Page:The Works of Samuel Johnson ... A journey to the Hebrides. The vision of Theodore, the hermit of Teneriffe. The fountains. Prayers and meditations. Sermons.v. 10-11. Parliamentary debates.pdf/15

 PREFATORY OBSERVATIONS

TO THE

JOURNEY TO THE HEBRIDES.

The Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland was first published in the year 1775. Johnson had conceived in early life a desire to visit those romantic and remote retreats, and he was, at an advanced age, enabled to gratify the wish of his childhood, in company with Mr. Boswell, in the autumn of 1773. The first impulse was given to his mind by his father's putting into his hands Martin's Voyage to St. Kilda: and we have elsewhere had occasion to remark his early fondness for books of adventurous travels.

The brief history which he has given of his little tour, is stamped with the impress of his powerful mind; and abounding with useful information, judicious remark, and well-drawn description, must be interesting to every reader whose taste has not been vitiated by the verbose and out-spun style of modern travel-writing. The man must be blinded by prejudice who decries the merits of Johnson's narrative, because he faithfully records what he really saw, and planted no waving and imaginary forests on naked and dreary heaths, nor professed to have found pastoral simplicity and innocence amidst the dark rocks and squalid cabins which he successively visited.

He travelled as he wrote, and read and conversed with utility in his view, for an increase of knowledge in life and manners.