SOME EARLY BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS. 175 



of the Royal Society, who raised his natural curiosity 

 to survey the isles of Scotland more exactly than any 

 other ";.... Martin took his degree of M.A. at the 

 University of Edinburgh in 1681, and subscribed his 

 name to the customary oath as " Martinus Martin," 

 and he seems to have died in 1719. In addition to his 

 voyage to St. Kilda, Martin also published a more 

 extensive work entitled " A Description of the Western 

 Islands of Scotland," London, 1703, 1 vol., 8vo, which 

 contains several short notices of the birds of the different 

 islands. This book the great Dr. Johnson had studied 

 before he made his tour to the Hebrides with the faithful 

 Boswell in 1773. There is a copy of this work in the 

 Advocates' Library,* on the title page of which is 

 endorsed the following : — 



" This very book accompanied Mr. Samuel Johnson 

 and me in our Tour to the Hebrides in Autumn, 1773. 

 Mr. Johnson told me that he had read Martin when he 

 was very young. Martin was a native of the Isle of 

 Sky, where a number of his relations still remain. His 

 book is a very imperfect performance ; and he is erroneous 

 as to many particulars, even some concerning his own 

 island. Yet as it is the only Book upon the subject 

 it is very generally known. I have seen a second edition 

 of it. I cannot but have a kindness for him notwith- 

 standing his defects. 

 16 April, 1774. James Boswell." 



In Boswell's " Life of Johnson " we are told that the 

 " great lexicographer " was at first pleased to approve 

 of Martin's work, but that afterwards he changed his 

 opinion and hurled at the unfortunate author one of his 

 ponderous bolts : " No man now writes so ill as Martin's 

 ' Account of the Hebrides ' is written. A man could not 

 write so ill, if he should try." Though surely poor 

 Martin had done his best to disarm hostile criticism by 

 informing us in his Preface that : — 



" This (i.e., " The Natural History of 'em ") I had a 



* Cf. Seton's " St. Kilda,'' p. 18. 



