"dence of an Irishman is the impudence of "a a fly, that buzzes about you, and you put "it away, but it returns again, and flutters " and teazes you. The impudence of a "Scotfman is the impudence of a leech, that "fixes and fucks your blood." Upon another occasion, this writer went with him into the shop of Davies the bookfeller, in Ruffell-street, Covent-garden. Davies came running to him almost out of breath with joy : "The Scots gentleman is come, Sir; his

66

principal wish is to fee you; he is now in "the back-parlour." "Well, well, I'll fee "the gentleman," faid Johnson. He walked towards the room. Mr. Bofwell was the perfon. This writer followed with no small curiofity. "I find," faid Mr. Bofwell, "that "I am come to London at a bad time, when

great popular prejudice has gone forth "against us North Britons; but when I am "talking to you, I am talking to a large and "liberal mind, and you know that I cannot help coming from Scotland." "Sir," faid Johnfon, no more can the rest of your countrymen."

66

He

He had other reafons that helped to alienate him from the natives of Scotland. Being a cordial well-wisher to the constitution in Church and State, he did not think that Calvin and John Knox were proper founders of a national religion. He made, however, a wide distinction between the Diffenters of Scotland and the Separatifts of England. To the former he imputed no difaffection, no want of loyalty. Their foldiers and their officers had fhed their blood with zeal and courage in the fervice of Great Britain; and the people, he used to fay, were content with their own established modes of worship, without wishing, in the present age, to give any disturbance to the Church of England. This he was at all times ready to admit; and therefore declared, that whenever he found a Scotchman to whom an Englishman was as a Scotchman, that Scotchman should be as an Englishman to him. In this, furely, there was no rancour, no malevolence. The Diffenters on this fide the Tweed appeared to him in a different light. Their religion, he frequently faid, was too worldly, too political, too restlefs and am

bitious.

bitious.

The doctrine of cashiering kings, and erecting on the ruins of the conftitution a new form of government, which lately iffued from their pulpits, he always thought was, under a calm difguife, the principle that lay lurking in their hearts. He knew that a wild democracy had overturned King, Lords, and Commons; and that a fet of Republican Fanatics, who would not bow at the name of JESUS, had taken poffeffion of all the livings and all the parishes in the kingdom. That those scenes of horror might never be renewed, was the ardent with of Dr. Johnfon; and though he apprehended no danger from Scotland, it is probable that his diflike of Calvinifm mingled fometimes with his reflections on the natives of that country. The association of ideas could not be easily broken; but it is well known that he loved and respected many gentlemen from that part of the island. Dr. Robertfon's History of Scotland, and Dr. Beattie's Effays, were fubjects of his conftant praife. Mr. Bofwell, Dr. Rofe of Chifwick, Andrew Millar, Mr. Hamilton the printer, and the late Mr. Strahan, were among his most intimate friends. Many others might be added

to

to the lift. He fcorned to enter Scotland as a fpy; though Hawkins, his biographer, and the profeffing defender of his fame, al- · lowed himself leave to reprefent him in that ignoble character. He went into Scotland to furvey men and manners. Antiquities, foffils, and minerals, were not within his province. He did not vifit that country to fettle the station of Roman camps, or the fpot where Galgacus fought the last battle for public liberty. The people, their cuftoms, and the progrefs of literature, were his objects. The civilities which he received in the course of his tour have been repaid with grateful acknowledgement, and, generally, with great elegance of expreffion. His crime is, that he found the country bare of trees, and he has stated the fact. This, Mr. Boswell, in his Tour to the Hebrides, has told us, was refented by his countrymen with anger inflamed to rancour; but he admits that there are few trees on the east fide of Scotland. Mr. Pennant, in his Tour, says, that in fome parts of the eastern fide of the country, he faw feveral large plantations of pine planted by gentlemen near their feats; and in this refpect fuch a laudable spirit prevails, that, in another half century,

it

it never shall be said, "To spy the nakedness "of the land are you come." Johnson could not wait for that half century, and therefore mentioned things as he found them. If in any thing he has been mistaken, he has made a fair apology in the last paragraph of his book, avowing with candour, "That he

66

may have been furprized by modes of life, "and appearances of nature, that are fami"liar to men of wider furvey, and more va "ried converfation. Novelty and ignorance "must always be reciprocal; and he is con"scious that his thoughts on national man"ners are the thoughts of one who has seen "but little."

The Poems of Offian made a part of Johnfon's enquiry during his refidence in Scotland and the Hebrides. On his return to England, November 1773, a fstorm seemed to be gathering over his head; but the cloud never burst, and the thunder never fell. Offian, it is well known, was prefented to the publick as a tranflation from the Earfe; but that this was a fraud, Johnson declared without hesitation. "The Earfe," he says, "was always oral only, and never a written

"lan