Grampian Club > Boswelliana

210 BOSWELLIANA.
" Boswell was praising the English highly, and saying they
were a fine open people. ' Oh, ,' said Macpherson, * an
open people ! their mouths, indeed, are open to gluttony to fill
their belly, but I know of no other openness they have.' "
I was present.
" Boswell was telling Mr. Samuel Johnson how Macpherson
railed at all established systems. ' So would he tumble in a
hog-stye,' said Mr. Johnson, ' as long as you look at him and
cry to him to come out ; but let him alone, never mind him,
and he'll soon give it over.' "
" Hall,* the author of ' Crazy Tales,' said he could not bear
David Hume for being such a monarchical dog. ' Is it not
fear
shocking,' said he, ' that a fellow who does not believe in God,
fear
should believe in a king ? ' " Me. DEMPSTER.f
" Mr. Samuel Johnson, after being acquainted with Lord
Chesterfield, said, ' I see now what this man is. I thought he
had been a lord among wits, but 1 find he is only a wit
among lords.'" Doctor EoBERTSON.t
* John Hall-Stevenson was a relative of Laurence Sterne, and the
"Eugenius" of his "Tristram Shandy." His " Crazy Tales," which
appeared anonymously in 1762, are described by Sir Walter Scott as
" witty and indecent." Bishop Warburton describes Hall- Stevenson
as "a monster of impiety and lewdness." He died in 1785. He
is noticed Lu Dr. Alexander Carlyle's Autobiography,
t George Dempster, M.P. (See supra, pp. 32 — 34.)
X Dr. WiUiam Robertson, the historian, was son of a Scottish
clergyman, and claimed descent from the Robertsons of Struan, an
important family in the Highlands. Born in 1721, he was appointed
minister of Gladsmuir in 1743 ; he was translated to one of the city
churches of Edinburgh in 1758, and three years afterwards was
appointed Principal of the University. He became historiographer
royal for Scotland, and received other offices attended with honours
and emoluments. His "History of Scotland during the Reigns of Mary