Chapter I: Preface

At the beginning of last year, at the request of Messrs. Sampson Low and Co., I began to prepare a work in which, under the title of _Footsteps of Dr. Johnson_, I was to describe the various places that he had either inhabited or visited. It was to be copiously illustrated with views. I had made considerable progress with my task when I saw that its extent required that it should be divided into two separate works. Scotland in itself afforded ample materials for at least a single volume. In this opinion I was confirmed by my friend Mr. Lancelot Speed, the artist who was to prepare the illustrations. My publishers yielded to our advice and allowed us to confine ourselves entirely to that country. The materials which I had got together for England and Wales I have put on one side, in the hope that the present venture will prove sufficiently successful to encourage author, artist, and publishers alike to follow it up with a companion work.

Of Johnson’s journey through Scotland we have three different accounts, his _Letters to Mrs. Thrale_, his _Journey to the Western Islands_, and Boswell’s _Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides_. In writing his _Journey_ he may have had before him the letters which he had written on the spot. Many interesting circumstances, however, which he mentioned in them he omitted in his formal narrative. Boswell’s _Journal_, though published ten years after Johnson’s work, was written first; and it was not only written, but it was published before the publication of the _Letters_. His single account, therefore, and Johnson’s two accounts are independent narratives. It would have been easy to weave all three together into one work, and to have done nothing more. It went, however, against the grain with me to make a mixture of that sort. The plan which I have pursued has been much more laborious; but it will, I trust, commend itself both to “the gentle reader”—who is, I take it, a somewhat indolent reader—and also to the student of the manners and customs of a past age. Of all history there was no part which Johnson held equal in value to the history of manners. With this judgment my own taste leads me to agree. I take far greater interest in the daily life, the briars and roses of the working-day world as it was known to our forefathers, than in all the conquests of Chatham and of Clive. I have made, therefore, the attempt to bring before my readers the Scotland which Johnson saw, the Scotland which he had expressly come to study. “The wild objects” which he said he wished to see I have not neglected, but here I trust chiefly to Mr. Speed’s art. “The peculiar manners” which interested him far more than natural objects have been my special study. Even before I took the present work in hand I had examined them somewhat closely; but last summer, on my return from Scotland, in a quiet recess of the Bodleian Library, I carried my inquiries a good deal farther. In covering so large an extent of ground and in such a mass of details it is idle to hope that no error has been made. I can honestly say that I have done my best to be accurate.

The country which Johnson traversed is famous for other footsteps besides his. I have called in the earlier and later travellers to add interest to the scene, and I have thrown in anecdotes with a liberal hand. “I love anecdotes,” he said. To Boswell’s descriptions of the men with whom he associated I have often been able to add a great deal from memoirs and other books to which that writer had not access; I have gathered some few traditions of the _Sassenach mohr_, the big Englishman, which still linger in the Highlands and the Hebrides.

The tour in which I followed his course I was forced to divide into two parts. Beginning at Inverness I went first through the Western Highlands and the Hebrides, and so southwards through Glasgow to Auchinleck, Boswell’s home in Ayrshire. Later on I visited Edinburgh and its neighbourhood, and completed my task by going northwards to Inverness. I mention this to guard against any apparent inaccuracy in dates which might be discovered in my narrative. I cannot pretend to have seen every place which Johnson saw; but those spots which I passed by are few in number. In the former part of my trip I was fortunate enough to have Mr. Speed for my companion; but over the latter part of the ground we had, to my regret, to travel at different times. Like Boswell he had done much “to counteract the inconveniences of travel.”

I have the pleasant duty of expressing my acknowledgments for the kindness with which I was received and for the assistance which was given me in my inquiries. Most of all am I indebted to the Rev. Roderick Macleod, of Macleod, Vicar of Bolney, who, by the numerous introductions with which he honoured me, greatly facilitated my progress in the Isle of Skye. To his father Macleod of Macleod, and his aunt, Miss Macleod of Macleod, I am under great obligations. My thanks are due also to the Duke of Argyle; the Earl of Cawdor; the Earl of Erroll; Sir Charles Dalrymple, of New Hailes; Captain Burnett, of Monboddo House; Mr. Macleane of Lochbuie; Mr. John Lorne Stewart, Laird of Coll; Mr. J. Maitland Anderson, Librarian of the University of St. Andrews; Mr. G. J. Campbell, of Inverness; Mr. P. M. Cran, the City Chamberlain, and Mr. William Gordon, the Town Clerk of Aberdeen; Mr. Lachlan Mackintosh, of Old Lodge, Elgin; Dr. Paterson, of Clifton Bank, St. Andrews; Professor Stephenson, of the University of Aberdeen; Mr. A. E. Stewart, of Raasay; and to my friend Mr. G. J. Burch, B.A., Librarian of the Institution of Civil Engineers, for some time the Compiler of the Subject Catalogue in the Bodleian Library.

To my friend, General Cadell, C.B., of Cockenzie House, I owe the sketches of the ruins of Ballencrieff, and of a group of ash-trees which were said to have been planted on Johnson’s suggestion.

Both at Inverary Castle and at Dunvegan Castle I was allowed to have photographs taken not only of the rooms, but also of the interesting portraits of the former owners who had been Johnson’s hosts.

To the Rev. Alexander Matheson, minister of Glenshiel, who came many miles over the mountains to help me with his knowledge as a local antiquary, I am, alas! too late in bringing my acknowledgments. It was with great regret that early in the spring I learnt of the sudden death of this amiable man.

I have once more the pleasure of giving my thanks to Mr. G. K. Fortescue, Superintendent of the Reading Room of the British Museum, who does so much to lighten the labours of the student.

Should any of my readers be able to add to the traditions of Johnson which I have collected, or to throw light on any of the questions which I have investigated I trust that they will honour me with their communications. Hope comes to all, and a second edition of these _Footsteps_ is within the range of possibility. In it their kindness shall meet with proper acknowledgment.

G. B. H.
_OXFORD; July 4th, 1890._

TITLES OF MOST OF THE WORKS QUOTED IN THIS BOOK.

_The date in each case shows, not the year of the original
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LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP.

Portrait of Dr. Johnson, after Reynolds _frontispiece_ Staffa _facing page_ 24 Loch Ness ” ” 28 Inch Keith ” ” 84 Montrose ” ” 104 Findlater ” ” 130 The Fiddler’s Walk, Cawdor ” ” 142 Foyers ” ” 150 The Moriston River ” ” 152 Mam Rattachan ” ” 164 Bernera Barracks, Glenelg ” ” 166 Corrichatachin, near Broadford, Skye ” ” 168 Raasay Castle ” ” 172 Dunvegan Castle ” ” 184 Island Isa ” ” 200 The Cuchullin Hills, from the Cave on Wia Island, Skye ” ” 204 McLeod’s Maidens, Skye ” ” 206 Sligachan, the Cuchullin Hills, Skye ” ” 210 Coll Island ” ” 216 Sandiland ” ” 224 Lochbuy ” ” 232 Ben Cruachan, from the Hill Above Oban ” ” 244 Trees at Ballencrieff, planted at Dr. Johnson’s Suggestion ” ” 300 Facsimile Letter ” ” 308 Route Map of Scotland ” ” 318

LIST OF TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Dr. Johnson’s Bedroom, Dunvegan 1 Mam Rattachan 3 Sound of Ulva 5 Glencroe 13 Armidale 23 Loch Ness, near Foyers 27 Loch Lomond 31 The Tolbooth 55 Hume’s House 57 White Horse Close 70 James’s Court 73 The Old Library 84 St. Leonard’s College 89 St. Andrews 93 West Door, St. Andrews 96 Golf at St. Andrews 98 St. Mary’s College Library 101 Leuchars 103 View on the Tay 104 Aberbrothick 106 On the Way to Montrose 108 Gardenston Arms 109 Monboddo 114 King’s College, Aberdeen 121 Marischal College 122 Ellon 124 Slains Castle 126 The Bullers of Buchan 128 Elgin 131 Elgin Cathedral 133 Fores 134 Cawdor 136 Penance-Ring, Cawdor Church 137 Drawbridge, Cawdor Castle 138 Cawdor Castle 139 Vault, Cawdor Castle 140 Tapestry Chamber, Cawdor Castle 141 Dungardie, a vitrified Fort near Foyers 148 Loch Ness 149 Map of Foyers 150 Invermoriston 152 The Ruins of the House at Anoch 153 Thatched House 154 Clunie 157 Eilan Donan 158 Glen Shiel Battle-field 159 Faochag 160 Skye, from Glenelg 166 The Sound of Slate 167 Corrichatachin 170 Raasay 175 Dun Can 178 Portree Harbour 180 Kingsburgh 181 The Ferry to Kingsburgh 184 Rorie More’s Nurse 186 Watergate, Dunvegan 192 Dining Room, Dunvegan 193 Portrait of Sarah, Lady Macleod, by Raeburn 194 Rorie More’s Horn 195 ” ” Armour 196 Macleod’s Tables 197 Terrace, Dunvegan 199 Heronry 200 Sacrament Sunday 201 A Crofter’s Hut in Skye 203 Talisker Head and Oronsay 204 Landing place, Talisker 207 View of Talisker 208 On the Road to Sconser 212 Sailing past the Isle of Rum 213 Ardnamurchan Point 214 Col 215 Col: The Laird’s House 216 Colvay 217 Loch na Keal 219 Inchkenneth Chapel 223 Mackinnon’s Cave 225 Mull 227 Ruins in Iona 231 Carsaig Arches: Mull 232 Kerrera Island 243 Dunolly Castle, Oban 244 Inverary Castle 246 Elizabeth Gunning 247 Johnson’s Host 248 The Avenue of Beeches 249 The Hall, Inverary Castle 250 The Old Dining Room 251 Tapestry Bedroom 252 “Rest, and be Thankful” 254 Milestones on the Tarbet Road 255 Rosedew 256 Inch Galbraith 257 Yew Tree Island 258 Cameron 260 Smollett’s Pillar 261 Dunbarton 262 Dundonald Castle 267 Old Auchans 269 Dining Room at Old Auchans 270 Auchinleck 273 New Hailes 291 Library, New Hailes 295 Ballencrieff 301 Hawthornden 305