"Journal of a Tour in the Hebrides," and indicate the full extent of Johnson's devotion to Episcopacy.-Editor.

One of the steeples, which he was told was in danger, he wished not to be taken down; "for," said he, "it may fall on some of the posterity of John Knox; and no great matter!" Dinner was mentioned. Johnson: "Ay, ay; amidst all these sorrowful scenes I have no objection to dinner."Boswell.

Dr. Johnson's veneration for the hierarchy is well known. There is no wonder, then, that he was affected with a strong indignation while he beheld the ruins of religious magnificence. I happened to ask where John Knox was buried. Dr. Johnson burst out, "I hope in the highway! I have been looking at his reformations!"-Boswell.

I doubted whether Dr. Johnson would be present at a Presbyterian prayer. I told Mr. Macaulay so, and said that the doctor might sit in the library while we were at family worship. Mr. Macaulay said he would omit it rather than give Dr. Johnson offence; but I would by no means agree that an excess of politeness, even to so great a man, should prevent what I esteem as one of the best pious regulations. I know nothing more beneficial, more comfortable, more agreeable than that the little societies of each family should regularly assemble, and unite in praise and prayer to our heavenly Father, from whom we daily receive so much good, and may hope for more in a higher state of existence. I mentioned to Dr. Johnson the over-delicate scrupulosity of our host; he said he had no objection to hear the prayer. This was a pleasing surprise to me, for he refused to go and hear Principal Robertson preach. "I will hear him," said he, "if he will get up into a tree and preach; but I will not give a sanction, by my presence, to a Presbyterian assembly."-Boswell.

Neither the Rev. Mr. Nisbet, the Established minister, nor the Rev. Mr. Spooner, the Episcopal minister, were in town. Before breakfast we went and saw the town-hall, where is a good dancing-room, and other rooms for tea-drinking. The appearance of the town from it is very well; but many of the houses are built with their ends to the street, which looks awkward. When we came down from it, I met Mr. Gleig, a merchant here. He went with us to see the English chapel. It is situated on a pretty, dry spot, and there is a fine walk to it. It is really an elegant building, both within and without. The organ is adorned with green and gold. Dr. Johnson gave a shilling extraordinary to the clerk, saying, "He belongs to an honest Church." I put him in mind that Episcopals were but Dissenters here; they were only tolerated. "Sir," said he, "we are here as Christians in Turkey."-Boswell.

SUPERSTITION.

CROSBIE pleased him much by talking learnedly of alchemy, as to which Johnson was not a positive unbeliever, but rather delighted in considering what progress had actually been made in the transmutation of metals, what near approaches there had been to the making of gold; and told us that it was affirmed that a person in the Russian dominions had discovered the secret, but died without revealing it, as imagining it would be prejudicial to society. He added that it was not impossible but it might in time be generally known.-Boswell.

I have this year omitted church on most Sundays, intending to supply the deficiency in the week; so that I owe twelve attendances on worship. I will make no more such superstitious stipulations.-Johnson's Prayers and Medita

tions.

Of John Wesley he said, "He can talk well on any subject." Boswell: "Pray, sir, what has he made of his story of the ghost?" Johnson: "Why, sir, he believes it; but not on sufficient authority. He did not take time enough to examine the girl. It was at Newcastle, where the ghost was said to have appeared to a young woman several times, mentioning something about the right to an old house, advising application to be made to an attorney, which was done; and at the same time saying the attorney would do nothing, which proved to be the fact. This,' says John, 'is a proof that a ghost knows our thoughts.' Now" (laughing), “it is not necessary to know our thoughts to tell that an attorney will sometimes do nothing. Charles Wesley, who is a more stationary man, does not believe the story. I am sorry that John did not take more pains to inquire into the evidence for it." Miss Seward (with an incredulous smile): "What, sir, about a ghost?" Johnson (with solemn vehemence): "Yes, madam; this is a question which, after five thousand years, is yet undecided: a question, whether in theology or philosophy, one of the most important that can come before the human understanding."Boswell.

When I mentioned Thomas Lord Lyttelton's vision, the prediction of the time of his death, and its exact fulfilment: Johnson: "It is the most extraordinary thing that has happened in my day. I heard it with my own ears, from his uncle, Lord Westcote. I am so glad to have every evidence of the spiritual world, that I am willing to believe it."-Boswell.

I introduced the subject of second sight and other mysterious manifestations, the fulfilment of which, I suggested, might happen by chance. Johnson: "Yes, sir; but they have happened so often, that mankind have agreed to think them not fortuitous."-Boswell.

Of apparitions he observed, "A total disbelief of them is adverse to the opinion of the existence of the soul between death and the last day. The question simply is whether departed spirits ever have the power of making themselves. perceptible to us. A man who thinks he has seen an apparition can only be convinced himself; his authority will not convince another; and his conviction, if rational, must be founded on being told something which cannot be known but by supernatural means."

He mentioned a thing as not unfrequent, of which I had never heard before-being called, that is, hearing one's name pronounced by the voice of a known person at a great distance, far beyond the possibility of being reached by any sound uttered by human organs. An acquaintance, on whose veracity I can depend, told me that, walking home one evening to Kilmarnock, he heard himself called from a wood by the voice of a brother who had gone to America; and the next packet brought accounts of that brother's death. Macbean asserted that this inexplicable calling was a thing very well known. Dr. Johnson said that one day at Oxford, as he was turning the key of his chamber, he heard his mother distinctly call-Sam. She was then at Lichfield; but nothing ensued. This phenomenon is, I think, as wonderful as any other mysterious fact, which many people are very slow to believe, or rather, indeed, reject with an obstinate contempt.-Boswell.

In performance of my engagement, I am compelled to make public as well those particulars of Johnson that may be thought to abase as those that exalt his character. Among the former may be reckoned the credit he for some time gave to the idle story of the Cock Lane ghost.-Sir John Hawkins.

Here it is proper, once for all, to give a true and fair statement of Johnson's way of thinking upon the question

whether departed spirits are ever permitted to appear in this world, or in any way to operate upon human life. He has been ignorantly misrepresented as weakly credulous upon that subject; and therefore, though I feel an inclination to disdain and treat with silent contempt so foolish a notion concerning my illustrious friend, yet, as I find it has gained ground, it is necessary to refute it. The real fact, then, is that Johnson had a very philosophical mind, and such a rational respect for testimony as to make him submit his understanding to what was authentically proved, though he could not comprehend why it was so. Being thus disposed, he was willing to inquire into the truth of any relation of supernatural agency, a general belief of which has prevailed in all nations and ages. But so far was he from being the dupe of implicit faith, that he examined the matter with a jealous attention, and no man was more ready to refute its falsehood when he had discovered it. Churchill, in his poem entitled "The Ghost," availed himself of the absurd credulity imputed to Johnson, and drew a caricature of him under the name of "Pomposo," representing him as one of the believers of the story of a ghost in Cock Lane, which, in the year 1762, had gained very general credit in London. Many of my readers, I am convinced, are to this hour under an impression that Johnson was thus foolishly deceived. It will, therefore, surprise them a good deal when they are informed, upon undoubted authority, that Johnson was one of those by whom the imposture was detected. The story had become so popular that he thought it should be investigated; and in this research he was assisted by the Rev. Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of Salisbury, the great detector of impostures, who informs me that, after the gentlemen who went and examined into the evidence were satisfied of its falsity, Johnson wrote, in their presence, an account of it, which was published in the newspapers and "Gentleman's Magazine," and undeceived the world.-Boswell.