I took _Fingal_ down to the parlour in the morning, and tried a test
proposed by Mr. Roderick M'Leod, son to Ulinish. Mr. M'Queen had said he
had some of the poem in the original. I desired him to mention any
passage in the printed book, of which he could repeat the original. He
pointed out one in page 50 of the quarto edition, and read the Erse,
while Mr. Roderick M'Leod and I looked on the English;--and Mr. M'Leod
said, that it was pretty like what Mr. M'Queen had recited. But when Mr.
M'Queen read a description of Cuchullin's sword in Erse, together with a
translation of it in English verse, by Sir James Foulis, Mr. M'Leod
said, that was much more like than Mr. M'Pherson's translation of the
former passage. Mr. M'Queen then repeated in Erse a description of one
of the horses in Cuchillin's car. Mr. M'Leod said, Mr. M'Pherson's
English was nothing like it.
When Dr. Johnson came down, I told him that I had now obtained some
evidence concerning _Fingal_; for that Mr. M'Queen had repeated a
passage in the original Erse, which Mr. M'Pherson's translation was
pretty like; and reminded him that he himself had once said, he did not
require Mr. M'Pherson's _Ossian_ to be more like the original than
Pope's _Homer_. JOHNSON. 'Well, Sir, this is just what I always
maintained. He has found names, and stories, and phrases, nay, passages
in old songs, and with them has blended his own compositions, and so
made what he gives to the world as the translation of an ancient poem.'
If this was the case, I observed, it was wrong to publish it as a poem
in six books. JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir; and to ascribe it to a time too when
the Highlanders knew nothing of _books_, and nothing of _six_;--or
perhaps were got the length of counting six. We have been told, by
Condamine, of a nation that could count no more than four[668]. This
should be told to Monboddo; it would help him. There is as much charity
in helping a man down-hill, as in helping him up-hill.' BOSWELL. 'I
don't think there is as much charity.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir, if his
_tendency_ be downwards. Till he is at the bottom he flounders; get him
once there, and he is quiet. Swift tells, that Stella had a trick, which
she learned from Addison, of encouraging a man in absurdity, instead of
endeavouring to extricate him[669].'
Mr. M'Queen's answers to the inquiries concerning _Ossian_ were so
unsatisfactory, that I could not help observing, that, were he examined
in a court of justice, he would find himself under a necessity of being
more explicit. JOHNSON. 'Sir, he has told Blair a little too much, which
is published[670]; and he sticks to it. He is so much at the head of
things here, that he has never been accustomed to be closely examined;
and so he goes on quite smoothly.' BOSWELL. 'He has never had any body
to work[671] him.' JOHNSON. 'No, Sir; and a man is seldom disposed to
work himself; though he ought to work himself, to be sure.' Mr. M'Queen
made no reply[672].
Having talked of the strictness with which witnesses are examined in
courts of justice, Dr. Johnson told us, that Garrick, though accustomed
to face multitudes, when produced as a witness in Westminster-hall, was
so disconcerted by a new mode of public appearance, that he could not
understand what was asked[673]. It was a cause where an actor claimed a
_free benefit_; that is to say, a benefit without paying the expence of
the house; but the meaning of the term was disputed. Garrick was asked,
'Sir, have you a free benefit?' 'Yes.' 'Upon what terms have you it?'
'Upon-the terms-of-a free benefit.' He was dismissed as one from whom no
information could be obtained. Dr. Johnson is often too hard on our
friend Mr. Garrick. When I asked him why he did not mention him in the
Preface to his _Shakspeare_[674] he said, 'Garrick has been liberally
paid for any thing he has done for Shakspeare. If I should praise him, I
should much more praise the nation who paid him. He has not made
Shakspeare better known[675]; he cannot illustrate Shakspeare; so I have
reasons enough against mentioning him, were reasons necessary. There
should be reasons _for_ it.' I spoke of Mrs. Montague's very high
praises of Garrick[676]. JOHNSON. 'Sir, it is fit she should say so
much, and I should say nothing. Reynolds is fond of her book, and I
wonder at it; for neither I, nor Beauclerk, nor Mrs. Thrale, could get
through it[677].' Last night Dr. Johnson gave us an account of the
whole process of tanning and of the nature of milk, and the various
operations upon it, as making whey, &c. His variety of information is
surprizing[678]; and it gives one much satisfaction to find such a man
bestowing his attention on the useful arts of life. Ulinish was much
struck with his knowledge; and said, 'He is a great orator, Sir; it is
musick to hear this man speak.' A strange thought struck me, to try if
he knew any thing of an art, or whatever it should be called, which is
no doubt very useful in life, but which lies far out of the way of a
philosopher and a poet; I mean the trade of a butcher. I enticed him
into the subject, by connecting it with the various researches into the
manners and customs of uncivilized nations, that have been made by our
late navigators into the South Seas. I began with observing, that Mr.
(now Sir Joseph) Banks tells us, that the art of slaughtering animals
was not known in Otaheité, for, instead of bleeding to death their
dogs, (a common food with them,) they strangle them. This he told me
himself; and I supposed that their hogs were killed in the same way. Dr.
Johnson said, 'This must be owing to their not having knives,--though
they have sharp stones with which they can cut a carcase in pieces
tolerably.' By degrees, he shewed that he knew something even of
butchery. 'Different animals (said he) are killed differently. An ox is
knocked down, and a calf stunned; but a sheep has its throat cut,
without any thing being done to stupify it. The butchers have no view to
the ease of the animals, but only to make them quiet, for their own
safety and convenience. A sheep can give them little trouble. Hales[679]
is of opinion, that every animal should be blooded, without having any
blow given to it, because it bleeds better.' BOSWELL. 'That would be
cruel.' JOHNSON. 'No, Sir; there is not much pain, if the jugular vein
be properly cut.' Pursuing the subject, he said, the kennels of
Southwark ran with blood two or three days in the week; that he was
afraid there were slaughter-houses in more streets in London than one
supposes; (speaking with a kind of horrour of butchering;) and, yet he
added, 'any of us would kill a cow rather than not have beef.' I said we
_could_ not. 'Yes, (said he,) any one may. The business of a butcher is
a trade indeed, that is to say, there is an apprenticeship served to it;
but it may be learnt in a month[680].'
I mentioned a club in London at the Boar's Head in Eastcheap, the very
tavern[681] where Falstaff and his joyous companions met; the members of
which all assume Shakspeare's characters. One is Falstaff, another
Prince Henry, another Bardolph, and so on. JOHNSON. 'Don't be of it,
Sir. Now that you have a name, you must be careful to avoid many things,
not bad in themselves, but which will lessen your character[682]. This
every man who has a name must observe. A man who is not publickly known
may live in London as he pleases, without any notice being taken of him;
but it is wonderful how a person of any consequence is watched. There
was a member of parliament, who wanted to prepare himself to speak on a
question that was to come on in the House; and he and I were to talk it
over together. He did not wish it should be known that he talked with
me; so he would not let me come to his house, but came to mine. Some
time after he had made his speech in the house, Mrs. Cholmondeley[683],
a very airy[684] lady, told me, 'Well, you could make nothing of him!'
naming the gentleman; which was a proof that he was watched. I had once
some business to do for government, and I went to Lord North's.
Precaution was taken that it should not be known. It was dark before I
went; yet a few days after I was told, 'Well, you have been with Lord
North.' That the door of the prime minister should be watched is not
strange; but that a member of parliament should be watched, or that my
door should be watched, is wonderful.'
We set out this morning on our way to Talisker, in Ulinish's boat,
having taken leave of him and his family. Mr. Donald M'Queen still
favoured us with his company, for which we were much obliged to him. As
we sailed along Dr. Johnson got into one of his fits of railing at the
Scots. He owned that they had been a very learned nation for a hundred
years, from about 1550 to about 1650; but that they afforded the only
instance of a people among whom the arts of civil life did not advance
in proportion with learning; that they had hardly any trade, any money,
or any elegance, before the Union; that it was strange that, with all
the advantages possessed by other nations, they had not any of those
conveniencies and embellishments which are the fruit of industry, till
they came in contact with a civilized people. 'We have taught you, (said
he,) and we'll do the same in time to all barbarous nations,--to the
Cherokees,--and at last to the Ouran-Outangs;' laughing with as much
glee as if Monboddo had been present. BOSWELL. 'We had wine before the
Union.' JOHNSON. 'No, Sir; you had some weak stuff, the refuse of
France, which would not make you drunk.' BOSWELL. 'I assure you, Sir,
there was a great deal of drunkenness.' JOHNSON. 'No, Sir; there were
people who died of dropsies, which they contracted in trying to get
drunk[685].'
I must here glean some of his conversation at Ulinish, which I have
omitted. He repeated his remark, that a man in a ship was worse than a
man in a jail[686]. 'The man in a jail, (said he,) has more room, better
food, and commonly better company, and is in safety.' 'Ay; but, (said
Mr. M'Queen,) the man in the ship has the pleasing hope of getting to
shore.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, I am not talking of a man's getting to shore; but
of a man while he is in a ship: and then, I say, he is worse than a man
while he is in a jail. A man in a jail _may_ have the _"pleasing hope"_
of getting out. A man confined for only a limited time, actually _has_
it.' M'Leod mentioned his schemes for carrying on fisheries with spirit,
and that he would wish to understand the construction of boats. I
suggested that he might go to a dock-yard and work, as Peter the Great
did. JOHNSON. 'Nay, Sir, he need not work. Peter the Great had not the
sense to see that the mere mechanical work may be done by any body, and
that there is the same art in constructing a vessel, whether the boards
are well or ill wrought. Sir Christopher Wren might as well have served
his time to a bricklayer, and first, indeed, to a brick-maker.'
There is a beautiful little island in the Loch of Dunvegan, called
_Isa_. M'Leod said, he would give it to Dr. Johnson, on condition of his
residing on it three months in the year; nay one month. Dr. Johnson was
highly amused with the fancy. I have seen him please himself with little
things, even with mere ideas like the present. He talked a great deal of
this island;--how he would build a house there,--how he would fortify
it,--how he would have cannon,--how he would plant,--how he would sally
out, and _take_ the isle of Muck;--and then he laughed with uncommon
glee, and could hardly leave off. I have seen him do so at a small
matter that struck him, and was a sport to no one else[687]. Mr. Langton
told me, that one night he did so while the company were all grave about
him:--only Garrick, in his significant smart manner, darting his eyes
around, exclaimed, '_Very_ jocose, to be sure!' M'Leod encouraged the
fancy of Doctor Johnson's becoming owner of an island; told him, that it
was the practice in this country to name every man by his lands; and
begged leave to drink to him in that mode: '_Island Isa_, your health!'
Ulinish, Talisker, Mr. M'Queen, and I, all joined in our different
manners, while Dr. Johnson bowed to each, with much good humour.
We had good weather, and a fine sail this day. The shore was varied with
hills, and rocks, and corn-fields, and bushes, which are here dignified
with the name of natural _wood_. We landed near the house of Ferneley, a
farm possessed by another gentleman of the name of M'Leod, who,
expecting our arrival, was waiting on the shore, with a horse for Dr.
Johnson. The rest of us walked. At dinner, I expressed to M'Leod the joy
which I had in seeing him on such cordial terms with his clan.
'Government (said he) has deprived us of our ancient power; but it
cannot deprive us of our domestick satisfactions. I would rather drink
punch in one of their houses, (meaning the houses of his people,) than
be enabled by their hardships to have claret in my own.[688]' This
should be the sentiment of every Chieftain. All that he can get by
raising his rents, is more luxury in his own house. Is it not better to
share the profits of his estate, to a certain degree, with his kinsmen,
and thus have both social intercourse and patriarchal influence?
We had a very good ride, for about three miles, to Talisker, where
Colonel M'Leod introduced us to his lady. We found here Mr. Donald
M'Lean, the young Laird of _Col_, (nephew to Talisker,) to whom I
delivered the letter with which I had been favoured by his uncle,
Professor M'Leod, at Aberdeen[689]. He was a little lively young man. We
found he had been a good deal in England, studying farming, and was
resolved to improve the value of his father's lands, without oppressing
his tenants, or losing the ancient Highland fashions.
Talisker is a better place than one commonly finds in Sky. It is
situated in a rich bottom. Before it is a wide expanse of sea, on each
hand of which are immense rocks; and, at some distance in the sea, there
are three columnal rocks rising to sharp points. The billows break with
prodigious force and noise on the coast of Talisker[690]. There are here
a good many well-grown trees. Talisker is an extensive farm. The
possessor of it has, for several generations, been the next heir to
M'Leod, as there has been but one son always in that family. The court
before the house is most injudiciously paved with the round blueish-grey
pebbles which are found upon the sea-shore; so that you walk as if upon
cannon-balls driven into the ground.
After supper, I talked of the assiduity of the Scottish clergy, in
visiting and privately instructing their parishioners, and observed how
much in this they excelled the English clergy. Dr. Johnson would not let
this pass. He tried to turn it off, by saying, 'There are different ways
of instructing. Our clergy pray and preach.' M'Leod and I pressed the
subject, upon which he grew warm, and broke forth: 'I do not believe
your people are better instructed. If they are, it is the blind leading
the blind; for your clergy are not instructed themselves.' Thinking he
had gone a little too far, he checked himself, and added, 'When I talk
of the ignorance of your clergy, I talk of them as a body: I do not mean
that there are not individuals who are learned (looking at Mr.
M'Queen[691]). I suppose there are such among the clergy in Muscovy. The
clergy of England have produced the most valuable books in support of
religion, both in theory and practice. What have your clergy done, since
you sunk into presbyterianism? Can you name one book of any value, on a
religious subject, written by them[692]?' We were silent. 'I'll help
you. Forbes wrote very well; but I believe he wrote before episcopacy
was quite extinguished.' And then pausing a little, he said, 'Yes, you
have Wishart AGAINST Repentance[693].' BOSWELL. 'But, Sir, we are not
contending for the superior learning of our clergy, but for their
superior assiduity.' He bore us down again, with thundering against
their ignorance, and said to me, 'I see you have not been well taught;
for you have not charity.' He had been in some measure forced into this
warmth, by the exulting air which I assumed; for, when he began, he
said, 'Since you _will_ drive the nail!' He again thought of good Mr.
M'Queen, and, taking him by the hand, said, 'Sir, I did not mean any
disrespect to you[694].'
Here I must observe, that he conquered by deserting his ground, and not
meeting the argument as I had put it. The assiduity of the Scottish
clergy is certainly greater than that of the English. His taking up the
topick of their not having so much learning, was, though ingenious, yet
a fallacy in logick. It was as if there should be a dispute whether a
man's hair is well dressed, and Dr. Johnson should say, 'Sir, his hair
cannot be well dressed; for he has a dirty shirt. No man who has not
clean linen has his hair well dressed.' When some days afterwards he
read this passage, he said, 'No, Sir; I did not say that a man's hair
could not be well dressed because he has not clean linen, but because
he is bald.'
He used one argument against the Scottish clergy being learned, which I
doubt was not good. 'As we believe a man dead till we know that he is
alive; so we believe men ignorant till we know that they are learned.'
Now our maxim in law is, to presume a man alive, till we know he is
dead. However, indeed, it may be answered, that we must first know he
has lived; and that we have never known the learning of the Scottish
clergy. Mr. M'Queen, though he was of opinion that Dr. Johnson had
deserted the point really in dispute, was much pleased with what he
said, and owned to me, he thought it very just; and Mrs. M'Leod was so
much captivated by his eloquence, that she told me 'I was a good
advocate for a bad cause.'