her house that night. He introduced to us Mr. Campbell, the Duke
of Argyle's factor in Tyr-yi. He was a genteel, agreeable man. He was
going to Inverary, and promised to put letters into the post-office for
us[847]. I now found that Dr. Johnson's desire to get on the main land,
arose from his anxiety to have an opportunity of conveying letters to
his friends.

After dinner, we proceeded to Dr. M'Lean's, which was about a mile from
our inn. He was not at home, but we were received by his lady and
daughter, who entertained us so well, that Dr. Johnson seemed quite
happy. When we had supped, he asked me to give him some paper to write
letters. I begged he would write short ones, and not _expatiate_, as we
ought to set off early. He was irritated by this, and said, 'What must
be done; must be done: the thing is past a joke.' 'Nay, Sir, (said I,)
write as much as you please; but do not blame me, if we are kept six
days before we get to the main land. You were very impatient in the
morning: but no sooner do you find yourself in good quarters, than you
forget that you are to move.' I got him paper enough, and we parted in
good humour.

Let me now recollect whatever particulars I have omitted. In the morning
I said to him, before we landed at Tobermorie, 'We shall see Dr. M'Lean,
who has written _The History of the M'Leans'_. JOHNSON. 'I have no great
patience to stay to hear the history of the M'Leans. I would rather hear
the History of the Thrales.' When on Mull, I said, 'Well, Sir, this is
the fourth of the Hebrides that we have been upon.' JOHNSON. 'Nay, we
cannot boast of the number we have seen. We thought we should see many
more. We thought of sailing about easily from island to island; and so
we should, had we come at a better season[848]; but we, being wise men,
thought it would be summer all the year where _we_ were. However, Sir,
we have seen enough to give us a pretty good notion of the system of
insular life.'

Let me not forget, that he sometimes amused himself with very slight
reading; from which, however, his conversation shewed that he contrived
to extract some benefit. At Captain M'Lean's he read a good deal in _The
Charmer_, a collection of songs[849].

We this morning found that we could not proceed, there being a violent
storm of wind and rain, and the rivers being impassable. When I
expressed my discontent at our confinement, Dr. Johnson said, 'Now that
I have had an opportunity of writing to the main