‘August 3, 1773.’

‘Sam.  Johnson.’

TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

’Newcastle, Aug. 11, 1773.

’Dear sir, I came hither last night, and hope, but do not absolutely promise, to be in Edinburgh on Saturday.  Beattie will not come so soon.  I am, Sir, your most humble servant,

‘My compliments to your lady.’

‘Sam.  Johnson.’

TO THE SAME.

’Mr. Johnson sends his compliments to Mr. Boswell, being just arrived at Boyd’s.—­Saturday night.’

His stay in Scotland was from the 18th of August, on which day he arrived, till the 22nd of November, when he set out on his return to London; and I believe ninety-four days were never passed by any man in a more vigorous exertion.*

* In his Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, published the year after Johnson died, Boswell gives a detailed account of Johnson’s conversation and adventures with him throughout the journey of 1773.  Partly owing to their uninterrupted association, partly to the strangeness and variation of background and circumstances, and partly to Boswell’s larger leisure during the tour for the elaboration of his account, the journal is even more racy, picturesque, and interesting than any equal part of the Life.  No reader who enjoys the Life should fail to read the Tour—­unabridged!—­Ed.

His humane forgiving disposition was put to a pretty strong test on his return to London, by a liberty which Mr. Thomas Davies had taken with him in his absence, which was, to publish two volumes, entitled, Miscellaneous and fugitive Pieces, which he advertised in the news-papers, ‘By the Authour of the Rambler.’  In this collection, several of Dr. Johnson’s acknowledged writings, several of his anonymous performances, and some which he had written for others, were inserted; but there were also some in which he had no concern whatever.  He was at first very angry, as he had good reason to be.  But, upon consideration of his poor friend’s narrow circumstances, and that he had only a little profit in view, and meant no harm, he soon relented, and continued his kindness to him as formerly.

In the course of his self-examination with retrospect to this year, he seems to have been much dejected; for he says, January 1, 1774, ’This year has passed with so little improvement, that I doubt whether I have not rather impaired than increased my learning’; and yet we have seen how he read, and we know how he talked during that period.

He was now seriously engaged in writing an account of our travels in the Hebrides, in consequence of which I had the pleasure of a more frequent correspondence with him.

’To Bennet Langton, Esq., At Langton, near SPILSBY, Lincolnshire.