约翰逊4-6-85

One of his objections to the authenticity of _Fingal_, during theconversation at Ulinish,[1063] is omitted in my _Journal_, but Iperfectly recollect it. 'Why is not the original deposited in somepublick library, instead of exhibiting attestations of itsexistence?[1064] Suppose there were a question in a court of justice,whether a man be dead or alive: You aver he is alive, and you bringfifty witnesses to swear it: I answer, "Why do you not produce theman?"' This is an argument founded upon one of the first principles ofthe _law of evidence_, which _Gilbert_[1065] would have held to beirrefragable.I do not think it incumbent on me to give any precise decided opinionupon this question, as to which I believe more than some, and less thanothers.[1066]The subject appears to have now become very uninteresting to thepublick. That _Fingal_ is not from beginning to end a translation fromthe Gallick, but that _some_ passages have been supplied by the editorto connect the whole, I have heard admitted by very warm advocates forits authenticity. If this be the case, why are not these distinctlyascertained? Antiquaries, and admirers of the work, may complain, thatthey are in a situation similar to that of the unhappy gentleman, whosewife informed him, on her death-bed, that one of their reputed childrenwas not his; and, when he eagerly begged her to declare which of them itwas, she answered, '_That_ you shall never know;' and expired, leavinghim in irremediable doubt as to them all.I beg leave now to say something upon _second sight_, of which I haverelated two instances,[1067] as they impressed my mind at the time. Iown, I returned from the Hebrides with a considerable degree of faith inthe many stories of that kind which I heard with a too easyacquiescence, without any close examination of the evidence: but, sincethat time, my belief in those stories has been much weakened,[1068] byreflecting on the careless inaccuracy of narrative in common matters,from which we may certainly conclude that there may be the same in whatis more extraordinary. It is but just, however, to add, that the beliefin second sight is not peculiar to the Highlands and Isles.[1069]Some years after our Tour, a cause[1070] was tried in the Court ofSession, where the principal fact to be ascertained was, whether aship-master, who used to frequent the Western Highlands and Isles, wasdrowned in one particular year, or in the year after. A great number ofwitnesses from those parts were examined on each side, and sworedirectly contrary to each other, upon this simple question. One of them,a very respectable Chieftain, who told me a story of second sight, whichI have not mentioned, but which I too implicitly believed, had in thiscase, previous to this publick examination, not only said, but attestedunder his hand, that he had seen the ship-master in the year subsequentto that in which the court was finally satisfied he was drowned. Wheninterrogated with the strictness of judicial inquiry, and under the aweof an oath, he recollected himself better, and retracted what he hadformerly asserted, apologising for his inaccuracy, by telling thejudges, 'A man will _say_ what he will not _swear_.' By many he was muchcensured, and it was maintained that every gentleman would be asattentive to truth without the sanction of an oath, as with it. Dr.Johnson, though he himself was distinguished at all times by ascrupulous adherence to truth, controverted this proposition; and as aproof that this was not, though it ought to be, the case, urged the verydifferent decisions of elections under Mr. Grenville's Act,[1071] fromthose formerly made. 'Gentlemen will not pronounce upon oath what theywould have said, and voted in the house, without that sanction.'However difficult it may be for men who believe in preternaturalcommunications, in modern times, to satisfy those who are of a differentopinion, they may easily refute the doctrine of their opponents, whoimpute a belief in _second sight_ to _superstition_. To entertain avisionary notion that one sees a distant or future event, may be called_superstition_: but the correspondence of the fact or event with such animpression on the fancy, though certainly very wonderful, _if proved_,has no more connection with superstition, than magnetism or electricity.After dinner, various topicks were discussed; but I recollect only oneparticular. Dr. Johnson compared the different talents of Garrick andFoote,[1072] as companions, and gave Garrick greatly the preference forelegance, though he allowed Foote extraordinary powers of entertainment.He said, 'Garrick is restrained by some principle; but Foote has theadvantage of an unlimited range. Garrick has some delicacy of feeling;it is possible to put him out; you may get the better of him; but Footeis the most incompressible fellow that I ever knew; when you have drivenhim into a corner, and think you are sure of him, he runs throughbetween your legs, or jumps over your head, and makes his escape.'Dr. Erskine[1073] and Mr. Robert Walker, two very respectable ministersof Edinburgh, supped with us, as did the Reverend Dr. Webster.[1074] Theconversation turned on the Moravian missions, and on the Methodists. Dr.Johnson observed in general, that missionaries were too sanguine intheir accounts of their success among savages, and that much of whatthey tell is not to be believed. He owned that the Methodists had donegood; had spread religious impressions among the vulgar part ofmankind:[1075] but, he said, they had great bitterness against otherChristians, and that he never could get a Methodist to explain in whathe excelled others; that it always ended in the indispensible necessityof hearing one of their preachers.[1076]THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11.Principal Robertson came to us as we sat at breakfast, he advanced toDr. Johnson, repeating a line of Virgil, which I forget. Isuppose, eitherPost varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum[1077]--or--multum ille et terris jactatus, et alto[1078].Every body had accosted us with some studied compliment on our return.Dr. Johnson said, 'I am really ashamed of the congratulations which wereceive. We are addressed as if we had made a voyage to Nova Zembla, andsuffered five persecutions in Japan[1079].' And he afterwards remarked,that, 'to see a man come up with a formal air and a Latin line, when wehad no fatigue and no danger, was provoking[1080].' I told him, he wasnot sensible of the danger, having lain under cover in the boat duringthe storm[1081]: he was like the chicken, that hides its head under itswing, and then thinks itself safe.Lord Elibank came to us, as did Sir William Forbes. The rash attempt in1745 being mentioned, I observed, that it would make a fine piece ofHistory. Dr. Johnson said it would.[1082] Lord Elibank doubted whetherany man of this age could give it impartially. JOHNSON. 'A man, bytalking with those of different sides, who were actors in it, andputting down all that he hears, may in time collect the materials of agood narrative. You are to consider, all history was at first oral. Isuppose Voltaire was fifty years[1083] in collecting his _Louis XIV_.which he did in the way that I am proposing.' ROBERTSON. 'He did so. Helived much with all the great people who were concerned in that reign,and heard them talk of everything: and then either took Mr. Boswell'sway, of writing down what he heard, or, which is as good, preserved itin his memory; for he has a wonderful memory.' With the leave, however,of this elegant historian, no man's memory can preserve facts or sayingswith such fidelity as may be done by writing them down when they arerecent. Dr. Robertson said, 'it was now full time to make such acollection as Dr. Johnson suggested; for many of the people who werethen in arms, were dropping off; and both Whigs and Jacobites were nowcome to talk with moderation.' Lord Elibank said to him, 'Mr. Robertson,the first thing that gave me a high opinion of you, was your saying inthe _Select Society_[1084], while parties ran high, soon after the year1745, that you did not think worse of a man's moral character for hishaving been in rebellion. This was venturing to utter a liberalsentiment, while both sides had a detestation of each other.' Dr.Johnson observed, that being in rebellion from a notion of another'sright, was not connected with depravity; and that we had this proof ofit, that all mankind applauded the pardoning of rebels; which they wouldnot do in the case of robbers and murderers. He said, with a smile, that'he wondered that the phrase of _unnatural_ rebellion should be so muchused, for that all rebellion was natural to man.'* * * * *As I kept no Journal of anything that passed after this morning, Ishall, from memory, group together this and the other days, till that onwhich Dr. Johnson departed for London. They were in all nine days; onwhich he dined at Lady Colvill's, Lord Hailes's, Sir Adolphus Oughton's,Sir Alexander Dick's, Principal Robertson's, Mr. M'Laurin's[1085], andthrice at Lord Elibank's seat in the country, where we also passed twonights[1086]. He supped at the Honourable Alexander Gordon's[1087], nowone of our judges, by the title of Lord Rockville; at Mr. Nairne's, nowalso one of our judges, by the title of Lord Dunsinan; at Dr. Blair's,and Mr. Tytler's; and at my house thrice, one evening with a numerouscompany, chiefly gentlemen of the law; another with Mr. Menzies ofCuldares, and Lord Monboddo, who disengaged himself on purpose to meethim; and the evening on which we returned from Lord Elibank's, he suppedwith my wife and me by ourselves[1088].He breakfasted at Dr. Webster's, at old Mr. Drummond's, and at Dr.Blacklock's; and spent one forenoon at my uncle Dr. Boswell's[1089], whoshewed him his curious museum; and, as he was an elegant scholar, and aphysician bred in the school of Boerhaave[1090], Dr. Johnson was pleasedwith his company. On the mornings when he breakfasted at my house, hehad, from ten o'clock till one or two, a constant levee of variouspersons, of very different characters and descriptions. I could notattend him, being obliged to be in the Court of Session; but my wife wasso good as to devote the greater part of the morning to the endless taskof pouring out tea for my friend and his visitors.Such was the disposition of his time at Edinburgh. He said one eveningto me, in a fit of languor, 'Sir, we have been harassed by invitations.'I acquiesced. 'Ay, Sir,' he replied; but how much worse would it havebeen, if we had been neglected[1091]?'From what has been recorded in this _Journal_, it may well be supposedthat a variety of admirable conversation has been lost, by my neglect topreserve it. I shall endeavour to recollect some of it, as well asI can.At Lady Colvill's, to whom I am proud to introduce any stranger ofeminence, that he may see what dignity and grace is to be found inScotland, an officer observed, that he had heard Lord Mansfield was nota great English lawyer. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, supposing Lord Mansfield notto have the splendid talents which he possesses, he must be a greatEnglish lawyer, from having been so long at the bar, and having passedthrough so many of the great offices of the law. Sir, you may as wellmaintain that a carrier, who has driven a packhorse between Edinburghand Berwick for thirty years, does not know the road, as that LordMansfield does not know the law of England[1092].'At Mr. Nairne's, he drew the character of Richardson, the authour of_Clarissa_, with a strong yet delicate pencil. I lament much that I havenot preserved it; I only remember that he expressed a high opinion ofhis talents and virtues; but observed, that 'his perpetual study was toward off petty inconveniences, and procure petty pleasures; that hislove of continual superiority was such, that he took care to be alwayssurrounded by women[1093], who listened to him implicitly, and did notventure to controvert his opinions; and that his desire of distinctionwas so great, that he used to give large vails to the Speaker Onslow'sservants, that they might treat him with respect.'On the same evening, he would not allow that the private life of aJudge, in England, was required to be so strictly decorous as Isupposed. 'Why then, Sir, (said I,) according to your account, anEnglish judge may just live like a gentleman.' JOHNSON. 'Yes,Sir[1094],--if he _can_.'At Mr. Tytler's, I happened to tell that one evening, a great many yearsago, when Dr. Hugh Blair and I were sitting together in the pit ofDrury-lane play-house, in a wild freak of youthful extravagance, Ientertained the audience _prodigiously_[1095], by imitating the lowingof a cow. A little while after I had told this story, I differed fromDr. Johnson, I suppose too confidently, upon some point, which I nowforget. He did not spare me. 'Nay, Sir, (said he,) if you cannot talkbetter as a man, I'd have you bellow like a cow[1096].'At Dr. Webster's, he said, that he believed hardly any man died withoutaffectation. This remark appears to me to be well founded, and willaccount for many of the celebrated death-bed sayings which arerecorded[1097].On one of the evenings at my house, when he told that Lord Lovat boastedto an English nobleman, that though he had not his wealth, he had twothousand men whom he could at any time call into the field, theHonourable Alexander Gordon observed, that those two thousand menbrought him to the block. 'True, Sir, (said Dr. Johnson:) but you mayjust as well argue, concerning a man who has fallen over a precipice towhich he has walked too near,--"His two legs brought him to that," is henot the better for having two legs?'At Dr. Blair's I left him, in order to attend a consultation, duringwhich he and his amiable host were by themselves. I returned to supper,at which were Principal Robertson, Mr. Nairne, and some other gentlemen.Dr. Robertson and Dr. Blair, I remember, talked well uponsubordination[1098] and government; and, as my friend and I were walkinghome, he said to me, 'Sir, these two doctors are good men, and wisemen[1099].' I begged of Dr. Blair to recollect what he could of the longconversation that passed between Dr. Johnson and him alone, thisevening, and he obligingly wrote to me as follows:--'_March_ 3, 1785.'DEAR SIR,'--As so many years have intervened, since I chanced to have thatconversation with Dr. Johnson in my house, to which you refer, I haveforgotten most of what then passed, but remember that I was bothinstructed and entertained by it. Among other subjects, the discoursehappening to turn on modern Latin poets, the Dr. expressed a veryfavourable opinion of Buchanan, and instantly repeated, from beginningto end, an ode of his, intituled _Calendae Maiae_, (the eleventh in his_Miscellaneorum Liber_), beginning with these words, '_Salvete sacrisdeliciis sacrae_,' with which I had formerly been unacquainted; but uponperusing it, the praise which he bestowed upon it, as one of thehappiest of Buchanan's poetical compositions, appeared to me very just.He also repeated to me a Latin ode he had composed in one of the westernislands, from which he had lately returned. We had much discourseconcerning his excursion to those islands, with which he expressedhimself as having been highly pleased; talked in a favourable manner ofthe hospitality of the inhabitants; and particularly spoke much of hishappiness in having you for his companion; and said, that the longer heknew you, he loved and esteemed you the more. This conversation passedin the interval between tea and supper, when we were by ourselves. You,and the rest of the company who were with us at supper, have often takennotice that he was uncommonly bland and gay that evening, and gave muchpleasure to all who were present. This is all that I can recollectdistinctly of that long conversation.'Your's sincerely,'HUGH BLAIR.'At Lord Hailes's, we spent a most agreeable day; but again I must lamentthat I was so indolent as to let almost all that passed evaporate intooblivion. Dr. Johnson observed there, that 'it is wonderful how ignorantmany officers of the army are, considering how much leisure they havefor study, and the acquisition of knowledge[1100].' I hope he wasmistaken; for he maintained that many of them were ignorant of thingsbelonging immediately to their own profession; 'for instance, manycannot tell how far a musket will carry a bullet;' in proof of which, Isuppose, he mentioned some particular person, for Lord Hailes, from whomI solicited what he could recollect of that day, writes to me asfollows:--'As to Dr. Johnson's observation about the ignorance of officers, in thelength that a musket will carry, my brother, Colonel Dalrymple, waspresent, and he thought that the doctor was either mistaken, by puttingthe question wrong, or that he had conversed on the subject with someperson out of service.'Was it upon that occasion that he expressed no curiosity to see theroom at Dumfermline, where Charles I. was born? "I know that he wasborn, (said he;) no matter where."--Did he envy us the birth-place ofthe king?'Near the end of his _Journey_, Dr. Johnson has given liberal praise toMr. Braidwood's academy for the deaf and dumb[1101]. When he visited it,a circumstance occurred which was truly characteristical of our greatLexicographer. 'Pray, (said he,) can they pronounce any _long_ words?'Mr. Braidwood informed him they could. Upon which Dr. Johnson wrote oneof his _sesquipedalia verba_[1102], which was pronounced by thescholars, and he was satisfied. My readers may perhaps wish to know whatthe word was; but I cannot gratify their curiosity. Mr. Braidwood toldme, it remained long in his school, but had been lost before I made myinquiry[1103].Dr. Johnson one day visited the Court of Session[1104]. He thought themode of pleading there too vehement, and too much addressed to thepassions of the judges. 'This (said he) is not the Areopagus.'At old Mr. Drummond's, Sir John Dalrymple quaintly said, the two noblestanimals in the world were, a Scotch Highlander and an Englishsailor[1105]. 'Why, Sir, (said Dr. Johnson,) I shall say nothing as tothe Scotch Highlander; but as to the English Sailor, I cannot agree withyou.' Sir John said, he was generous in giving away his money.' JOHNSON.'Sir, he throws away his money, without thought, and without merit. I donot call a tree generous, that sheds its fruit at every breeze.' SirJohn having affected to complain of the attacks made upon his_Memoirs_[1106], Dr. Johnson said, 'Nay, Sir, do not complain. It isadvantageous to an authour, that his book should be attacked as well aspraised. Fame is a shuttlecock. If it be struck only at one end of theroom, it will soon fall to the ground. To keep it up, it must be struckat both ends[1107].' Often have I reflected on this since; and, insteadof being angry at many of those who have written against me, have smiledto think that they were unintentionally subservient to my fame, by usinga battledoor to make me _virum volitare per ora_[1108].At Sir Alexander Dick's, from that absence of mind to which every man isat times subject, I told, in a blundering manner, Lady Eglingtoune'scomplimentary adoption of Dr. Johnson as her son; for I unfortunatelystated that her ladyship adopted him as her son, in consequence of herhaving been married the year _after_ he was born. Dr. Johnson instantlycorrected me. 'Sir, don't you perceive that you are defaming thecountess? For, supposing me to be her son, and that she was not marriedtill the year after my birth, I must have been her _natural_ son.' Ayoung lady of quality, who was present, very handsomely said, 'Might notthe son have justified the fault?' My friend was much flattered by thiscompliment, which he never forgot. When in more than ordinary spirits,and talking of his journey in Scotland, he has called to me, 'Boswell,what was it that the young lady of quality said of me at Sir AlexanderDick's ?' Nobody will doubt that I was happy in repeating it.My illustrious friend, being now desirous to be again in the greattheatre of life and animated exertion, took a place in the coach, whichwas to set out for London on Monday the 22nd of November[1109]. Sir JohnDalrymple pressed him to come on the Saturday before, to his house atCranston, which being twelve miles from Edinburgh, upon the middle roadto Newcastle, (Dr. Johnson had come to Edinburgh by Berwick, and alongthe naked coast[1110],) it would make his journey easier, as the coachwould take him up at a more seasonable hour than that at which it setsout. Sir John, I perceived, was ambitious of having such a guest; but,as I was well assured, that at this very time he had joined with some ofhis prejudiced countrymen in railing at Dr. Johnson[1111], and had said,he 'wondered how any gentleman of Scotland could keep company with him,'I thought he did not deserve the honour: yet, as it might be aconvenience to Dr. Johnson, I contrived that he should accept theinvitation, and engaged to conduct him. I resolved that, on our way toSir John's, we should make a little circuit by Roslin Castle, andHawthornden, and wished to set out soon after breakfast; but young Mr.Tytler came to shew Dr. Johnson some essays which he had written; and mygreat friend, who was exceedingly obliging when thus consulted[1112],was detained so long, that it was, I believe, one o'clock before we gotinto our post-chaise. I found that we should be too late for dinner atSir John Dalrymple's, to which we were engaged: but I would by no meanslose the pleasure of seeing my friend at Hawthornden,--of seeing _SamJohnson_ at the very spot where _Ben Jonson_ visited the learned andpoetical Drummond[1113].We surveyed Roslin Castle, the romantick scene around it, and thebeautiful Gothick chapel[1114], and dined and drank tea at the inn;after which we proceeded to Hawthornden, and viewed the caves; and Iall the while had _Rare Ben_[1115] in my mind, and was pleased to thinkthat this place was now visited by another celebrated wit of England.By this time 'the waning night was growing old,' and we were yet severalmiles from Sir John Dalrymple's. Dr. Johnson did not seem much troubledat our having treated the baronet with so little attention topoliteness; but when I talked of the grievous disappointment it musthave been to him that we did not come to the _feast_ that he hadprepared for us, (for he told us he had killed a seven-year old sheep onpurpose,) my friend got into a merry mood, and jocularly said, 'I daresay, Sir, he has been very sadly distressed: Nay, we do not know but theconsequence may have been fatal. Let me try to describe his situation inhis own historical style, I have as good a right to make him think andtalk, as he has to tell us how people thought and talked a hundred yearsago, of which he has no evidence. All history, so far as it is notsupported by contemporary evidence, is romance[1116]--Stay now.--Let usconsider!' He then (heartily laughing all the while) proceeded in hisimitation, I am sure to the following effect, though now, at thedistance of almost twelve years, I cannot pretend to recollect all theprecise words:--