THE JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES, WITH SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D. BY JAMES BOSWELL, Esq. CONTAINING Some Poetical Pieces by Dr. Johnson, relative to the Tour, and never before published ; A Series of his Conversation, Literary Anecdotes, and Opinions of Men and Books: WITH AN AUTHENTICK ACCOUNT OF The Distresses and Escape of the Grandson of King THE FOURTH EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED. PRINTED FOR T. CADELL, AND W. DAVIES, STRAND. DEDICATION. то EDMOND MALONE, Esq. MY DEAR SIR, IN every narrative, whether historical or biographical, authenticity is of the utmost Of this I have ever been so consequence. firmly persuaded, that I inscribed a former work to that person who was the best judge of its truth. I need not tell you I mean General Paoli; who, after his great, though unsuccessful, efforts to preserve the liberties of his country, has found an honourable asylum in Britain, where he has now lived many years the object of Royal regard and b private respect; and whom I cannot name without expressing my very grateful sense of the uniform kindness which he has been pleased to shew me. The friends of Doctor Johnson can best judge, from internal evidence, whether the numerous conversations which form the most valuable part of the ensuing pages, are correctly related. To them, therefore, I wish to appeal, for the accuracy of the portrait here exhibited to the world. As one of those who were intimately acquainted with him, you have a title to this address. You have obligingly taken the trouble to peruse the original manuscript of this Tour, and can vouch for the strict fidelity of the present publication. Your literary alliance with our much lamented friend, in consequence of having undertaken to render one of his labours more complete, by your edition of Shakspeare, a work which I am confident will not disappoint the expectations of the publick, gives you another claim. But I have a still more powerful in |