[31] “I could give you pages of strong sense and humour which I have heard from that great man, and which are treasured up in my journal. And here I must inform you that he desired me to keep just the journal that I do; and when I told him that it was already my practice, he said he was glad I was upon so good a plan.”—_MS. letter from Boswell of 13th July, 1763, preserved at New Hailes._ [32] Dutch for “our envoy.” [33] The meaning here is defective. [34] “Memoirs and Papers of Sir Andrew Mitchell, K.B., Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the Court of Great Britain to the Court of Prussia, from 1756 to 1771,” edited by Andrew Bisset, Esq., vol. ii., p. 381. [35] Boswell’s “Account of and Tour to Corsica,” London, 1769, 8vo., p. 288. [36] Boswell’s “Corsica,” 3rd edition, p. 349. [37] “Life of Johnson.” [38] “Private Correspondence of David Hume.” Lond. 1820, 4to., p. 131. [39] “Chatham Correspondence,” vol. ii., p. 388. [40] Richard Owen Cambridge, author of “The Scribleraid” and other works. A gentleman of opulence, he entertained in his villa at Twickenham the literary celebrities of his time. He died in 1802, aged eighty-five. [41] In his letters to Mr. Temple of 9th September, 1767, and 14th May, 1768, Boswell evinces a particular desire to possess Mr. Gray’s opinion of his work, and to obtain his personal acquaintance. It is hoped that he remained uninformed of the poet’s sentiments concerning him. [42] “The Works of Thomas Gray. Edited by the Rev. John Mitford.” London: 1816, 2 vols., 4to, vol. ii., p. 498. [43] Boswell’s servant. [44] Sir Alexander Gilmour, Bart., of Craigmiller, M.P., Boswell’s supposed rival in the affections of Miss Blair, died _unmarried_ in France, on the 27th December, 1792. [45] Miss Dick was eldest of the three daughters of Sir Alexander Dick, Bart., of Prestonfield. Mr. Temple met her during his visit to Scotland on the Adamtown expedition. [46] Letter to Mr. Temple, written from Auchinleck, 24th August, 1768. [47] Letter from Boswell to Mr. Temple, dated Edinburgh, 9th December, 1768. [48] “The Carron Company has furnished me them very cheap; there are two 32-pounders, four 24’s, four 18’s, and twenty 9-pounders, with one hundred and fifty ball to each. It is really a tolerable train of artillery.” (Letter from Boswell to Mr. Temple, dated 24th August, 1768.) [49] See Correspondence between the Rev. N. Nicholls and the poet Gray, _passim_. [50] Boswell’s “Tour to the Hebrides.” [51] John, fifth Duke of Argyll, married Elizabeth, relict of James, sixth Duke of Hamilton, and daughter of John Gunning, Esq., of Castle Coote, co. Roscommon. The Duchess was a celebrated beauty. [52] Life of Johnson. [53] John, Lord Mountstuart, eldest son of John, third Earl of Bute, and afterwards first Marquess of Bute. He was born 30th June, 1744, and died 16th November, 1814.