Life of Johnson Vol_05 Page 01
BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON Vol. 5
INCLUDING BOSWELL'S JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES AND JOHNSON'S DIARY OF A JOURNEY INTO NORTH WALES
EDITED BY
GEORGE BIRKBECK HILL, D.C.L.
PEMBROKE COLLEGE, OXFORD
IN SIX VOLUMES
VOLUME V.
TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES (1773)
AND
JOURNEY INTO NORTH WALES (1774)
THE JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES,
WITH
SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. BY JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
CONTAINING
Some Poetical Pieces by Dr. JOHNSON, relative to the TOUR, and never before published;
A Series of his Conversation, Literary Anecdotes, and Opinions of Men and Books:
WITH AN AUTHENTICK ACCOUNT OF
The Distresses and Escape of the GRANDSON of KING JAMES II. in the Year 1746.
THE THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED.
* * * * *
O! while along the stream of time, thy name Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame, Say, shall my little bark attendant fail, Pursue the triumph and partake the gale? POPE.
* * * * *
LONDON: PRINTED BY HENRY BALDWIN, FOR CHARLES DILLY, IN THE POULTRY. MDCCLXXXVI.
CONTENTS OF VOL. V.
JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES WITH SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.: DEDICATION TO EDMOND MALONE, ESQ. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE THIRD EDITION CONTENTS JOURNAL APPENDICES: I. LETTER FROM DR. BLACKLOCK II. VERSES BY SIR ALEXANDER MACDONALD ADVERTISEMENT OF THE LIFE A. EXTRACTS FROM WARBURTON B. LORD HOUGHTON'S TRANSLATION OF JOHNSON'S ODE WRITTEN IN SKY C. JOHNSON'S USE OF THE WORD BIG
A JOURNEY INTO NORTH WALES IN THE YEAR 1774
DEDICATION.
TO EDMOND MALONE, ESQ.
MY DEAR SIR,
In every narrative, whether historical or biographical, authenticity is of the utmost consequence[1]. Of this I have ever been so firmly persuaded, that I inscribed a former work[2] to that person who was the best judge of its truth. I need not tell you I mean General Paoli; who, after his great, though unsuccessful, efforts to preserve the liberties of his country, has found an honourable asylum in Britain, where he has now lived many years the object of Royal regard and private respect[3]; and whom I cannot name without expressing my very grateful sense of the uniform kindness which he has been pleased to shew me[4].
The friends of Doctor Johnson can best judge, from internal evidence, whether the numerous conversations which form the most valuable part of the ensuing pages are correctly related. To them, therefore, I wish to appeal, for the accuracy of the portrait here exhibited to the world.
As one of those who were intimately acquainted with him, you have a title to this address. You have obligingly taken the trouble to peruse the original manuscript of this Tour, and can vouch for the strict fidelity of the present publication[5]. Your literary alliance with our much lamented friend, in consequence of having undertaken to render one of his labours more complete, by your edition of Shakspeare[6], a work which I am confident will not disappoint the expectations of the publick, gives you another claim. But I have a still more powerful inducement to prefix your name to this volume, as it gives me an opportunity of letting the world know that I enjoy the honour and happiness of your friendship; and of thus publickly testifying the sincere regard with which I am,
My dear Sir, Your very faithful And obedient servant, JAMES BOSWELL.
LONDON, 20th September, 1785.
ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE
THIRD EDITION.
Animated by the very favourable reception which two large impressions of this work have had[7], 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 calumny.
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 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. Johnson'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 extemporaneous 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.