Dr Johnson said in the morning, 'Is not this a fine lady?' There was
not a word now of his 'impatience to be in civilized life'; though
indeed I should beg pardon--he found it here. We had slept well, and
lain long. After breakfast we surveyed the castle, and the garden. Mr
Bethune, the parish minister, Magnus M'Leod, of Claggan, brother to
Talisker, and M'Leod, of Bay, two substantial gentlemen of the clan,
dined with us. We had admirable venison, generous wine; in a word, all
that a good table has. This was really the hall of a chief. Lady
M'Leod had been much obliged to my father, who had settled by
arbitration, a variety of perplexed claims between her and her
relation, the Laird of Brodie, which she now repaid by particular
attention to me. M'Leod started the subject of making women do penance
in the church for fornication. JOHNSON. 'It is right, sir. Infamy is
attached to the crime, by universal opinion, as soon as it is known. I
would not be the man who would discover it, if I alone knew it, for a
woman may reform; nor would I commend a parson who divulges a woman's
first offence; but being once divulged, it ought to be infamous.
Consider, of what importance to society the chastity of women is. Upon
that all the property in the world depends. We hang a thief for
stealing a sheep; but the unchastity of a woman transfers sheep, and
farm and all, from the right owner. I have much more reverence for a
common prostitute than for a woman who conceals her guilt. The
prostitute is known. She cannot deceive: she cannot bring a strumpet
into the arms of an honest man, without his knowledge.' BOSWELL.
'There is, however, a great difference between the licentiousness of a
single woman, and that of a married woman.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir; there
is a great difference between stealing a shilling, and stealing a
thousand pounds; between simply taking a man's purse, and murdering
him first, and then taking it. But when one begins to be vicious, it
is easy to go on. Where single women are licentious, you rarely find
faithful married women.' BOSWELL. 'And yet we are told that in some
nations in India, the distinction is strictly observed.' JOHNSON.
'Nay, don't give us India. That puts me in mind of Montesquieu, who is
really a fellow of genius too in many respects; whenever he wants to
support a strange opinion, he quotes you the practice of Japan or of
some other distant country, of which he knows nothing. To support
polygamy, he tells you of the island of Formosa, where there are ten
women born for one man. He had but to suppose another island, where
there are ten men born for one woman, and so make a marriage between
them.' [Footnote: What my friend treated as so wild a supposition, has
actually happened in the western islands of Scotland, if we may
believe Martin, who tells it of the islands of Col and Tyr-yi, and
says that it is proved by the parish registers.]
At supper, Lady Macleod mentioned Dr Cadogan's book on the gout.
JOHNSON. 'It is a good book in general, but a foolish one in
particulars. It is good in general, as recommending temperance and
exercise, and cheerfulness. In that respect it is only Dr Cheyne's
book told in a new way; and there should come out such a book every
thirty years, dressed in the mode of the times. It is foolish, in
maintaining that the gout is not hereditary, and that one fit of it,
when gone, is like a fever when gone.' Lady Macleod objected that the
author does not practice what he teaches. [Footnote: This was a
general reflection against Dr Cadogan, when his very popular book was
first published. It was said, that whatever precepts he might give to
others, he himself indulged freely in the bottle. But I have since had
the pleasure of becoming acquainted with him, and, if his own
testimony may be believed (and I have never heard it impeached), his
course of life, has been conformable to his doctrine.] JOHNSON. 'I
cannot help that, madam. That does not make his book the worse. People
are influenced more by what a man says, if his practice is suitable to
it, because they are blockheads. The more intellectual people are, the
readier will they attend to what a man tells them. If it is just, they
will follow it, be his practice what it will. No man practises so well
as he writes. I have, all my life long, been lying till noon; yet I
tell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobody
who does not rise early will ever do any good. Only consider! You read
a book; you are convinced by it; you do not know the authour. Suppose
you afterwards know him, and find that he does not practice what he
teaches; are you to give up your former conviction At this rate you
would be kept in a state of equilibrium, when reading every book, till
you knew how the authour practised.' 'But,' said Lady M'Leod, 'you
would think better of Dr Cadogan, if he acted according to his
principles.' JOHNSON. 'Why, madam, to be sure, a man who acts in the
face of light, is worse than a man who does not know so much; yet I
think no man should be the worse thought of for publishing good
principles. There is something noble in publishing truth, though it
condemns one's self.' I expressed some surprize at Cadogan's
recommending good humour, as if it were quite in our power to attain
it. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, a man grows better humoured as he grows older.
He improves by experience. When young, he thinks himself of great
consequence, and every thing of importance. As he advances in life, he
learns to think himself of no consequence, and little things of little
importance; and so he becomes more patient, and better pleased. All
good humour and complaisance are acquired. Naturally a child seizes
directly what it sees, and thinks of pleasing itself only. By degrees,
it is taught to please others, and to prefer others; and that this
will ultimately produce the greatest happiness. If a man is not
convinced of that, he never will practice it. Common language speaks
the truth as to this: we say, a person is well BRED.
As it is said, that all material motion is primarily in a right line,
and is never per circuitum, never in another form, unless by some
particular cause; so it may be said intellectual motion is.' Lady
M'Leod asked, if no man was naturally good. JOHNSON. 'No, madam, no
more than a wolf.' BOSWELL. 'Nor no woman, sir?' JOHNSON. 'No, sir.'
Lady M'Leod started at this, saying, in a low voice, 'This is worse
than Swift.'
M'Leod of Ulinish had come in the afternoon. We were a jovial company
at supper. The laird, surrounded by so many of his clan, was to me a
pleasing sight. They listened with wonder and pleasure, while Dr
Johnson harangued. I am vexed that I cannot take down his full train
of eloquence.