During his stay at Edinburgh, after his return from the Hebrides, he was at great pains to obtain information concerning Scotland; and it will appear from his subsequent letters, that he was not less solicitous for intelligence on this subject after his return to London.
'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
'DEAR SIR,
'I came home last night, without any incommodity, danger, or weariness, and am ready to begin a new journey. I shall go to Oxford on Monday. I know Mrs. Boswell wished me well to go; her wishes have not been disappointed. Mrs. Williams has received Sir A's letter.
'Make my compliments to all those to whom my compliments may be welcome.
'Let the box be sent as soon as it can, and let me know when to expect it.
'Enquire, if you can, the order of the Clans: Macdonald is first, Maclean second; further I cannot go.
'I am, Sir,
'Yours affectionately,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'Nov. 27, 1773.'
'MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON.
'Edinburgh, Dec. 2, 1773.
'You shall have what information I can procure as to the order of the Clans. A gentleman of the name of Grant tells me, that there is no settled order among them; and he says, that the Macdonalds were not placed upon the right of the army at Culloden; the Stuarts were. I shall, however, examine witnesses of every name that I can find here. I like your little memorandums; they are symptoms of your being in earnest with your book of northern travels.
'Your box shall be sent next week by sea. You will find in it some pieces of the broom bush, which you saw growing on the old castle of Auchinleck. The wood has a curious appearance when sawn across. You may either have a little writing-stand made of it, or get it formed into boards for a treatise on witchcraft, by way of a suitable binding.'
* * * * *
His humane forgiving disposition was put to a pretty strong test on his return to London, by a liberty which Mr. Thomas Davies had taken with him in his absence, which was, to publish two volumes, entitled, Miscellaneous and fugitive Pieces, which he advertised in the news-papers, 'By the Authour of the Rambler.'
In this collection, several of Dr. Johnson's acknowledged writings, several of his anonymous performances, and some which he had written for others, were inserted; but there were also some in which he had no concern whatever. He was at first very angry, as he had good reason to be. But, upon consideration of his poor friend's narrow circumstances, and that he had only a little profit in view, and meant no harm, he soon relented, and continued his kindness to him as formerly.
In the course of his self-examination with retrospect to this year, he seems to have been much dejected; for he says, January 1, 1774, 'This year has passed with so little improvement, that I doubt whether I have not rather impaired than increased my learning';and yet we have seen how he read, and we know how he talked during that period.
He was now seriously engaged in writing an account of our travels in the Hebrides, in consequence of which I had the pleasure of a more frequent correspondence with him.
'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
'DEAR SIR,
'My operations have been hindered by a cough; at least I flatter myself, that if my cough had not come, I should have been further advanced. But I have had no intelligence from Dr. W——, [Webster,] nor from the Excise-office, nor from you. No account of the little borough. Nothing of the Erse language. I have yet heard nothing of my box.
'You must make haste and gather me all you can, and do it quickly, or I will and shall do without it.
'Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell, and tell her that I do not love her the less for wishing me away. I gave her trouble enough, and shall be glad, in recompense, to give her any pleasure.
'I would send some porter into the Hebrides, if I knew which way it could be got to my kind friends there. Enquire, and let me know.
'Make my compliments to all the Doctors of Edinburgh, and to all my friends, from one end of Scotland to the other.
'Write to me, and send me what intelligence you can: and if any thing is too bulky for the post, let me have it by the carrier. I do not like trusting winds and waves.
'I am, dear Sir,
'Your most, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'Jan. 29, 1774.
'To THE SAME.
'DEAR SIR,
'In a day or two after I had written the last discontented letter, I received my box, which was very welcome. But still I must entreat you to hasten Dr. Webster, and continue to pick up what you can that may be useful.
'Mr. Oglethorpe was with me this morning, you know his errand. He was not unwelcome.
'Tell Mrs. Boswell that my good intentions towards her still continue. I should be glad to do any thing that would either benefit or please her.
'Chambers is not yet gone, but so hurried, or so negligent, or so proud, that I rarely see him. I have, indeed, for some weeks past, been very ill of a cold and cough, and have been at Mrs. Thrale's, that I might be taken care of. I am much better; but I am yet tender, and easily disordered. How happy it was that neither of us were ill in the Hebrides.
'I will write to you as any thing occurs, and do you send me something about my Scottish friends. I have very great kindness for them.
'I am. Sir,
Yours affectionately,
SAM. JOHNSON.
London, Feb. 7, 1774.
He at this time wrote the following letters to Mr. Steevens, his able associate in editing Shakspeare:
To George Steevens, Esq., in Hampstead.
'Sir,
'If I am asked when I have seen Mr. Steevens, you know what answer I must give; if I am asked when I shall see him, I wish you would tell me what to say.
'If you have Lesley's History of Scotland, or any other book about Scotland, except Boetius and Buchanan, it will be a kindness if you send them to, Sir,
'Your humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.
'Feb. 7, 1774.'
To the same.
'Sir,
'We are thinking to augment our club, and I am desirous of nominating you, if you care to stand the ballot, and can attend on Friday nights at least twice in five weeks: less than this is too little, and rather more will be expected. Be pleased to let me know before Friday.
'I am, Sir,
'Your most, &c.,
'SAM. JOHNSON.
'Feb. 21, 1774.
To the same.
'Sir,
'Last night you became a member of the club; if you call on me on Friday, I will introduce you. A gentleman, proposed after you, was rejected.
'I am, Sir,
'Your humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'March 5, 1774.'
'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
'DEAR SIR,
'Chambers is either married, or almost married, to Miss Wilton, a girl of sixteen, exquisitely beautiful, whom he has, with his lawyer's tongue, persuaded to take her chance with him in the East.
'We have added to the club, Charles Fox, Sir Charles Bunbury, Dr. Fordyce, and Mr. Steevens.
'Return my thanks to Dr. Webster. Tell Dr. Robertson I have not much to reply to his censure of my negligence; and tell Dr. Blair, that since he has written hither what I said to him, we must now consider ourselves as even, forgive one another, and begin again. I care not how soon, for he is a very pleasing man. Pay my compliments to all my friends, and remind Lord Elibank of his promise to give me all his works.
'I hope Mrs. Boswell and little Miss are well.— When shall I see them again? She is a sweet lady, only she was so glad to see me go, that I have almost a mind to come again, that she may again have the same pleasure.
'Enquire if it be practicable to send a small present of a cask of porter to Dunvegan, Rasay, and Col. I would not wish to be thought forgetful of civilities.
'I am, Sir,
'Your humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'March 5, 1774.'
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part 104
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