Col has undertaken, by permission of the waves and wind, to carry us
about several of the islands, with which he is acquainted enough to show
us whatever curious is given by nature, or left by antiquity; but we
grew afraid of deviating from our way home, lest we should be shut up
for months upon some little protuberance of rock, that just appears
above the sea, and, perhaps, is scarcely marked upon a map.
You remember the doge of Genoa, who being asked, what struck him most at
the French court, answered, "myself." I cannot think many things here
more likely to affect the fancy, than to see Johnson ending his
sixty-fourth year in the wilderness of the Hebrides. But now I am here, it
will gratify me very little to return without seeing, or doing my best
to see, what those places afford. I have a desire to instruct myself in
the whole system of pastoral life, but I know not whether I shall be
able to perfect the idea. However, I have many pictures in my mind,
which I could not have had without this journey, and should have passed
it with great pleasure, had you, and master, and Queeney, been in the
party. We should have excited the attention, and enlarged the
observation of each other, and obtained many pleasing topicks of future
conversation. As it is, I travel with my mind too much at home, and,
perhaps, miss many things worthy of observation, or pass them with
transient notice; so that the images, for want of that reimpression
which discussion and comparison produce, easily fade away; but I keep a
book of remarks, and Boswell writes a regular journal of our travels,
which, I think, contains as much of what I say and do, as of all other
occurrences together; "for such a faithful chronicler as Griffith."
I hope, dearest madam, you are equally careful to reposit proper
memorials of all that happens to you and your family, and then, when we
meet, we shall tell our stories. I wish you had gone this summer, in
your usual splendour, to Brighthelmstone.
Mr. Thrale probably wonders, how I live all this time without sending to
him for money. Travelling in Scotland is dear enough, dearer, in
proportion to what the country affords, than in England, but residence
in the isles is unexpensive. Company is, I think, considered as a supply
of pleasure, and a relief of that tediousness of life which is felt in
every place, elegant or rude. Of wine and punch they are very liberal,
for they get them cheap; but as there is no custom-house on the island,
they can hardly be considered as smugglers. Their punch is made without
lemons, or any substitute.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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