’No, Sir.  Our great fear is from want of power in government.  Such a storm of vulgar force has broke in.’  BOSWELL.  ’It has only roared.’  JOHNSON.  ’Sir, it has roared, till the Judges in Westminster-Hall have been afraid to pronounce sentence in opposition to the popular cry[167].  You are frightened by what is no longer dangerous, like Presbyterians by Popery.’  He then repeated a passage, I think, in Butler’s Remains, which ends, ’and would cry, Fire!  Fire! in Noah’s flood[168].’

We had a dreary drive, in a dusky night, to St. Andrews, where we arrived late.  We found a good supper at Glass’s inn, and Dr. Johnson revived agreeably.  He said, ‘the collection called The Muses’ Welcome to King James, (first of England, and sixth of Scotland,) on his return to his native kingdom, shewed that there was then abundance of learning in Scotland; and that the conceits in that collection, with which people find fault, were mere mode.’  He added, ’we could not now entertain a sovereign so; that Buchanan had spread the spirit of learning amongst us, but we had lost it during the civil wars[169].’  He did not allow the Latin Poetry of Pitcairne so much merit as has been usually attributed to it; though he owned that one of his pieces, which he mentioned, but which I am sorry is not specified in my notes, was, ‘very well.’  It is not improbable that it was the poem which Prior has so elegantly translated[170].

After supper, we made a procession to Saint Leonard’s College, the landlord walking before us with a candle, and the waiter with a lantern.  That college had some time before been dissolved; and Dr. Watson, a professor here, (the historian of Philip II.) had purchased the ground, and what buildings remained.  When we entered this court, it seemed quite academical; and we found in his house very comfortable and genteel accommodation[171].

THURSDAY, AUGUST 19.

We rose much refreshed.  I had with me a map of Scotland, a bible which was given me by Lord Mountstuart when we were together in Italy[172], and Ogden’s Sermons on Prayer; Mr. Nairne introduced us to Dr. Watson, whom we found a well-informed man, of very amiable manners.  Dr. Johnson, after they were acquainted, said, ‘I take great delight in him.’  His daughter, a very pleasing young lady, made breakfast.  Dr. Watson observed, that Glasgow University had fewer home-students, since trade increased, as learning was rather incompatible with it.  JOHNSON.  ’Why, Sir, as trade is now carried on by subordinate hands, men in trade have as much leisure as others; and now learning itself is a trade.  A man goes to a bookseller, and gets what he can.  We have done with patronage[173].  In the infancy of learning, we find some great man praised for it.  This diffused it among others.  When it becomes general, an authour leaves the great, and applies to the multitude.’  BOSWELL.