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family seat of the Laird of Col, accompanied by the young laird, who had now got a horse, and by the younger Mr. M'Sweyn, whose wife had gone thither before us, to prepare every thing for our reception, the Laird and his family being absent at Aberdeen. It is called Breacacha, or the Spotted Field, because in summer it is enamelled with clover and daisies, as young Col told me. We passed by a place where there is a very large stone, I may call it a rock; 66 a vast weight for Ajax.” The tradition is, that a giant threw such another stone at his mistress, up to the top of a hill, at a small distance; and that she, in return, threw this mass down to him. It was all in sport.

"Malo me petit lasciva puella.""

As we advanced, we came to a large extent of plain ground. I had not seen such a place for a long time. Col and I took a gallop upon it by way of race. It was very refreshing to me, after having been so long taking short steps in hilly countries. It was like stretching a man's legs after being cramped in a short bed. We also passed close by a large extent of sand-hills, near two miles square. Dr. Johnson said, "he never had the image before. It was horrible, if barrenness and danger could be so." I heard him, after we were in the house of Breacacha, repeating to himself, as he walked about the room,

"And smother'd in the dusty whirlwind, dies." Probably he had been thinking of the whole of the simile in Cato, of which that is the concluding line; the sandy desert had struck him so strongly. The sand has of late been blown over a good deal of meadow; and the people of the island say, that their fathers remembered much of the space which is now covered with sand to have been under tillage. Col's house is situated on a bay called Breacacha Bay. We found here a neat new-built gentleman's house, better than any we had been in since we were at Lord Errol's. Dr. Johnson relished it much at first, but soon remarked to me, that "there was nothing becoming a chiefs about it: it was a mere tradesman's box." He seemed quite at home, and no longer found any difficulty in using the Highland address; for as soon as we arrived, he said, with a spirited familiarity, "Now, Col, if you could get us a dish of tea." Dr. Johnson and I had each an excellent bedchamber. We had a dispute which of us had the best curtains. His were rather the best, being of linen; but I insisted that my bed had the best posts, which was undeniable. 66 "Well," said he, "if you have the

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best posts, we will have you tied to them and whipped." I mention this slight circumstance, only to show how ready he is, even in mere trifles, to get the better of his antagonist, by placing him in a ludicrous view. I have known him sometimes use the same art, when hard pressed in serious disputation. Goldsmith, I remember, to retaliate for many a severe defeat which he has suffered from him, applied to him a lively saying in one of Cibber's comedies, which puts this part of his character in a strong light-"There is no arguing with Johnson; for, if his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it." 4

Wednesday, Oct. 6.—After a sufficiency of sleep, we assembled at breakfast. We were just as if in barracks. Every body was masWe went and viewed the old castle of

ter.

Col, which is not far from the present house,

near the shore, and founded on a rock. It has never been a large feudal residence, and has nothing about it that requires a particular description. Like other old inconvenient buildings of the same age, it exemplified Gray's picturesque lines,

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It may, however, be worth mentioning, that on the second story we saw a vault which was, and still is, the family prison. There was a woman put into it by the Laird, for theft, within these ten years; and any offender would be confined there yet; for, from the necessity of the thing, as the island is remote from any power established by law, the Laird must exercise his jurisdiction to a certain degree.

66

We were shown, in a corner of this vault, a hole, into which Col said greater criminals used to be put. It was now filled up with rubbish of different kinds. He said, it was of a great depth. 'Ay," said Dr. Johnson, smiling, "all such places that are filled up were of a great depth." He is very quick in showing that he does not give credit to careless or exaggerated accounts of things. After seeing the castle, we looked at a small hut near it. It is called Teigh Franchich, i. e. the Frenchman's house. Col could not tell us the history of it. A poor man with a wife and children now lived in it. We went into it, and Dr. Johnson gave them some charity. There was but one bed for all the family, and the hut was very smoky. When we came out, he said to me, "Et hoc secundum sententiam philosophorum est esse beatus."6 BOSWELL. "The philosophers, when they placed happiness in a cottage, supposed cleanliness and no smoke." JOHNSON. "Sir, they did not think about either."

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We walked a little in the Laird's garden, in which endeavours have been used to rear some trees; but, as soon as they got above the surrounding wall, they died. Dr. Johnson recommended sowing the seeds of hardy trees, instead of planting.

Col and I rode out this morning, and viewed a part of the island. In the course of our ride, we saw a turnip-field, which he had hoed with his own hands. He first introduced this kind of husbandry into the Western Islands. We also looked at an appearance of lead, which seemed very promising. It has been long known; for I found letters to the late laird, from Sir John Areskine and Sir Alexander Murray, respecting it.

his own Times" from Captain M'Lean's; and he had of his own some books of farming, and Gregory's "Geometry." Dr. Johnson read a good deal of Burnet, and of Gregory, and I observed he made some geometrical notes in the end of his pocket-book. I read a little of Young's "Six Weeks' Tour through the Southern Counties," and Ovid's "Epistles," which I had bought at Inverness, and which helped to solace many a weary hour.

We were to have gone with Dr. Johnson this morning to see the mine, but were prevented by the storm. While it was raging, he said, "We may be glad we are not damnati ad metalla." 4

Friday, Oct. 8.-Dr. Johnson appeared today very weary of our present confined situation. He said, "I want to be on the main land, and go on with existence. This is a waste of life."

times.

After dinner came Mr. M'Lean, of Corneck, brother to Isle-of-Muck, who is a cadet of the family of Col. He possesses the two ends of Col, which belong to the Duke of Argyll. Corneck had lately taken a lease of them at a I shall here insert, without regard to chronovery advanced rent, rather than let the Camp-logy, some of his conversation at different bells get a footing in the island, one of whom had offered nearly as much as he. Dr. Johnson well observed, that "landlords err much when they calculate merely what their land may yield. The rent must be in a proportionate ratio of what the land may yield, and of the power of the tenant to make it yield. A tenant cannot make by his land, but according to the corn and cattle which he has. Suppose you should give him twice as much land as he has, it does him no good, unless he gets also more stock. It is clear then, that the Highland landlords, who let their substantial tenants leave them, are infatuated; for the poor small tenants cannot give them good rents, from the very nature of things. They have not the means of raising more from their farms." Corneck, Dr. Johnson said, was the most distinct man that he had met with in these isles; he did not shut his eyes, or put his finger in his ears; which he seemed to think was a good deal the mode with most of the people whom we have seen of late.

Thursday, Oct. 7.- Captain M'Lean joined us this morning at breakfast. There came on a dreadful storm of wind and rain, which continued all day, and rather increased at night. The wind was directly against our getting to Mull. We were in a strange state of abstraction from the world: we could neither hear from our friends, nor write to them. Col had brought Daille "on the Fathers," Lucas 2" on Happiness," ," and More's "Dialogues," from the Rev. Mr. M'Lean's, and Burnet's "History of

1 A French Protestant divine, born 1594, died 1670. His treatise de Usu Patrum was translated into English in 1651. - CROKER.

2 Dr. Richard Lucas, Prebendary of Westminster, born 1648, died 1715, printed, in 1685, "An Enquiry after Happiness," which has been several times reprinted. - CROKER,

1846.

3 No doubt Dr. Henry More's "Divine Dialogues.” CROKER.

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"In metallum."- Plin. Ep.- Condemned to the mines.

5 Edmund Allen, a worthy and reputable printer in Bolt

"There was a man some time ago, who was well received for two years, among the gentlemen of Northamptonshire, by calling himself my brother. At last he grew so impudent, as by his influence to get tenants turned out of their farms. Allen the printer5, who is of that county, came to me, asking, with much appearance of doubtfulness, if I had a brother; and upon being assured I had none alive, he told me of the imposition, and immediately wrote to the country, and the fellow was dismissed. It pleased me to hear that so much was got by using my name. It is not every name that can carry double; do both for a man's self and his brother (laughing). I should be glad to see the fellow. However, I could have done nothing against him. A man can have no redress for his name being used, or ridiculous stories being told of him in the newspapers, except he can show that he has suffered damage. Some years ago a foolish piece was published, said to be written by S. Johnson.' Some of my friends wanted me to be very angry about this. I said, it would be in vain'; for the answer would be, S. Johnson may be Simon Johnson, or Simeon Johnson, or Solomon Johnson;' and even if the full name, Samuel Johnson, had been used, it might be said, 'It is not you; it is a much cleverer fellow.'6

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sport, proposed that Beauclerk, and Langton, and myself should take them; and we amused ourselves with scheming how we should all do our parts. Lady Sydney grew angry, and said, an old man should not put such things in young people's heads.' She had no notion of a joke, Sir; had come late into life, and had a mighty unpliable understanding.'

"Carte's 'Life of the Duke of Ormond' is considered as a book of authority; but it is illwritten. The matter is diffused in too many words; there is no animation, no compression, no vigour. Two good volumes in duodecimo might be made out of the two in folio."

Talking of our confinement here, I observed, that our discontent and impatience could not be considered as very unreasonable; for that we were just in the state of which Seneca complains so grievously, while in exile in Corsica. "Yes," said Dr. Johnson; and he was not farther from home than we are." The truth is, he was much nearer.3

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There was a good deal of rain to-day, and the wind was still contrary. Corneck attended me, while I amused myself in examining a collection of papers belonging to the family of Col. The first laird was a younger son of the chieftain M'Lean, and got the middle part of Col for his patrimony. Dr. Johnson having given a very particular account of the connection between this family and a branch of the family of Camerons, called M'Lonich, I shall only insert the following document (which I found in Col's cabinet), as a proof of its continuance, even to a late period:

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which the southern approach to Waterloo-bridge now passes. -CROKER.

1 Mary, daughter of Thomas Norris, Esq., of Speke, in Lancashire, married Lord Sydney in 1736. CROKER.

2 Carte's Life of Ormond is in three vols. folio. - P. CUNNINGHAM.

3"Barbara præruptis inclusa est Corsica saxis' Horrida," &c. Epigr. antè, De Consol. Libr. Corsica is about one hundred and fifty miles from Rome. Col is from London upwards of four hundred. - CROKER. 4 Johnson's account is as follows:

"Very near the house of Maclean stands the castle of Col, which was the mansion of the Laird till the house was built. On the wall was, not long ago, a stone with an inscription, importing, that if any man of the clan of Maclonich shall appear before this castle, though he come at midnight, with a man's head in his hand, he shall there find safety and protection against all but the king.' This is an old Highland treaty made upon a very memorable occasion. Maclean, the son of John Gerves [one of the ancient lairds], who recovered Col, and conquered Barra, had obtained, it is said, from James II., a grant of the lands of Lochiel, forfeited, I suppose, by some offence against the state. Forfeited estates were not in those days quietly resigned; Maclean, therefore, went with an armed force to seize his new possessions, and, I know not for what reason, took his wife with him. The Camerons rose in defence of their chief, and a battle was fought at the head of Loch Ness, near the place where Fort Augustus now stands, in which Lochiel obtained the victory, and Maclean, with his followers, was defeated and destroyed. The lady fell into the hands of the conquerors, and, being found pregnant, was placed in the custody of Maclonich, one of a tribe or family branched from Cameron, with orders, if she brought a boy, to destroy him, if a girl, to spare her. Maclonich's wife, who was with child likewise, had a girl

sors and ours affords us such assurance, as that we may have full relyance on your favour and undoubted friendship, in recommending the bearer, Ewen Cameron, our cousin, son to the deceast Dugall M'Connill of Innermaillie, sometime in Glenpean, to your favour and conduct, who is a man of undoubted honesty and discretion, only that he has the misfortune of being alledged to have been accessory to the killing of one of M'Martin's family about fourteen years ago, upon which alledgeance the M Martins are now so sanguine on revenging, that they are fully resolved for the deprivation of his life; to the preventing of which you are relyed on by us, as the only fit instrument, and a most capable person. Therefore your favour and protection is expected and intreated, during his good behaviour; and failing of which behaviour, you'll please to use him as a most insignificant person deserves. Sir, he had, upon the alledgeance aforesaid, been transported, at Lochiel's desire, to France, to gratify the M Martins, and, upon his return home, about five years ago, married. But now he is so much threatened by the M Martins, that

he is not secure enough to stay where he is, being Ardmurchan, which occasions this trouble to you. Wishing prosperity and happiness to attend still yourself, worthy lady, and good family, we are, in the most affectionate manner, dear Sir, your most obliged, affectionate, and most humble servants,

Dugall Cameron, of Strone,
Dugall Cameron, of Barr.
Dugall Cameron, of Inveriskvouilline.
Dugall Cameron, of Invinvalie."

Ewen Cameron was protected, and his son has

now a farm from the Laird of Col, in Mull.

The family of Col was very loyal in the time of the great Montrose, from whom I found two letters in his own handwriting. The first is as follows:

about the same time at which Lady Maclean brought a boy, and Maclonich, with more generosity to his captive than fidelity to his trust, contrived that the children should be changed. Maclean, being thus preserved from death, in time recovered his original patrimony; and, in gratitude to his friend, made his castle a place of refuge to any of the clan that should think himself in danger; and, as a proof of reciprocal confidence, Maclean took upon himself and his posterity the care of educating the heir of Maclonich.". Journey. CROKER.

5 The third Earl and first Marquis, born in 1612, beheaded at Edinburgh the 21st of May, 1650.- CROKER, 1831. Mr. Macaulay censures this note in the following terms, which are worth preserving as a specimen of equal accuracy of statement and courtesy of style.

"Mr. Croker tells us the great Marquis of Montrose was beheaded in Edinburgh in 1650. There is not a forward boy at any school in England who does not know that the Marquis was hanged. The account of the execution is one of the finest passages in Lord Clarendon's History. We can scarcely suppose that Mr. Croker had never read that passage; and yet we can scarcely suppose that any one who had ever pe. rused so noble and pathetic a story can have utterly forgotten all its most striking circumstances."- Ed. Rev.

To which a critic in Blackwood's Magazine replied:"We really almost suspect that the Reviewer [Mr. Macaulay] himself has not read the passage to which he refers, or he could hardly have accused Mr. Croker of showing-by having said that Montrose was beheaded,' when the Reviewer thinks he should have said hanged - that he had forgotten the most striking passage of Clarendon's noble account of the execution. For it is not on the execution itself that Lord Clarendon dwells with the most pathos and effect, but on the previous indignities at and after his trial which Montrose so magnanimously endured. Clarendon, with scrupulous delicacy, avoids all mention of the

"For my very loving Friend, the Laird of Cuall "Strechearne, Xth Jan. 1695.

“Six, — I must heartily thank you for all your willingness and good affection to his Majesty's service, and particularly the sending alongs of your son, to who I will heave ane particular respect, hopeing also that you will still continue ane goode instrument for the advanceing ther of the king's service, for which, and all your former loyal carriages, be confident you shall find the effects of his ma's favour, as they can be witnessed you by your very faithful friende,

The other is,

"For the Laird of Col.

MONTROSE

"Petty, 17th April, 1646.

SIR,- Having occasion to write to your fields, I cannot be forgetful of your willingness and good. affection to his Majesty's service. I acknowledge to you, and thank you heartily for it, assuring, that in what lies in my power, you shall find the good.

water: but many of them are very small-
mere pools. About one half of them, however,
have trout and eel. There is a great number
of horses in the island, mostly of a small size.
and on the main land. Their black cattle,
Being overstocked, they sell some in Tir-yi,
which are chiefly rough-haired, are reckoned
remarkably good. The climate being very
mild in winter, they never put their beasts in
any house. The lakes are never frozen so as
to bear a man; and snow never lies above a
few hours. They have a good many sheep,
which they eat mostly themselves, and sell but
a few. They have goats in several places.
There are no foxes; no serpents, toads, or
frogs, nor any venomous creature. They have
otters and mice here; but had no rats till
lately that an American vessel brought them.
There is a rabbit-warren on the north-east of
the island, belonging to the Duke of Argyle.
Young Col intends to get some hares, of which
there are none at present. There are no black-
cock, muir-fowl, nor partridges; but there are
snipe, wild-duck, wild-geese, and swans, in
winter; wild-pigeons, plover, and great num-

Meanwhile, I shall expect that you will continue
your loyal endeavours, in wishing those slack people
that are about you, to appear more obedient than
they do, and loyal in their prince's service; where-
by I assure you, you shall find me ever your faith-bers of starlings: of which I shot some, and
ful friende,

"MONTROSE,"I

I found some uncouth lines on the death of the present laird's father, entitled "Nature's Elegy upon the Death of Donald Maclean of Col." They are not worth insertion. I shall only give what is called his Epitaph, which Dr. Johnson said "was not so very bad."

"Nature's minion, Virtue's wonder,

Art's corrective here lyes under."

I asked, what "Art's corrective" meant. "Why, Sir," said he, "that the laird was so exquisite, that he set Art right, when she was wrong."

found them pretty good eating. Woodcocks
come hither, though there is not a tree upon
the island. There are no rivers in Col; but
only some brooks, in which there is a great
variety of fish. In the whole island there are
but three hills, and none of them considerable,
for a Highland country. The people are very
industrious. Every man can tan. They get
oak and birch bark, and lime, from the main
land. Some have pits; but they commonly
use tubs. I saw brogues very well tanned;
and every man can make them. They all
make candles of the tallow of their beasts,
both moulded and dipped; and they all make
oil of the livers of fish. The little fish called
cuddies produce a great deal. They sell some

I found several letters to the late Col, from my father's old companion at Paris, Sir Hec-oil out of the island, and they use it much for tor M'Lean, one of which was written at the time of settling the colony in Georgia. It dissuades Col from letting people go there, and assures him there will soon be an opportunity of employing them better at home. 2 Hence it appears that emigration from the Highlands, | though not in such numbers at a time as of late, has always been practised. Dr. Johnson observed, that "the lairds, instead of improving their country, diminished their people."

There are several districts of sandy desert in Col. There are forty-eight lochs of fresh

peculiar mode of death, and is wholly silent as to any of the circumstances of the execution, leaving the reader's imagi. nation to supply, from the terms of the sentence, the odious details: but the Reviewer, if he had really known or felt the true pathos of the story, would have remembered that the sentence was, that the Marquess should be hanged and beheaded, and that his head should be stuck on the Tolbooth of Edinburgh;' and it was this very circumstance of the beheading, which excited in Montrose that burst of eloquence which is the most striking beauty of the whole of the noble and pathetic story.' I am prouder,' said he to his persecutors, to have my head set upon the place it is

light in their houses, in little iron lamps, most of which they have from England; but of late their own blacksmith makes them. He is a good workman; but he has no employment in shoeing horses, for they all go unshod here, except some of a better kind belonging to young Col, which were now in Mull. There are two carpenters in Col; but most of the inhabitants can do something as boat-carpenters. They can all dye. Heath is used for yellow; and for red, a moss which grows on stones. They make broad-cloth, and tartan, and linen, of

appointed to be, than I should be to have my picture hung in the King's bedchamber!"-Ed. Mag. Nov. 1831. To this I beg leave to add that I might certainly have said "hanged and beheaded," but if I had only said, as my critic would have it, “hanged," I should certainly have shown an utter forgetfulness of the noble and pathetic story."CROKER, 1846.

1 It is observable, that men of the first rank spelt very ill in the last century. In the first of these letters I have preserved the original spelling. — BOSWELL.

2 No doubt in some projected rising. — CROKER.

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their own wool and flax, sufficient for their own use; as also stockings. Their bonnets come from the main land. Hardware and several small articles are brought annually from Greenock, and sold in the only shop in the island, which is kept near the house, or rather hut, used for public worship, there being no church in the island. The inhabitants of Col have increased considerably within these thirty years, as appears from the parish registers. There are but three considerable tacksmen on Col's part of the island: the rest is let to small tenants, some of whom pay so low a rent as four, three, or even two guineas. The highest is seven pounds, paid by a farmer, whose son goes yearly on foot to Aberdeen for education, and in summer returns, and acts as a schoolmaster in Col. Dr. Johnson said, "There is something noble in a young man's walking two hundred miles and back again every year for the sake of learning."

This day a number of people came to Col, with complaints of each other's trespasses. Corneck, to prevent their being troublesome, told them that the lawyer from Edinburgh was here, and if they did not agree, he would take them to task. They were alarmed at this; said, they had never been used to go to law, and hoped Col would settle matters himself. In the evening Corneck left us.

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the rest. A servant held our horses, and Dr. Johnson placed himself on the ground, with his back against a large fragment of rock. The wind being high, he let down the cocks of his hat, and tied it with his handkerchief under his chin. While we were employed in examining the stone, which did not repay our trouble in getting to it, he amused himself with reading "Gataker on Lots and on the Christian Watch," a very learned book, of the last age, which had been found in the garret of Col's house, and which he said was a treasure here. When we descried him from above, he had a most eremitical appearance; and on our return told us, he had been so much engaged by Gataker', that he had never missed us. His avidity for variety of books, while we were in Col, was frequently expressed; and he often complained that so few were within his reach. Upon which I observed to him, it was strange he should complain of want of books, when he could at any time make such good ones.

We next proceeded to the lead mine. In our way we came to a strand of some extent, where we were glad to take a gallop, in which my learned friend joined with great alacrity. Dr. Johnson, mounted on a large bay mare without shoes, and followed by a foal, which had some difficulty in keeping up with him, was a singular spectacle.

After examining the mine, we returned through a very uncouth district, full of sandhills; down which, though apparent precipices, our horses carried us with safety, the sand always gently sliding away from their feet. Vestiges of houses were pointed out to us, which Col, and two others who had joined us, asserted had been overwhelmed with sand blown over them. But, on going close to one of them, Dr. Johnson showed the absurdity of the notion, by remarking, that "it was evidently only a house abandoned, the stones of which had been taken away for other purposes; for the large stones, which form the lower part of the walls, were still standing higher than the sand. If they were not blown over, it was clear nothing higher than they could be blown over." This was quite convincing to me; but it made not the least impression on Col and the others, who were not to be argued out of a Highland tradition.

We did not sit down to dinner till between six and seven. We lived plentifully here, and had a true welcome. In such a season, good firing was of no small importance. The peats were excellent, and burned cheerfully. Those at Dunvegan, which were damp, Dr. Johnson called "a sullen fuel." Here a Scottish phrase was singularly applied to him. One of the company having remarked that he had gone out on a stormy evening, and brought in a

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