’Dear Sir,

’Your most obedient humble servant,

‘THOMAS BLACKLOCK.’

‘Edinburgh, Nov. 12, 1785.’

I am very happy to find that Dr. Blacklock’s apparent uneasiness on the subject of Scepticism was not on his own account, (as I supposed) but from a benevolent concern for the happiness of mankind.  With respect, however, to the question concerning poetry, and composing a dictionary, I am confident that my state of Dr. Johnson’s position is accurate.  One may misconceive the motive by which a person is induced to discuss a particular topick (as in the case of Dr. Blacklock’s speaking of Scepticism); but an assertion, like that made by Dr. Johnson, cannot be easily mistaken.  And indeed it seems not very probable, that he who so pathetically laments the drudgery[1153] to which the unhappy lexicographer is doomed, and is known to have written his splendid imitation of Juvenal with astonishing rapidity[1154], should have had ’as much pleasure in writing a sheet of a dictionary as a sheet of poetry[1155].’  Nor can I concur with the ingenious writer of the foregoing letter, in thinking it an axiom as evident as any in Euclid, that ‘poetry is of easier execution than lexicography.’  I have no doubt that Bailey[1156], and the ‘mighty blunderbuss of law[1157],’ Jacob, wrote ten pages of their respective Dictionaries with more ease than they could have written five pages of poetry.

If this book should again be reprinted, I shall with the utmost readiness correct any errours I may have committed, in stating conversations, provided it can be clearly shewn to me that I have been inaccurate.  But I am slow to believe, (as I have elsewhere observed[1158]) that any man’s memory, at the distance of several years, can preserve facts or sayings with such fidelity as may be done by writing them down when they are recent:  and I beg it may be remembered, that it is not upon memory, but upon what was written at the time, that the authenticity of my Journal rests.

* * * * *

No.  II.

Verses written by Sir Alexander (now Lord) Macdonald; addressed and presented to Dr. Johnson, at Armidale in the Isle of Sky[1159].

Viator, o qui nostra per aequora
Visurus agros Skiaticos venis,
En te salutantes tributim
Undique conglomerantur oris.

Donaldiani,—­quotquot in insulis
Compescit arctis limitibus mare;
Alitque jamdudum, ac alendos
Piscibus indigenas fovebit.

Ciere fluctus siste, Procelliger,
Nec tu laborans perge, precor, ratis,
Ne conjugem plangat marita,
Ne doleat soboles parentem.

Nec te vicissim poeniteat virum
Luxisse;—­vestro scimus ut aestuant
In corde luctantes dolores,
Cum feriant inopina corpus.

Quidni! peremptum clade tuentibus
Plus semper illo qui moritur pati
Datur, doloris dum profundos
Pervia mens aperit recessus.