It was a beautiful day, and although we did not approve of travelling
on Sunday, we resolved to set out, as we were in an island from whence
one must take occasion as it serves. Macleod and Talisker sailed in a
boat of Rasay's for Sconser, to take the shortest way to Dunvegan.
M'Cruslick went with them to Sconser, from whence he was to go to
Slate, and so to the main land. We were resolved to pay a visit at
Kingsburgh, and see the celebrated Miss Flora Macdonald, who is
married to the present Mr Macdonald of Kingsburgh; so took that road,
though not so near. All the family, but Lady Rasay, walked down to the
shore to see us depart. Rasay himself went with us in a large boat,
with eight oars, built in his island; as did Mr Malcolm M'Cleod, Mr
Donald M'Queen, Dr Macleod, and some others. We had a most pleasant
sail between Rasay and Sky; and passed by a cave, where Martin says
fowls were caught by lighting fire in the mouth of it. Malcolm
remembers this. But it is not now practised, as few fowls come into
it.
We spoke of death. Dr Johnson on this subject observed, that the
boastings of some men, as to dying easily, were idle talk, proceeding
from partial views. I mentioned Hawthornden's Cypress Grove, where it
is said that the world is a mere show; and that it is unreasonable for
a man to wish to continue in the show-room, after he has seen it. Let
him go cheerfully out, and give place to other spectators. JOHNSON.
'Yes, sir, if he is sure he is to be well, after he goes out of it.
But if he is to grow blind after he goes out of the show-room, and
never to see any thing again; or if he does not know whither he is to
go next, a man will not go cheerfully out of a show-room. No wise man
will be contented to die, if he thinks he is to go into a state of
punishment. Nay, no wise man will be contented to die, if he thinks he
is to fall into annihilation: for however unhappy any man's existence
may be, he yet would rather have it, than not exist at all. No; there
is no rational principle by which a man can die contented, but a trust
in the mercy of God, through the merits of Jesus Christ.' This short
sermon, delivered with an earnest tone, in a boat upon the sea, which
was perfectly calm, on a day appropriated to religious worship, while
every one listened with an air of satisfaction, had a most pleasing
effect upon my mind.
Pursuing the same train of serious reflection, he added, that it
seemed certain that happiness could not be found in this life, because
so many had tried to find it, in such a variety of ways, and had not
found it.
We reached the harbour of Portree, in Sky, which is a large and good
one. There was lying in it a vessel to carry off the emigrants, called
the Nestor. It made a short settlement of the differences between a
chief and his clan:
... Nestor componere lites
Inter Peleiden festinat & inter Atriden.
We approached her, and she hoisted her colours. Dr Johnson and Mr
M'Queen remained in the boat: Rasay and I, and the rest went on board
of her. She was a very pretty vessel, and, as we were told, the
largest in Clyde. Mr Harrison, the captain shewed her to us. The cabin
was commodious, and even elegant. There was a little library, finely
bound. Portree has its name from King James the Fifth having landed
there in his tour through the Western Isles, Ree in Erse being King,
as Re is in Italian; so it is Port-Royal. There was here a tolerable
inn. On our landing, I had the pleasure of finding a letter from home;
and there were also letters to Dr Johnson and me, from Lord Elibank,
which had been sent after us from Edinburgh. His lordship's letter to
me was as follows:
Dear Boswell,
I flew to Edinburgh the moment I heard of Mr Johnson's arrival; but so
defective was my intelligence, that I came too late. It is but justice
to believe, that I could never forgive myself, nor deserve to be
forgiven by others, if I was to foil in any mark of respect to that
very great genius.--I hold him in the highest veneration: for that
very reason I was resolved to take no share in the merit, perhaps
guilt, of inticing him to honour this country with a visit.--I could
not persuade myself there was any thing in Scotland worthy to have a
Summer of Samuel Johnson bestowed on it; but since he has done us that
compliment, for heaven's sake inform me of your motions. I will attend
them most religiously; and though I should regret to let Mr Johnson go
a mile out of his way on my account, old as I am, I shall be glad to
go five hundred miles to enjoy a day of his company. Have the charity
to send a council-post [Footnote: A term in Scotland for a special
messenger, such as was formerly sent with dispatches by the lords of
the council.] with intelligence; the post does not suit us in the
country. At any rate write to me. I will attend you in the north, when
I shall know where to find you.
I am,
My dear Boswell,
Your sincerely
Obedient humble servant,
ELIBANK.
August 21st, 1773.
The letter to Dr Johnson was in these words:
Dear Sir,
I was to have kissed your hands at Edinburgh, the moment I heard of
you; but you were gone.
I hope my friend Boswell will inform me of your motions. It will be
cruel to deprive me an instant of the honour of attending you. As I
value you more than any King in Christendom, I will perform that duty
with infinitely greater alacrity than any courtier. I can contribute
but little to your entertainment; but, my sincere esteem for you gives
me some tide to the opportunity of expressing it.
I dare say you are by this time sensible that things are pretty much
the same, as when Buchanan complained of being born solo et seculo
inerudito. Let me hear of you, and be persuaded that none of your
admirers is more sincerely devoted to you, than,
Dear Sir,
Your most obedient,
And most humble servant,
ELIBANK.
Dr Johnson, on the following Tuesday, answered for both of us, thus:
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.
I am, my Lord,
Your lordship's most obedient
And most humble servant,
SAM. JOHNSON.
At Portree, Mr Donald M'Queen 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 before-hand 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 M'Queen 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 for 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. The doctor
accompanied us to Kingsburgh, which is called a mile farther; but the
computation of Sky has no connection whatever with real distance.
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', 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 waistoat
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. 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, 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 in to make tea.' He was rather quiescent tonight, 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 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. However, nothing but
what was good was present, and I pleased myself in thinking that so
spirited a man should 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.