her horfe, and hurt herself very much. The rest of our friends, I believe, "London, Octob. 27, 1774. SAM. JOHNSON." This letter, which fhews his tender concern for an amiable young gentleman to whom we had been very much obliged in the Hebrides, I have inferted according to its date, though before receiving it I had informed him of the melancholy event that the young Laird of Coi was unfortunately drowned. "DEAR SIR, To JAMES BOSWELL, Efq. "LAST night I corrected the laft page of our Journey to the Hebrides.' The printer has detained it all this time, for I had, before I went into Wales, written all except two sheets. The Patriot' was called for by my political friends on Friday, was written on Saturday, and I have heard little of it. So vague are conjectures at a distance. As foon as I can, I will take care that copies be sent to you, for I would wish that they might be given before they are bought; but I am afraid that Mr. Strahan will send to you and to the booksellers at the fame time. Trade is as diligent as courtesy. I have mentioned all that you recommended. Pray make my compliments to Mrs. Bofwell and the younglings. The club has, I think, not yet met. "Tell me, and tell me honestly, what you think and others fay of our travels. Shall we touch the continent?? I am, dear Sir, "Nov. 26, 1774. "Your most humble fervant, SAM. JOHNSON." In his manuscript diary of this year, there is the following entry: "Nov. 27. Advent Sunday. I confidered that this day, being the beginning of the ecclefiaftical year, was a proper time for a new courfe of life. I began to read the Greek Teftament regularly at 160 verfes every Sunday. This day I began the Acts. "In this week I read Virgil's Paftorals. I learned to repeat the Pollio and Gallus. I read carelessly the firft Georgick." 6 Alluding to a paffage in a letter of mine, where fpeaking of his "Journey to the Hebrides," I fay, "But has not The Patriot' been an interruption, by the time taken to write it, and the time luxuriously spent in liftening to its applaufes ?" 7 We had projected a voyage together up the Baltick, and talked of visiting fome of the more northern regions. 1774. Etat. 65. 1774. L Etat. 65. 1775. Such evidences of his unceafing ardour, both for "divine and human lore," when advanced into his fixty-fourth year, and notwithstanding his many dif turbances from disease, must make us at once honour his spirit, and lament that it should be fo grievously clogged by its material tegument. It is remarkable, that he was very fond of the precision which calculation produces. Thus we find in one of his manuscript diaries, " 12 pages in 4to Gr. Teft. and 30 pages in Beza's folio, comprize the whole in 40 days." "DEAR SIR, Dr. JOHNSON to JOHN HOOLE, Esq. "I HAVE returned your play, which you will find underscored with red, where there was a word which I did not like. The red will be washed off with a little water. "The plot is fo well framed, the intricacy fo artful, and the difentanglement fo eafy, the suspense so affecting, and the paffionate parts so properly interpofed, that I have no doubt of its fuccefs. I am, Sir, "December 19, 1774. "Your most humble fervant, SAM. JOHNSON." The first effort of his pen in 1775, was, Proposals for publishing the Works of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox,t" in three volumes quarto. In his diary, January 2, I find this entry: "Wrote Charlotte's Proposals.' But, indeed, the internal evidence would have been quite fufficient. Her claim to the favour of the publick was thus enforced : "Most of the pieces, as they appeared fingly, have been read with approbation, perhaps above their merit, but of no great advantage to the writer. She hopes, therefore, that fhe fhall not be confidered as too indulgent to vanity, or too ftudious of intereft, if, from that labour which has hitherto been chiefly gainful to others, fhe endeavours to obtain at last some profit for herself and her children. She cannot decently enforce her claim by the praise of her own performances; nor can fhe suppose, that, by the most artful and laboured address, any additional notice could be procured to a publication, of which Her MAJESTY has condefcended to be the PATRONESS." "YOU never did ask for a book by the poft till now, and I did not think on it. You fee now it is done. I fent one to the King, and I hear he likes it. 8" Cleonice." "I fhall "I fhall fend a parcel into Scotland for prefents, and intend to give to many of my friends. In your catalogue you left out Lord Auchinleck. "Let me know, as fast as you read it, how you like it; and let me know if any mistake is committed, or any thing important left out. I wish you could have seen the sheets. My compliments to Mrs. Bofwell, and to Veronica, and to all my friends. I am, Sir, "Your most humble fervant, January 14, 1775. SAM. JOHNSON." Mr. BOSWELL to Dr. JOHNSON. Edinburgh, Jan. 19, 1775. "BE pleased to accept of my beft thanks for your Journey to the Hebrides,' which came to me by last night's poft. I did really afk the favour twice; but you have been even with me, by granting it so speedily. Bis dat qui cito dat. Though ill of a bad cold, you kept me up the greatest part of the last night; for I did not stop till I had read every word of your book. I looked back to our firft talking of a vifit to the Hebrides, which was many years ago, when fitting by ourselves in the Mitre tavern, in London, I think about witching time o'night; and then exulted in contemplating our scheme fulfilled, and a monumentum perenne of it erected by your fuperiour abilities. I fhall only say, that your book has afforded me a high gratification. I shall afterwards give you my thoughts on particular paffages. In the mean time, I haften to tell you of your having mistaken two names, which you will correct in London, as I fhall do here, that the gentlemen who deferve the valuable compliments which you have paid them, may enjoy their honours. In page 106, for Gordon read Murchison; and in page 357, for Maclean read Macleod. "But I am now to apply to you for immediate aid in my profeffion, which you have never refufed to grant when I requested it. I enclose you a petition for Dr. Memis, a physician at Aberdeen, in which Sir John Dalrymple has exerted his talents, and which I am to answer as Counsel for the managers of the Royal Infirmary in that city. Mr. Jopp, the Provoft, who delivered to you your freedom, is one of my clients, and, as a citizen of Aberdeen, you will fupport him. "The fact is shortly this. In a translation of the charter of the Infirmary from Latin into English, made under the authority of the managers, the fame phrase in the original is in one place rendered Phyfician, but when applied to Dr. Memis is rendered Doctor of Medicine. Dr. Memis complained of this LII 2 before 1775. Ætat. 66. 1775. before the tranflation was printed, but was not indulged with having it altered, Etat. 66. and he has brought an action for damages, on account of a fuppofed injury, as if the defignation given to him were an inferiour one, tending to make it be fuppofed he is not a Phyfician, and, confequently to hurt his practice. My father has difmiffed the action as groundless, and now he has appealed to the whole Court"." "DEAR SIR, To JAMES BOSWELL, Efq. "I LONG to hear how you like the book; it is, I think, much liked here. But Macpherson is very furious; can you give me any more intelligence about him, or his Fingal? Do what you can, and do it quickly. Is Lord Hailes on our fide? Pray let me know what I owed you when I left you, that I may send it to you. "I am going to write about the Americans. If you have picked up any hints among your lawyers, who are great masters of the law of nations, or if your own mind fuggefts any thing, let me know. But mum,-it is a fecret. "I will fend your parcel of books as foon as I can; but I cannot do as I wish. However, you find every thing mentioned in the book which you recommended. Langton is here; we are all that ever we were. He is a worthy fellow, without malice, though not without refentment. "Poor Beauclerk is fo ill, that his life is thought to be in danger. Lady Di. nurfes him with very great affiduity. Reynolds has taken too much to strong liquor', and feems to delight in his new character. "This is all the news that I have; but as you love verses, I will send you a few which I made upon Inchkenneth; but remember the condition, that you shall not show them, except to Lord Hailes, whom I love better than any man whom I know fo little. If he afks you to transcribe them for him, you may do it, but I think he must promise not to let them be copied again, nor to fhow them as mine. 9 In the Court of Seffion of Scotland an action is first tried by one of the Judges, who is called the Lord Ordinary; and if either party is diffatisfied, he may appeal to the whole Court, confisting of fifteen, the Lord Prefident and fourteen other Judges, who have both in and out of Court the title of Lords, from the name of their eftates; as, Lord Auchinleck, Lord Monboddo, &c. It fhould be recollected, that this fanciful defcription of his friend was given by Johnfon after he had become a water-drinker. See them in " Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," 3d edit. p. 337. "I have "I have at laft fent back Lord Hailes's fheets. I never think about returning them, because I alter nothing. You will fee that I might as well have kept them. However, I am afhamed of my delay; and if I have the honour of receiving any more, promife punctually to return them by the next post. Make my compliments to dear Mrs. Bofwell, and to Mifs Veronica. am, dear Sir, I 1775. Etat. 66. "YOU rate our lawyers here too high, when you call them great mafters of the law of nations. "As for myself, I am ashamed to say that I have read little and thought little on the fubject of America. I will be much obliged to you, if you will direct me where I fhall find the best information of what is to be faid on both fides. It is a fubject vaft in its present extent and future confequences. The imperfect hints which now float in my mind, tend rather to the formation of an opinion that our government has been precipitant and fevere in the refolutions taken against the Bostonians. Well do you know that I have no kindness for that But nations, or bodies of men, fhould, as well as individuals, have a fair trial, and not be condemned on character alone. Have we not express contracts with our colonies, which afford a more certain foundation of judgement, than general political fpeculations on the mutual rights of states and their provinces or colonies? Pray let me know immediately what to read, race. 3 He now fent me a Latin infcription for my hiftorical picture of Mary Queen of Scots, and afterwards favoured me with an English translation. Mr. Alderman Boydell has fubjoined them to the engraving from my picture. |