and the eager young traveller, who was at last on the wing. That Boswell undertook to collect materials for an intimate sketch of the Earl Marischal is certain. He promised Rousseau that, on his return from Corsica, he would show him a "portrait," that is, a character-sketch, with anecdotes and reminiscences of the Earl Marischal, who was now old and likely soon to pass away. One anecdote recorded in the Commonplace Book takes us far back, to the days of the Old Pretender and the uprising of 1715, when Lord Keith was an officer of cavalry.

In the year 1715, Lord Marischal observed a Highlander crying, and looking at the poor fellow, he observed he had no shoes. He sent one to him, who spoke Erse, and bid him not to be cast down, for he should have shoes. "Sir," said the Highlander, "I want no shoes; I am crying to see a Macdonald retire from his enemy.

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As for the Earl, he was amazed at his new friend, who confided to him the most remarkable notions. Some months later he wrote to Rousseau, "Boswell is a very fine fellow, but full of hypochondriac and visionary ideas. He has often seen spirits. I do hope that he will not fall into the hands of people who will turn his head completely."

The little party reached Berlin on July 7, and

two days later Boswell wrote to Mademoiselle de Zuylen in Utrecht :

I have had a most agreeable journey. My Lord Marischal was most entertaining company, and the Turkish lady talked extremely well when indolence did not keep her in silence. We were very happy at Brunswic. I have been only two days at Berlin. But I see that much happiness awaits me in this beautifull capital. The German formality and state pleases me much, for I am the true old Scots Baron.

In this short quotation there is much that is worthy of notice. The young Turkish lady, for example, seems to be inadequately described. She had no conversation. How, therefore, was a Boswell to record her adequately? She had, apparently, an Oriental indolence, but not the vivacity of Mademoiselle de Zuylen, to whom he was writing.

It would be interesting to know if Boswell saw, or tried to see, King Frederick. German princes he certainly did meet and converse with, as he was careful later to narrate. But he was soon to weary of German etiquette. As the young friend of the Earl Marischal, all doors were open to him, and he saw what there was to see. He went to Charlottenberg on the occasion of the betrothal of the Princess of Brunswick to the Prince of Prussia, but found nothing worthy of record except a mot of his own. He was presented to the British

envoy, Andrew Mitchell, in whose conversation, he avers, he found "uncommon pleasure." The envoy had, apparently, listened with patience to the young fellow, and then given him some good advice.

To Mitchell Boswell wrote a couple of letters which have been reprinted as often as any that he ever wrote. They have been laid under contribution by those who enjoy scolding at Boswell, for they are, indeed, very impudent letters. It had occurred to Boswell that he might "use" the British envoy. Might it not be possible to prevail on him to write to Lord Auchinleck and recommend that James be permitted to make the Italian tour? It was a peculiarly Boswellian scheme, of the sort which he had before this carried successfully into execution. Had not Sir David Dalrymple interceded with his father on the boy's behalf? And so he confided to Mitchell that the "words of the Apostle Paul, 'I must see Rome,' had been strongly borne in" upon his mind! He explained that he had passed a year in Utrecht, where he had recovered his "inclination for study and rational thinking." Now he is ready for his travels; but his father's views are unfortunately "entirely different": he thinks that James had better go back to Utrecht for another winter. Clearly it is not that the father merely objects to

the boy's absence from Scotland another year. Cannot Lord Auchinleck be made to realise that his son intends to travel through Italy, not as a "Mi Lord Anglois," but as a scholar and a 'man of elegant curiosity"? Surely, if Mr. Mitchell would be so kind as to explain to Lord Auchinleck, all would be well. "I would beg, Sir," he says, "that you may write to my father your opinion as to this matter, and put it in the light which you may think it deserves." The father had gone so far as to consent to a visit to Paris; surely, surely it is not beyond hope that he will consent to Italy also.

Can the reader believe that Mr. Mitchell was so hard-hearted as to decline this ingenuous request? It is the business of envoys to give cautious advice, and to avoid becoming a catspaw. Mitchell acted like a true envoy, and wrote to Boswell that he would do well to obey his father. Obviously. But the advice came too late. Lord Auchinleck had already yielded, and Boswell could not resist the temptation to triumph over the envoy :

You tell me gravely to follow the plan which my father prescribes, whatever it may be, as in doing so, I shall certainly act most wisely. I forgive you this; for I say just the same to young people whom I advise.

I have, however, the happiness to inform you that

my father has consented that I shall go to Italy.

He wrote this letter after he had left Germany. Five months had passed, and it was again the Christmas season. Our young traveller had "proceeded" as far as Geneva, and had, indeed, already met Rousseau. Life was opening up to him. Life is what you choose to make it. The world is one's oyster. As for the game which he had been playing with his father, it was now over, and youth had won. Those who have not forgotten their own youth may be able to pardon the boy for obviously, and a little impudently, relishing his triumph.