'My LORD, 'On the rugged shore of Skie, I had the honour of your
Lordship's letter, and can with great truth declare, that no place is so
gloomy but that it would be cheered by such a testimony of regard, from
a mind so well qualified to estimate characters, and to deal out
approbation in its due proportions. If I have more than my share, it is
your Lordship's fault; for I have always reverenced your judgment too
much, to exalt myself in your presence by any false pretensions.
'Mr. Boswell and I are at present at the disposal of the winds, and
therefore cannot fix the time at which we shall have the honour of
seeing your lordship. But we should either of us think ourselves injured
by the supposition that we would miss your lordship's conversation, when
we could enjoy it; for I have often declared that I never met you
without going away a wiser man.[534]
'I am, my Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient
And most humble servant,
Skie, Sept. 14, 1773.' 'SAM. JOHNSON.'
At Portree, Mr. Donald McQueen went to church and officiated in Erse,
and then came to dinner. Dr. Johnson and I resolved that we should treat
the company, so I played the landlord, or master of the feast, having
previously ordered Joseph to pay the bill.
Sir James Macdonald intended to have built a village here, which would
have done great good. A village is like a heart to a country. It
produces a perpetual circulation, and gives the people an opportunity to
make profit of many little articles, which would otherwise be in a good
measure lost. We had here a dinner, _et praeterea nihil_. Dr. Johnson
did not talk. When we were about to depart, we found that Rasay had been
beforehand with us, and that all was paid: I would fain have contested
this matter with him, but seeing him resolved, I declined it. We parted
with cordial embraces from him and worthy Malcolm. In the evening Dr.
Johnson and I remounted our horses, accompanied by Mr. McQueen and Dr.
Macleod. It rained very hard. We rode what they call six miles, upon
Rasay's lands in Sky, to Dr. Macleod's house. On the road Dr. Johnson
appeared to be somewhat out of spirits. When I talked of our meeting
Lord Elibank, he said, 'I cannot be with him much. I long to be again in
civilized life; but can stay but a short while;' (he meant at
Edinburgh.) He said, 'let us go to Dunvegan to-morrow.' 'Yes, (said I,)
if it is not a deluge.' 'At any rate,' he replied. This shewed a kind of
fretful impatience; nor was it to be wondered at, considering our
disagreeable ride. I feared he would give up Mull and Icolmkill, for he
said something of his apprehensions of being detained by bad weather in
going to Mull and _Iona_. However I hoped well. We had a dish of tea at
Dr. Macleod's, who had a pretty good house, where was his brother, a
half-pay officer. His lady was a polite, agreeable woman. Dr. Johnson
said, he was glad to see that he was so well married, for he had an
esteem for physicians.[535] The doctor accompanied us to Kingsburgh,
which is called a mile farther; but the computation of Sky has no
connection whatever with real distance.[536] I was highly pleased to
see Dr. Johnson safely arrived at Kingsburgh, and received by the
hospitable Mr. Macdonald, who, with a most respectful attention,
supported him into the house. Kingsburgh was completely the figure of a
gallant Highlander,--exhibiting 'the graceful mien and manly
looks[537],' which our popular Scotch song has justly attributed to that
character. He had his Tartan plaid thrown about him, a large blue bonnet
with a knot of black ribband like a cockade, a brown short coat of a
kind of duffil, a Tartan waistcoat with gold buttons and gold
button-holes, a bluish philibeg, and Tartan hose. He had jet black hair
tied behind, and was a large stately man, with a steady sensible
countenance.
There was a comfortable parlour with a good fire, and a dram went round.
By and by supper was served, at which there appeared the lady of the
house, the celebrated Miss Flora Macdonald. She is a little woman, of a
genteel appearance, and uncommonly mild and well-bred[538]. To see Dr.
Samuel Johnson, the great champion of the English Tories, salute Miss
Flora Macdonald in the isle of Sky, was a striking sight; for though
somewhat congenial in their notions, it was very improbable they should
meet here.
Miss Flora Macdonald (for so I shall call her) told me, she heard upon
the main land, as she was returning home about a fortnight before, that
Mr. Boswell was coming to Sky, and one Mr. Johnson, a young English
buck[539], with him. He was highly entertained with this fancy. Giving
an account of the afternoon which we passed, at _Anock_, he said, 'I,
being a _buck_, had miss[540] in to make tea.' He was rather quiescent
to-night, and went early to bed. I was in a cordial humour, and promoted
a cheerful glass. The punch was excellent. Honest Mr. M'Queen observed
that I was in high glee, 'my _governour_[541] being gone to bed.' Yet in
reality my heart was grieved, when I recollected that Kingsburgh was
embarrassed in his affairs, and intended to go to America[542]. However,
nothing but what was good was present, and I pleased myself in thinking
that so spirited a man would be well every where. I slept in the same
room with Dr. Johnson. Each had a neat bed, with Tartan curtains, in an
upper chamber.