[1253] The northern bard mentioned page 421. When I asked Dr. Johnson's permission to introduce him, he obligingly agreed; adding, however, with a sly pleasantry, 'but he must give us none of his poetry.' It is remarkable that Johnson and Churchill, however much they differed in other points, agreed on this subject. See Churchill's Journey.
['Under dark Allegory's flimsy veil
Let Them with Ogilvie spin out a tale
Of rueful length,'
Churchill's Poems, ii. 329.]
It is, however, but justice to Dr. Ogilvie to observe, that his Day of
Judgement has no inconsiderable share of merit. BOSWELL.
[1254] 'Johnson said:—"Goldsmith should not be for ever attempting to shine in conversation."' Post, April 27, 1773. See also post, May 7, 1773.
[1255] Fifteen years later Lord George Germaine, Secretary of State, asserted in a debate 'that the King "was his own Minister," which Charles Fox took up admirably, lamenting that His Majesty "was his own unadvised Minister."' Walpole's Journal of the Reign of George III, ii. 314.
[1256] 'The general story of mankind will evince that lawful and settled authority is very seldom resisted when it is well employed…. Men are easily kept obedient to those who have temporal dominion in their hands, till their veneration is dissipated by such wickedness and folly as can neither be defended nor concealed.' The Rambler, No. 50. See post, March 31, 1772.
[1257] 'It is natural to believe … that no writer has a more easy task than the historian. The philosopher has the works of omniscience to examine…. The poet trusts to his invention…. But the happy historian has no other labour than of gathering what tradition pours down before him, or records treasure for his use.' The Rambler, No. 122.
[1258] See Boswell's Hebrides, Aug. 21, 1773.
[1259] 'Arbuthnot was a man of great comprehension, skilful in his profession, versed in the sciences, acquainted with ancient literature, and able to animate his mass of knowledge by a bright and active imagination; a scholar with great brilliancy of wit; a wit, who in the crowd of life retained and discovered a noble ardour of religious zeal.' Johnson's Works, viii. 296.
[1260] Goldsmith wrote from Edinburgh in 1753:—'Shall I tire you with a description of this unfruitful country, where I must lead you over their hills all brown with heath, or their vallies scarce able to feed a rabbit? Man alone seems to be the only creature who has arrived to the natural size in this poor soil. Every part of the country presents the same dismal landscape.' Forster's Goldsmith, i. 433.