66 he laughed with uncommon glee, and could hardly leave off. I have seen him do so at a small matter that struck him, and was a sport to no one else. Mr. Langton told me, that one night he did so while the company were all grave about him; only Garrick, in his significant smart manner, darting his eyes around, exclaimed, “ Very jocose', to be sure!"—Macleod encouraged the fancy of Dr. Johnson's becoming owner of an island; told him that it was the practice in this country to name every man by his lands; and begged leave to drink to him in that mode: "Island Isa, your health!" Ulinish, Talisker, Mr. Macqueen, and I, all joined in our different manners, while Dr. Johnson bowed to each with much good humour. We had good weather, and a fine sail this day. The shore was varied with hills, and rocks, and corn-fields, and bushes, which are here dignified with the name of natural wood. We landed near the house of Fernilea, a farm possessed by another gentleman of the name of Macleod, who, expecting our arrival, was waiting on the shore, with a horse for Dr. Johnson. The rest of us walked. At dinner I expressed to Macleod the joy which I had in seeing him on such cordial terms with his clan. "Government," said he "has deprived us of our ancient power; but it cannot deprive us of our domestic affections. I would rather drink punch in one of their houses (meaning the houses of his people), than be enabled by their hardships, to have claret in my own."-This should be the sentiment of every chieftain. All that he can get by raising his rents, is more luxury in his own house. Is it not better to share the profits of his estate, to a certain degree, with his kinsmen, and thus have both social intercourse and patriarchal influence? We had a very good ride, for about three miles, to Talisker, where Colonel Macleod introduced us to his lady. We found here Mr. Donald Maclean, the yound Laird of Col (nephew to Talisker), to whom I delivered the letter with which I had been favoured by his uncle, Professor Macleod, at Aberdeen. He was a little lively young man. We found he had been a good deal in England, studying farming, and was resolved to improve the value of his father's lands, without oppressing his tenants, or losing the ancient Highland fashions. Talisker is a better place than one commonly finds in Sky. It is situated in a rich bottom. Before it is a wide expanse of sea, on each hand of which are immense rocks; and, at some distance in the sea, there are three columnal rocks rising to sharp points. The billows break with prodigious force and noise on the coast of Talisker. There are here a good many well-grown trees. Talisker is an extensive farm. The possessor of it has, for several generations, been the next heir to Macleod, as there has been but one son always in that family. The court before the house is most injudiciously paved with the round blueish-grey pebbles which are found upon the sea-shore; so that you walk as if upon cannon-balls driven into the ground. After supper, I talked of the assiduity of the Scottish clergy, in visiting and privately instructing the parishioners, and observed how much in this they excelled the English clergy. Dr. Johnson would not let this pass. He tried to turn it off, by saying, "There are different ways of instructing. Our clergy pray and preach."-Macleod and I pressed the subject, upon which he grew warm, and broke forth: "I do not believe your people are better instructed. If they are, it is the blind leading the blind; for your clergy are not instructed themselves." Thinking he had gone a little too far, he checked himself, and added, "When 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. Macqueen. "I suppose there are such among the clergy in Muscovy. The clergy of England have produced the most valuable books in support of religion, both in theory and practice. What have your clergy done, since you sunk into presbyterianism? Can you name one book of any value, on a religious subject, written by them ?"-We were silent.-" I'll help you. Forbes wrote very well; but I believe he wrote before episcopacy was quite extinguished." And then pausing a little, he said, "Yes, you have Wishart AGAINST Repentance.*"-BOSWELL: "But, sir, we are not contending for the superior learning of our clergy, but for their superior assiduity."—He bore us down again, with thundering against their ignorance, and said to me, “I see you have not been well taught, for you have not charity."--He had been in some measure forced into this warmth by the exulting air which I assumed; for, when he began, he said, "Since you will drive the nail!”—He again thought of good Mr. Macqueen, and taking him by the hand, said, "Sir, I did not mean any disrespect to you." Here I must observe, that he conquered by deserting his ground, and not meeting the argument as I had put it. The assiduity of the * This was a dexterous mode of description, for the purpose of his argument; for what he alluded to was a sermon published by the learned Dr. William Wishart, formerly principal of the college at Edinburgh, to warn men against confiding in a deathbed repentance, of the ineffacacy of which he entertained notions very different from those of Dr. Johnson.-Boswell. [The allusion to Forbes is not so distinct; perhaps Johnson referred to Dr. John Forbes, of Corse, an eminent scholar and theologian, whose Histories, Theological Institutions, and other works were published in two volumes folio at Amsterdam, in 1703. Burnet, in his Life of Bedell, alludes in terms of high commendation to Forbes. This learned divine was at one time Professor of Divinity in King's College, Aberdeen, but was driven abread by the introduction of the Solemn League and Covenant. He returned to die at home, April 29th, 1648.-ED.] Scottish clergy is certainly greater than that of the English. His taking up the topic of their not having so much learning, was, though ingenious, yet a fallacy in logic. It was as if there should be a dispute whether a man's hair is well dressed, and Dr. Johnson should say, “Sir, his hair cannot be well dressed, for he has a dirty shirt. No man who has not clean linen has his hair well dressed."-When some days afterwards he read this passage, he said, "No, sir; I did not say that a man's hair could not be well dressed because he has not clean linen, but because he is bald." He used one argument against the Scottish clergy being learned, which I doubt was not good. "As we believe a man dead till we know that he is alive; so we believe men ignorant till we know that they are learned." Now, our maxim in law is, to presume a man alive till we know he is dead. However, indeed, it may be answered, that we must first know he has lived; and that we have never known the learning of the Scottish clergy. Mr. Macqueen, though he was of opinion that Dr. Johnson had deserted the point really in dispute, was much pleased with what he said, and owned to me he thought it very just; and Mrs. Macleod was so much captivated by his eloquence, that she told me, "I was a good advocate for a bad cause." 66 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24. This was a good day. Dr. Johnson told us at breakfast that he rode harder at a fox chase than any body. "The English," said he, are the only nation who ride hard a-hunting. A Frenchman goes out upon a managed horse, and capers in the field, and no more thinks of leaping a hedge than of mounting a breach. Lord Powerscourt laid a wager in France that he would ride a great many miles in a certain short time. The French academicians set to work, and calculated that, from the resistance of the air, it was impossible. lordship however performed it." His Our money being nearly exhausted, we sent a bill for thirty pounds, drawn on Sir William Forbes and Co., to Lochbracadale, but our messenger found it very difficult to procure cash for it; at length however, he got us value from the master of a vessel which was to carry away some emigrants. There is a great scarcity of specie in Sky. Mr. Macqueen said he had the utmost difficulty to pay his servants' 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 consume a vast deal of snuff and tobacco, for which they must pay ready money; and pedlars, who come about selling goods, as there is not a shop in the island, carry away the cash. If there were encouragement given to fisheries and manufactures, there might be a circu lation of money introduced. I got one-and-twenty shillings in silver at Portree, which was thought a wonderful store. Talisker, Mr. Macqueen, and I, walked out, and looked at no less than fifteen different waterfalls near the house, in the space of about a quarter of a mile. We also saw Cuchillin's well, said to have been the favourite spring of that ancient hero. I drank of it. The water is admirable. On the shore are many stones full of crystallizations in the heart.* Though our obliging friend, Mr. Maclean, was but the young laird, he had the title of Col constantly given him. After dinner, he and I walked to the top of Prieshwell, a very high rocky hill, from whence there is a view of Barra, the Long Island, Bernera, the Loch of Dunvegan, part of Rum, part of Rasay, and a vast deal of the Isle of Sky. Col, though he had come into Sky with an intention to be at Dunvegan, and pass a considerable time in the island, most politely resolved first to conduct us to Mull, and then to return to Sky. This was a very fortunate circumstance; for he planned an expedition for us of more variety than merely going to Mull. He proposed we should see the islands of Egg, Muck, Col, and Tyr-ri [Tiree]. In all these islands he could show us everything worth seeing; and in Mull he said he should be as if at home, his father having lands there, and he a farm. Dr. Johnson did not talk much to-day, but seemed intent in listening to the schemes of future excursion, planned by Col. Dr. Birch, however, being mentioned, he said, he had more anecdotes than any man. I said, Percy had a great many; that he flowed with them like one of the brooks here.-JOHNSON: "If Percy is like one of the brooks here, Birch was like the river Thames. Birch excelled Percy in that, as much as Percy excels Goldsmith."-I mentioned Lord Hailes as a man of anecdote. He was not pleased with him for publishing only such memorials and letters as were unfavourable for the Stuart family. "If," said he, "a man fairly warns you, 'I am to give all the ill; do * The water of Cuchillin's well was so highly valued by old Talisker that he would drink no other when at home, though the spring was at some distance, and could only be reached by fording a stream. On one occasion it was found that the servant had neglected to fetch the usual supply, and, though the night was dark and stormy, he was ordered off to repair the omission. The faithless Donald, to save the dreary walk. filled his pail at a more convenient spring: Talisker detected the imposition, and sent Donald back again; but, with marvellous condescension, he resolved to accompany him, to make sure against any further mistake. Cuchillin's well was reached and the pail replenished; and as Donald trudged behind his master, ruminating on the consequences of detection, he contrived to dip the pail in the stream, and to take home for his outwitted master a liquid as unlike the well-known water of Cuchillin's well as that which had at first excited his suspicious ire. The blame was laid upon the well, which it was concluded must have been subjected to some disturbing causes, and the adroit Highlander escaped punishment. Drinking from this memorable spring, and living temperately, Talisker reached the goodly age of eighty, dying July 14th, 1798.—ED. you find the good;' he may: but if the object which he professes 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 scoundrel, King William. Granger's Biographical History is full of curious anecdote, but might have been better done. The dog is a Whig. I do not like much to see a Whig in any dress; but I hate to see a Whig in a parson's gown.”* SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25. It was resolved that we should set out, in order to return to Slate, to be in readiness to take a boat whenever there should be a fair wind. Dr. Johnson remained in his chamber writing a letter, and it was long before we could get him into motion. He did not come to breakfast, but had it sent to him. When he had finished his letter, it was twelve o'clock, and we should have set out at ten. When I went up to him, he said to me, "Do you remember a song which begins "Every island is a prison Strongly guarded by the sea; * On retiring to his own room Johnson indulged in one of these serious retrospects and self-communings, which were common with him at certain seasons, particularly his birthday. The following is among his "Prayers and Meditations:" "Talisker, in Sky, Sept. 24, 1773. "On last Saturday was my sixty-fourth birthday. I might perhaps have forgotten it had not Boswell told me of it; and, what pleased me less, told the family at Dunvevegan. The last year is added to those of which little use has been made. I tried in the summer to learn Dutch, and was interrupted by an inflammation in my eye. I set out in August on this journey to Sky. I find my memory uncertain, but hope it is only by a life immethodical and scattered. Of my body, I do not perceive that exercise or change of air has yet either increased the strength or activity. My nights are still disturbed by flatulencies. My hope is, for resolution I dare no longer call it, to divide my time regularly, and to keep such a journal of my time as may give me comfort on reviewing it. But when I consider my age and the broken state of my body, I have great reason to fear lest death should lay hold upon me while I am only yet designing to live. But I have yet hope. "ALMIGHTY God, most merciful Father, look down upon me with pity! Thou hast protected me in childhood and youth; support me, Lord, in my declining years. Preserve me from the dangers of sinful presumption. Give me, if it be best for me, stability of purposes and tranquillity of mind. Let the year which I have now begun be spent to thy glory and to the furtherance of my salvation. Take not from me thy Holy Spirit, but as death approaches prepare me to appear joyfully in thy presence, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."-ED. + The song begins differently, thus "Welcome, welcome, brother debtor, To this poor but merry place, Dares to show his frightful face." The lines quoted by Johnson form part of the third stanza. In a copy of "A Select Collection of English Songs," in three volumes, published by Johnsen, St. Paul's |