He had kept an exact account
of all that had been laid out on his education, and he came to his
lordship one day, and told him that he had arrived at a much higher
situation than ever he expected; that he was now able to repay what his
lordship had advanced, and begged he would accept of it. The earl was
pleased with the generous gratitude and genteel offer of the man; but
refused it. Mr. Boyd also told us, Cumming the Quaker first began to
distinguish himself by writing against Dr. Leechman on Prayer[309], to
prove it unnecessary, as GOD knows best what should be, and will order
it without our asking:--the old hackneyed objection.
When we returned to the house we found coffee and tea in the
drawing-room. Lady Errol was not there, being, as I supposed, engaged
with her young family. There is a bow-window fronting the sea. Dr.
Johnson repeated the ode, _Jam satis terris_[310], while Mr. Boyd was
with his patients. He spoke well in favour of entails[311], to preserve
lines of men whom mankind are accustomed to reverence. His opinion was
that so much land should be entailed as that families should never fall
into contempt, and as much left free as to give them all the advantages
of property in case of any emergency. 'If (said he,) the nobility are
suffered to sink into indigence[312], they of course become corrupt;
they are ready to do whatever the king chooses; therefore it is fit they
should be kept from becoming poor, unless it is fixed that when they
fall below a certain standard of wealth they shall lose their
peerages[313].
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