1775.

Ætat. 66.

"MY DEAR SIR,

To Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON.

Edinburgh, Dec. 5, 1775.

"MR. ALEXANDER MACLEAN, the prefent young Laird of Col, being to fet out to-morrow for London, I give him this letter to introduce him to your acquaintance. The kindness which you and I experienced from his brother, whofe unfortunate death we fincerely lament, will make us always defirous to fhew attention to any branch of the family. Indeed, you have fo much of the true Highland cordiality, that I am fure you would have thought me to blame if I had neglected to recommend to you this Hebridean prince, in whofe ifland we were hofpitably entertained. I ever am with refpectful attachment, my dear Sir,

"Your most obliged

"And moft humble Servant,

JAMES BOSWELL."

Mr. Maclean returned with the most agreeable accounts of the polite attention with which he was received by Dr. Johnson.

In the courfe of this year Dr. Burney informs me, that "he very frequently met Dr. Johnson at Mr. Thrale's, at Streatham, where they had many long converfations, often fitting up as long as the fire and candles lasted, and much longer than the patience of the fervants fubfifted."

A few of Johnson's fayings, which that gentleman recollects, fhall here be inferted.

"I never take a nap after dinner but when I have had a bad night, and then the nap takes me."

"The writer of an epitaph fhould not be confidered as saying nothing but what is ftrictly true. Allowance must be made for fome degree of exaggerated praife. In lapidary infcriptions a man is not upon oath."

"There is now lefs flogging in our great schools than formerly, but then lefs is learned there; so that what the boys get at one end, they lofe at the other." “More is learned in publick than in private schools, from emulation; there is the collifion of mind with mind, or the radiation of many minds pointing to one center. Though few boys make their own exercises, yet if a good exercife is given up, out of a great number of boys, it is made by somebody.' "I hate bye-roads in education. Education is as well known, and has long been as well known, as ever it can be. Endeavouring to make children 5 prematurely

1775

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prematurely wife is ufelefs labour. Suppofe they have more knowledge at five or fix years old than other children, what use can be made of it? It Etat. 66. will be loft before it is wanted, and the waste of fo much time and labour of the teacher can never be repaid. Too much is expected from precocity, and too little performed. Mifs was an inftance of early cultivation, but in what did it terminate? In marrying a little Prefbyterian parfon, who keeps an infant boarding-fchool, fo that all her employment now is, to fuckle fools and chronicle finall beer.' She tells the children, This is a cat, and that is a dog, with four legs and a tail; fee there! you are much better than a cat' or a dog, for you can speak.' If I had bestowed fuch an education. on a daughter, and had discovered that he thought of marrying fuch a fellow, I would have fent her to the Congrefs."

After having talked flightingly of mufick, he was obferved to liften very attentively while Mifs Thrale played on the harpsichord, and with eagerness he called to her, " Why don't you dash away like Burney?" Dr. Burney upon this faid to him, "I believe, Sir, we fhall make a musician of you at last." Johnfon with candid complacency replied, "Sir, I fhall be. glad to have a new fenfe given to me."

He had come down one morning to the breakfast-room, and been a confiderable time by himself before any body appeared. When on a fubfequent day, he was twitted by Mrs. Thrale for being very late, which he generally was, he defended himfelf by alluding to the extraordinary morning, when he had been too early, “Madam, I do not like to come down to vacuity.” Dr. Burney having remarked that Mr. Garrick was beginning to look old, he faid, " Why, Sir, you are not to wonder at that; no man's face has had more wear and tear."

like

Not having heard from him for a longer time than I fuppofed he would be filent, I wrote to him December 18, not in good fpirits, "Sometimes I have been afraid that the cold which has gone over Europe this year a fort of peftilence, has feifed you feverely; fometimes my imagination, which is upon occafions prolifick of evil, hath figured that you may have. fomehow taken offence at fome part of my conduct."

"DEAR SIR,

To JAMES BOSWELL, Efq.

"NEVER dream of any offence, how fhould you offend me? I confider your friendship as a poffeffion, which I intend to hold till you take it from me, and to lament if ever by my fault I fhould lose it. However,

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1775.

Etat. 66.

However, when fuch fufpicions find their way into your mind, always give them vent, I shall make hafte to disperse them, but hinder their first ingress if you can. Confider fuch thoughts as morbid.

"Such illness as may excufe my omiffion to Lord Hailes I cannot honestly plead. I have been hindered I know not how, by a fucceffion of petty obstructions. I hope to mend immediately, and to fend next post to his Lordship. Mr. Thrale would have written to you if I had omitted; he fends his compliments, and wifhes to fee you.

"You and your lady will now have no more wrangling about feudal inheritance. How does the young Laird of Auchinleck? I fuppofe Mifs Veronica is grown a reader and difcourfer.

"I have just now got a cough, but it has never yet hindered me from fleeping: I have had quieter nights than are common with me.

"I cannot but rejoice that Jofeph has had the wit to find the way back. He is a fine fellow, and one of the best travellers in the world.

"Young Col brought me your letter. He is a very pleafing youth. I took him two days ago to the Mitre, and we dined together. I was as civil as I had the means of being.

"I have had a letter from Rafay, acknowledging, with great appearance of fatisfaction, the infertion in the Edinburgh paper. I am very glad that it was done.

My compliments to Mrs. Bofwell, who does not love me; and of all the rest, I need only fend them to thofe that do; and I am afraid it will give you very little trouble to distribute them. I am, my dear, dear Sir, "Your affectionate humble fervant,

"December 23, 1775.

SAM. JOHNSON."

Jofeph Rieter, a Bohemian, who was in my fervice many years, and attended Dr. Johnson and me in our Tour to the Hebrides. After having left, me for fome time, he had now returned to me,

THE END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.