James Boswell - THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON - All 6 Volumes in One Edition

In a letter from Edinburgh, dated the 29th of May, I pressed him to persevere in his resolution to make this year the projected visit to the Hebrides, of which he and I had talked for many years, and which I was confident would afford us much entertainment.

‘When your letter came to me, I was so darkened by an inflammation in my eye, that I could not for some time read it. I can now write without trouble, and can read large prints. My eye is gradually growing stronger; and I hope will be able to take some delight in the survey of a Caledonian loch.

‘Chambers is going a Judge, with six thousand a year, to Bengal[774]. He and I shall come down together as far as Newcastle, and thence I shall easily get to Edinburgh. Let me know the exact time when your Courts intermit. I must conform a little to Chambers’s occasions, and he must conform a little to mine. The time which you shall fix, must be the common point to which we will come as near as we can. Except this eye, I am very well.

‘Beattie is so caressed, and invited, and treated, and liked, and flattered, by the great, that I can see nothing of him. I am in great hope that he will be well provided for, and then we will live upon him at the Marischal College, without pity or modesty[775].

‘——[776] left the town without taking leave of me, and is gone in deep dudgeon to ——[777]. Is not this very childish? Where is now my legacy[778]?

‘I hope your dear lady and her dear baby are both well. I shall see them too when I come; and I have that opinion of your choice, as to suspect that when I have seen Mrs. Boswell, I shall be less willing to go away. I am, dear Sir,

‘Your affectionate humble servant,

‘SAM. JOHNSON.’

‘Johnson’s-court, Fleet-street,

July 5, 1773.’

‘Write to me as soon as you can. Chambers is now at Oxford.’

I again wrote to him, informing him that the Court of Session rose on the twelfth of August, hoping to see him before that time, and expressing perhaps in too extravagant terms, my admiration of him, and my expectation of pleasure from our intended tour.

‘To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

‘I shall set out from London on Friday the sixth [779] of this month, and purpose not to loiter much by the way. Which day I shall be at Edinburgh, I cannot exactly tell. I suppose I must drive to an inn, and send a porter to find you.

‘I am afraid Beattie will not be at his College soon enough for us, and I shall be sorry to miss him; but there is no staying for the concurrence of all conveniences. We will do as well as we can.

‘I am, Sir,

‘Your most humble servant,

‘SAM. JOHNSON.’

‘August 3, 1773.’

‘Not being at Mr. Thrale’s when your letter came, I had written the enclosed paper and sealed it; bringing it hither for a frank, I found yours. If any thing could repress my ardour, it would be such a letter as yours. To disappoint a friend is unpleasing; and he that forms expectations like yours, must be disappointed. Think only when you see me, that you see a man who loves you, and is proud and glad that you love him.

‘I am, Sir,

‘Your most affectionate

‘SAM. JOHNSON.’

‘August 3, 1773.’

TO THE SAME.

‘Newcastle, Aug. 11, 1771.

‘I came hither last night, and hope, but do not absolutely promise, to be in Edinburgh on Saturday. Beattie will not come so soon.

I am, Sir,

‘Your most humble servant,

‘SAM. JOHNSON.’

‘My compliments to your lady.’

‘Mr. Johnson sends his compliments to Mr. Boswell, being just arrived at

Boyd’s,’

‘Saturday night.’

His stay in Scotland was from the 18th of August[780], on which day he arrived, till the 22nd of November, when he set out on his return to London; and I believe ninety-four days[781] were never passed by any man in a more vigorous exertion.

He came by the way of Berwick upon Tweed to Edinburgh, where he remained a few days, and then went by St. Andrew’s, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Fort Augustus, to the Hebrides, to visit which was the principal object he had in view. He visited the isles of Sky, Rasay, Col, Mull, Inchkenneth, and Icolmkill. He travelled through Argyleshire by Inverary, and from thence by Lochlomond and Dumbarton to Glasgow, then by Loudon to Auchinleck in Ayrshire, the seat of my family, and then by Hamilton, back to Edinburgh, where he again spent some time. He thus saw the four Universities of Scotland[782], its three principal cities, and as much of the Highland and insular life as was sufficient for his philosophical contemplation. I had the pleasure of accompanying him during the whole of this journey. He was respectfully entertained by the great, the learned, and the elegant, wherever he went; nor was he less delighted with the hospitality which he experienced in humbler life[783].

His various adventures, and the force and vivacity of his mind, as exercised during this peregrination, upon innumerable topicks, have been faithfully, and to the best of my abilities, displayed in my Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides , to which, as the publick has been pleased to honour it by a very extensive circulation[784], I beg leave to refer, as to a separate and remarkable portion of his life[785], which may be there seen in detail, and which exhibits as striking a view of his powers in conversation, as his works do of his excellence in writing. Nor can I deny to myself the very flattering gratification of inserting here the character which my friend Mr. Courtenay has been pleased to give of that work:

‘With Reynolds’ pencil, vivid, bold, and true,

So fervent Boswell gives him to our view:

In every trait we see his mind expand;

The master rises by the pupil’s hand;

We love the writer, praise his happy vein,

Grac’d with the naiveté of the sage Montaigne.

Hence not alone are brighter parts display’d,

But e’en the specks of character pourtray’d:

We see the Rambler with fastidious smile Mark the lone tree, and note the heath-clad isle; But when th’ heroick tale of Flora’s[786] charms, Deck’d in a kilt, he wields a chieftain’s arms: The tuneful piper sounds a martial strain, And Samuel sings, “The King shall have his ain .”’

During his stay at Edinburgh, after his return from the Hebrides, he was at great pains to obtain information concerning Scotland; and it will appear from his subsequent letters, that he was not less solicitous for intelligence on this subject after his return to London.

‘To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

‘I came home last night, without any incommodity, danger, or weariness, and am ready to begin a new journey. I shall go to Oxford on Monday[787]. I know Mrs. Boswell wished me well to go[788]; her wishes have not been disappointed. Mrs. Williams has received Sir A’s[789] letter.

‘Make my compliments to all those to whom my compliments may be welcome.

‘Let the box[790] be sent as soon as it can, and let me know when to expect it.

‘Enquire, if you can, the order of the Clans: Macdonald is first,

Maclean second; further I cannot go. Quicken Dr. Webster[791].

‘I am, Sir,

‘Yours affectionately,

‘SAM. JOHNSON.’

‘Nov. 27, 1773.’

‘Edinburgh, Dec. 2, 1773.

‘You shall have what information I can procure as to the order of the Clans. A gentleman of the name of Grant tells me, that there is no settled order among them; and he says, that the Macdonalds were not placed upon the right of the army at Culloden[792]; the Stuarts were. I shall, however, examine witnesses of every name that I can find here. Dr. Webster shall be quickened too. I like your little memorandums; they are symptoms of your being in earnest with your book of northern travels.