约翰逊4-6-83

"Esto bonus miles, tutor bonus, arbiter idemInteger: 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[2]."'He repeated the lines with great force and dignity; thenadded, 'And, after this, comes Johnny Home, with his _earthgaping_, and his _destruction crying_:--Pooh[971]!'While we were lamenting the number of ruined religious buildings whichwe had lately seen, I spoke with peculiar feeling of the miserableneglect of the chapel belonging to the palace of Holyrood-house, inwhich are deposited the remains of many of the Kings of Scotland, andmany of our nobility. I said, it was a disgrace to the country that itwas 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 beunroofed, and exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather. Dr.Johnson, who, I know not how, had formed an opinion on the Hamiltonside, in the Douglas cause, slily answered, 'Sir, Sir, don't be toosevere 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 thatI took the liberty to tell him he knew nothing of the cause: which I domost seriously believe was the case[972].We were now 'in a country of bridles and saddles[973],' and set outfully equipped. The Duke of Argyle was obliging enough to mount Dr.Johnson on a stately steed from his grace's stable. My friend was highlypleased, and Joseph said, 'He now looks like a bishop.'We dined at the inn at Tarbat, and at night came to Rosedow, thebeautiful seat of Sir James Colquhoun, on the banks of Lochlomond, whereI, and any friends whom I have introduced, have ever been received withkind and elegant hospitality.WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27.When I went into Dr. Johnson's room this morning, I observed to him howwonderfully courteous he had been at Inveraray, and said, 'You werequite a fine gentleman, when with the duchess.' He answered, in goodhumour, 'Sir, I look upon myself as a very polite man:' and he wasright, in a proper manly sense of the word[974]. As an immediate proofof it, let me observe, that he would not send back the Duke of Argyle'shorse 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 hascarried me well.'By my diligence in the little commission with which I was honoured bythe duchess[975], I will endeavour to shew how highly I value thefavours 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[976] guest, that on thesame 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 notunpleasant, in regard to your horse. I wish I could have supplied youwith good weather, which I am afraid you felt the want of.'The Duchess of Argyle desires her compliments to you, and is muchobliged 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 greatfriend. Indeed, I was at all times desirous to preserve the letterswhich he received from eminent persons, of which, as of all otherpapers, he was very negligent; and I once proposed to him, that theyshould be committed to my care, as his _Custos Rotulorum_. I wish he hadcomplied with my request, as by that means many valuable writings mighthave been preserved, that are now lost[977].After breakfast, Dr. Johnson and I were furnished with a boat, andsailed about upon Lochlomond, and landed on some of the islands whichare interspersed[978]. He was much pleased with the scene, which is sowell known by the accounts of various travellers, that it is unnecessaryfor me to attempt any description of it.I recollect none of his conversation, except that, when talking ofdress, he said, 'Sir, were I to have any thing fine, it should be veryfine. Were I to wear a ring, it should not be a bauble, but a stone ofgreat value. Were I to wear a laced or embroidered waistcoat, it shouldbe very rich. I had once a very rich laced waistcoat, which I wore thefirst night of my tragedy[979].' Lady Helen Colquhoun being a verypious woman, the conversation, after dinner, took a religious turn. Herladyship defended the presbyterian mode of publick worship; upon whichDr. Johnson delivered those excellent arguments for a form of prayerwhich he has introduced into his _Journey_[980]. I am myself fullyconvinced that a form of prayer for publick worship is in general mostdecent and edifying. _Solennia verba_ have a kind of prescriptivesanctity, and make a deeper impression on the mind than extemporaneouseffusions, in which, as we know not what they are to be, we cannotreadily acquiesce. Yet I would allow also of a certain portion ofextempore address, as occasion may require. This is the practice of theFrench Protestant churches. And although the office of formingsupplications to the throne of Heaven is, in my mind, too great a trustto be indiscriminately committed to the discretion of every minister, Ido not mean to deny that sincere devotion may be experienced whenjoining in prayer with those who use no Liturgy.We were favoured with Sir James Colquhoun's coach to convey us in theevening to Cameron, the seat of Commissary Smollet[981]. Oursatisfaction of finding ourselves again in a comfortable carriage wasvery great. We had a pleasing conviction of the commodiousness ofcivilization, and heartily laughed at the ravings of those absurdvisionaries who have attempted to persuade us of the superior advantagesof a _state of nature_[982].Mr. Smollet was a man of considerable learning, with abundance of animalspirits; so that he was a very good companion for Dr. Johnson, who saidto me, 'We have had more solid talk here than at any place where wehave been.'I remember Dr. Johnson gave us this evening an able and eloquentdiscourse on the _Origin of Evil_[983], and on the consistency of moralevil with the power and goodness of GOD. He shewed us how it arose fromour free agency, an extinction of which would be a still greater evilthan any we experience. I know not that he said any thing absolutelynew, but he said a great deal wonderfully well; and perceiving us to bedelighted and satisfied, he concluded his harangue with an air ofbenevolent triumph over an objection which has distressed many worthyminds: 'This then is the answer to the question, _Pothen to Kakon_?'Mrs. Smollet whispered me, that it was the best sermon she had everheard. Much do I upbraid myself for having neglected to preserve it.THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28.Mr. Smollet pleased Dr. Johnson, by producing a collection ofnewspapers in the time of the Usurpation, from which it appeared thatall sorts of crimes were very frequent during that horrible anarchy. Bythe 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. LordKames, who, though he had a great store of knowledge, with muchingenuity, and uncommon activity of mind, was no profound scholar, hadit seems recommended an English inscription[984]. Dr. Johnson treatedthis with great contempt, saying, 'An English inscription would be adisgrace to Dr. Smollet[985];' and, in answer to what Lord Kames hadurged, as to the advantage of its being in English, because it would begenerally understood, I observed, that all to whom Dr. Smollet's meritcould be an object of respect and imitation, would understand it as wellin Latin; and that surely it was not meant for the Highland drovers, orother 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. Iunfortunately did not take a copy of it, as it originally stood; but Ihave happily preserved every fragment of what Dr. Johnson wrote:--Quisquis ades, viator[986],Vel mente felix, vel studiis cultus,Immorare paululum memoriaeTOBIAE SMOLLET, M.D.Viri iis virtutibusQuas in homine et civeEt laudes, et imiteris,Postquam mira--Se ----Tali tantoque viro, suo patrueli,Hanc columnam,Amoris eheu! inane monumentum,In ipsis Leviniae ripis,Quas primis infans vagitibus personuit,Versiculisque jam fere moriturus illustravit[987],Ponendam curavit[988].We had this morning a singular proof of Dr. Johnson's quick andretentive memory. Hay's translation of _Martial_ was lying in a window.I said, I thought it was pretty well done, and shewed him a particularepigram, 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 Ipersisted in my opinion, he said, 'Why, Sir, the original isthus,'--(and he repeated it;) 'and this man's translation is thus,'--andthen he repeated that also, exactly, though he had never seen it before,and read it over only once, and that too, without any intention ofgetting it by heart[989].Here a post-chaise, which I had ordered from Glasgow, came for us, andwe drove on in high spirits. We stopped at Dunbarton, and though theapproach to the castle there is very steep, Dr. Johnson ascended it withalacrity, and surveyed all that was to be seen. During the whole of ourTour he shewed uncommon spirit, could not bear to be treated like an oldor infirm man, and was very unwilling to accept of any assistance,insomuch that, at our landing at Icolmkill, when Sir Allan M'Lean and Isubmitted 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, atGlasgow, I was made happy by good accounts from home; and Dr. Johnson,who had not received a single letter since we left Aberdeen[990], foundhere a great many, the perusal of which entertained him much. He enjoyedin imagination the comforts which we could now command, and seemed to bein high glee. I remember, he put a leg up on each side of the grate, andsaid, with a mock solemnity, by way of soliloquy, but loud enough for meto hear it, 'Here am I, an ENGLISH man, sitting by a _coal_ fire.'FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29.The professors[991] of the University being informed of our arrival, Dr.Stevenson, Dr. Reid[992], and Mr. Anderson breakfasted with us. Mr.Anderson accompanied us while Dr. Johnson viewed this beautiful city. Hehad told me, that one day in London, when Dr. Adam Smith was boasting ofit, he turned to him and said, 'Pray, Sir, have you ever seenBrentford[993]?' This was surely a strong instance of his impatience,and spirit of contradiction. I put him in mind of it to-day, while heexpressed his admiration of the elegant buildings, and whispered him,'Don't you feel some remorse[994]?'We were received in the college by a number of the professors, whoshewed all due respect to Dr. Johnson; and then we paid a visit to theprincipal, Dr. Leechman[995], at his own house, where Dr. Johnson hadthe satisfaction of being told that his name had been gratefullycelebrated in one of the parochial congregations in the Highlands, asthe person to whose influence it was chiefly owing that the NewTestament was allowed to be translated into the Erse language. It seemssome political members of the Society in Scotland for propagatingChristian Knowledge had opposed this pious undertaking, as tending topreserve the distinction between the Highlanders and Lowlanders. Dr.Johnson wrote a long letter upon the subject to a friend, which beingshewn 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[996].Professors Reid and Anderson, and the two Messieurs Foulis, the Elzevirsof Glasgow, dined and drank tea with us at our inn, after which theprofessors went away; and I, having a letter to write, left myfellow-traveller with Messieurs Foulis. Though good and ingenious men,they had that unsettled speculative mode of conversation which isoffensive to a man regularly taught at an English school and university.I found that, instead of listening to the dictates of the Sage, theyhad teazed him with questions and doubtful disputations. He came in aflutter to me, and desired I might come back again, for he could notbear 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. Heanswered, with a quick vivacity, 'It is of two evils choosing theleast.' I was delighted with this flash bursting from the cloud whichhung upon his mind, closed my letter directly, and joined the company.We supped at Professor Anderson's. The general impression upon my memoryis, that we had not much conversation at Glasgow, where the professors,like their brethren at Aberdeen[997], did not venture to exposethemselves much to the battery of cannon which they knew might play uponthem[998]. Dr. Johnson, who was fully conscious of his own superiorpowers, afterwards praised Principal Robertson for his caution in thisrespect[999]. 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 beinglessened.'SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30.We set out towards Ayrshire. I sent Joseph on to Loudoun, with amessage, that, if the Earl was at home, Dr. Johnson and I would have thehonour to dine with him. Joseph met us on the road, and reported thatthe Earl '_jumped for joy,_' and said, 'I shall be very happy to seethem.' We were received with a most pleasing courtesy by his Lordship,and by the Countess his mother, who, in her ninety-fifth year, had allher faculties quite unimpaired[1000]. This was a very cheering sight toDr. Johnson, who had an extraordinary desire for long life. Herladyship was sensible and well-informed, and had seen a great deal ofthe world. Her lord had held several high offices, and she was sister tothe great Earl of Stair[1001].I cannot here refrain from paying a just tribute to the character ofJohn Earl of Loudoun, who did more service to the county of Ayr ingeneral, as well as to the individuals in it, than any man we have everhad. It is painful to think that he met with much ingratitude frompersons both in high and low rank: but such was his temper, such hisknowledge of 'base mankind[1002],' that, as if he had expected no otherreturn, his mind was never soured, and he retained his good-humour andbenevolence to the last. The tenderness of his heart was proved in1745-6, when he had an important command in the Highlands, and behavedwith a generous humanity to the unfortunate. I cannot figure a morehonest politician; for, though his interest in our county was great, andgenerally successful, he not only did not deceive by fallaciouspromises, but was anxious that people should not deceive themselves bytoo sanguine expectations. His kind and dutiful attention to his motherwas unremitted. At his house was true hospitality; a plain but aplentiful table; and every guest, being left at perfect freedom, felthimself quite easy and happy. While I live, I shall honour the memory ofthis amiable man[1003].At night, we advanced a few miles farther, to the house of Mr. Campbellof Treesbank, who was married to one of my wife's sisters, and wereentertained very agreeably by a worthy couple.SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31.We reposed here in tranquillity. Dr. Johnson was pleased to find anumerous and excellent collection of books, which had mostly belonged tothe Reverend Mr. John Campbell, brother of our host. I was desirous tohave procured for my fellow-traveller, to-day, the company of Sir JohnCuninghame, of Caprington, whose castle was but two miles from us. Hewas a very distinguished scholar, was long abroad, and during part ofthe time lived much with the learned Cuninghame[1004], the opponent ofBentley 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 wasprevented by indisposition.MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1.Though Dr. Johnson was lazy, and averse to move, I insisted that heshould go with me, and pay a visit to the Countess of Eglintoune, motherof the late and present earl. I assured him, he would find himself amplyrecompensed for the trouble; and he yielded to my solicitations, thoughwith some unwillingness. We were well mounted, and had not many miles toride. He talked of the attention that is necessary in order todistribute our charity judiciously. 'If thoughtlessly done, we mayneglect the most deserving objects; and, as every man has but a certainproportion to give, if it is lavished upon those who first presentthemselves, there may be nothing left for such as have a better claim. Aman should first relieve those who are nearly connected with him, bywhatever tie; and then, if he has any thing to spare, may extend hisbounty to a wider circle.[1005]'As we passed very near the castle of Dundonald, which was one of themany residences of the kings of Scotland, and in which Robert the Secondlived and died, Dr. Johnson wished to survey it particularly. It standson a beautiful rising ground, which is seen at a great distance onseveral quarters, and from whence there is an extensive prospect of therich district of Cuninghame, the western sea, the isle of Arran, and apart 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[1006]. Dr.Johnson, to irritate my _old Scottish_[1007] enthusiasm, was veryjocular on the homely accommodation of 'King _Bob_,' and roared andlaughed till the ruins echoed.Lady Eglintoune, though she was now in her eighty-fifth year, and hadlived in the retirement of the country for almost half a century, wasstill a very agreeable woman. She was of the noble house of Kennedy, andhad all the elevation which the consciousness of such birth inspires.Her figure was majestick, her manners high-bred, her reading extensive,and her conversation elegant. She had been the admiration of the gaycircles of life, and the patroness of poets[1008]. Dr. Johnson wasdelighted with his reception here. Her principles in church and statewere congenial with his. She knew all his merit, and had heard much ofhim from her son, Earl Alexander[1009], who loved to cultivate theacquaintance of men of talents, in every department.All who knew his lordship, will allow that his understanding andaccomplishments were of no ordinary rate. From the gay habits which hehad early acquired, he spent too much of his time with men, and inpursuits far beneath such a mind as his. He afterwards became sensibleof it, and turned his thoughts to objects of importance; but was cut offin the prime of his life. I cannot speak, but with emotions of the mostaffectionate regret, of one, in whose company many of my early days werepassed, and to whose kindness I was much indebted.Often must I have occasion to upbraid myself, that soon after our returnto the main land, I allowed indolence to prevail over me so much, as toshrink from the labour of continuing my journal with the same minutenessas before; sheltering myself in the thought, that we had done with the