ound it had been made the
subject of serious criticism and ludicrous banter. But his one object,
as he tells 'serious criticks,' has been to delineate Johnson's
character, and for this purpose he appeals from Philip drunk to Philip
sober, and to the approbation of the discerning reader. Later on, he has
laid the flattering unction to his heart, and has extracted comfort
from the soul of things evil. He felt comfortable, and 'I then thought
that my last night's riot was no more than such a social excess as may
happen without much moral blame; and recollected that some physicians
maintained, that a fever produced by it was, upon the whole, good for
health: so different are our reflections on the same subject, at
different periods; and such the excuses with which we palliate what we
know to be wrong.'

Leaving Skye, they ran before the wind to Col.

'It was very dark, and there was a heavy and incessant rain.
The sparks of the burning peat flew so much about, that I
dreaded the vessel might take fire. Then as _Col_ was a
sportsman, and had powder on board, I figured that we might be
blown up. Our vessel often lay so much on one side, that I
trembled lest she should be overset, and indeed they told me
afterwards that they had run her sometimes to within an inch of
the water, so anxious were they to make what haste they could
before the night should be worse. I now saw what I never saw
before, a prodigious sea, with immense billows coming upon a
vessel, so that it seemed hardly possible to escape. I am glad
I have seen it once. I endeavoured to compose my mind; when I
thought of those who were dearest to me, and would suffer
severely, should I be lost, I upbraided myself. Piety afforded
me comfort; yet I was disturbed by the objections that have
been made against a particular providence, and by the arguments
of those who maintain that it is in vain to hope that the
petitions of an individual, or even of congregations, can have
any influence with the Deity. I asked _Col_ with much
earnestness what I could do. He with a happy readiness put into
my hand a rope, which was fixed to the top of one of the masts,
and told me to hold it till he bade me pull. If I had
considered the matter, I might have seen that this could not be
of the slightest service; but his object was to keep me out of
the way.... Thus did I stand firm to my p