writings. His progress, he says, was interrupted by a fever, "which, by the imprudent use of a small print, left an inflammation in his useful eye.' We cannot but admire his spirit, when we know, that amidst a complication of bodily and mental distress, he was still animated with the desire of intellectual improvement. Various notes of his studies appear on different days, in his manuscript diary of this year; such as, “Inchoavi lectionem Pentateuchi-Finivi lectionem Conf. Fab. Burdonum -Legi primum actum Troadum-Legi Dissertationem Clerici postremam de Pent-2 of Clark's Sermons-L. Apollonii pugnam Betriciam-L. centum versus Homeri." Let this serve as a specimen of what accessions of literature he was perpetually infusing into his mind, while he charged himself with idle ness. This year died Mrs. Salusbury (mother of Mrs. Thrale), a lady whom he appears to have esteemed much, and whose memory he honoured with an epitaph." In a letter from Edinburgh, dated the 29th of May, I pressed him to persevere in his resolution to make this year the projected visit to the Hebrides, of which he and I had talked for many years, and which I was confident would afford us much entertainment. 1 Prayers and Meditations, p. 129. 2 Not six months before his death, he wished me to teach him the scale of music: "Dr. Burney, teach me at least the alphabet of your language.” -Burney. 3 Mrs. Piozzi's Anecdotes of Johnson, p. 131. This event also furnished him with a subject of meditation for the evening of June the 18th, on which day this lady died :— Friday, June 18, 1773. This day, after dinner, died Mrs. Salusbury ; she had for some days almost lost the power of speaking. Yesterday, as I touched her hand, and kissed it, she pressed my hand between her two hands, which she probably intended as the parting caress. At night her speech returned a little; and she said, among other things, to her daughter, I have had much time, and I hope I have used it. This morning, being called about nine to feel her pulse, I said, at parting, God bless you, for Jesus Christ's sake. She smiled, as pleased. She had her senses perhaps to the dying moment." Pr. and Med., p. 127.—Croker. "DEAR SIR, TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "Johnson's Court, July 5, 1773. "When your letter came to me, I was so darkened by an inflammation in my eye that I could not for some time read it. I can now write without trouble, and can read large prints. My eye is gradually growing stronger; and I hope will be able to take some delight in the survey of a Caledonian loch. "Chambers is going a judge, with six thousand a year, to Bengal. He and I shall come down together as far as Newcastle, and thence I shall easily get to Edinburgh. Let me know the exact time when your courts intermit. sions, and he must conform a little to mine. The time which you shall fix must be the common point to which we will come as near as we can. Except this eye, I am very well. I must conform a little to Chambers's occa "Beattie is so caressed, and invited, and treated, and liked, and flattered by the great, that I can see nothing of him. I am in great hope that he will be well provided for, and then we will live upon him at the Marischal College, without pity or modesty. -1 left the town without taking leave of me, and is gone in deep dudgeon to 2 Is not this very childish? Where is now my legacy? "I hope your dear lady and her dear baby are both well. I shall see them too when I come; and I have that opinion of your choice, as to suspect that when I have seen Mrs. Boswell, I shall be less willing to go away. I am, dear Sir, your affectionate humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "Write to me as soon as you can. Chambers is now at Oxford." I again wrote to him, informing him that the court of session rose on the 12th of August, hoping to see him before that time, and expressing, perhaps in too extravagant terms, my admiration of him, and my expectation of pleasure from our intended tour. 1 2 Both these blanks must be filled with Langton.-Croker. "DEAR SIR, TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. 66 Aug. 3, 1773. "I shall set out from London on Friday the 6th of this month, and purpose not to loiter much by the way. Which day I shall be at Edinburgh, I cannot exactly tell. I suppose I must drive to an inn, and send a porter to find you. "I am afraid Beattie will not be at his college soon enough for us, and I shall be sorry to miss him; but there is no staying for the concurrence of all conveniences. We will do as well as we can. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." TO THE SAME. "Aug. 3, 1773. "DEAR SIR, "Not being at Mr. Thrale's when your letter came, I had written the enclosed paper and sealed it; bringing it hither for a frank, I found yours. If any thing could repress my ardour, it would be such a letter as yours. To disappoint a friend is unpleasing; and he that forms expectations like yours, must be disappointed. Think only, when you see me, that you see a man who loves you, and is proud and glad that you love him. I am, Sir, your most affectionate, "SAM. JOHNSON." "DEAR SIR, TO THE SAME. 66 Newcastle, Aug. 11, 1773. "I came hither last night, and hope, but do not absolutely promise to be in Edinburgh on Saturday. Beattie will not come so soon. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, "My compliments to your lady." "SAM. JOHNSON. TO THE SAME. "Mr. Johnson sends his compliments to Mr. Boswell, being just arrived at Boyd's. "Saturday night." His stay in Scotland was from the 18th of August, on which day he arrived, till the 22nd of November, when he set out on his return to London; and I believe ninety-four days were never passed by any man in a more vigorous exertion. He came by the way of Berwick-upon-Tweed to Edinburgh, where he remained a few days, and then went by St. Andrew's, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Fort Augustus, to the Hebrides, to visit which was the principal object he had in view. He visited the isles of Sky, Rasay, Coll, Mull, Inchkenneth, and Icolmkill. He travelled through Argyleshire by Inverary, and from thence by Lochlomond and Dunbarton to Glasgow, then by Loudon to Auchinleck in Ayrshire, the seat of my family, and then by Hamilton, back to Edinburgh, where he again spent some time. He thus saw the four universities of Scotland, its three principal cities, and as much of the Highland and insular life as was sufficient for his philosophical contemplation. I had the pleasure of accompanying him during the whole of his journey. He was respectfully entertained by the great, the learned, and the elegant, wherever he went; nor was he less delighted with the hospitality which he experienced in humbler life.1 His various adventures, and the force and vivacity of his mind, as exercised during this peregrination, upon innumerable topics, have been faithfully, and to the best of my abilities, displayed in my "Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," to which, as the public has been pleased to honour it by a very extensive circulation, I beg leave to refer, as to a separate and remarkable portion of his life,' which may be there seen in de 1 He was long remembered amongst the lower orders of Hebrideans by the title of the Sassenach More, the big Englishman.—Walter Scott. 2 The author was not a small gainer by this extraordinary journey, for Dr. Johnson thus writes to Mrs. Thrale, Nov. 3, 1773 :-" Boswell will praise my resolution and perseverance, and I shall in return celebrate his good-humour and perpetual cheerfulness. He has better faculties than I had imagined: more justness of discernment, and more fecundity of images. It is very convenient to travel with him, for there is no house where he is not received with kindness and respect." Thrale Correspondence, vol. i., p. 198.—Malone. tail, and which exhibits as striking a view of his powers in conversation, as his works do of his excellence in writing. Nor can I deny to myself the very flattering gratification of inserting here the character which my friend Mr. Courtenay has been pleased to give of that work: "With Reynolds' pencil, vivid, bold, and true, So fervent Boswell gives him to our view: And Samuel sings, 'The king shall have his ain." 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 from his subsequent letters, that he was not less solicitous for intelligence on this subject after his return to London. "DEAR SIR, TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "Nov. 27, 1773. "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;2 1 The celebrated Flora Macdonald. See Boswell's Tour.-Courtenay. In this he showed 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 |