from the Nero to the Old Institutes, at the end_.

It is to be feared, that the diploma of Doctor of Laws, which was sent
to Johnson in the same year (1775), at the recommendation of Lord North,
at that time Chancellor of the University, and Prime Minister, was in
some measure intended to be the reward of his obsequiousness. In this
instrument, he is called, with an hyperbole of praise which the
University would perhaps now he more cautious of applying to any
individual, "In Literarum Republica Princeps jam et Primarius."

He had long meditated a visit to Scotland, in the company of Boswell,
and was, at length (in 1773), prevailed on to set out. Where he went,
and what he saw and heard, is sufficiently known by the relation which
he gave the world next year, in his Journey to the Western Islands of
Scotland, and in his letters to Mrs. Thrale. It cannot be said of him,
as he has said of Gray, that whoever reads his narrative wishes that to
travel and to tell his travels had been more of his employment. He seems
to have proceeded on his way, with the view of finding something at
every turn, on which to exercise his powers of argument or of raillery.
His mind is scarcely ever passive to the objects it encounters, but
shapes them to his own moods. After we lay down his book, little
impression is left of the places through which he has passed, and a
strong one of his own character. With his fellow-traveller, though
kindness sometimes made him over-officious, he was so well pleased, as
to project a voyage up the Baltic, and a visit to the northern countries
of Europe, in his society. He had before indulged himself with a
visionary scheme of sailing to Iceland, with his friend Bathurst. In
1774, he went with the Thrales to the extremity of North Wales. A few
trifling memoranda of this journey, which were found among his papers,
have been lately published; but, as he wrote to Boswell, he found the