A Diary of a Journey Into North Wales, in the Year 1774

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PREFACE: To publish whatever has fallen from the pen of a celebrated author, has been reckoned among the vices of our time but those who admire great or extraordinary qualities, have also a desire to know the individual to whom they belong, and to have his likeness, and his portrait, as if he were one of ourselves. This Journal of - Dr. Johnson exhibits his mind when he was alone, when no one was looking on, and when no one was expected to adopt his thoughts, or to be influenced by them in this respect, it differs from the conversations and anecdotes already pub lished it has also another value, highly interesting, it shews how his mind was influenced by the impression of external things, and in what way he recorded those facts, which he laid up for future reflection. His Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, was probably composed from a diary not more ample for of that work he says, I deal more in notions than in facts and this is the general character of his mind though when Boswell expressed a fear, lest his journal should be encumbered with too many minute particulars, he said, There is nothing, sir, too little for so little a creature as man. It is by study ing little things, that we attain the great art of having as little misery, and as much happiness, as possible. Dr. Johnson commenced his journey into Wales, July 5, 1774, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Thrule, and their daughter, now Ladv Keith, and returned August Q5. On the same morning that he left Streatham, he wrote a letter to his friend, Bennet Langton, in which he informs him of this excursion, and of the state of his health. S - I have just begun to print my Journey to the Hebrides, and am leaving the press, to take another journey into Wales, whither Mr. Thrale is going, to take possesion of at least five hundred a year, fallen to his lady. I have never recovered from the last dreadful illness, but flatter myself that I grow better much, however, yet remains to mend. , In the prosecution of this tour, whatever was his own gratification or disappointment, he appears but little to hare gratified the curiosity of others for Boswell sags, I do not find that be kept any journal, or cotes af what he saw in his tour in TJTales. All that I heard him say of it was, that instead of bleak and barren mountains, there were green and fertile ones and that one of the castles in l Tales would contain all the castles that he had seen in Scotland...