Then,Sir,theyhavenotthatextremenationalitywhichwefindintheScotch。Iwilldoyou,Boswell,thejusticetosay,thatyouarethemostUNSCOTTIFIEDofyourcountrymen。YouarealmosttheonlyinstanceofaScotchmanthatIhaveknown,whodidnotateveryothersentencebringinsomeotherScotchman。’
PartThree
OnFriday,May7,IbreakfastedwithhimatMr。Thrale’sintheBorough。Whilewewerealone,IendeavouredaswellasIcouldtoapologiseforaladywhohadbeendivorcedfromherhusbandbyactofParliament。Isaid,thathehadusedherveryill,hadbehavedbrutallytoher,andthatshecouldnotcontinuetolivewithhimwithouthavingherdelicacycontaminated;thatallaffectionforhimwasthusdestroyed;thattheessenceofconjugalunionbeinggone,thereremainedonlyacoldform,amerecivilobligation;
thatshewasintheprimeoflife,withqualitiestoproducehappiness;thattheseoughtnottobelost;and,thatthegentlemanonwhoseaccountshewasdivorcedhadgainedherheartwhilethusunhappilysituated。Seduced,perhaps,bythecharmsoftheladyinquestion,IthusattemptedtopalliatewhatIwassensiblecouldnotbejustified;forwhenIhadfinishedmyharangue,myvenerablefriendgavemeapropercheck:’MydearSir,neveraccustomyourmindtominglevirtueandvice。Thewoman’sawhore,andthere’sanendon’t。’
Hedescribedthefatherofoneofhisfriendsthus:’Sir,hewassoexuberantatalkeratpublickmeeting,thatthegentlemenofhiscountywereafraidofhim。Nobusinesscouldbedoneforhisdeclamation。’