We visited two booksellers’ shops, and could not find Arthur Johnston’s Poems’[296].  We went and sat near an hour at Mr. Riddoch’s.  He could not tell distinctly how much education at the college here costs[297], which disgusted Dr. Johnson.  I had pledged myself that we should go to the inn, and not stay supper.  They pressed us, but he was resolute.  I saw Mr. Riddoch did not please him.  He said to me, afterwards, ’Sir, he has no vigour in his talk.’  But my friend should have considered that he himself was not in good humour; so that it was not easy to talk to his satisfaction.  We sat contentedly at our inn.  He then became merry, and observed how little we had either heard or said at Aberdeen:  that the Aberdonians had not started a single mawkin (the Scottish word for hare) for us to pursue[298].

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24.

We set out about eight in the morning, and breakfasted at Ellon.  The landlady said to me, ’Is not this the great Doctor that is going about through the country?’ I said, ‘Yes.’  ’Ay, (said she) we heard of him.  I made an errand into the room on purpose to see him.  There’s something great in his appearance:  it is a pleasure to have such a man in one’s house; a man who does so much good.  If I had thought of it, I would have shewn him a child of mine, who has had a lump on his throat for some time.’  ‘But, (said I,) he is not a doctor of physick.’  ’Is he an oculist?’ said the landlord.  ’No, (said I,) he is only a very learned man.’  LANDLORD.  ’They say he is the greatest man in England, except Lord Mansfield[299].’  Dr. Johnson was highly entertained with this, and I do think he was pleased too.  He said, ’I like the exception:  to have called me the greatest man in England, would have been an unmeaning compliment:  but the exception marked that the praise was in earnest:  and, in Scotland, the exception must be Lord Mansfield, or—­Sir John Pringle[300].’

He told me a good story of Dr. Goldsmith.  Graham, who wrote Telemachus, a Masque[301], was sitting one night with him and Dr. Johnson, and was half drunk.  He rattled away to Dr. Johnson:  ’You are a clever fellow, to be sure; but you cannot write an essay like Addison, or verses like the RAPE OF THE LOCK.’  At last he said[302], ’Doctor, I should be happy to see you at Eaton[303].’  ‘I shall be glad to wait on you,’ answered Goldsmith.  ’No, (said Graham,) ’tis not you I mean, Dr. Minor; ’tis Doctor Major, there.’  Goldsmith was excessively hurt by this.  He afterwards spoke of it himself.  ’Graham, (said he,) is a fellow to make one commit suicide.’