We cheerfully agreed.
Mr. Boyd was engaged, in 1745-6, on the same side with many unfortunate
mistaken noblemen and gentlemen. He escaped, and lay concealed for a
year in the island of Arran, the ancient territory of the Boyds. He then
went to France, and was about twenty years on the continent. He married
a French Lady, and now lived very comfortably at Aberdeen, and was much
at Slains castle. He entertained us with great civility. He had a
pompousness or formal plenitude in his conversation, which I did not
dislike. Dr. Johnson said, 'there was too much elaboration in his talk.'
It gave me pleasure to see him, a steady branch of the family, setting
forth all its advantages with much zeal. He told us that Lady Errol was
one of the most pious and sensible women in the island; had a good head,
and as good a heart. He said, she did not use force or fear in educating
her children. JOHNSON. 'Sir, she is wrong[307]; I would rather have the
rod to be the general terror to all, to make them learn, than tell a
child if you do thus or thus, you will be more esteemed than your
brothers or sisters. The rod produces an effect which terminates in
itself. A child is afraid of being whipped, and gets his task, and
there's an end on't; whereas, by exciting emulation, and comparisons of
superiority, you lay the foundation of lasting mischief; you make
brothers and sisters hate each other.
Pages:
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114