beautiful Queen Mary, whose name is upon the fort, to think of what
Virgil makes Aeneas say, on having left the country of his charming
Dido:

Invitus, regina, tuo de littare cessi. [Footnote: Unhappy queen!
Unwilling I forsook your friendly state. DRYDEN]

'Very well hit off!' said he.

We dined at Kinghorn, and then got into a post-chaise. Mr Nairne and
his servant, and Joseph, rode by us. We stopped at Cupar, and drank
tea. We talked of Parliament; and I said, I supposed very few of the
members knew much of what was going on, as indeed very few gentlemen
know much of their own private affairs. JOHNSON. 'Why, sir, if a man
is not of a sluggish mind, he may be his own steward. If he will look
into his affairs, he will soon learn. So it is as to publick affairs.
There must always be a certain number of men of business in
Parliament.' BOSWELL. 'But consider, sir; what is the House of
Commons? Is not a great part of it chosen by peers? Do you think, sir,
they ought to have such an influence?' JOHNSON. 'Yes, sir. Influence
must ever be in proportion to property; and it is right it should.'
BOSWELL. 'But is there not reason to fear that the common people may
be oppressed?' JOHNSON. 'No, sir. Our great fear is from want of power
in government. Such a storm of vulgar force has broke in.' BOSWELL.
'It has only roared.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, it has roared, till the Judges in
Westminster Hall have been afraid to pronounce sentence in opposition
to the popular cry. You are frightened by what is no longer dangerous,
like Presbyterians by popery.' He then repeated a passage, I think, in
Butler's Remains, which ends, 'and would cry, Fire! Fire! in Noah's
flood'. [Footnote: The passage quoted by Dr Johnson is in the