After breakfast, he said to me, ’A Highland Chief should now endeavour to do every thing to raise his rents, by means of the industry of his people.  Formerly, it was right for him to have his house full of idle fellows; they were his defenders, his servants, his dependants, his friends.  Now they may be better employed.  The system of things is now so much altered, that the family cannot have influence but by riches, because it has no longer the power of ancient feudal times.  An individual of a family may have it; but it cannot now belong to a family, unless you could have a perpetuity of men with the same views.  M’Leod has four times the land that the Duke of Bedford has.  I think, with his spirit, he may in time make himself the greatest man in the King’s dominions; for land may always be improved to a certain degree.  I would never have any man sell land, to throw money into the funds, as is often done, or to try any other species of trade.  Depend upon it, this rage of trade will destroy itself.  You and I shall not see it; but the time will come when there will be an end of it.  Trade is like gaming.  If a whole company are gamesters, play must cease; for there is nothing to be won.  When all nations are traders, there is nothing to be gained by trade[635], and it will stop first where it is brought to the greatest perfection.  Then the proprietors of land only will be the great men.’  I observed, it was hard that M’Leod should find ingratitude in so many of his people.  JOHNSON.  ’Sir, gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation; you do not find it among gross people.’  I doubt of this.  Nature seems to have implanted gratitude in all living creatures[636].  The lion, mentioned by Aulus Gellius, had it[637].  It appears to me that culture, which brings luxury and selfishness with it, has a tendency rather to weaken than promote this affection.

Dr. Johnson said this morning, when talking of our setting out, that he was in the state in which Lord Bacon represents kings.  He desired the end, but did not like the means[638].  He wished much to get home, but was unwilling to travel in Sky.  ’You are like kings too in this, Sir, (said I,) that you must act under the direction of others.’

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21.

The uncertainty of our present situation having prevented me from receiving any letters from home for some time, I could not help being uneasy.  Dr. Johnson had an advantage over me, in this respect, he having no wife or child to occasion anxious apprehensions in his mind[639].  It was a good morning; so we resolved to set out.  But, before quitting this castle, where we have been so well entertained, let me give a short description of it.