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We spoke of Fingal. Dr. Johnson said calmly, "If the poems were really translated, they were cer

immediate invention of his own lively imagination; for there is not one word of it in Mr. Locke's complimentary performance. My readers, will, I have no doubt, like to be satisfied, by comparing them; and, at any rate, it may entertain them to read verses composed by our great metaphysician, when a bachelor in physic.

AUCTORI, IN TRACTATUM EJUS DE FEBRIBUS.
Febriles æstus, victumque ardoribus orbem
Flevit, non tantis par medicina malis.

Quum post mille artes, medicæ tentamina curæ,
Ardet adhuc febris; nec velit arte regi.

Præda sumus flammis; solum hoc speramus ab igne,
Ut restet paucus, quem capit urna, cinis.

Dum quærit medicus febris causamque, modumque,
Flammarum et tenebras, et sine luce faces;
Quas tractat patitur flammas, et febre calescens,
Corruit ipse suis victima rapta focis.

Qui tardos potuit morbos, artusque trementes,
Sistere, febrili se videt igne rapi.

Sic faber exesos fulsit tibicine muros ;

Dum trahit antiquas lenta ruina domos.
Sed si flamma vorax miseras incenderit ædes,
Unica flagrantes tunc sepelire salus,

Fit fuga, tectonicas nemo tunc invocat artes;
Cum perit artificis non minus usta domus.
Se tandem Sydenham febrisque scholæque furori
Opponens, morbi quærit, et artis opem.
Non temere incusat tectæ putredinis ignes;
Nec fictus, febres qui fovet, humor erit.
Non bilem ille movet, nulla hic pituita; Salutis
Quæ spes, si fallax ardeat intus aqua?

Nec doctas magno rixas ostentat hiatu,
Quis ipsis major febribus ardor inest.

Innocuas placide corpus jubet urere flammas,
Et justo rapidos temperat igne focos.

Quid febrim exstinguat, varius quid postulat usus,
Solari ægrotos, qua potes arte, docet.

Hactenus ipsa suum timuit natura calorem,
Dum sæpe incerto, quo calet, igne perit:

Dum reparat tacitos male provida sanguinis ignes,
Prælusit busto, fit calor iste rogus.

Jam secura suas foveant præcordia flammas,
Quem natura negat, dat medicina modum.
Nec solum faciles compescit sanguinis æstus,

Dum dubia est inter spemque metumque salus;
Sed fatale malum domuit, quodque astra malignum
Credimus, iratam vel genuisse Stygem.

Extorsit Lachesi cultros, petisque venenum
Abstulit, et tantos non sinit esse metus.

Quis tandem arte nova domitam mitescere pestem
Credat, et antiquas ponere posse minas?

Post tot mille neces, cumulataque funera busto,
Victa jacet, parvo vulnere, dira lues.

Etheriæ quanquam spargunt contagia flammæ,
Quicquid inest istis ignibus, ignis erit.

tainly first written down. Let Mr. Macpherson deposit the manuscript in one of the colleges at Aberdeen, where there are people who can judge ; and, if the professors certify the authenticity, then there will be an end of the controversy. If he does not take this obvious and easy method, he gives the best reason to doubt; considering, too, how much is against it à priori."

We sauntered after dinner in Sir Alexander's garden, and saw his little grotto, which is hung with pieces of poetry written in a fair hand. It was agreeable to observe the contentment and kindness of this quiet, benevolent man. Professor Macleod was brother to Macleod of Talisker, and brother-inlaw to the Laird of Col. He gave me a letter to young Col. I was weary of this day, and began to think wishfully of being again in motion. I was uneasy to think myself too fastidious, whilst I fancied Dr. Johnson quite satisfied. But he owned to me, that he was fatigued and teased by Sir Alexander's doing too much to entertain him. I said, it was all kindness. JOHNSON. "True, Sir;

Delapsæ cœlo flammæ licet acrius urant,
Has gelida extingui non nisi morte putas?
Tu meliora paras victrix medicina; tuusque
Pestis quæ superat cuncta, triumphus eris.
Vive liber, victis febrilibus ignibus; unus

Te simul et mundum qui manet, ignis erit."

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J. LOCKE, A. M. Ex. de Christi, Oxon. Mr. Boswell says, that Dr. Johnson's observation was "the immediate invention of his own lively imagination;" and that there was "not one word of it in Mr. Locke's performance;' but did Mr. Boswell read the verses?. -or what did he understand by "Nec fictus, febres, qui fovet, humor erit?" and "Si fallax ardeat intus aqua?" Surely these are the conceits, though not the precise expressions, which Johnson censured, and the whole is made up of the same "kind of talk.”— C.

but sensation is sensation." BOSWELL. "It is so :* we feel pain equally from the surgeon's probe, as from the sword of the foe."

We visited two booksellers' shops, and could not find Arthur Johnston's Poems. (1) We went and sat near an hour at Mr. Riddoch's. He could not tell distinctly how much education at the college here costs, 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.

(1) Johnston is one of the most eminent men that Aberdeen has produced. He was a native of the county (born about 1587), and rector of the university. His works were originally printed at Aberdeen; and their not being to be found in that seat of learning, to which he did so much honour, is strange. But such things sometimes happen. In Haarlem, the cradle of the art of printing, I could not find a guide-book to the town.-C.

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CHAPTER V.

Ellon." The Great Doctor."—Goldsmith and Graham.

Peers.

Slains Castle. Lady Errol. Education of Children.-Buller of Buchan.— Entails.— House of Sir Joshua Reynolds.- Earl of Errol. Feudal Times.—Strichen.—Life of Country Gentlemen. Cullen. - Lord Monboddo. Use and Importance of Wealth.-Elgin.-Scenery of Macbeth.— Fores.- Leonidas.- Paul Whitehead.— Derrick. · Origin of Evil. Nairn.- Calder Castle.- Calder Manse. Kenneth M'Aulay. — Ecclesiastical Sub scription. Family Worship.

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." 66 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 shown 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 physic." "Is he an oculist?" said the landlord. "No,"

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said I; "he is only a very learned man.' LANDLORD. They say he is the greatest man in England, except Lord Mansfield." Dr. Johnson was highly entertained with this, and I do think he was

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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."

He told me a good story of Dr. Goldsmith. Graham, who wrote "Telemachus, a Masque," 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, "Doctor, I should be happy to see you at Eton.” (1) "I shall be glad to wait on you," answered Goldsmith. "No," said Graham, "'t is not you I mean, Dr. Minor; 'tis Dr. 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.” (2)

We had received a polite invitation to Slains Castle. We arrived there just at three o'clock, as the bell for dinner was ringing. Though, from its being just on the north-east ocean, no trees will grow here, Lord Errol has done all that can be

(1) Graham was one of the masters at Eton.-C.

(2) I am sure I have related this story exactly as Dr. Johnson told it to me; but a friend who has often heard him tell it, informs me, that he usually introduced a circumstance which ought not to be omitted. "At last, Sir, Graham, having now got to about the pitch of looking at one man, and talking to another, said, Doctor, &c."- -"What effect," Dr. Johnson used to add, "this had on Goldsmith, who was as irascible as a hornet, may be easily conceived."

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