from 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 his subsequent letters, that he was not less solicitous for intelligence on this subject after his return to London. 66 TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. DEAR SIR, "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. I know Mrs. Boswell wished me well to go;3 her wishes have not been disappointed. Mrs. Williams has received Sir A.'s letter. "Make my compliments to all those to whom my compliments may be welcome. "Let the box' be sent as soon as it can, and let me know when to expect it. ' In this he shewed a very acute penetration. My wife paid him the most assiduous and respectful attention, while he was our guest; so that I wonder how he discovered her wishing for his departure. The truth is, that his irregular hours and uncouth habits, such as turning the candles with their heads downwards, when they did not burn bright enough, and letting the wax drop upon the carpet, could not but be disagreeable to a lady. Besides, she had not that high admiration of him which was felt by most of those who knew him; and what was very natural to a female mind, she thought he had too much influence over her husband. She once in a little warmth, made, with more point than justice, this remark upon that subject: "I have seen many a bear led by a man; but I never before saw a man led by a bear." * Sir Alexander Gordon, one of the Professors at Aberdeen. This was a box containing a number of curious things which he had picked up in Scotland, particularly some horn spoons. Ætat. 64. 1773. Ætat. 64. Enquire, if you can, the order of the Clans: Macdonald is first, Maclean second; further I cannot go. Quicken Dr. Webster. I am, Sir, "Your's affectionately, "Nov. 27, 1773. "SAM. JOHNSON." MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, Dec. 2, 1778. "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; 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. "Your box shall be sent next week by sea. You will find in it some pieces of the broom bush, which you saw growing on the old castle of Auchinleck. The wood has a curious appearance when sawn across. You may either have a little writing-standish made of it, or get it formed into boards for a treatise on witchcraft, by way of a suitable binding.' The Reverend Dr. Alexander Webster, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, a man of distinguished abilities, who had promised him information concerning the Highlands and Islands of Scot land. MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON. "You promised me an inscription for a print to be taken from an historical picture of Mary Queen of Scots being forced to resign her crown, which Mr. Hamilton at Rome has painted for me. The two following have been sent to me: • Maria Scotorum Regina meliori seculo digna, jus regium civibus seditiosis invita resignat.' "Cives seditiosi Mariam Scotorum Reginam sese mu neri abdicare invitam cogunt.' "Be so good as to read the passage in Robertson, and see if you cannot give me a better inscription. I must have it both in Latin and English; so if you should not give me another Latin one, you will at least choose the best of these two, and send a translation of it." * His humane forgiving disposition was put to a pretty strong test on his return to London, by a liberty which Mr. Thomas Davies had taken with him in his absence, which was, to publish two volumes entitled, "Miscellaneous and fugitive Pieces," which he advertised in the news-papers, "By the Authour of the Rambler." In this collection, several of Dr. Johnson's acknowledged writings, several of his anonymous performances, and some which he had written for others, were inserted but there were also some in which he had no concern whatever. He was at first very angry, as he had good reason to be. But, upon consideration of his poor friend's narrow 1773. Etat. 64. 1774. circumstances, and that he had only a little profit in view and meant no harm, he soon relented, and continued his kindness to him as formerly. Ætat. 65, In the course of his self-examination with retrospect to this year, he seems to have been much dejected; for he says, January 1, 1774, "This year has passed with so little improvement, that I doubt whether I have not rather impaired than increased my learning:" and yet we have seen how he read, and we know how he talked during that period. He was now seriously engaged in writing an account of our travels in the Hebrides, in consequence of which I had the pleasure of a more frequent correspondence with him. "TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "DEAR SIR, "My operations have been hindered by a cough; at least I flatter myself, that if my cough had not come, I should have been further advanced. But I have had no intelligence from Dr. W—, [Webster,] nor from the Excise-office, nor from you. No account of the little borough, Nothing of the Erse language, I have yet heard nothing of my box. 8 "You must make haste and gather me all you can, and do it quickly, or I will and shall do without it. "Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell, and tell her that I do not love her the less for wishing me away. I gave her trouble enough, and shall be glad in recompence, to give her any pleasure. Prayers and Meditations, p. 129. The ancient Burgh of Prestick, in Ayrshire, "I would send some porter into the Hebrides, if 1774. I knew which way it could be got to my kind friends there. Enquire, and let me know. "Make my compliments to all the Doctors of Edinburgh, and to all my friends, from one end of Scotland to the other. "Write to me, and send me what intelligence you can: and if any thing is too bulky for the post, let me have it by the carrier. I do not like trusting winds and waves. I am, dear Sir, "Your most, &c. Etat. 65. "Jan. 29, 1774. 1 "SAM. JOHNSON." 66 DEAR SIR, TO THE SAME. "In a day or two after I had written the last discontented letter, I received my box, which was very welcome. But still I must entreat you to hasten Dr. Webster, and continue to pick up what you'can that may be useful. "Mr. Oglethorpe was with me this morning, you know his errand. He was not unwelcome. "Tell Mrs. Boswell that my good intentions towards her still continue. I should be glad to do any thing that would either benefit or please her. "Chambers is not yet gone, but so hurried, or so negligent, or so proud, that I rarely see him. I have indeed, for some weeks past, been very ill of a cold and cough, and have been at Mrs. Thrale's, that I might be taken care of. I am much better; nove redeunt in pralia vires; but I am yet tender, and easily disordered. How happy it was that neither of us were ill in the Hebrides, |