[1079] The Jesuits, headed by Francis Xavier, made their appearance inJapan in 1549. The first persecution was in 1587; it was followed byothers in 1590, 1597, 1637, 1638. _Encyclo. Brit_. 8th edit. xii. 697.[1080] 'They congratulate our return as if we had been with Phipps orBanks; I am ashamed of their salutations.' _Piozzi Letters_, i. 203.Phipps had gone this year to the Arctic Ocean (_ante_, p. 236), andBanks had accompanied Captain Cook in 1768-1771. Johnson says however(_Works_, ix. 84), that 'to the southern inhabitants of Scotland thestate of the mountains and the islands is equally unknown with that ofBorneo or Sumatra.' See _ante_, p. 283, note 1, where Scott says that'the whole expedition was highly perilous.' Smollett, in _HumphryClinker_ (Letter of July 18), says of Scotland in general:--'The peopleat the other end of the island know as little of Scotland as of Japan.'[1081] In sailing from Sky to Col. _Ante_, p. 280.[1082] Johnson, four years later, suggested to Boswell that he shouldwrite this history. _Ante_, iii. 162, 414.[1083] Voltaire was born in 1694; his _Louis XIV._ was published in 1751or 1752.[1084] A society for debate in Edinburgh, consisting of the most eminentmen. BOSWELL. It was founded in 1754 by Allan Ramsay the painter, aidedby Robertson, Hume, and Smith. Dugald Stewart (_Life of Robertson_, ed.1802, p. 5) says that 'it subsisted in vigour for six or seven years'and produced debates, such as have not often been heard in modernassemblies.' See also Dr. A. Carlyle's _Auto_. p. 297.[1085] 'As for Maclaurin's imitation of a _made dish_, it was a wretchedattempt.' _Ante,_ i. 469.[1086] It was of Lord Elibank's French cook 'that he exclaimed withvehemence, "I'd throw such a rascal into the river."'_Ib._[1087] 'He praised _Gordon's palates_ with a warmth of expression whichmight have done honour to more important subjects.' _Ib._[1088] For the alarm he gave to Mrs. Boswell before this supper, see_ib._[1089] On Dr. Boswell's death, in 1780, Boswell wrote of him:--'He was avery good scholar, knew a great many things, had an elegant taste, andwas very affectionate; but he had no conduct. His money was all gone.And do you know he was not confined to one woman. He had a strange kindof religion; but I flatter myself he will be ere long, if he is notalready, in Heaven.' _Letters of Boswell_, p. 258.[1090] Johnson had written the _Life_ of 'the great Boerhaave,' as hecalled him. _Works_, vi. 292.[1091] 'At Edinburgh,' he wrote, 'I passed some days with men oflearning, whose names want no advancement from my commemoration, or withwomen of elegance, which, perhaps, disclaims a pedant's praise.'Johnson's _Works_, ix. 159.[1092] See _ante_, iv. 178.[1093] 'My acquaintance,' wrote Richardson (_Corres_. iv. 317), 'lieschiefly among the ladies; I care not who knows it.' Mrs. Piozzi, in amarginal note on her own copy of the _Piozzi Letters_, says:--'Dr.Johnson said, that if Mr. Richardson had lived till _I_ came out, mypraises would have added two or three years to his life. "For," says Dr.Johnson, "that fellow died merely from want of change among hisflatterers: he perished for want of _more_, like a man obliged tobreathe the same air till it is exhausted."' Hayward's _Piozzi_, i. 311.In her _Journey_, i. 265, she says:--'Richardson had seen little, andJohnson has often told me that he had read little.' See _ante_, iv. 28.[1094] He may live like a gentleman, but he must not 'call himself_Farmer_, and go about with a little round hat.' _Ante_, p. 111.[1095] Boswell italicises this word, I think, because Johnson objectedto the misuse of it. '"Sir," said Mr. Edwards, "I remember you would notlet us say _prodigious_ at college."' _Ante_, iii. 303.[1096] As I have been scrupulously exact in relating anecdotesconcerning other persons, I shall not withhold any part of this story,however ludicrous.--I was so successful in this boyish frolick, that theuniversal cry of the galleries was, '_Encore_ the cow! _Encore_ thecow!' In the pride of my heart, I attempted imitations of some otheranimals, but with very inferior effect. My reverend friend, anxious formy _fame_, with an air of the utmost gravity and earnestness, addressedme thus: 'My dear sir, I would _confine_ myself to the _cow_.' BOSWELL.Blair's advice was expressed more emphatically, and with a peculiar_burr_--'_Stick to the cow_, mon.' WALTER SCOTT. Boswell's record, whichmoreover is far more humorous, is much more trustworthy than Scott'stradition.[1097] Mme. de Sevigne in describing a death wrote:--'Cela nous fit voirqu'on joue long-temps la comedie, et qu'a la mort on dit la verite.'Letter of June 24, 1672. Addison says:--'The end of a man's life isoften compared to the winding up of a well-written play, where theprincipal persons still act in character, whatever the fate is whichthey undergo.... That innocent mirth which had been so conspicuous inSir Thomas More's life did not forsake him to the last. His death was ofa piece with his life. There was nothing in it new, forced, oraffected.' _The Spectator_, No. 349. Young also thought, or at least,wrote differently.'A death-bed's a detector of the heart.Here tired dissimulation drops her mask.'_Night Thoughts, ii._'"Mirabeau dramatized his death" was the happy expression of the Bishopof Autun (Talleyrand).' Dumont's _Mirabeau_, p. 251. See _ante_,iii. 154.[1098] See _ante_, i. 408, 447; and ii. 219, 329.[1099] Dr. A. Carlyle (_Auto_. p. 291) says of Blair's conversation that'it was so infantine that many people thought it impossible, at firstsight, that he could be a man of sense or genius. He was as eager abouta new paper to his wife's drawing-room, or his own new wig, as about anew tragedy or a new epic poem.' He adds, that he was 'capable of themost profound conversation, when circumstances led to it. He had not theleast desire to shine, but was delighted beyond measure to shew otherpeople in their best guise to his friends. "Did not I shew you the lionwell to-day?" used he to say after the exhibition of a remarkablestranger.' He had no wit, and for humour hardly a relish. Robertson'sreputation for wisdom may have been easily won. Dr. A. Carlyle says(_ib_. p. 287):--'Robertson's translations and paraphrases on otherpeople's thoughts were so beautiful and so harmless that I never sawanybody lay claim to their own.' He may have flattered Johnson bydexterously echoing his sentiments.[1100] In the _Marmor Norfolciense (ante_, i. 141) Johnson says:--'Iknow that the knowledge of the alphabet is so disreputable among thesegentlemen [of the army], that those who have by ill-fortune formerlybeen taught it have partly forgot it by disuse, and partly concealed itfrom the world, to avoid the railleries and insults to which theireducation might make them liable.' Johnson's _Works,_ vi. III. See_ante_, iii. 265.[1101] 'One of the young ladies had her slate before her, on which Iwrote a question consisting of three figures to be multiplied by twofigures. She looked upon it, and quivering her fingers in a manner whichI thought very pretty, but of which I knew not whether it was art orplay, multiplied the sum regularly in two lines, observing the decimalplace; but did not add the two lines together, probably disdaining soeasy an operation.' Johnson's _Works_, ix. 161.[1102]'Words gigantic.'FRANCIS. Horace, _Ars Poet._. 1. 97.[1103] One of the best criticks of our age 'does not wish to prevent theadmirers of the incorrect and nerveless style which generally prevailedfor a century before Dr. Johnson's energetick writings were known, fromenjoying the laugh that this story may produce, in which he is veryready to join them.' He, however, requests me to observe, that 'myfriend very properly chose a _long_ word on this occasion, not, it isbelieved, from any predilection for polysyllables, (though he certainlyhad a due respect for them,) but in order to put Mr. Braidwood's skillto the strictest test, and to try the efficacy of his instruction by themost difficult exertion of the organs of his pupils.' BOSWELL. 'One ofthe best critics of our age' is, I believe, Malone. See _ante_, p.78, note 5.[1104] It was here that Lord Auchinleck called him _Ursa Major. Ante_,p. 384.[1105] See _ante_, iii. 266, and v. 20, where 'Mr. Crosbie said that theEnglish are better animals than the Scots.'[1106] Johnson himself had laughed at them (_ante_, ii. 210) and accusedthem of foppery (_ante_, ii. 237).[1107] Johnson said, 'I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds(_ante_, ii. 335), and, 'I would rather be attacked than unnoticed'(_ante_, iii. 375). When he was told of a caricature 'of the nine musesflogging him round Parnassus,' he said, 'Sir, I am very glad to hearthis. I hope the day will never arrive when I shall neither be theobject of calumny or ridicule, for then I shall be neglected andforgotten.' Croker's _Boswell_, p. 837. See _ante_, ii. 61, and pp. 174,273. 'There was much laughter when M. de Lesseps mentioned that on hisfirst visit to England the publisher who brought out the report of hismeeting charged, as the first item of his bill, "L50 for attacking thebook in order to make it succeed." "Since then," observed M. de Lesseps,"I have been attacked gratuitously, and have got on without paying."'The Times, Feb. 19, 1884.[1108]'To wing my flight to fame.'DRYDEN. Virgil, _Georgics_, iii. 9.[1109] On Nov. 12 he wrote to Mrs. Thrale:--'We came hither (toEdinburgh) on the ninth of this month. I long to come under your care,but for some days cannot decently get away.' _Piozzi Letters_, i. 202.[1110] He would have been astonished had he known that a few miles fromEdinburgh he had passed through two villages of serfs. The coal-hewersand salt-makers of Tranent and Preston-Pans were still sold with thesoil. 'In Scotland domestic slavery is unknown, except so far as regardsthe coal-hewers and salt-makers, whose condition, it must be confessed,bears some resemblance to slavery; because all who have once acted ineither of the capacities are compellable to serve, and fixed to theirrespective places of employment during life.' Hargrave's _Argument inthe case of James Sommersett_, 1772. Had Johnson known this he mighthave given as his toast when in company with some very grave men at_Edinburgh_:--'Here's to the next insurrection of the slaves in_Scotland_.' _Ante_, iii. 200.[1111] The year following in the House of Commons he railed at theLondon booksellers, 'who, he positively asserted, entirely governed thenewspapers.' 'For his part,' he added, 'he had ordered that no Englishnewspaper should come within his doors for three months.' _Parl. Hist_.xvii. 1090.[1112] See _ante_, iii. 373.[1113] 'At the latter end of 1630 Ben Jonson went on foot into Scotland,on purpose to visit Drummond. His adventures in this journey he wroughtinto a poem; but that copy, with many other pieces, was accidentallyburned.' Whalley's _Ben Jonson_, Preface, p. xlvi.[1114] Perhaps the same woman showed the chapel who was there 29 yearslater, when Scott visited it. One of his friends 'hoped that they might,as habitual visitors, escape hearing the usual endless story of thesilly old woman that showed the ruins'; but Scott answered, 'There is apleasure in the song which none but the songstress knows, and by tellingher we know it all ready we should make the poor devil unhappy.'Lockharts _Scott_, ed. 1839, ii. 106.[1115] _ O rare Ben Jonson_ is on Jonson's tomb in Westminster Abbey.[1116] See _ante_, ii. 365.[1117] 'Essex was at that time confined to the same chamber of the Towerfrom which his father Lord Capel had been led to death, and in which hiswife's grandfather had inflicted a voluntary death upon himself. When hesaw his friend carried to what he reckoned certain fate, their commonenemies enjoying the spectacle, and reflected that it was he who hadforced Lord Howard upon the confidence of Russel, he retired, and, by a_Roman death_, put an end to his misery.' Dalrymple's _Memoirs of GreatBritain and Ireland_, vol. i. p. 36. BOSWELL. In the original after 'hiswife's grandfather,' is added 'Lord Northumberland.' It was his wife'sgreat-grandfather, the eighth Earl of Northumberland. He killed himselfin 1585. Burke's _Peerage_.[1118] Dr. A. Carlyle (_Auto_. p. 293) says of Robertson andBlair:--'Having been bred at a time when the common people thought toplay with cards or dice was a sin, and everybody thought it an indecorumin clergymen, they could neither of them play at golf or bowls, and farless at cards or backgammon, and on that account were very unhappy whenfrom home in friends' houses in the country in rainy weather. As I hadset the first example of playing at cards at home with unlocked door[Carlyle was a minister], and so relieved the clergy from ridicule onthat side, they both learned to play at whist after they were sixty.'See _ante_, iii. 23.[1119] See _ante_, i. 149, and v. 350.[1120] See _ante_, iv. 54.[1121] He wrote to Boswell on Nov. 16, 1776 (_ante_, iii. 93):--'Theexpedition to the Hebrides was the most pleasant journey that I evermade.' In his _Diary_ he recorded on Jan. 9, 1774:--'In the autumn Itook a journey to the Hebrides, but my mind was not free fromperturbation.' _Pr. and Med._ p. 136. The following letter to Dr. TaylorI have copied from the original in the possession of my friend Mr. M. M.Holloway:--'DEAR SIR,'When I was at Edinburgh I had a letter from you, telling me that inanswer to some enquiry you were informed that I was in the Sky. I wasthen I suppose in the western islands of Scotland; I set out on thenorthern expedition August 6, and came back to Fleet-street, November26. I have seen a new region.'I have been upon seven of the islands, and probably should have visitedmany more, had we not begun our journey so late in the year, that thestormy weather came upon us, and the storms have I believe for aboutfive months hardly any intermission.'Your Letter told me that you were better. When you write do not forgetto confirm that account. I had very little ill health while I was on thejourney, and bore rain and wind tolerably well. I had a cold anddeafness only for a few days, and those days I passed at a good house. Ihave traversed the east coast of Scotland from south to north fromEdinburgh to Inverness, and the west coast from north to south, from theHighlands to Glasgow, and am come back as I went,'Sir,'Your affectionate humble servant,'SAM. JOHNSON.''Jan. 15, 1774.'To the Reverend Dr. Taylor,'in Ashbourn,'Derbyshire.'[1122] Johnson speaking of this tour on April 10, 1783, said:--'I got anacquisition of more ideas by it than by anything that I remember.'_Ante_, iv. 199.[1123] See _ante_, p. 48.[1124] See _ante_, i. 408, 443, note 2, and ii. 303.[1125] 'It may be doubted whether before the Union any man betweenEdinburgh and England had ever set a tree.' Johnson's _Works_, ix. 8.[1126] See _ante_, p. 69.[1127] Lord Balmerino's estate was forfeited to the Crown on hisconviction for high treason in 1746 (_ante_, i. 180).[1128] 'I know not that I ever heard the wind so loud in any otherplace; and Mr. Boswell observed that its noise was all its own, forthere were no trees to increase it.' Johnson's _Works_, ix. 122. See_ante_, p. 304.[1129] See _ante_, ii. 300.[1130] 'Strong reasons for incredulity will readily occur. This facultyof seeing things out of sight is local and commonly useless. It is abreach of the common order of things, without any visible reason orperceptible benefit.' Johnson's _Works_, ix. 106.[1131] 'To the confidence of these objections it may be replied... thatsecond sight is only wonderful because it is rare, for, considered initself, it involves no more difficulty than dreams.' _Ib._[1132] The fossilist of last century is the geologist of this. Neitherterm is in Johnson's _Dictionary_, but Johnson in his _Journey (Works_,ix. 43) speaks of 'Mr. Janes the fossilist.'[1133] _Ib_. p. 157.[1134] _Ib_. p. 6. I do not see anything silly in the story. It ishowever better told in a letter to Mrs. Thrale. _Piozzi Letters_,i. 112.[1135] Mr. Orme, one of the ablest historians of this age, is of thesame opinion. He said to me, 'There are in that book thoughts, which, bylong revolution in the great mind of Johnson, have been formed andpolished--like pebbles rolled in the ocean.' BOSWELL. See _ante_, ii.300, and iii. 284.[1136] See _ante_, iii. 301.[1137] Johnson (_Works_, ix. 158) mentions 'a national combination soinvidious that their friends cannot defend it.' See _ante_, ii.307, 311.[1138] See _ante_, p. 269, note 1.[1139] Every reader will, I am sure, join with me in warm admiration ofthe truly patriotic writer of this letter. I know not which most toapplaud--that good sense and liberality of mind, which could see andadmit the defects of his native country, to which no man is a morezealous friend:--or that candour, which induced him to give just praiseto the minister whom he honestly and strenuously opposed. BOSWELL.[1140] The original MS. is now in my possession. BOSWELL.[1141] The passage that gave offence was as follows:--'Mr. Macleod isthe proprietor of the islands of Raasay, Rona, and Fladda, and possessesan extensive district in Sky. The estate has not during four hundredyears gained or lost a single acre. He acknowledges Macleod of Dunveganas his chief, though his ancestors have formerly disputed thepre-eminence.' First edition, p. 132. The second edition was notpublished till the year after Johnson's death. In it the passage remainsunchanged. To it the following note was prefixed: 'Strand, Oct. 26,1785. Since this work was printed off, the publisher, having beeninformed that the author some years ago had promised the Laird of Raasayto correct in a future edition a passage concerning him, thinks it ajustice due to that gentleman to insert here the advertisement relativeto this matter, which was published by Dr. Johnson's desire in theEdinburgh newspapers in the year 1775, and which has been latelyreprinted in Mr. Boswell's _Tour to the Hebrides_.' (It is not unlikelythat the publication of Boswell's _Tour_ occasioned a fresh demand forJohnson's _Journey_.) In later editions all the words after 'a singleacre' are silently struck out. Johnson's _Works_, ix. 55. See_ante_, ii. 382.[1142] Rasay was highly gratified, and afterwards visited and dined withDr. Johnson at his house in London. BOSWELL. Johnson wrote on May 12,1775:--'I have offended; and what is stranger, have justly offended, thenation of Rasay. If they could come hither, they would be as fierce asthe Americans. _Rasay_ has written to Boswell an account of the injurydone him by representing his house as subordinate to that of Dunvegan.Boswell has his letter, and, I believe, copied my answer. I haveappeased him, if a degraded chief can possibly be appeased: but it willbe thirteen days--days of resentment and discontent--before myrecantation can reach him. Many a dirk will imagination, during that