We had a dinner of two complete courses, variety of wines, and the
regimental band of musick playing in the square, before the window,
after it. I enjoyed this day much. We were quite easy and cheerful, Dr
Johnson said, 'I shall always remember this fort with gratitude.' I
could not help being struck with some admiration, at finding upon this
barren sandy point, such buildings, such a dinner, such company: it
was like enchantment. Dr Johnson, on the other hand, said to me more
rationally, that it did not strike HIM as any thing extraordinary;
because he knew, here was a large sum of money expended in building a
fort; here was a regiment. If there had been less than what we found,
it would have surprized him. HE looked coolly and deliberately through
all the gradations: my warm imagination jumped from the barren sands
to the splendid dinner and brilliant company, to borrow the expression
of an absurd poet,
Without ands or ifs,
I leapt from off the sands upon the cliffs.
The whole scene gave me a strong impression of the power and
excellence of human art.
We left the fort between six and seven o'clock: Sir Eyre Coote,
Colonel Pennington, and several more, accompanied us down stairs, and
saw us into our chaise. There could not be greater attention paid to
any visitors. Sir Eyre spoke of the hardships which Dr Johnson had
before him. BOSWELL. 'Considering what he has said of us, we must make
him feel something rough in Scotland.' Sir Eyre said to him, 'You must
change your name, sir.' BOSWELL. 'Ay, to Dr M'Gregor.'
We got safely to Inverness, and put up at Mackenzie's inn. Mr Keith,
the collector of Excise here, my old acquaintance at Ayr, who had seen
us at the fort, visited us in the evening, and engaged us to dine with
him next day, promising to breakfast with us, and take us to the
English chapel; so that we were at once commodiously arranged.
Not finding a letter here that I expected, I felt a momentary
impatience to be at home. Transient clouds darkened my imagination,
and in those clouds I saw events from which I shrunk; but a sentence
or two of the Rambler's conversation gave me firmness, and I
considered that I was upon an expedition for which I had wished for
years, and the recollection of which would be a treasure to me for
life.