Lodging at M'Queen's, from Boswell's Tour of the Hebrides 1786

This print was made by Thomas Rowlandson, probably in the late 1780s or 90s, after the publication of Samuel Boswell’s popular account of his tour of Scotland with Samuel Johnson. The image is a satire that comments on the experience of travel and lodging in the more remote parts of Britain at that time. It makes a contrast between the relative wealth and social status of the tourists and the poverty of those among whom they briefly find themselves. Note the primitive conditions of the room, the curtain rigged up for privacy, the animals that share their space. Rowlandson’s print also pokes fun at the self-importance of Boswell and Johnson as they venture into a different culture. It is part of a rich tradition of visual satire in Britain, much of which was circulated in the form of prints. These prints can tell us a lot about the social and cultural life of the period, if we take the time to explore them. Researching the lives of Rowlandson and Boswell, as well as the social history of tourism, will certainly enrich our understanding of this picture.