After breakfast, we made a second attempt to get to the harbour; but
another storm soon convinced us that it would be in vain. Captain
M'Lean's house being in some confusion, on account of Mrs M'Lean being
expected to lie-in, we resolved to go to Mr M'Sweyn's, where we
arrived very wet, fatigued, and hungry. In this situation, we were
somewhat disconcerted by being told that we should have no dinner till
late in the evening; but should have tea in the mean time. Dr Johnson
opposed this arrangement; but they persisted, and he took the tea very
readily. He said to me afterwards, 'You must consider, sir, a dinner
here is a matter of great consequence. It is a thing to be first
planned, and then executed. I suppose the mutton was brought some
miles off, from some place where they knew there was a sheep killed.'
Talking of the good people with whom we were, he said, 'Life has not
got at all forward by a generation in M'Sweyn's family; for the son is
exactly formed upon the father. What the father says, the son says;
and what the father looks, the son looks.'
There being little conversation to-night, I must endeavour to
recollect what I may have omitted on former occasions. When I boasted,
at Rasay, of my independency of spirit, and that I could not be
bribed, he said, 'Yes, you may be bribed by flattery.' At the Reverend
Mr M'Lean's, Dr Johnson asked him, if the people of Col had any
superstitions. He said, 'No.' The cutting peats at the increase of the
moon was mentioned as one; but he would not allow it, saying, it was
not a superstition, but a whim. Dr Johnson would not admit the
distinction. There were many superstitions, he maintained, not
connected with religion; and this was one of them. On Monday we had a
dispute at the Captain's, whether sand-hills could be fixed down by
art. Dr Johnson said, 'How THE DEVIL can you do it?' but instantly
corrected himself, 'How can you do it?' I never before heard him use a
phrase of that nature.
He has particularities which it is impossible to explain. He never
wears a night-cap, as I have already mentioned; but he puts a
handkerchief on his head in the night. The day that we left Talisker,
he bade us ride on. He then turned the head of his horse back towards
Talisker, stopped for some time; then wheeled round to the same
direction with ours, and then came briskly after us. He sets open a
window in the coldest day or night, and stands before it. It may do
with his constitution; but most people, amongst whom I am one, would
say, with the frogs in the fable, 'This may be sport to you; but it is
death to us.' It is in vain to try to find a meaning in every one of
his particularities, which, I suppose, are mere habits, contracted by
chance; of which every man has some that are more or less remarkable.
His speaking to himself, or rather repeating, is a common habit with
studious men accustomed to deep thinking; and, in consequence of their
being thus rapt, they will even laugh by themselves, if the subject
which they are musing on is a merry one. Dr Johnson is often uttering
pious ejaculations, when he appears to be talking to himself; for
sometimes his voice grows stronger, and parts of the Lord's Prayer are
heard. I have sat beside him with more than ordinary reverence on such
occasions. [Footnote: It is remarkable, that Dr Johnson should have
read this account of some of his own peculiar habits, without saying
any thing on the subject which I hoped he would have done.]
In our tour, I observed that he was disgusted whenever he met with
coarse manners. He said to me, 'I know not how it is, but I cannot
bear low life: and I find others, who have as good a right as I to be
fastidious, bear it better, by having mixed more with different sorts
of men. You would think that I have mixed pretty well too.'
He read this day a good deal of my Journal, written in a small book
with which he had supplied me, and was pleased, for he said, 'I wish
thy books were twice as big.' He helped me to fill up blanks which I
had left in first writing it, when I was not quite sure of what he had
said, and he corrected any mistakes that I had made. 'They call me a
scholar,' said he, 'and yet how very little literature is there in my
conversation.' BOSWELL. 'That, sir, must be according to your company.
You would not give literature to those who cannot taste it. Stay till
we meet Lord Elibank.'
We had at last a good dinner, or rather supper, and were very well
satisfied with our entertainment.