arrived between twelve and one o'clock, and it was near three before he came to us.

Dr. Johnson thanked him for his book, and faid it was a very pretty piece of topography." M'Aulay did not feem much to mind the compliment. From his converfation, Dr. Johnson was persuaded that he had not written the book which goes under his name. I myself always fufpected fo; and I have been told it was written by the learned Dr. John M'Pherfon of Sky, from the materials collected by M'Aulay. Dr. Johnson faid privately to me, "There is a combination in it of which M'Aulay is not capable." However, he was exceedingly hofpitable; and, as he obligingly promised us a route for our Tour through the Western Isles, we agreed to ftay with him all night.

After dinner, we walked to the old castle of Calder, (pronounced Cawder) the Thane of Cawder's feat. I was forry that my friend, this "profperous gentleman," was not there. The old tower must be of great antiquity. There is a draw-bridge-what has been a moat-and an ancient court. There is a hawthorn-tree, which

rifes

examines the people as to their fitnefs, and to thofe of whom he approves gives little pieces of tin, ftamped with the name of the parish, as tokens, which they must produce before receiving it. This is a species of priestly power, and fometimes may be abused. I remember a law-fuit brought by a perfon against his parifh minifter, for refufing him admiffion to that facred ordinance.

rifes like a wooden pillar through the rooms of the caftle, for, by a strange conceit, the walls have been built round it. The thickness of the walls, the small flaunting windows, and a great iron door at the entrance on the second story as you afcend the stairs, all indicate the rude times in which this caftle was erected. There were here fome large venerable trees.

I was afraid of a quarrel between Dr. Johnfon and Mr. M'Aulay, who talked flightingly of the lower English clergy. The Doctor gave him a frowning look, and said, "This is a day of novelties: I have feen old trees in Scotland, and I have heard the English clergy treated with disrespect."

I dreaded that a whole evening at Caldermanse would be heavy; however, Mr. Grant, an intelligent and well-bred minifter in the neighbourhood, was there, and affifted us by his converfation. Dr. Johnfon, talking of hereditary occupations in the Highlands, faid, "There is no harm in fuch a cuftom as this; but it is wrong to enforce it, and oblige a man to be a taylor or a fmith, because his father has been one." This cuftom, however, is not peculiar to our Highlands; it is well known that in India a fimilar practice prevails.

Mr. M'Aulay began a rhapfody against creeds and confeffions. Dr. Johnson fhewed that" what he called impofition, was only a vo

luntary

luntary declaration of agreement in certain articles of faith, which a church has a right to require, just as any other fociety can infift on certain rules being obferved by its members. Nobody is compelled to be of the church, as nobody is compelled to enter into a fociety." This was a very clear and juft view of the fubject. But M'Aulay could not be driven out of his track. Dr. Johnson faid, "Sir, you are a bigot to laxness."

Mr. M'Aulay and I laid the map of Scotland before us; and he pointed out a route for us from Inverness, by Fort Auguftus, to Glenelg, Sky, Mull, Icolmkill, Lorn, and Inveraray, which I wrote down. As my father was to begin the northern circuit about the 18th of September, it was neceffary for us either to make our tour with great expedition, fo as to get to Auchinleck before he fet out, or to protract it, fo as not to be there till his return, which would be about the 10th of October. By M'Aulay's calculation, we were not to land in Lorn till the 20th of September. I thought that the interruptions by bad days, or by occafional excurfions, might make it ten days later; and I thought too, that we might perhaps go to Benbecula, and visit Clanranald, which would take a week of itself.

Dr. Johnson went up with Mr. Grant to the library, which consisted of a tolerable collection,

but

but the Doctor thought it rather a lady's library, with fome Latin books in it by chance, than the library of a clergyman. It had only two of the Latin fathers, and one of the Greek ones in Latin. I doubted whether Dr. Johnson would be present at a Prefbyterian prayer. I told M'Aulay fo, and faid that the Doctor might fit in the library while we were at family worship. M'Aulay faid, he would omit it, rather than give Dr. Johnson offence: But I would by no means agree that an excess of politeness, even to fo great a man, should prevent what I efteem as one of the beft pious regulations. I know nothing more beneficial, more comfortable, more agreeable, than that the little focieties of each family fhould regularly affemble, and unite in praise and prayer to our heavenly Father, from whom we daily receive fo much good, and may hope for more in a higher state of existence. I mentioned to Dr. Johnson the over-delicate fcrupulofity of our hoft. He said he had no objection to hear the prayer. This was a pleasing surprise to me; for he refused to go and hear Principal Robertfon preach. "I will hear him, (said he) if he will get up into a tree and preach; but I will will not give a sanction, by my presence, to a Prefbyterian affembly."

Mr. Grant having prayed, Dr. Johnson said, his prayer was a very good one; but objected to his not having introduced the Lord's Prayer.

He told us, that an Italian of fome note in Lon don faid once to him, "We have in our fervice a prayer called the Pater Nofter, which is a very fine compofition. I wonder who is the author of it."-A fingular inftance of ignorance in a man of fome literature and general inquiry!

Saturday, 28th August.

Dr Johnson had brought a Salluft with him in his pocket from Edinburgh. He gave it laft night to Mr. M'Aulay's fon, a smart young lad about eleven years old. Dr. Johnson had given an account of the education at Oxford, in all its gradations. The advantage of being a fervitor to a youth of little fortune ftruck Mrs. M'Aulay much. I obferved it aloud. Dr. Johnfon very handfomely and kindly faid, that, if they would fend their boy to him, when he was ready for the university, he would get him made a fervitor, and perhaps would do more for him. He could not promise to do more; but would undertake for the fervitorship*.

I should

* Dr. Johnson did not neglect what he had undertaken. By his intereft with the Rev. Dr. Adams, mafter of Pembroke College, Oxford, where he was educated for fome time, he obtained a fervitorship for young M'Aulay. But it feems he had other views; and I believe went abroad.