ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE

THIRD EDITION.

ANIMATED by the very favourable reception which two large impressions of this work have had', it has been my study to make it as perfect as I could in this edition, by correcting some inaccuracies which I discovered myself, and some which the kindness of friends or the scrutiny of adversaries pointed out. A few notes are added, of which the principal object is, to refute misrepresentation and cal

umny.

To the animadversions in the periodical Journals of criticism, and in the numerous publications to which my book has given rise, I have made no answer. Every work must stand or fall by its own merit. I cannot, however, omit this opportunity of returning thanks to a gentleman who published a Defence of my Journal, and has added to the favour by communicating his name to me in a very obliging letter.

It would be an idle waste of time to take any particular notice of the futile remarks, to many of which, a petty national resentment, unworthy of my countrymen, has probably

1 Boswell in the 'Advertisement' to the second edition, dated Dec. 20, 1785, says that 'the whole of the first impression has been sold in a few weeks.' Three editions were published within a year, but the fourth was not issued till 1807. A German translation was published in Lübeck in 1787. I believe that in no language has a translation been published of the Life of Johnson. Johnson was indeed, as Boswell often calls him, 'a trueborn Englishman'-so English that foreigners could neither understand him nor relish his Life.

V.—I

given

4

Advertisement to the Third Edition.

given rise; remarks which have been industriously circulated
in the publick prints by shallow or envious cavillers, who
have endeavoured to persuade the world that Dr. John-
son's character has been lessened by recording such various
instances of his lively wit and acute judgment, on every
topick that was presented to his mind. In the opinion of
every person of taste and knowledge that I have conversed
with, it has been greatly heightened; and I will venture to
predict, that this specimen of the colloquial talents and ex-
temporaneous effusions of my illustrious fellow-traveller will
become still more valuable, when, by the lapse of time, he
shall have become an ancient; when all those who can now
bear testimony to the transcendent powers of his mind, shall
have passed away; and no other memorial of this great and
good man shall remain but the following Journal, the other
anecdotes and letters preserved by his friends, and those
incomparable works, which have for many years been in the
highest estimation, and will be read and admired as long as
the English language shall be spoken or understood.

LONDON, 15th Aug. 1786.

J. B.

CONTENTS.

DEDICATION.

CONTENTS.

ADVERTISEMENT.

INTRODUCTION. Character of Dr. Johnson. He arrives in Scot-

land.

1773 August 15.

Sir William Forbes. Practice of the law. Emigra-
tion. Dr. Beattie and Mr. Hume. Dr. Robertson. Mr.
Burke's various and extraordinary talents. Question con-
cerning genius. Whitfield and Wesley. Instructions to po-
litical parties. Dr. Johnson's opinion of Garrick as a trage-
dian.

August 16. Ogden on Prayer. Aphoristick writing. Edinburgh
surveyed. Character of Swift's works. Evil spirits and witch-
craft. Lord Monboddo and the Ouran-Outang.

August 17. Poetry and Dictionary writing. Scepticism. Eternal
necessity refuted. Lord Hailes's criticism on The Vanity of
Human Wishes. Mr. Maclaurin. Decision of the Judges in
Scotland on literary property.

August 18. Set out for the Hebrides. Sketch of the authour's
character. Trade of Glasgow. Suicide. Inchkeith. Par-
liamentary knowledge. Influence of Peers. Popular clam-

ours.

Arrive at St. Andrews.

August 19. Dr. Watson.

Dr. Watson. Literature and patronage.
conversation compared. Change of manners.
Value of money.
St. Andrews and John Knox.
from the world. Dinner with the Professors.

August 20.

Writing and

The Union.

Retirement
Question con-

cerning sorrow and content. Instructions for composition.
Dr. Johnson's method. Uncertainty of memory.
Effect of prayer. Observance of Sunday. Professor
Shaw. Transubstantiation. Literary property. Mr. Tyers's
remark on Dr. Johnson.
August 21. Want of trees.

Arrive at Montrose.

Laurence Kirk. Dinner at Monbod-

do. Emigration. Homer. Biography and history compared.

Decrease

Decrease of learning. Causes of it. Promotion of Bishops.
Warburton. Lowth. Value of politeness. Dr. Johnson's
sentiments concerning Lord Monboddo. Arrive at Aber-
deen.

August 22. Professor Thomas Gordon. Publick and private edu-
cation. Sir Alexander Gordon. Trade of Aberdeen. Pre-
scription of murder in Scotland. Mystery of the Trinity.
Satisfaction of Christ. Importance of old friendships.
August 23. Dr. Johnson made a burgess of Aberdeen. Dinner
at Sir Alexander Gordon's. Warburton's powers of invective.
His Doctrine of Grace. Lock's verses. Fingal.

August 24. Goldsmith and Graham. Slains castle. Education
of children. Buller of Buchan. Entails. Consequence of

Peers. Sir Joshua Reynolds. Earl of Errol.

Nabobs.

August 25. The advantage of being on good terms with relations.
Feudal state of subordination. Dinner at Strichen.
Life of country gentlemen. THE LITERARY CLUB.
August 26. Lord Monboddo.

Elgin.

Use and importance of wealth.

Fores.

Leonidas.

Derrick.

Origin of

Macbeth's heath.
Leonidas. Paul Whitehead.
Calder-manse. Reasonableness of ecclesiastical sub-

August 27.

Evil.

scription. Family worship.

August 28. Fort George. Sir Adolphus Oughton. Contest be-

tween Warburton and Lowth. Dinner at Sir Eyre Coote's.

Arabs and English soldiers compared. The Stage. Mr. Gar-

rick, Mrs. Cibber, Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Clive. Inverness.

August 29. Macbeth's Castle. Incorrectness of writers of Trav-

els. Coinage of new words. Dr. Johnson's Dictionary.

August 30.

Dr. Johnson on horse-back. A Highland hut. Fort

Augustus. Governour Trapaud.

August 31. Anoch. Emigration. Goldsmith.

Goldsmith. Poets and sol-

diers compared. Life of a sailor. Landlord's daughter at

Anoch.

September 1.

Glensheal. The Macraas.

Dr. Johnson's anger at

being left for a little while by the authour on a wild plain.
Wretched inn at Glenelg.

September 2. Dr. Johnson relents. Isle of Sky. Armidale.

September 3. Colonel Montgomery, now Earl of Eglintoune.

September 4. Ancient Highland Enthusiasm.

September 5. Sir James Macdonald's epitaph and last letters to

his

his mother. Dr. Johnson's Latin ode on the Isle of Sky.

Isaac Hawkins Browne.

September 6. Corrichatachin.

Highland hospitality and mirth.

Dr. Johnson's Latin ode to Mrs. Thrale.

September 7. Uneasy state of dependence on the weather. State

of those who live in the country. Dr. M'Pherson's Disserta-

tions. Second Sight.

September 8. Rev. Mr. Donald M'Queen. Mr. Malcolm M'Cleod.

Homer. Elegant and gay enter-

Sail to Rasay. Fingal.

tainment at Rasay.

September 9. Antiquity of the family of Rasay.
Survey of the island of Rasay.
Duchess of Marlborough.

September io.
Hooke.

Cure of infidelity.
Bentley. Mallet.

September 11. Heritable jurisdictions. Insular life. The Laird

of M'Cleod.

September 12. Sail to Portree. Dr. Johnson's discourse on death.
Letters from Lord Elibank to Dr. Johnson and the authour.
Dr. Johnson's answer. Ride to Kingsburgh. Flora M'Donald.

September 13. Distresses and escape of the grandson of King James

II. Arrive at Dunvegan.

September 14. Importance of the chastity of women. Dr. Cado-
gan. Whether the practice of authours is necessary to enforce
their Doctrines. Good humour acquirable.

September 15. Sir George M'Kenzie. Mr. Burke's wit, knowledge

and eloquence.

September 16. Dr. Johnson's hereditary melancholy. His minute

knowledge in various arts. Apology for the authour's ardour
in his pursuits. Dr. Johnson's imaginary seraglio. Polygamy.
September 17. Cunning. Whether great abilities are necessary to
be wicked. Temple of the Goddess Anaitis. Family por-
traits. Records not consulted by old English historians.
Mr. Pennant's Tours criticised.

September 18. Ancient residence of a Highland Chief. Languages
the pedigree of nations. Laird of the Isle of Muck.

September 19. Choice of a wife.

Lady Grange in St. Kilda.

Women an over-match for men.
Poetry of savages. French Lit-

erati. Prize-fighting. French and English soldiers. Duelling.

September 20. Change of London manners.

Landed and traded interest compared.

ered.

Laziness censured.

Gratitude consid-

September