Godolphin had given underhand directions to ‘hinder the declaring the succession, and that the secret of this was trusted to Johnston, who, they said, talked openly one way and acted secretly another,’ affirmed that he ‘could never see a colour of truth in these reports’ (ib. p. 764). Be this as it may, Johnston was, along with Tweeddale, dismissed from office in the following year, the result being the formation of the squadrone volante party, of which Johnston, though resident in London, continued to be one of the leaders and advisers.
Soon afterwards, however, Johnston gradually ceased to be a prominent figure in Scottish politics. In 1702 he had obtained a lease of Orleans House, Twickenham, where ‘he amused himself with planting and gardening, in which he was reckoned to have a very good taste’ (Abstract in Carstares, State Papers, p. 93). But ‘being naturally active and restless in his temper, he made frequent journeys into different kingdoms. He went several times to Hanover when George I was there, and often conversed with him very familiarly’ (ib.) Macky, in his ‘Tour through England’ (2nd ed. i. 63–4), said: ‘He has the best collection of fruit of all sorts of most gentlemen in England. His slopes for his vines, of which he makes some hogsheads a year, are very particular, and Dr. Bradley, of the Royal Society, who hath wrote so much upon gardening, ranks him among the first-rate gardeners in England.’ Pope's lines,
And Twick'nham such, which fairer scenes enrich,
Grots, statues, urns, and J——n's dog and bitch,
refer to the sculptured figures of a dog and bitch on each side of the lawn, subsequently covered with ivy. Johnston built an octagon room at the end of the house specially for the reception and entertainment of Queen Caroline, with whom ‘he was a great favourite,’ and who ‘was much entertained by his humour and pleasantry’ (Carstares, p. 93). He died at Bath in May 1737, at the age of eighty-two. The ‘London Magazine’ gives his age erroneously as ninety-five, and the ‘Historical Register’ as ninety-three. He was buried on the 11th of the month at Twickenham. Macky, who (in 1704) described Johnston as a ‘tall, fair man, and towards fifty years old,’ calls him very honest, and, though ‘too credulous and suspicious,’ one who would not tell a lie for the world. Swift's annotation is a ‘treacherous knave,’ and ‘one of the greatest knaves, even in Scotland.’ Lockhart, of course, thought him a ‘vile and execrable wretch,’ though admitting his shrewdness (Papers, p. 96).
[Burnet's Own Time; Luttrell's Brief Hist. Relation; Macky's Memoirs; Lockhart Papers; Pope's Works; Wodrow's Correspondence; the Rev. R. S. Cobbett's Memorials of Twickenham; Historical Register, vol. xvii.; Macaulay's Hist. of England; London Magazine, vol. vi. Many of Johnston's letters are in Jerviswoode Correspondence (Bannatyne Club) and Carstares's State Papers.]
JOHNSTON, JAMES FINLAY WEIR (1796–1855), chemist, was born at Paisley on 13 Sept. 1796. He received a scanty education, but managed to study privately. Having entered the university of Glasgow, he supported himself during the course by private tuition, and proceeded M.A. In 1825 he opened a school at Durham, and in 1830, after making a wealthy marriage, visited Switzerland to study chemistry under Berzelius. Upon the foundation of Durham University in 1833 the readership in chemistry and mineralogy was bestowed on Johnston, and he retained the appointment until his death. Except during term time, however he continued to reside in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh; and in 1843 he was elected chemist to the Agricultural Society of Scotland. When that society dissolved he made Durham his home. Johnston travelled frequently on the continent, and visited North America from August 1849 to April 1850, making valuable observations on agriculture. He died at Durham, soon after returning from the continent, on 18 Sept. 1855. He was fellow of the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh and other learned bodies, English and foreign.
Johnston successfully sought to give recent scientific discovery a practical application to agriculture and manufactures. Most of his numerous writings attained great popularity. His ‘Catechism of Agricultural Chemistry and Geology,’ 8vo, Edinburgh, 1844, went through thirty-three editions in his lifetime. It was translated into nearly every European language, and was taught in continental and American schools. His last and best work, ‘The Chemistry of Common Life,’ 2 vols. 8vo, Edinburgh (1853–5), was revised and continued by G. H. Lewes in 1859, and by Professor A. H. Church in 1879.
He wrote also: 1. ‘ Chemical Tables,’ pt. i., printed for the British Association, Edinburgh, 4to, 1836. 2. ‘The Economy of a Coal-Field: an exposition of the objects of the Geological and Polytechnic Society of the West Riding of Yorkshire,’ 8vo, Durham, 1838. 3. ‘Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry and Geology,’ 8vo, Edinburgh, 1841–4; 2nd edit. 1847. 4. ‘“What can be
