Johnsonia
I don't know why this amuses me, but I thought I'd share it with you anyway:
'When we had advanced a good way by the side of Lochness, I perceived a little hut, with an old-looking woman at the door of it. I thought here might be a scene hat would amuse Dr Johnson; so I mentioned it to him. 'Let's go in,' said he. We dismounted, and we and our guides entered the hut. It was a wretched little hovel of earth only, I think, and for a window had only a small jole, which was stopped with a piece of turf, that was taken out occasionally to let in light. In the middle of the room or space which we entered, was a fire of peat, the smoke going out at a hole in the roof. She had a pot upon it, with goat's flesh, boiling. There was at one end under the same roof, but divided by a kind of partition made of wattles, a pen or fold in which we saw a good many kids.
'Dr Johnson was curious to know where she slept. I asked one of the guides, who questioned her in Erse. She answered with a tone if emotion, saying, (as he told us) she was afraid we wanted to go to bed with her. This coquetry, or whatever it may be called, of so wretched a being, was truly ludicrous. Dr Johnson and I afterwards were merry upon it. I said, it was he who alarmed the poor woman's virtue. 'No, sir, (said he) she'll say "there came a wicked young fellow, a wild dog, wh I believe would have ravished me, had there not been with him a grave old gentleman, who repressed him: but when he gets out of the sight of his tutor, I'll warrant you he'll spare no woman he meets, young or old"'. 'No, sir (I replied), she'll say "There was a terrible old ruffian who would have forced me, had it not been for a civil decent young man who, I take it, was an angel sent from heaven to protect me"'.
(from 'The Journey of a Tour to the Hebrides', James Boswell)
I am off now for a tour of Northumberland; I return in 10 days time. Hugs to all :)
'When we had advanced a good way by the side of Lochness, I perceived a little hut, with an old-looking woman at the door of it. I thought here might be a scene hat would amuse Dr Johnson; so I mentioned it to him. 'Let's go in,' said he. We dismounted, and we and our guides entered the hut. It was a wretched little hovel of earth only, I think, and for a window had only a small jole, which was stopped with a piece of turf, that was taken out occasionally to let in light. In the middle of the room or space which we entered, was a fire of peat, the smoke going out at a hole in the roof. She had a pot upon it, with goat's flesh, boiling. There was at one end under the same roof, but divided by a kind of partition made of wattles, a pen or fold in which we saw a good many kids.
'Dr Johnson was curious to know where she slept. I asked one of the guides, who questioned her in Erse. She answered with a tone if emotion, saying, (as he told us) she was afraid we wanted to go to bed with her. This coquetry, or whatever it may be called, of so wretched a being, was truly ludicrous. Dr Johnson and I afterwards were merry upon it. I said, it was he who alarmed the poor woman's virtue. 'No, sir, (said he) she'll say "there came a wicked young fellow, a wild dog, wh I believe would have ravished me, had there not been with him a grave old gentleman, who repressed him: but when he gets out of the sight of his tutor, I'll warrant you he'll spare no woman he meets, young or old"'. 'No, sir (I replied), she'll say "There was a terrible old ruffian who would have forced me, had it not been for a civil decent young man who, I take it, was an angel sent from heaven to protect me"'.
(from 'The Journey of a Tour to the Hebrides', James Boswell)
I am off now for a tour of Northumberland; I return in 10 days time. Hugs to all :)