'My dear son, farewell!' My friend was much pleased with this
day's entertainment, and owned that I had done well to force him out."

*****

"At Sir Alexander Dick's, from that absence of mind to which every man
is at times subject, I told, in a blundering manner, Lady Eglintoune's
complimentary adoption of Dr. Johnson as her son; for I unfortunately
stated that her ladyship adopted him as her son, in consequence of her
having been married the year AFTER he was born. Dr. Johnson instantly
corrected me. 'Sir, don't you perceive that you are defaming the
Countess? For, supposing me to be her son, and that she was not married
till the year after my birth, I must have been her NATURAL son.' A young
lady of quality who was present very handsomely said, 'Might not the
son have justified the fault?' My friend was much flattered by this
compliment, which he never forgot. When in more than ordinary spirits,
and talking of his journey in Scotland, he has called to me, 'Boswell,
what was it that the young lady of quality said of me at Sir Alexander
Dick's?' Nobody will doubt that I was happy in repeating it."

Note 5.--EARL OF WINTON.

The incident here alluded to is thus narrated in Nichols' Progresses of
James I., Vol.III. p.306:--

"The family" (of Winton) "owed its first elevation to the union of Sir
Christopher Seton with a sister of King Robert Bruce. With King James
VI. they acquired great favour, who, having created his brother Earl of
Dunfermline in 1599, made Robert, seventh Lord Seton, Earl of Winton in
1600. Before the King's accession to the English throne, his Majesty
and the Queen were frequently at Seton, where the Earl kept a very
hospitable table, at which all foreigners of quality were entertained on
their visits to Scotland. His Lordship died in 1603, and was buried on
the 5th of April, on the very day the King left Edinburgh for England.
His Majesty, we are told, was pleased to rest himself at the south-west
round of the orchard of Seton, on the highway, till the funeral was
over, that he might not withdraw the noble company; and he said that he
had lost a good, faithful, and loyal subject."--NICHOLS' PROGRESSES OF
K. JAMES I., VOL.III. p.306.

Note 6.--MACGREGOR OF GLENSTRAE.

"The 2 of Octr: (1603) Allaster MacGregor of Glenstrae tane be the laird
Arkynles, bot escapit againe; bot after taken be the Earle of Argyll the
4 of Januarii, and brought to Edr: the 9 of Januar: 1604, wt: 18 mae
of hes fr