Alexander Gordon, Professor Gordon, and Professor Ross, visited us in the morning, as did Dr. Gerard (1), who had come six miles from the country on purpose. We went and saw the Marischal College (2), and at one o'clock we waited on the magistrates in the town-hall, as they had invited us, in order to present Dr. Johnson with the freedom of the town, which Provost Jopp did with a very good grace. Dr. Johnson was much pleased with this mark of attention, and received it very politely. There was a pretty numerous company assembled. It was striking to hear all of them drinking, "Dr. Johnson! Dr. Johnson!" in the town-hall of Aberdeen, and then to see him with` his burgess-ticket, or diploma (3), in his hat, which he wore as he walked along the street, according to the usual custom. It gave me great satisfaction to observe the regard, and, indeed, fondness too, which every body here had for my father. While Sir Alexander Gordon conducted Dr. Johnson to old Aberdeen, Professor Gordon and I called on Mr. Riddoch, whom I found to be a grave worthy clergyman. He observed that, whatever might be said of Dr. Johnson while he was (1) [Dr. Alexander Gerard, author of an "Essay on Genius," &c.; born in Aberdeenshire, 1728, died 1795.] (2) Dr. Beattie was so kindly entertained in England, that he had not yet returned home. (3) Dr. Johnson's burgess-ticket was in these words: "Aberdoniæ, vigesimo tertio die mensis Augusti, anno Domini millesimo septingentesimo septuagesimo tertio, in presentia honorabilium virorum, Jacobi Jopp, armigeri, præpositi, Adami Duff, Gulielmi Young, Georgii Marr, et Gulielmi Forbes, Balivorum, Gulielmi Rainie Decani guildæ, et Joannis Nicoll Thesaurarii dicti burgi. Quo die vir generosus et doctrina clarus, Samuel Johnson, LL.D. receptus et admissus fuit in municipes et fratres guildæ præfati burgi de Aberdeen: in deditissimi amoris et affectus ac eximiæ observantiæ tesseram, quibus dicti magistratus eum amplec tuntur. Extractum per me, Alex. Carnegie." - alive, he would, after he was dead, be looked upon by the world with regard and astonishment, on account of his Dictionary. Professor Gordon and I walked over to the old college, which Dr. Johnson had seen by this time. I stepped into the chapel, and looked at the tomb of the founder, Archbishop Elphinston, of whom I shall have occasion to write in my History of James IV. of Scotland, the patron of my family. (1) We dined at Sir Alexander Gordon's. The provost, Professor Ross, Professor Dunbar, Professor Thomas Gordon, were there. After dinner came in Dr. Gerard, Professor Leslie, Professor Macleod. We had little or no conversation in the morning; now we were but barren. The professors seemed afraid to speak. 66 Dr. Gerard told us that an eminent printer (2) was very intimate with Warburton. JOHNSON. Why, Sir, he has printed some of his works, and perhaps bought the property of some of them. The intimacy is such as one of the professors here may have with one of the carpenters who is repairing the college.”. "But," said Gerard, "I saw a letter from him to this printer, in which he says, that the one half of the clergy of the Church of Scotland are fanatics, and the other half infidels." JOHNSON. "Warburton has accustomed himself to write letters just as he speaks, without thinking any more of what he throws out. When I read (1) This, like many similar intimations scattered through these volumes, does not appear to have been carried into effect. Nor is Elphinston's designation as arch-bishop correct. Aberdeen never was an archiepiscopal see. - C. (2) [Mr. Strahan. See Forbes's Life of Beattie, vol. ii. p. 170.] Warburton first, and observed his force, and his contempt of mankind, I thought he had driven the world before him; but I soon found that was not the case; for Warburton, by extending his abuse, rendered it ineffectual." 66 He told me, when we were by ourselves, that he thought it very wrong in the printer to show Warburton's letter, as it was raising a body of enemies against him. He thought it foolish in Warburton to write so to the printer; and added, Sir, the worst way of being intimate is by scribbling." He called Warburton's "Doctrine of Grace" a poor performance, and so he said was Wesley's Answer. "Warburton," he observed, "had laid himself very open. In particular, he was weak enough to say, that, in some disorders of the imagination, people had spoken with tongues, had spoken languages which they never heard before; a thing as absurd as to say, that in some disorders of the imagination, people had been known to fly." I talked of the difference of genius, to try if I could engage Gerard in a disquisition with Dr. Johnson; but I did not succeed." I mentioned, as a curious fact, that Locke had written verses. JOHNSON. "I know of none, sir, but a kind of exercise prefixed to Dr. Sydenham's Works, in which he has some conceits about the dropsy, in which water and burning are united; and how Dr. Sydenham removed fire by drawing off water, contrary to the usual practice, which is to extinguish fire by bringing water upon it. I am not sure that there is a word of all this; but it is such kind of talk." (1) (1) All this, as Dr. Johnson suspected at the time, was the 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 com paring 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. Quum post mille artes, medicæ tentamina curæ, Præda sumus flammis; solum hoc speramus ab igne, Dum quærit medicus febris causamque, modumque, Qui tardos potuit morbos, artusque trementes, Sic faber exesos fulsit tibicine muros ; Dum trahit antiquas lenta ruina domos. Fit fuga, tectonicas nemo tunc invocat artes Innocuas placide corpus jubet urere flammas, Quid febrim exstinguat, varius quid postulat usus, Hactenus ipsa suum timuit natura calorem, Dum reparat tacitos male provida sanguinis ignes, Jam secura suas foveant præcordia flammas, Extorsit Lachesi cultros, petisque venenum Quis tandem arte nova domitam mitescere pestem Post tot mille neces, cumulataque funera busto, Etheriæ quanquam spargunt contagia flammæ, 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? 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. |