 

jpin^alliV numoroniur oulee, 

G g lUujlri) 



442 APPENDIX. 

Ilittjlris hofpes ! mox fpatlabere 
^a mens'ruines duBa meatibiis 
Gaudeblt explorare costus, 

Buccina qua cecinit triumphosi 

Jud'in? refurgens fplrai anhelltu 
Dux iifitaio^ fufcitat efficax 
Poeta manes^ ingmitque 
Vijdita redivivui horror. 

Ahana qv.ajjans tela grav'i manu. 
Sic that atrox Ojjiani paier : 
^uiefcat urna, Jlet fidelis 

^Pkerfonius vigil adfaviilami 




N D. 



e^.: 




.•; m