a gallery, both on the first and second story, the house being no higher; so that he has always a dry walk, and the rooms, to which formerly there was no approach but through each other, have now all separate entries from the gallery, which is hung with Hogarth’s works, and other prints.  We went and sat a while in the library.  There is a valuable numerous collection.  It was chiefly made by Mr. Falconer, husband to the late Countess of Errol in her own right.  This earl has added a good many modern books.

About nine the Earl came home.  Captain Gordon of Park was with him.  His Lordship put Dr. Johnson in mind of their having dined together in London, along with Mr. Beauclerk.  I was exceedingly pleased with Lord Errol.  His dignified person and agreeable countenance, with the most unaffected affability, give me high satisfaction.  From perhaps a weakness, or, as I rather hope, more fancy and warmth of feeling than is quite reasonable, my mind is ever impressed with admiration for persons of high birth, and I could, with the most perfect honesty, expatiate on Lord Errol’s good qualities; but he stands in no need of my praise.  His agreeable manners and softness of address prevented that constraint which the idea of his being Lord High Constable of Scotland[317] might otherwise have occasioned.  He talked very easily and sensibly with his learned guest.  I observed that Dr. Johnson, though he shewed that respect to his lordship, which, from principle, he always does to high rank, yet, when they came to argument, maintained that manliness which becomes the force and vigour of his understanding.  To shew external deference to our superiors, is proper:  to seem to yield to them in opinion, is meanness[318].  The earl said grace, both before and after supper, with much decency.  He told us a story of a man who was executed at Perth, some years ago, for murdering a woman who was with child by him, and a former child he had by her.  His hand was cut off:  he was then pulled up; but the rope broke, and he was forced to lie an hour on the ground, till another rope was brought from Perth, the execution being in a wood at some distance,—­at the place where the murders were committed. ’There,(said my lord,) I see the hand of Providence.’  I was really happy here.  I saw in this nobleman the best dispositions and best principles; and I saw him, in my mind’s eye[319], to be the representative of the ancient Boyds of Kilmarnock.  I was afraid he might have urged drinking, as, I believe, he used formerly to do; but he drank port and water out of a large glass himself, and let us do as we pleased[320].  He went with us to our rooms at night; said, he took the visit very kindly; and told me, my father and he were very old acquaintance;—­that I now knew the way to Slains, and he hoped to see me there again.

I had a most elegant room; but there was a fire in it which blazed; and the sea, to which my windows looked, roared; and the pillows were made of the feathers of some sea-fowl, which had to me a disagreeable smell; so that, by all these causes, I was kept awake a good while.  I saw, in imagination, Lord Errol’s father, Lord Kilmarnock[321] (who was beheaded on Tower-hill in 1746), and I was somewhat dreary.  But the thought did not last long, and I fell asleep.