of it. This, he assured us, was a true story.
M'Quarrie insisted that the _Mercheta Mulierum_, mentioned in our old
charters, did really mean the privilege which a lord of the manor, or a
baron, had, to have the first night of all his vassals' wives. Dr.
Johnson said, the belief of such a custom having existed was also held
in England, where there is a tenure called _Borough English_, by which
the eldest child does not inherit, from a doubt of his being the son of
the tenant[860]. M'Quarrie told us, that still, on the marriage of each
of his tenants, a sheep is due to him; for which the composition is
fixed at five shillings[861]. I suppose, Ulva is the only place where
this custom remains.
Talking of the sale of an estate of an ancient family, which was said to
have been purchased much under its value by the confidential lawyer of
that family, and it being mentioned that the sale would probably be set
aside by a suit in equity, Dr. Johnson said, 'I am very willing that
this sale should be set aside, but I doubt much whether the suit will be
successful; for the argument for avoiding the sale is founded on vague
and indeterminate principles, as that the price was too low, and that
there was a great degree of confidence placed by the seller in the
person who became the purchaser. Now, how low should a price be? or what
degree of confidence should there be to make a bargain be set aside? a
bargain, which is a wager of skill between man and man. If, indeed, any
fraud can be proved, that will do.'
When Dr. Johnson and I were by ourselves at night, I observed of our
host, '_aspectum generosum habet;'--'et generosum animum_', he added.
For fear of being overheard in the small Highland houses, I often talked
to him in such Latin as I could speak, and with as much of the English
accent as I could assume, so as not to be understood, in case our
conversation should be too loud for the space.
We had each an elegant bed in the same room; and here it was that a
circumstance occurred, as to which he has been strangely misunderstood.
From his description of his chamber, it has erroneously been supposed,
that his bed being too short for him, his feet during the night were in
the mire; whereas he has only said, that when he undressed, he felt his
feet in the mire: that is, the clay-floor of the room, on which he stood
upon before he went into bed, was wet, in consequence of the windows
being broken, which let in the rain[862].
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17.
Being informed that there was nothing worthy of observation in Ulva, we
took boat, and proceeded to Inchkenneth, where we were introduced by our
friend Col to Sir Allan M'Lean, the Chief of his clan, and to two young
ladies, his daughters. Inchkenneth is a pretty little island, a mile
long, and about half a mile broad, all good land[863].
As we walked up from the shore, Dr. Johnson's heart was cheered by the
sight of a road marked with cart-wheels, as on the main land; a thing
which we had not seen for a long time. It gave us a pleasure similar to
that which a traveller feels, when, whilst wandering on what he fears is
a desert island, he perceives the print of human feet. Military men
acquire excellent habits of having all conveniences about them. Sir
Allan M'Lean, who had been long in the army, and had now a lease of the
island, had formed a commodious habitation, though it consisted but of a
few small buildings, only one story high[864]. He had, in his little
apartments, more things than I could enumerate in a page or two.
Among other agreeable circumstances, it was not the least, to find here
a parcel of the _Caledonian Mercury_, published since we left Edinburgh;
which I read with that pleasure which every man feels who has been for
some time secluded from the animated scenes of the busy world.
Dr. Johnson found books here. He bade me buy Bishop Gastrell's
_Christian Institutes_[865], which was lying in the room. He said, 'I do
not like to read any thing on a Sunday, but what is theological; not
that I would scrupulously refuse to look at any thing which a friend
should shew me in a newspaper; but in general, I would read only what is
theological. I read just now some of Drummond's _Travels_[866], before I
perceived what books were here. I then took up Derham's
_Physico-Theology_[867].'
Every particular concerning this island having been so well described by
Dr. Johnson, it would be superfluous in me to present the publick with
the observations that I made upon it, in my _Journal_.
I was quite easy with Sir Allan almost instantaneously. He knew the
great intimacy that had been between my father and his predecessor, Sir
Hector, and was himself of a very frank disposition. After dinner, Sir
Allan said he had got Dr. Campbell about an hundred subscribers to his
_Britannia Elucidata_, (a work since published under the title of _A
Political Survey of Great Britain_[868],) of whom he believed twenty
were dead, the publication having been so long delayed. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I
imagine the delay of publication is owing to this;--that, after
publication, there will be no more subscribers, and few will send the
additional guinea to get their books: in which they will be wrong; for
there will be a great deal of instruction in the work. I think highly of
Campbell[869]. In the first place, he has very good parts. In the second
place, he has very extensive reading; not, perhaps, what is properly
called learning, but history, politicks, and, in short, that popular
knowledge which makes a man very useful. In the third place, he has
learned much by what is called the _vox viva_. He talks with a great
many people.'
Speaking of this gentleman, at Rasay, he told us, that he one day called
on him, and they talked of Tull's _Husbandry_[870]. Dr. Campbell said
something. Dr. Johnson began to dispute it. 'Come, (said Dr. Campbell,)
we do not want to get the better of one another: we want to encrease
each other's ideas.' Dr. Johnson took it in good part, and the
conversation then went on coolly and instructively. His candour in
relating this anecdote does him much credit, and his conduct on that
occasion proves how easily he could be persuaded to talk from a better
motive than 'for victory[871].'
Dr. Johnson here shewed so much of the spirit of a Highlander, that he
won Sir Allan's heart: indeed, he has shewn it during the whole of our
Tour. One night, in Col, he strutted about the room with a broad sword
and target, and made a formidable appearance; and, another night, I took
the liberty to put a large blue bonnet on his head. His age, his size,
and his bushy grey wig, with this covering on it, presented the image
of a venerable _Senachi_[872]: and, however unfavourable to the Lowland
Scots, he seemed much pleased to assume the appearance of an ancient
Caledonian. We only regretted that he could not be prevailed with to
partake of the social glass. One of his arguments against drinking,
appears to me not convincing. He urged, that 'in proportion as drinking
makes a man different from what he is before he has drunk, it is bad;
because it has so far affected his reason.' But may it not be answered,
that a man may be altered by it _for the better_; that his spirits may
be exhilarated, without his reason being affected[873]. On the general
subject of drinking, however, I do not mean positively to take the other
side. I am _dubius, non improbus_.
In the evening, Sir Allan informed us that it was the custom of his
house to have prayers every Sunday; and Miss M'Lean read the evening
service, in which we all joined. I then read Ogden's second and ninth
_Sermons on Prayer_, which, with their other distinguished excellence,
have the merit of being short. Dr. Johnson said, that it was the most
agreeable Sunday he had ever passed[874]; and it made such an impression
on his mind, that he afterwards wrote the following Latin verses upon
Inchkenneth[875]:--
INSULA SANCTI KENNETHI.
Parva quidem regio, sed relligione priorum
Nota, Caledonias panditur inter aquas;
Voce ubi Cennethus populos domuisse feroces
Dicitur, et vanos dedocuisse deos.
Hue ego delatus placido per coerula cursu
Scire locum volui quid daret ille novi.
Illic Leniades humili regnabat in aula,
Leniades magnis nobilitatus avis:
Una duas habuit casa cum genitore puellas,
Quas Amor undarum fingeret esse deas:
Non tamen inculti gelidis latuere sub antris,
Accola Danubii qualia saevus habet;
Mollia non decrant vacuae solatia vitae,
Sive libros poscant otia, sive lyram.
Luxerat ilia dies, legis gens docta supernae
Spes hominum ac curas cum procul esse jubet,
Ponti inter strepitus sacri non munera cultus
Cessarunt; pietas hic quoque cura fuit:
Quid quod sacrifici versavit femina libros,
Legitimas faciunt pectora pura preces[876].
Quo vagor ulterius? quod ubique requiritur hic est;
Hic secura quies, hic et honestus amor[877].
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18.
We agreed to pass this day with Sir Allan, and he engaged to have every
thing in order for our voyage to-morrow.
Being now soon to be separated from our amiable friend young Col, his
merits were all remembered. At Ulva he had appeared in a new character,
having given us a good prescription for a cold. On my mentioning him
with warmth, Dr. Johnson said, 'Col does every thing for us: we will
erect a statue to Col.' 'Yes, said I, and we will have him with his
various attributes and characters, like Mercury, or any other of the
heathen gods. We will have him as a pilot; we will have him as a
fisherman, as a hunter, as a husbandman, as a physician.'
I this morning took a spade, and dug a little grave in the floor of a
ruined chapel[878], near Sir Allan M'Lean's house, in which I buried
some human bones I found there. Dr. Johnson praised me for what I had
done, though he owned, he could not have done it. He shewed in the
chapel at Rasay[879] his horrour at dead men's bones. He shewed it again
at Col's house. In the Charter-room there was a remarkable large
shin-bone, which was said to have been a bone of _John Garve_[880], one
of the lairds. Dr. Johnson would not look at it; but started away.
At breakfast, I asked, 'What is the reason that we are angry at a
trader's having opulence[881]?' JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, the reason is,
(though I don't undertake to prove that there is a reason,) we see no
qualities in trade that should entitle a man to superiority. We are not
angry at a soldier's getting riches, because we see that he possesses
qualities which we have not. If a man returns from a battle, having lost
one hand, and with the other full of gold, we feel that he deserves the
gold; but we cannot think that a fellow, by sitting all day at a desk,
is entitled to get above us.' BOSWELL. 'But, Sir, may we not suppose a
merchant to be a man of an enlarged mind, such as Addison in the
_Spectator_ describes Sir Andrew Freeport to have been?' JOHNSON. 'Why,
Sir, we may suppose any fictitious character. We may suppose a
philosophical day-labourer, who is happy in reflecting that, by his
labour, he contributes to the fertility of the earth, and to the support
of his fellow-creatures; but we find no such philosophical day-labourer.
A merchant may, perhaps, be a man of an enlarged mind; but there is
nothing in trade connected with an enlarged mind[882].'
I mentioned that I had heard Dr. Solander say he was a Swedish
Laplander[883]. JOHNSON. 'Sir, I don't believe he is a Laplander. The
Laplanders are not much above four feet high. He is as tall as you; and
he has not the copper colour of a Laplander.' BOSWELL. 'But what motive
could he have to make himself a Laplander?' JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, he must
either mean the word Laplander in a very extensive sense, or may mean a
voluntary degradation of himself. "For all my being the great man that
you see me now, I was originally a Barbarian;" as if Burke should say,
"I came over a wild Irishman." Which he might say in his present state
of exaltation.'
Having expressed a desire to have an island like Inchkenneth, Dr.
Johnson set himself to think what would be necessary for a man in such a
situation. 'Sir, I should build me a fortification, if I came to live
here; for, if you have it not, what should hinder a parcel of ruffians
to land in the night, and carry off every thing you have in the house,
which, in a remote country, would be more valuable than cows and sheep?
add to all this the danger of having your throat cut.' BOSWELL. 'I would
have a large dog.' JOHNSON. 'So you may, Sir; but a large dog is of no
use but to alarm.' He, however, I apprehend, thinks too lightly of the
power of that animal. I have heard him say, that he is afraid of no dog.
'He would take him up by the hinder legs, which would render him quite
helpless,--and then knock his head against a stone, and beat out his
brains.' Topham Beauclerk told me, that at his house in the country, two
large ferocious dogs were fighting. Dr. Johnson looked steadily at them
for a little while; and then, as one would separate two little boys, who
were foolishly hurting each other, he ran up to them, and cuffed their
heads till he drove them asunder[884]. But few men have his intrepidity,
Herculean strength, or presence of mind. Most thieves or robbers would
be afraid to encounter a mastiff.
I observed, that, when young Col talked of the lands belonging to his
family, he always said, '_my_ lands[885].' For this he had a plausible
pretence; for he told me, there has been a custom in this family, that
the laird resigns the estate to the eldest son when he comes of age,
reserving to himself only a certain life-rent. He said, it was a
voluntary custom; but I think I found an instance in the charter-room,
that there was such an obligation in a contract of marriage. If the
custom was voluntary, it was only curious; but if founded on obligation,
it might be dangerous; for I have been told, that in Otaheite, whenever
a child is born, (a son, I think,) the father loses his right to the
estate and honours, and that this unnatural, or rather absurd custom,
occasions the murder of many children.
Young Col told us he could run down a greyhound; 'for, (said he,) the
dog runs himself out of breath, by going too quick, and then I get up
with him[886].' I accounted for his advantage over the dog, by remarking
that Col had the faculty of reason, and knew how to moderate his pace,
which the dog had not sense enough to do. Dr. Johnson said, 'He is a
noble animal. He is as complete an islander as the mind can figure. He
is a farmer, a sailor, a hunter, a fisher: he will run you down a dog:
if any man has a _tail_[887], it is Col. He is hospitable; and he has an
intrepidity of talk, whether he understands the subject or not. I regret
that he is not more intellectual.'
Dr. Johnson observed, that there was nothing of which he would not
undertake to persuade a Frenchman in a foreign country. 'I'll carry a
Frenchman to St. Paul's Church-yard, and I'll tell him, "by our law you
may walk half round the church; but, if you walk round the whole, you
will be punished capitally," and he will believe me at once. Now, no
Englishman would readily swallow such a thing: he would go and inquire
of somebody else[888].' The Frenchman's credulity, I observed, must be
owing to his being accustomed to implicit submission; whereas every
Englishman reasons upon the laws of his country, and instructs his
representatives, who compose the legislature. This day was passed in
looking at a small island adjoining Inchkenneth, which afforded nothing
worthy of observation; and in such social and gay entertainments as our
little society could furnish.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19.
After breakfast we took leave of the young ladies, and of our excellent
companion Col, to whom we had been so much obliged. He had now put us
under the care of his Chief; and was to hasten back to Sky. We parted
from him with very strong feelings of kindness and gratitude; and we
hoped to have had some future opportunity of proving to him the
sincerity of what we felt; but in the following year he was
unfortunately lost in the Sound between Ulva and Mull[889]; and this
imperfect memorial, joined to the high honour of being tenderly and
respectfully mentioned by Dr. Johnson, is the only return which the
uncertainty of human events has permitted us to make to this deserving
young man.
Sir Allan, who obligingly undertook to accompany us to Icolmkill[890],
had a strong good boat, with four stout rowers. We coasted along Mull
till we reached _Gribon_, where is what is called Mackinnon's cave,
compared with which that at Ulinish[891] is inconsiderable. It is in a
rock of a great height, close to the sea. Upon the left of its entrance
there is a cascade, almost perpendicular from the top to the bottom of
the rock. There is a tradition that it was conducted thither
artificially, to supply the inhabitants of the cave with water. Dr.
Johnson gave no credit to this tradition. As, on the one hand, his faith
in the Christian religion is firmly founded upon good grounds; so, on
the other, he is incredulous when there is no sufficient reason for
belief[892]; being in this respect just the reverse of modern infidels,
who, however nice and scrupulous in weighing the evidences of religion,
are yet often so ready to believe the most absurd and improbable tales
of another nature, that Lord Hailes well observed, a good essay might be
written _Sur la credulite des Incredules_.
The height of this cave I cannot tell with any tolerable exactness; but
it seemed to be very lofty, and to be a pretty regular arch. We
penetrated, by candlelight, a great way; by our measurement, no less
than four hundred and eighty-five feet. Tradition says, that a piper and
twelve men once advanced into this cave, nobody can tell how far; and
never returned. At the distance to which we proceeded the air was quite
pure; for the candle burned freely, without the least appearance of the
flame growing globular; but as we had only one, we thought it dangerous
to venture farther, lest, should it have been extinguished, we should
have had no means of ascertaining whether we could remain without
danger. Dr. Johnson said, this was the greatest natural curiosity he had
ever seen.
We saw the island of Staffa, at no very great distance, but could not
land upon it, the surge was so high on its rocky coast[893].
Sir Allan, anxious for the honour of Mull, was still talking of its
_woods_, and pointing them out to Dr. Johnson, as appearing at a
distance on the skirts of that island, as we sailed along. JOHNSON.
'Sir, I saw at Tobermorie what they called a wood, which I unluckily
took for _heath_. If you shew me what I shall take for _furze_, it will
be something.'
In the afternoon we went ashore on the coast of Mull, and partook of a
cold repast, which we carried with us. We hoped to have procured some
rum or brandy for our boatmen and servants, from a publick-house near
where we landed; but unfortunately a funeral a few days before had
exhausted all their store[894]. Mr. Campbell, however, one of the Duke
of Argyle's tacksmen, who lived in the neighbourhood, on receiving a
message from Sir Allan, sent us a liberal supply.
We continued to coast along Mull, and passed by Nuns' Island, which, it
is said, belonged to the nuns of Icolmkill, and from which, we were
told, the stone for the buildings there was taken. As we sailed along by
moon-light, in a sea somewhat rough, and often between black and gloomy
rocks, Dr. Johnson said, 'If this be not _roving among the Hebrides_,
nothing is[895]. The repetition of words which he had so often
previously used, made a strong impression on my imagination; and, by a
natural course of thinking, led me to consider how our present
adventures would appear to me at a future period.
I have often experienced, that scenes through which a man has passed,
improve by lying in the memory: they grow mellow. _Acti labores sunt
jucundi_[896]. This may be owing to comparing them with present listless
ease. Even harsh scenes acquire a softness by length of time[897]; and
some are like very loud sounds, which do not please, or at least do not
please so much, till you are removed to a certain distance. They may be
compared to strong coarse pictures, which will not bear to be viewed
near. Even pleasing scenes improve by time, and seem more exquisite in
recollection, than when they were present; if they have not faded to
dimness in the memory. Perhaps, there is so much evil in every human
enjoyment, when present,--so much dross mixed with it, that it requires
to be refined by time; and yet I do not see why time should not melt
away the good and the evil in equal proportions;--why the shade should
decay, and the light remain in preservation.
After a tedious sail, which, by our following various turnings of the
coast of Mull, was extended to about forty miles, it gave us no small
pleasure to perceive a light in the village at Icolmkill, in which
almost all the inhabitants of the island live, close to where the
ancient building stood. As we approached the shore, the tower of the
cathedral, just discernible in the air, was a picturesque object.
When we had landed upon the sacred place, which, as long as I can
remember, I had thought on with veneration, Dr. Johnson and I cordially
embraced. We had long talked of visiting Icolmkill; and, from the
lateness of the season, were at times very doubtful whether we should be
able to effect our purpose. To have seen it, even alone, would have
given me great satisfaction; but the venerable scene was rendered much
more pleasing by the company of my great and pious friend, who was no
less affected by it than I was; and who has described the impressions it
should make on the mind, with such strength of thought, and energy of
language, that I shall quote his words, as conveying my own sensations
much more forcibly than I am capable of doing:--
'We were now treading that illustrious Island, which was once the
luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving
barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of
religion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would be
impossible, if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish if it were
possible. Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses, whatever
makes the past, the distant, or the future, predominate over the
present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me, and
from my friends, be such frigid philosophy as may conduct us indifferent
and unmoved over any ground which has been dignified by wisdom, bravery,
or virtue. That man is little to be envied, whose patriotism would not
gain force upon the plain of _Marathon_, or whose piety would not grow
warmer among the ruins of _Iona_[898]!'
Upon hearing that Sir Allan M'Lean was arrived, the inhabitants, who
still consider themselves as the people of M'Lean, to whom the island
