He said, he was angry at Thrale, for sitting at General Oglethorpe’s without speaking.  He censured a man for degrading himself to a non-entity.  I observed, that Goldsmith was on the other extreme; for he spoke at all ventures.[759] JOHNSON.  ’Yes, Sir; Goldsmith, rather than not speak, will talk of what he knows himself to be ignorant, which can only end in exposing him.’  ’I wonder, (said I,) if he feels that he exposes himself.  If he was with two taylors,’ ’Or with two founders, (said Dr. Johnson, interrupting me,) he would fall a talking on the method of making cannon, though both of them would soon see that he did not know what metal a cannon is made of.’  We were very social and merry in his room this forenoon.  In the evening the company danced as usual.  We performed, with much activity, a dance which, I suppose, the emigration from Sky has occasioned.  They call it America.  Each of the couples, after the common involutions and evolutions, successively whirls round in a circle, till all are in motion; and the dance seems intended to shew how emigration catches, till a whole neighbourhood is set afloat.  Mrs. M’Kinnon told me, that last year when a ship sailed from Portree for America, the people on shore were almost distracted when they saw their relations go off, they lay down on the ground, tumbled, and tore the grass with their teeth.  This year there was not a tear shed.  The people on shore seemed to think that they would soon follow.  This indifference is a mortal sign for the country.

We danced to-night to the musick of the bagpipe, which made us beat the ground with prodigious force.  I thought it better to endeavour to conciliate the kindness of the people of Sky, by joining heartily in their amusements, than to play the abstract scholar.  I looked on this Tour to the Hebrides as a copartnership between Dr. Johnson and me.  Each was to do all he could to promote its success; and I have some reason to flatter myself, that my gayer exertions were of service to us.  Dr. Johnson’s immense fund of knowledge and wit was a wonderful source of admiration and delight to them; but they had it only at times; and they required to have the intervals agreeably filled up, and even little elucidations of his learned text.  I was also fortunate enough frequently to draw him forth to talk, when he would otherwise have been silent.  The fountain was at times locked up, till I opened the spring.  It was curious to hear the Hebridians, when any dispute happened while he was out of the room, saying, ’Stay till Dr. Johnson comes:  say that to him!