873:
433:
215:, he reported what he had been told about it: "Of the Earse language, as I understand nothing, I cannot say more than I have been told. It is the rude speech of a barbarous people, who had few thoughts to express, and were content, as they conceived grossly, to be grossly understood". He thus popularized the misconception that the Gaels had no
436:
219:
going as far as reporting "that the Earse never was a written language; that there is not in the world an Earse manuscript a hundred years old; and that the sounds of the highlanders were never expressed by letters, till some little books of piety were translated, and a metrical version of the Psalms
199:
This part of
Scotland in 1773 was, according to Johnson, a romantic place. It was relatively empty of people and nearly unspoiled by commerce, roads, and other trappings of modern life – Johnson noted that in some Highland islands money had not yet become custom. Indeed, with no money or roads parts
232:
playing – but none of the martial spirit
Scotland was so famous for, except in relics and stories. Johnson records and comments on many things about Scottish life, including the happiness and health of the people, antiquities, the economy, orchards and trees, whisky, dress, architecture, religion,
204:, and so they traveled by horseback, usually along the ridge of a hill with a local guide who knew the terrain and the best route for the season. "Journies made in this manner are rather tedious and long. A very few miles requires several hours", Johnson wrote. He deplored the
54:. The two narratives are often published as a single volume, which is beneficial for comparing two perspectives of the same events, although they are very different in approach---Johnson focused on Scotland, and Boswell focused on Johnson. (Boswell went on to write a
138:, and then finished the journey by returning to Edinburgh. Boswell summarised the trip as, " thus saw the four Universities of Scotland, its three principal cities, and as much of the Highland and insular life as was sufficient for his philosophical contemplation."
223:
Johnson came to
Scotland to see the primitive and wild, but Scotland by 1773 was already changing quickly, and he feared they had come "too late". But they did see some of the things they sought out, such as one gentleman wearing the traditional plaid
249:
was published in 1771, a far more detailed and lengthy account than
Johnson's. Pennant set a new standard in travel literature: Johnson said of him "he's the best traveller I ever read; he observes more things than anyone else does".
173:
Johnson and
Boswell toured the Highlands and islands by carriage, on horseback and by boat, planning the stages of their journey to stay at the houses of the local gentry. They were astounded when they visited their colleague
781:
170:, or drinking whisky before breakfast). The rule of law was by no means properly established, and the power of the clan chieftains, though curtailed, was often the only real authority.
335:
317:
Remarks on Dr. Samuel
Johnson's Journey to the Hebrides; in which are contained observations on the antiquities, language, genius, and manners of the Highlanders of Scotland
816:
394:
769:
839:
258:
There are many editions available in print, out of print, online, in hardcover and paperback. Listed here are some notable unusual editions of interest.
208:: "Some method to stop this epidemic desire of wandering, which spreads its contagion from valley to valley, ought to be sought with great diligence".
469:
667:
615:
522:
808:
800:
271:
824:
715:
200:
of
Scotland were more akin to the 8th century than 18th. Once Johnson reached the West Highlands, there were few roads, none at all on the
44:, in the late summer and autumn of 1773. The sixty-three-year-old Johnson was accompanied by his thirty-two-year-old friend of many years
50:
532:
527:
365:
905:
689:
684:
679:
672:
492:
895:
162:
system had been dismantled by Act of
Parliament, the population had been disarmed and wearing of the tartan was prohibited.
915:
910:
578:
747:
497:
462:
135:
622:
762:
629:
900:
662:
245:
502:
239:
In
England there was much interest in Scotland, and Johnson's book was not the first to report on it. Notably
876:
455:
925:
792:
722:
573:
517:
55:
17:
568:
537:
512:
276:
182:
and saw him in his primitive attire as a farmer, a quite different picture from his image as an urbane
739:
593:
193:
642:
205:
426:
375:
63:
920:
507:
361:
304:
267:
216:
155:
33:
236:
Johnson had spent most of his life in London, and only travelled for the first time in 1771.
321:
290:
186:
151:
387:
311:
212:
315:
284:
553:
478:
240:
179:
37:
410:
A Journey to the
Western Islands of Scotland and the Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides
889:
588:
563:
558:
175:
163:
159:
79:
45:
40:
about an eighty-three-day journey through Scotland, in particular the islands of the
266:. Yale University Press. The two accounts are presented side-by-side, page-by-page.
859:
754:
583:
201:
99:
95:
154:
worked the coasts (seven slavers were reported in 1774 alone). The destruction of
636:
598:
115:
131:
67:
58:.) In that biography, Boswell gave the itinerary of the trip as beginning at
833:
183:
147:
119:
75:
59:
442:
111:
71:
41:
229:
166:
was distilled illegally and profusely (Johnson noted the custom of the
146:
Highland Scotland was still a relatively wild place in 1773. Marauding
127:
123:
189:
107:
87:
299:
167:
48:, who was also keeping a record of the trip, published in 1785 as
447:
225:
103:
91:
83:
451:
412:(James Boswell ed.). London: Penguin UK. p. 432.
82:. From there they went on to the islands of the Hebrides:
211:
Although Johnson admitted he understood nothing about
674:
Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth
336:
Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland, A. D. 1803
851:
779:
732:
700:
651:
607:
546:
485:
819:Essay on the Life and Genius of Samuel Johnson
463:
8:
770:The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia
709:A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland
320:. London: Printed for T. Cadell, 1779. From
300:A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland
286:A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland
281:, scanned page images, online first edition.
278:A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland
29:A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland
842:A Biographical Sketch of Dr Samuel Johnson
470:
456:
448:
438:A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland
18:A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland
134:in Ayrshire (Boswell's family home), and
685:Proposals for an Edition of Shakespeare
393:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
348:
383:
373:
803:The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides
7:
827:Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson
716:A Dictionary of the English Language
51:A Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides
220:was made by the Synod of Argyle."
25:
872:
871:
680:The Plays of William Shakespeare
431:
308:. Plain text and HTML versions.
264:Johnson and Boswell in Scotland
106:. Returning to the mainland in
289:, scanned book, 1791 edition.
1:
427:A guide to scholarly editions
206:depopulation of the Highlands
493:Birthplace, home, and museum
441:public domain audiobook at
56:famous biography of Johnson
942:
763:The Vanity of Human Wishes
246:A Tour in Scotland in 1769
869:
663:Life of Mr Richard Savage
408:Johnson, Samuel (2006) .
233:language, and education.
623:The Gentleman's Magazine
579:Elizabeth Johnson (wife)
360:. Chicago. p. 227.
262:Pat Rogers, ed. (1993).
192:, philosopher and proto-
906:Books by Samuel Johnson
356:Boswell, James (1952).
158:was in full swing. The
896:1775 non-fiction books
811:Life of Samuel Johnson
795:Life of Samuel Johnson
723:Letter to Chesterfield
690:Preface to Shakespeare
608:Essays and periodicals
358:Life of Samuel Johnson
916:Books about Scotland
911:British travel books
538:Samuel Johnson Prize
194:evolutionary thinker
701:Miscellaneous prose
643:Taxation no Tyranny
733:Fiction and poetry
668:Lives of the Poets
616:Birmingham Journal
523:Literary criticism
513:Dr Johnson's House
217:written literature
64:Berwick upon Tweed
883:
882:
508:Edial Hall School
305:Project Gutenberg
272:978-0-300-05210-7
62:after landing at
16:(Redirected from
933:
901:1773 in Scotland
875:
874:
825:Hester Thrale's
817:Arthur Murphy's
801:James Boswell's
793:James Boswell's
675:
472:
465:
458:
449:
435:
434:
414:
413:
405:
399:
398:
391:
385:
381:
379:
371:
353:
322:Internet Archive
307:
291:Internet Archive
187:Court of Session
156:Scottish forests
34:travel narrative
21:
941:
940:
936:
935:
934:
932:
931:
930:
886:
885:
884:
879:
865:
847:
786:
783:
775:
728:
696:
673:
656:
654:
647:
603:
542:
533:Religious views
528:Political views
486:Life and topics
481:
476:
432:
423:
418:
417:
407:
406:
402:
392:
382:
372:
368:
355:
354:
350:
345:
331:
312:Donald MacNicol
297:
256:
213:Scottish Gaelic
144:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
939:
937:
929:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
888:
887:
881:
880:
870:
867:
866:
864:
863:
855:
853:
849:
848:
846:
845:
840:Thomas Tyer's
837:
830:
822:
814:
809:John Hawkins'
806:
798:
789:
787:
780:
777:
776:
774:
773:
766:
759:
752:
745:
736:
734:
730:
729:
727:
726:
719:
712:
704:
702:
698:
697:
695:
694:
693:
692:
687:
677:
670:
665:
659:
657:
652:
649:
648:
646:
645:
640:
633:
626:
619:
611:
609:
605:
604:
602:
601:
596:
591:
586:
581:
576:
571:
566:
561:
556:
554:Francis Barber
550:
548:
544:
543:
541:
540:
535:
530:
525:
520:
515:
510:
505:
500:
495:
489:
487:
483:
482:
479:Samuel Johnson
477:
475:
474:
467:
460:
452:
446:
445:
429:
422:
421:External links
419:
416:
415:
400:
366:
347:
346:
344:
341:
340:
339:
330:
327:
326:
325:
309:
294:
293:
282:
274:
255:
252:
241:Thomas Pennant
180:Monboddo House
143:
140:
38:Samuel Johnson
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
938:
927:
926:James Boswell
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
893:
891:
878:
868:
862:
861:
857:
856:
854:
850:
844:
843:
838:
836:
835:
831:
829:
828:
823:
821:
820:
815:
813:
812:
807:
805:
804:
799:
797:
796:
791:
790:
788:
785:
778:
772:
771:
767:
765:
764:
760:
758:
757:
753:
751:
750:
746:
744:
742:
738:
737:
735:
731:
725:
724:
720:
718:
717:
713:
711:
710:
706:
705:
703:
699:
691:
688:
686:
683:
682:
681:
678:
676:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
660:
658:
653:Biography and
650:
644:
641:
639:
638:
634:
632:
631:
627:
625:
624:
620:
618:
617:
613:
612:
610:
606:
600:
597:
595:
594:Anna Williams
592:
590:
589:Hester Thrale
587:
585:
582:
580:
577:
575:
574:Arthur Murphy
572:
570:
567:
565:
564:David Garrick
562:
560:
559:James Boswell
557:
555:
552:
551:
549:
545:
539:
536:
534:
531:
529:
526:
524:
521:
519:
516:
514:
511:
509:
506:
504:
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
490:
488:
484:
480:
473:
468:
466:
461:
459:
454:
453:
450:
444:
440:
439:
430:
428:
425:
424:
420:
411:
404:
401:
396:
389:
377:
369:
367:0-85229-163-9
363:
359:
352:
349:
342:
338:
337:
333:
332:
328:
323:
319:
318:
313:
310:
306:
302:
301:
296:
295:
292:
288:
287:
283:
280:
279:
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
260:
259:
253:
251:
248:
247:
242:
237:
234:
231:
227:
221:
218:
214:
209:
207:
203:
197:
195:
191:
188:
185:
181:
177:
176:Lord Monboddo
171:
169:
165:
164:Scotch whisky
161:
160:Scottish clan
157:
153:
149:
141:
139:
137:
133:
129:
125:
121:
117:
113:
110:they visited
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
80:Fort Augustus
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
52:
47:
46:James Boswell
43:
39:
35:
31:
30:
19:
860:Blinking Sam
858:
841:
832:
826:
818:
810:
802:
794:
782:Contemporary
768:
761:
755:
748:
740:
721:
714:
708:
707:
635:
628:
621:
614:
584:Henry Thrale
569:John Hawkins
437:
409:
403:
357:
351:
334:
316:
298:
285:
277:
263:
257:
244:
238:
235:
222:
210:
202:Isle of Skye
198:
172:
145:
100:Inch Kenneth
49:
32:(1775) is a
28:
27:
26:
743:translation
637:The Rambler
384:|work=
152:slave-ships
116:Loch Lomond
890:Categories
498:Early life
343:References
148:privateers
132:Auchinleck
68:St Andrews
66:, then to
852:Portraits
834:Thraliana
655:criticism
630:The Idler
386:ignored (
376:cite book
184:Edinburgh
120:Dumbarton
76:Inverness
60:Edinburgh
921:Hebrides
877:Category
784:accounts
518:The Club
443:LibriVox
329:See also
142:Scotland
136:Hamilton
112:Inverary
72:Aberdeen
42:Hebrides
741:Messiah
254:Sources
230:bagpipe
128:Loudoun
124:Glasgow
749:London
547:People
503:Health
364:
270:
228:, and
190:jurist
108:Argyll
102:, and
88:Raasay
78:, and
756:Irene
599:Hodge
168:skalk
395:link
388:help
362:ISBN
268:ISBN
226:kilt
150:and
104:Iona
96:Mull
92:Coll
84:Skye
303:at
243:'s
178:at
36:by
892::
380::
378:}}
374:{{
314:.
196:.
130:,
126:,
122:,
118:,
114:,
98:,
94:,
90:,
86:,
74:,
70:,
471:e
464:t
457:v
397:)
390:)
370:.
324:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.