’I am,

’Dear Sir,

’Your most obedient humble servant,

‘JOHN M’LEOD.’

* * * * *

’TO THE LAIRD OF RASAY.

’London, May 8, 1775.

’DEAR SIR,

’The day before yesterday I had the honour to receive your letter, and I immediately communicated it to Dr. Johnson.  He said he loved your spirit, and was exceedingly sorry that he had been the cause of the smallest uneasiness to you.  There is not a more candid man in the world than he is, when properly addressed, as you will see from his letter to you, which I now enclose.  He has allowed me to take a copy of it, and he says you may read it to your clan, or publish it if you please.  Be assured, Sir, that I shall take care of what he has entrusted to me, which is to have an acknowledgement of his errour inserted in the Edinburgh newspapers.  You will, I dare say, be fully satisfied with Dr. Johnson’s behaviour.  He is desirous to know that you are; and therefore when you have read his acknowledgement in the papers, I beg you may write to me; and if you choose it, I am persuaded a letter from you to the Doctor also will be taken kind.  I shall be at Edinburgh the week after next.

’Any civilities which my wife and I had in our power to shew to your daughter, Miss M’Leod, were due to her own merit, and were well repaid by her agreeable company.  But I am sure I should be a very unworthy man if I did not wish to shew a grateful sense of the hospitable and genteel manner in which you were pleased to treat me.  Be assured, my dear Sir, that I shall never forget your goodness, and the happy hours which I spent in Rasay.

’You and Dr. M’Leod were both so obliging as to promise me an account in writing, of all the particulars which each of you remember, concerning the transactions of 1745-6.  Pray do not forget this, and be as minute and full as you can; put down every thing; I have a great curiosity to know as much as I can, authentically.

’I beg that you may present my best respects to Lady Rasay, my compliments to your young family, and to Dr. M’Leod; and my hearty good wishes to Malcolm, with whom I hope again to shake hands cordially.  I have the honour to be,

’Dear Sir,

’Your obliged and faithful humble servant,

‘JAMES BOSWELL.’  ADVERTISEMENT, written by Dr. Johnson, and inserted by his desire in the Edinburgh newspapers:—­Referred to in the foregoing letter[1140].

’THE authour of the Journey to the Western Islands, having related that the M’Leods of Rasay acknowledge the chieftainship or superiority of the M’Leods of Sky, finds that he has been misinformed or mistaken.  He means in a future edition to correct his errour[1141], and wishes to be told of more, if more have been discovered.’

Dr. Johnson’s letter was as follows:—­

’To THE LAIRD OF RASAY.

’DEAR SIR,