Andrew's, attempting to dissuade her,
attended on her journey; and when they came to the irremeable
stream[1] that separated the two kingdoms, walked by her side into
the water, in the middle of which he seized her bridle, and with
earnestness proportioned to her danger and his own affection pressed
her to return. The Queen went forward.--If the parallel reaches thus
far, may it go no farther.--The tears stand in my eyes.
"I am going into Derbyshire, and hope to be followed by your good
wishes, for I am, with great affection,
"Your, &c.
"Any letters that come for me hither will be sent me."
[Footnote 1: Queen Mary left the Scottish for the English coast, on
the Firth of Solway, in a fishing-boat. The incident to which Johnson
alludes is introduced in "The Abbot;" where the scene is laid on the
sea-shore. The unusual though expressive term "irremeable," is
defined in his dictionary, "admitting no return." His authority is
Dryden's Virgil:
"The keeper dream'd, the chief without delay
Pass'd on, and took th' irremeable way."
The word is a Latin one anglicised:
"Evaditque celer ripam irremeabilis undae."]
In a memorandum on this letter, she says:--"I wrote him (No. 6) a
very kind and affectionate farewell."
Before calling attention to the results of this correspondence, I
must notice a charge built upon it by the reviewer, with the
respectable aid of the foul-mouthed and malignant Baretti:
"This letter is now printed for the first time by Mr.
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