’I dare say you are by this time sensible that things are pretty much the same, as when Buchanan complained of being born solo et seculo inerudito.  Let me hear of you, and be persuaded that none of your admirers is more sincerely devoted to you, than,

Dear Sir,
Your most obedient,
And most humble servant,
‘ELIBANK.’

Dr. Johnson, on the following Tuesday, answered for both of us, thus:—­

’My LORD, ’On the rugged shore of Skie, I had the honour of your Lordship’s letter, and can with great truth declare, that no place is so gloomy but that it would be cheered by such a testimony of regard, from a mind so well qualified to estimate characters, and to deal out approbation in its due proportions.  If I have more than my share, it is your Lordship’s fault; for I have always reverenced your judgment too much, to exalt myself in your presence by any false pretensions.

’Mr. Boswell and I are at present at the disposal of the winds, and therefore cannot fix the time at which we shall have the honour of seeing your lordship.  But we should either of us think ourselves injured by the supposition that we would miss your lordship’s conversation, when we could enjoy it; for I have often declared that I never met you without going away a wiser man.[534]

    ’I am, my Lord,
     Your Lordship’s most obedient
     And most humble servant,
     Skie, Sept. 14, 1773.’  ‘SAM.  JOHNSON.’

At Portree, Mr. Donald McQueen went to church and officiated in Erse, and then came to dinner.  Dr. Johnson and I resolved that we should treat the company, so I played the landlord, or master of the feast, having previously ordered Joseph to pay the bill.

Sir James Macdonald intended to have built a village here, which would have done great good.  A village is like a heart to a country.  It produces a perpetual circulation, and gives the people an opportunity to make profit of many little articles, which would otherwise be in a good measure lost.  We had here a dinner, et praeterea nihil.  Dr. Johnson did not talk.  When we were about to depart, we found that Rasay had been beforehand with us, and that all was paid:  I would fain have contested this matter with him, but seeing him resolved, I declined it.  We parted with cordial embraces from him and worthy Malcolm.  In the evening Dr. Johnson and I remounted our horses, accompanied by Mr. McQueen and Dr. Macleod.  It rained very hard.  We rode what they call six miles, upon Rasay’s lands in Sky, to Dr. Macleod’s house.  On the road Dr. Johnson appeared to be somewhat out of spirits.  When I talked of our meeting Lord Elibank, he said, ’I cannot be with him much.  I long to be again in civilized life; but can stay but a short while;’ (he meant at Edinburgh.) He said, ‘let us go to Dunvegan to-morrow.’  ’Yes, (said I,) if it is not a deluge.’  ‘At any rate,’ he replied.  This shewed a kind of fretful impatience;