I mentioned the happiness of the French in their subordination, by the reciprocal benevolence and attachment between the great and those in lower rank[325].  Mr. Boyd gave us an instance of their gentlemanly spirit.  An old Chevalier de Malthe, of ancient noblesse, but in low circumstances, was in a coffee-house at Paris, where was Julien, the great manufacturer at the Gobelins, of the fine tapestry, so much distinguished both for the figures and the colours.  The chevalier’s carriage was very old.  Says Julien, with a plebeian insolence, ’I think, Sir, you had better have your carriage new painted.’  The chevalier looked at him with indignant contempt, and answered, ’Well, Sir, you may take it home and dye it!’ All the coffee-house rejoiced at Julien’s confusion.

We set out about nine.  Dr. Johnson was curious to see one of those structures which northern antiquarians call a Druid’s temple.  I had a recollection of one at Strichen; which I had seen fifteen years ago; so we went four miles out of our road, after passing Old Deer, and went thither.  Mr. Fraser, the proprietor, was at home, and shewed it to us.  But I had augmented it in my mind; for all that remains is two stones set up on end, with a long one laid upon them, as was usual, and one stone at a little distance from them.  That stone was the capital one of the circle which surrounded what now remains.  Mr. Fraser was very hospitable[326].  There was a fair at Strichen; and he had several of his neighbours from it at dinner.  One of them, Dr. Fraser, who had been in the army, remembered to have seen Dr. Johnson at a lecture on experimental philosophy, at Lichfield.  The doctor recollected being at the lecture; and he was surprised to find here somebody who knew him.

Mr. Fraser sent a servant to conduct us by a short passage into the high-road.  I observed to Dr. Johnson, that I had a most disagreeable notion of the life of country gentlemen; that I left Mr. Fraser just now, as one leaves a prisoner in a jail.  Dr. Johnson said, that I was right in thinking them unhappy; for that they had not enough to keep their minds in motion[327].

I started a thought this afternoon which amused us a great part of the way.  ’If, (said I,) our club should come and set up in St. Andrews, as a college, to teach all that each of us can, in the several departments of learning and taste, we should rebuild the city:  we should draw a wonderful concourse of students.’  Dr. Johnson entered fully into the spirit of this project.  We immediately fell to distributing the offices.  I was to teach Civil and Scotch law[328]; Burke, politicks and eloquence; Garrick, the art of publick speaking; Langton was to be our Grecian[329], Colman our Latin professor[330]; Nugent to teach physick[331]; Lord Charlemont, modern history[332]; Beauclerk, natural philosophy[333]; Vesey, Irish antiquities, or Celtick learning[334]; Jones, Oriental learning[335]; Goldsmith, poetry and