We got a fresh chaise here, a very good one, and very good horses. We
breakfasted at Cullen. They set down dried haddocks broiled, along with
our tea. I ate one; but Dr. Johnson was disgusted by the sight of them,
so they were removed[343]. Cullen has a comfortable appearance, though
but a very small town, and the houses mostly poor buildings.
I called on Mr. Robertson, who has the charge of Lord Findlater's
affairs, and was formerly Lord Monboddo's clerk, was three times in
France with him, and translated Condamine's _Account of the Savage
Girl_, to which his lordship wrote a preface, containing several remarks
of his own. Robertson said, he did not believe so much as his lordship
did; that it was plain to him, the girl confounded what she imagined
with what she remembered: that, besides, she perceived Condamine and
Lord Monboddo forming theories, and she adapted her story to them.
Dr. Johnson said, 'It is a pity to see Lord Monboddo publish such
notions as he has done; a man of sense, and of so much elegant learning.
There would be little in a fool doing it; we should only laugh; but when
a wise man does it, we are sorry. Other people have strange notions; but
they conceal them. If they have tails, they hide them; but Monboddo is
as jealous of his tail as a squirrel.' I shall here put down some more
remarks of Dr. Johnson's on Lord Monboddo, which were not made exactly
at this time, but come in well from connection. He said, he did not
approve of a judge's calling himself _Farmer_ Burnett[344], and going
about with a little round hat[345]. He laughed heartily at his
lordship's saying he was an _enthusiastical_ farmer; 'for, (said he,)
what can he do in farming by his _enthusiasm_?' Here, however, I think
Dr. Johnson mistaken. He who wishes to be successful, or happy, ought to
be enthusiastical, that is to say, very keen in all the occupations or
diversions of life. An ordinary gentleman-farmer will be satisfied with
looking at his fields once or twice a day: an enthusiastical farmer will
be constantly employed on them; will have his mind earnestly engaged;
will talk perpetually, of them. But Dr. Johnson has much of the _nil
admirari_[346] in smaller concerns. That survey of life which gave birth
to his _Vanity of Human Wishes_ early sobered his mind. Besides, so
great a mind as his cannot be moved by inferior objects: an elephant
does not run and skip like lesser animals. Mr. Robertson sent a
servant with us, to shew us through Lord Findlater's wood, by which our
way was shortened, and we saw some part of his domain, which is indeed
admirably laid out. Dr. Johnson did not choose to walk through it. He
always said, that he was not come to Scotland to see fine places, of
which there were enough in England; but wild objects,--mountains,
--waterfalls,--peculiar manners; in short, things which he had not seen
before. I have a notion that he at no time has had much taste for rural
beauties. I have myself very little[347].
Dr. Johnson said, there was nothing more contemptible than a country
gentleman living beyond his income, and every year growing poorer and
poorer[348]. He spoke strongly of the influence which a man has by being
rich. 'A man, (said he,) who keeps his money, has in reality more use
from it, than he can have by spending it.' I observed that this looked
very like a paradox; but he explained it thus: 'If it were certain that
a man would keep his money locked up for ever, to be sure he would have
no influence; but, as so many want money, and he has the power of giving
it, and they know not but by gaining his favour they may obtain it, the
rich man will always have the greatest influence. He again who lavishes
his money, is laughed at as foolish, and in a great degree with justice,
considering how much is spent from vanity. Even those who partake of a
man's hospitality, have but a transient kindness for him. If he has not
the command of money, people know he cannot help them, if he would;
whereas the rich man always can, if he will, and for the chance of that,
will have much weight.' BOSWELL. 'But philosophers and satirists have
all treated a miser as contemptible.' JOHNSON. 'He is so
philosophically; but not in the practice of life[349].' BOSWELL. 'Let me
see now:--I do not know the instances of misers in England, so as to
examine into their influence.' JOHNSON. 'We have had few misers in
England.' BOSWELL. 'There was Lowther[350].' JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir,
Lowther, by keeping his money, had the command of the county, which the
family has now lost, by spending it[351]; I take it he lent a great
deal; and that is the way to have influence, and yet preserve one's
wealth. A man may lend his money upon very good security, and yet have
his debtor much under his power.' BOSWELL. 'No doubt, Sir. He can always
distress him for the money; as no man borrows, who is able to pay on
demand quite conveniently.'
We dined at Elgin, and saw the noble ruins of the cathedral. Though it
rained much, Dr. Johnson examined them with a most patient attention.
He could not here feel any abhorrence at the Scottish reformers[352],
for he had been told by Lord Hailes, that it was destroyed before the
Reformation, by the Lord of Badenoch[353], who had a quarrel with the
bishop. The bishop's house, and those of the other clergy, which are
still pretty entire, do not seem to have been proportioned to the
magnificence of the cathedral, which has been of great extent, and had
very fine carved work. The ground within the walls of the cathedral is
employed as a burying-place. The family of Gordon have their vault here;
but it has nothing grand.
We passed Gordon Castle[354] this forenoon, which has a princely
appearance. Fochabers, the neighbouring village, is a poor place, many
of the houses being ruinous; but it is remarkable, they have in general
orchards well stored with apple-trees[355]. Elgin has what in England
are called piazzas, that run in many places on each side of the street.
It must have been a much better place formerly. Probably it had piazzas
all along the town, as I have seen at Bologna. I approved much of such
structures in a town, on account of their conveniency in wet weather.
Dr. Johnson disapproved of them, 'because (said he) it makes the under
story of a house very dark, which greatly over-balances the conveniency,
when it is considered how small a part of the year it rains; how few are
usually in the street at such times; that many who are might as well be
at home; and the little that people suffer, supposing them to be as much
wet as they commonly are in walking a street.'
We fared but ill at our inn here; and Dr. Johnson said, this was the
first time he had seen a dinner in Scotland that he could not eat[356].
In the afternoon, we drove over the very heath where Macbeth met the
witches, according to tradition[357]. Dr. Johnson again[358] solemnly
repeated--
'How far is't called to Fores? What are these,
So wither'd, and so wild in their attire?
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,
And yet are on't?'
He repeated a good deal more of Macbeth. His recitation[359] was grand
and affecting, and as Sir Joshua Reynolds has observed to me, had no
more tone than it should have: it was the better for it. He then
parodied the _All-hail_ of the witches to Macbeth, addressing himself to
me. I had purchased some land called _Dalblair_; and, as in Scotland it
is customary to distinguish landed men by the name of their estates, I
had thus two titles, _Dalblair_ and Young _Auchinleck_. So my friend, in
imitation of
'All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!'
condescended to amuse himself with uttering
'All hail, Dalblair! hail to thee, Laird of Auchinleck[360]!'
We got to Fores[361] at night, and found an admirable inn, in which Dr.
Johnson was pleased to meet with a landlord who styled himself
'Wine-Cooper, from LONDON.'