Books: The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D.

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We went to tea. The duke and I walked up and down the drawing-room,
conversing. The duchess still continued to shew the same marked
coldness for me; for which, though I suffered from it, I made every
allowance, considering the very warm part that I had taken for
Douglas, cause in which she thought her son deeply interested. Had not
her grace discovered some displeasure towards me, I should have
suspected her of insensibility or dissimulation.

Her grace made Dr Johnson come and sit by her, and asked him why he
made his journey so late in the year. 'Why, madam,' said he, 'you know
Mr Boswell must attend the Court of Session, and it does not rise till
the twelfth of August.' She said, with some sharpness, 'I KNOW NOTHING
of Mr Boswell.' Poor Lady Lucy Douglas, to whom I mentioned this,
observed, 'She knew TOO MUCH of Mr Boswell.' I shall make no remark on
her grace's speech. I indeed felt it as rather too severe; but when I
recollected that my punishment was inflicted by so dignified a beauty,
I had that kind of consolation which a man would feel who is strangled
by a SILKEN CORD. Dr Johnson was all attention to her grace. He used
afterwards a droll expression, upon her enjoying the three titles of
Hamilton, Brandon, and Argyle. Borrowing an image from the Turkish
empire, he called her a 'Duchess with three tails'.

He was much pleased with our visit at the castle of Inveraray. The
Duke of Argyle was exceedingly polite to him, and, upon his
complaining of the shelties which he had hitherto ridden being too
small for him, his grace told him he should be provided with a good
horse to carry him next day.

Mr John M'Aulay passed the evening with us at our inn. When Dr Johnson
spoke of people whose principles were good, but whose practice was
faulty, Mr M'Aulay said, he had no notion of people being in earnest
in their good professions, whose practice was not suitable to them.
The Doctor grew warm, and said, 'Sir, you are so grossly ignorant of
human nature, as not to know that a man may be very sincere in good
principles, without having good practice?'

Dr Johnson was unquestionably in the right; and whoever examines
himself candidly, will be satisfied of it, though the inconsistency
between principles and practice is greater in some men than in others.

I recollect very little of this night's conversation. I am sorry that
indolence came upon me towards the conclusion of our journey, so that
I did not write down what passed with the same assiduity as during the
greatest part of it.

Tuesday, 26th October

Mr M'Aulay breakfasted with us, nothing hurt or dismayed by his last
night's correction. Being a man of good sense, he had a just
admiration of Dr Johnson. Either yesterday morning, or this, I
communicated to Dr Johnson, from Mr M'Aulay's information, the news
that Dr Beattie had got a pension of two hundred pounds a year. He sat
up in his bed, clapped his hands, and cried, 'O brave we!' a peculiar
exclamation of his when he rejoices. [Footnote: Having mentioned, more
than once, that my Journal was perused by Dr Johnson, I think it
proper to inform my readers that this is the last paragraph which he
read.]

As we sat over our tea, Mr Home's Tragedy of Douglas was mentioned. I
put Dr Johnson in mind, that once, in a coffee-house at Oxford, he
called to old Mr Sheridan, 'How came you, sir, to give Home a gold
medal for writing that foolish play?' and defied Mr Sheridan to shew
ten good lines in it. He did not insist they should be together, but
that there were not ten good lines in the whole play. He now persisted
in this. I endeavoured to defend that pathetick and beautiful tragedy,
and repeated the following passage:

'"... Sincerity,
Thou first of virtues! let no mortal leave
Thy onward path, although the earth should gape,
And from the gulph of hell destruction cry.
To take dissimulation's winding way."'

JOHNSON. 'That will not do, sir. Nothing is good but what is
consistent with truth or probability, which this is not. Juvenal,
indeed, gives us a noble picture of inflexible virtue:

Esto bonus miles, tutor bonus, arbiter idem
Integer: ambiguae si quando citabere testis,
Incertaeque rei, Phalaris licet imperet, ut sis
Falsus, et admoto dictet perjuria tauro,
Summum crede nefas animam praeferre pudori,
Et propter vitam vivendi perdere causas.

[Footnote: An honest guardian, arbitrator just.
Be thou; thy station deem a sacred trust.
With thy good sword maintain thy country's cause;
In every action venerate its laws:
The lie suborn'd if falsely urg'd to swear,
Though torture wait thee, torture firmly bear;
To forfeit honour, think the highest shame,
And life too dearly bought by loss of fame;
Nor, to preserve it, with thy virtue give
That for which only man should wish to live.

For this and the other translations to which no signature is affixed,
I am indebted to the friend whose observations are mentioned in
notes.] He repeated the lines with great force and dignity; then
added, 'And, after this, comes Johnny Hoe, with his EARTH GAPING, and
his DESTRUCTION CRYING--Pooh!' [Footnote: I am sorry that I was
unlucky in my quotation. But notwithstanding the acuteness of Dr
Johnson's criticism, and the power of his ridicule, the Tragedy of
Douglas still continues to be generally and deservedly admired.]

While we were lamenting the number of ruined religious buildings which
we had lately seen, I spoke with peculiar feeling to the miserable
neglect of the chapel belonging to the palace of Holyrood House, in
which are deposited the remains of many of the kings of Scotland, and
of many of our nobility. I said, it was a disgrace to the country that
it was not repaired: and particularly complained that my friend
Douglas, the representative of a great house, and proprietor of a vast
estate, should suffer the sacred spot where his mother lies interred,
to be unroofed, and exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather. Dr
Johnson, who, I know not how, had formed an opinion on the Hamilton
side, in the Douglas cause, slily answered, 'Sir, sir, don't be too
severe upon the gentleman; don't accuse him of want of filial piety!
Lady Jane Douglas was not HIS mother.' He roused my zeal so much that
I took the liberty to tell him he knew nothing of the cause; which I
do most seriously believe was the case.

We were now 'in a country of bridles and saddles', and set out fully
equipped. The Duke of Argyle was obliging enough to mount Dr Johnson
on a stately steed from his grace's stable. My friend was highly
pleased, and Joseph said, 'He now looks like a bishop.'

We dined at the inn at Tarbat, and at night came to Rosedow, the
beautiful seat of Sir James Colquhoun, on the banks of Lochlomond,
where I, and any friends whom I have introduced, have ever been
received with kind and elegant hospitality.

Wednesday, 27th October

When I went into Dr Johnson's room this morning, I observed to him how
wonderfully courteous he had been at Inveraray, and said, 'You were
quite a fine gentleman, when with the duchess.' He answered, in good
humour, 'Sir, I look upon myself as a very polite man': and he was
right, in a proper manly sense of the word. As an immediate proof of
it, let me observe, that he would not send back the Duke of Argyle's
horse without a letter of thanks, which I copied.

To his Grace the Duke of ARGYLE.

My Lord,

That kindness which disposed your grace to supply me with the horse,
which I have now returned, will make you pleased to hear that he has
carried me well.

By my diligence in the little commission with which I was honoured by
the duchess, I will endeavour to shew how highly I value the favours
which I have received, and how much I desire to be thought,

My lord,
Your grace's most obedient,
and most humble servant,
SAM. JOHNSON
Rosedow, Oct. 29, 1773.

The duke was so attentive to his respectable guest, that on the same
day, he wrote him an answer, which was received at Auchinleck:

To Dr JOHNSON, Auchinleck, Ayrshire. Sir,

I am glad to hear your journey from this place was not unpleasant, in
regard to your horse. I wish I could have supplied you with good
weather, which I am afraid you felt the want of.

The Duchess of Argyle desires her compliments to you, and is much
obliged to you for remembering her commission. I am, sir,

Your most obedient humble servant,

ARGYLE.

Inveraray, Oct. 29, 1773.

I am happy to insert every memorial of the honour done to my great
friend. Indeed, I was at all times desirous to preserve the letters
which he received from eminent persons, of which, as of all other
papers, he was very negligent; and I once proposed to him, that they
should be committed to my care, as his Gustos Rotulorum. I wish he had
complied with my request, as by that means many valuable writings
might have been preserved, that are now lost. [Footnote: As a
remarkable instance of his negligence, I remember some years ago to
have found lying loose in his study, and without the cover, which
contained the address, a letter to him from Lord Thurlow, to whom he
had made an application as Chancellor, in behalf of a poor literary
friend. It was expressed in such terms of respect for Dr Johnson,
that, in my zeal for his reputation, I remonstrated warmly with him on
his strange inattention, and obtained his permission to take a copy of
it; by which probably it has been preserved, as the original I have
reason to suppose is lost.]

After breakfast, Dr Johnson and I were furnished with a boat, and
sailed about upon Lochlomond, and landed on some of the islands which
are interspersed. He was much pleased with the scene, which is so well
known by the accounts of various travellers, that it is unnecessary
for me to attempt any description of it.

I recollect none of his conversation, except that, when talking of
dress, he said, 'Sir, were I to have any thing fine, it should be very
fine. Were I to wear a ring, it should not be a bauble, but a stone of
great value. Were I to wear a laced or embroidered waistcoat, it
should be very rich. I had once a very rich laced waistcoat, which I
wore the first night of my tragedy.'

Lady Helen Colquhoun being a very pious woman, the conversation, after
dinner, took a religious turn. Her ladyship defended the presbyterian
mode of publick worship; upon which Dr Johnson delivered those
excellent arguments for a form of prayer which he has introduced into
his Journey. I am myself fully convinced that a form of prayer for
publick worship is in general most decent and edifying. Solennia verba
have a kind of prescriptive sanctity, and make a deeper impression on
the mind than extemporaneous effusions, in which, as we know not what
they are to be, we cannot readily acquiesce. Yet I would allow also of
a certain portion of extempore address, as occasion may require. This
is the practice of the French Protestant churches. And although the
office of forming supplications to the throne of Heaven is, in my
mind, too great a trust to be indiscriminately committed to the
discretion of every minister, I do not mean to deny that sincere
devotion may be experienced when joining in prayer with those who use
no Liturgy.

We were favoured with Sir James Colquhoun's coach to convey us in the
evening to Cameron, the seat of Commissary Smollet. Our satisfaction
of finding ourselves again in a comfortable carriage was very great.
We had a pleasing conviction of the commodiousness of civilization,
and heartily laughed at the ravings of those absurd visionaries who
have attempted to persuade us of the superior advantages of a state of
nature.

Mr Smollet was a man of considerable learning, with abundance of
animal spirits; so that he was a very good companion for Dr Johnson,
who said to me, 'We have had more solid talk here than at any place
where we have been.'

I remember Dr Johnson gave us this evening an able and eloquent
discourse on the origin of evil, and on the consistency of moral evil
with the power and goodness of God. He shewed us how it arose from our
free agency, an extinction of which would be a still greater evil than
any we experience. I know not that he said any thing absolutely new,
but he said a great deal wonderfully well; and perceiving us to be
delighted and satisfied, he concluded his harangue with an air of
benevolent triumph over an objection which has distressed many worthy
minds: This then is the answer to the question, [words in Greek]?' Mrs
Smollet whispered me, that it was the best sermon she had ever heard.
Much do I upbraid myself for having neglected to preserve it.

Thursday, 28th October

Mr Smollet pleased Dr Johnson, by producing a collection of
news-papers in the time of the Usurpation, from which it appeared that
all sorts of crimes were very frequent during that horrible anarchy.
By the side of the high road to Glasgow, at some distance from his
house, he had erected a pillar to the memory of his ingenious kinsman,
Dr Smollet; and he consulted Dr Johnson as to an inscription for it.
Lord Kames, who, though he had a great store of knowledge, with much
ingenuity, and uncommon activity of mind, was no profound scholar, had
it seems recommended an English inscription. Dr Johnson treated this
with great contempt, saying 'An English inscription would be a
disgrace to Dr Smollet'; and, in answer to what Lord Kames had urged,
as to the advantage of its being in English, because it would be
generally understood, I observed, that all to whom Dr Smollet's merit
could be an object of respect and imitation, would understand it as
well in Latin; and that surely it was not meant for the Highland
drovers, or other such people, who pass and repass that way.

We were then shewn a Latin inscription, proposed for this monument. Dr
Johnson sat down with an ardent and liberal earnestness to revise it,
and greatly improved it by several additions and variations. I
unfortunately did not take a copy of it, as it originally stood; but I
have happily preserved every fragment of what Dr Johnson wrote:

Quisquis ades, viator,
Vel mente felix, vel studiis cultus,
Immorare paululum memoriae
TOBIAE SMOLLET M.D.
Viri iis virtutibus
Quas in homine et cive
Et laudes, et imiteris,
.....
Postquam mira...
Se.........
....
Tali tantoque viro, suo patrueli,
......
Hanc columnam,
Amoris eheul inane monumentum,
In ipsis Leviniae ripis,
Quas primis infans vagitibus personuit,
Versiculisque jam fere moriturus illustravit,
Ponendam curavit
.........

[Footnote: The epitaph which has been inscribed on the pillar erected
on the banks of the Leven, in honour of Dr Smollet, is as follows. The
part which was written by Dr Johnson, it appears, has been altered:
whether for the better, the reader will judge. The alterations are
distinguished by italicks [all caps].

Siste viator!
Si lepores ingeniique venam benignam,
Si morum callidissimum pictorem,
Unquam es miratus,
Immorare paululum memoriae
TOBIAE SMOLLET, M.D.
Viri virtutibus HISCE
Quas in homine et cive
Et laudes et imiteris.
Haud mediocriter ornati:
Qui in literis variis versatus.
Postquam felicitate SIBI PROPRIA
Sese posteris commendaverat,
Morte acerba raptus
Anno oetatis 51
Eheul quam procul a patria!
Prope Liburni portum in Italia,
Jacet sepultus.
Tali tantoque viro, patrueli suo,
Cui in decursu lampada
Se pottus tradidisse decuit,
Hanc Columnam,
Amoris, eheul inane monumentum
In ipsis Leviniae ripis,
Quas VERSICULIS SUB EXITU VITAE ILLUSTRATAS
Primis infans vagitibus personuit,
Ponendam curavit
JACOBUS SMOLLET de Bonhill
Abi et reminscere.
Hoc quidem honore,
Non modo defuncti memoriae,
Verum ettam exemplo, prospectum esse;
Aliis enim, si modo digni sint,
Idem erit virtutis praemium!]

We had this morning a singular proof of Dr Johnson's quick and
retentive memory. Hay's translation of Martial was lying in a window.
I said, I thought it was pretty well done, and shewed him a particular
epigram, I think, of ten, but am certain of eight, lines. He read it,
and tossed away the book, saying 'No, it is NOT pretty well.' As I
persisted in my opinion, he said, 'Why, sir, the original is thus'
(and he repeated it); 'and this man's translation is thus,' and then
he repeated that also, exactly, though he had never seen it before,
and read it over only once, and that too, without any intention of
getting it by heart.

Here a post-chaise, which I had ordered from Glasgow, came for us, and
we drove on in high spirits. We stopped at Dunbarton, and though the
approach to the castle there is very steep, Dr Johnson ascended it
with alacrity, and surveyed all that was to be seen. During the whole
of our tour he shewed uncommon spirit, could not bear to be treated
like an old or infirm man, and was very unwilling to accept of any
assistance, insomuch that, at our landing at Icolmkill, when Sir Allan
McLean and I submitted to be carried on men's shoulders from the boat
to the shore, as it could not be brought quite close to land, he
sprang into the sea, and waded vigorously out.

On our arrival at the Saracen's Head Inn, at Glasgow, I was made happy
by good accounts from home; and Dr Johnson, who had not received a
single letter since we left Aberdeen, found here a great many, the
perusal of which entertained him much. He enjoyed in imagination the
comforts which we could now command, and seemed to be in high glee. I
remember, he put a leg up on each side of the grate, and said, with a
mock solemnity, by way of soliloquy, but loud enough for me to hear
it, 'Here am I, an ENGLISH man, sitting by a COAL fire.'

Friday, 29th October

The professors of the university being informed of our arrival, Dr
Stevenson, Dr Reid, and Mr Anderson, breakfasted with us. Mr Anderson
accompanied us while Dr Johnson viewed this beautiful city. He had
told me, that one day in London, when Dr Adam Smith was boasting of
it, he turned to him and said, 'Pray, sir, have you ever seen
Brentford?' This was surely a strong instance of his impatience, and
spirit of contradiction. I put him in mind of it to-day, while he
expressed his admiration of the elegant buildings, and whispered him,
'Don't you feel some remorse?'

We were received in the college by a number of the professors, who
shewed all due respect to Dr Johnson; and then we paid a visit to the
principal, Dr Leechman, at his own house, where Dr Johnson had the
satisfaction of being told that his name had been gratefully
celebrated in one of the parochial congregations in the Highlands, as
the person to whose influence it was chiefly owing, that the New
Testament was allowed to be translated into the Erse language. It
seems some political members of the Society in Scotland for
propagating Christian Knowledge, had opposed this pious undertaking,
as tending to preserve the distinction between the Highlanders and
Lowlanders. Dr Johnson wrote a long letter upon the subject to a
friend, which being shewn to them, made them ashamed, and afraid of
being publickly exposed; so they were forced to a compliance. It is
now in my possession, and is, perhaps, one of the best productions of
his masterly pen.

Professors Reid and Anderson, and the two Messieurs Foulis, the Elzevirs
of Glasgow, dined and drank tea with us at our inn, after which the
professors went away; and I, having a letter to write, left my
fellow-traveller with Messieurs Foulis. Though good and ingenious men,
they had that unsettled speculative mode of conversation which is
offensive to a man regularly taught at an English school and university.
I found that, instead of listening to the dictates of the Sage, they had
teazed him with questions and doubtful disputations. He came in a
flutter to me, and desired I might come back again, for he could not
bear these men. 'O ho! sir,' said I, 'you are flying to me for refuge!'
He never, in any situation, was at a loss for a ready repartee. He
answered, with quick vivacity, 'It is of two evils chooseing the least.'
I was delighted with this flash bursting from the cloud which hung upon
his mind, closed my letter directly, and joined the company.

We supped at Professor Andersen's. The general impression upon my
memory is, that we had not much conversation at Glasgow where the
professors, like their brethren at Aberdeen, did not venture to expose
themselves much to the battery of cannon which they knew might play
upon them. Dr Johnson, who was fully conscious of his own superior
powers, afterwards praised Principal Robertson for his caution in this
respect. He said to me, 'Robertson, sir, was in the right. Robertson
is a man of eminence, and the head of a college at Edinburgh. He had a
character to maintain, and did well not to risk its being lessened.'

Saturday, 30th October

We set out towards Ayrshire. I sent Joseph on to Loudoun, with a
message, that, if the earl was at home, Dr Johnson and I would have
the honour to dine with him. Joseph met us on the road, and reported
that the earl 'jumped for joy', and said, 'I shall be very happy to
see them.' We were received with a most pleasing courtesy by his
lordship, and by the countess his mother, who, in her ninety-fifth
year, had all her faculties quite unimpaired. This was a very cheering
sight to Dr Johnson, who had an extraordinary desire for long life.
Her ladyship was sensible and well-informed, and had seen a great deal
of the world. Her lord had held several high offices, and she was
sister to the great Earl of Stair.

I cannot here refrain from paying a just tribute to the character of
John Earl of Loudoun, who did more service 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
persons both in high and low rank: but such was his temper, such his
knowledge of 'base mankind,' [Footnote: The unwilling gratitude of
base mankind. POPE.] that, as if he had expected no other return, his
mind was never soured, and he retained his good-humour and benevolence
to the last. The tenderness of his heart was proved in 1745-6, when he
had an important command in the Highlands, and behaved with a generous
humanity to the unfortunate. I cannot figure a more honest politician;
for, though his interest in our county was great, and generally
successful, he not only did not deceive by fallacious promises, but
was anxious that people should not deceive themselves by too sanguine
expectations. His kind and dutiful attention to his mother was
unremitted. At his house was true hospitality; a plain but a plentiful
table; and every guest, being left at perfect freedom, felt himself
quite easy and happy. While I live, I shall honour the memory of this
amiable man.

At night, we advanced a few miles farther, to the house of Mr Campbell
of Treesbank, who was married to one of my wife's sisters, and were
entertained very agreeably by a worthy couple.

Sunday, 31st October

We reposed here in tranquillity. Dr Johnson was pleased to find a
numerous and excellent collection of books, which had mostly belonged
to the Reverend Mr John Campbell, brother of our host. I was desirous
to have procured for my fellow traveller, to-day, the company of Sir
John Cuninghame, of Caprington, whose castle was but two miles from
us. He was a very distinguished scholar, long abroad, and during part
of the time lived much with the learned Cuninghame, the opponent of
Bentley as a critick upon Horace. He wrote Latin with great elegance,
and, what is very remarkable, read Homer and Ariosto through every
year. I wrote to him to request he would come to us; but unfortunately
he was prevented by indisposition.

Monday, 1st November

Though Dr Johnson was lazy, and averse to move, I insisted that he
should go with me, and pay a visit to the Countess of Eglintoune,
mother of the late and present earl. I assured him, he would find
himself amply recompensed for the trouble; and he yielded to my
solicitations, though with some unwillingness. We were well mounted,
and had not many miles to ride. He talked of the attention that is
necessary in order to distribute our charity judiciously. 'If
thoughtlessly done, we may neglect the most deserving objects; and, as
every man has but a certain proportion to give, if it is lavished upon
those who first present themselves, there may be nothing left for such
as have a better claim. A man should first relieve those who are
nearly connected with him, by whatever tie; and then, if he has any
thing to spare, may extend his bounty to a wider circle.'

As we passed very near the castle of Dundonald, which was one of the
many residencies of the kings of Scotland, and in which Robert the
Second lived and died, Dr Johnson wished to survey it particularly. It
stands on a beautiful rising ground, which is seen at a great distance
on several quarters, and from whence there is an extensive prospect of
the rich district of Cuninghame, the western sea, the isle of Arran,
and a part of the northern coast of Ireland. It has long been
unroofed; and, though of considerable size, we could not, by any power
of imagination, figure it as having been a suitable habitation for
majesty. Dr Johnson, to irritate my old Scottish enthusiasm, was very
jocular on the homely accommodation of 'King Bob', and roared and
laughed till the ruins echoed.

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