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James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 ( N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
. He is best known for his
biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...
of the English writer
Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
, ''
Life of Samuel Johnson ''The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.'' (1791) by James Boswell is a biography of English writer and literary critic Samuel Johnson. The work was from the beginning a universal critical and popular success, and represents a landmark in the devel ...
,'' which is commonly said to be the greatest biography written in the English language. A great mass of Boswell's diaries, letters, and private papers were recovered from the 1920s to the 1950s, and their publication by
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
has transformed his reputation.


Early life

Boswell was born in Blair's Land on the east side of Parliament Close behind
St Giles' Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral (), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; ...
in Edinburgh on 29 October 1740 ( N.S.). He was the eldest son of a judge,
Alexander Boswell, Lord Auchinleck Alexander Boswell, Lord Auchinleck, 8th Laird of Auchinleck (1706–1782) was a Scottish judge who served in the supreme courts of Scotland. He was the father of the author and biographer James Boswell, and grandfather of songwriter Sir Alexan ...
, and his wife Euphemia Erskine. As the eldest son, he was heir to his family's estate of
Auchinleck Auchinleck ( ; ;
) is a village southea ...
in
Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...
. Boswell's mother was a strict
Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
, and he felt that his father was cold to him. As a child, he was delicate.
Kay Jamison Kay Redfield Jamison (born June 22, 1946) is an American clinical psychologist and writer. Her work has centered on bipolar disorder, which she has had since her early adulthood. She holds the post of the Dalio Professor in Mood Disorders and Psy ...
, Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins, in her book ''Touched with Fire'', believes that Boswell may have suffered from
bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
, and this condition would afflict him sporadically all through his life. At the age of five, he was sent to
James Mundell James Mundell (died 1762) was a Scottish educator. He founded and ran the exclusive Mr Mundell's school in the West Bow of Edinburgh, from 1735 to 1762. He was uncle of Robert Mundell, rector of Wallace Hall, which adapted the teaching methods ...
's academy, an advanced institution by the standards of the time, where he was instructed in English,
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, writing and arithmetic. The eight-year-old Boswell was unhappy there, and suffered from nightmares and extreme shyness. Consequently, he was removed from the academy and educated by a string of private tutors. The most notable and supportive of these, John Dunn, exposed Boswell to modern literature, such as ''
The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British political and cultural news magazine. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving magazine in the world. ''The Spectator'' is politically conservative, and its principal subject a ...
'' essays, and religion. Dunn was also present during Boswell's serious affliction of 1752, when he was confined to the town of
Moffat Moffat is a burgh and parish in Dumfriesshire. Part of the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area in Scotland, it lies on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. It was a centre of the wool trade and a spa town. Moffat is arou ...
in northern Dumfriesshire. This afforded Boswell his first experience of genuine society. His recovery was rapid and complete, and Boswell may have decided that travel and entertainment exerted a calming therapeutic effect on him. At thirteen, Boswell was enrolled into the arts course at the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
, studying there from 1753 to 1758. Midway through his studies, he suffered an episode of serious depression but recovered fully. Boswell had swarthy skin, black hair and dark eyes; he was of average height, and he tended to plumpness. His appearance was said to be alert and masculine. Upon turning nineteen, he was sent to continue his studies at the
University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
, where he attended the lectures of
Adam Smith Adam Smith (baptised 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the field of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as the "father of economics"——— or ...
. While at Glasgow, Boswell decided to convert to Catholicism and become a
monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
. Upon learning of this, his father ordered him home. Instead of obeying, though, Boswell ran away to London, where he spent three months, living the life of a
libertine A libertine is a person questioning and challenging most moral principles, such as responsibility or Human sexual activity, sexual restraints, and will often declare these traits as unnecessary, undesirable or evil. A libertine is especially som ...
, before he was taken back to Scotland by his father. Upon returning, he was re-enrolled at Edinburgh University and forced by his father to sign away most of his inheritance in return for an allowance of £100 a year.


To London and Europe

On 30 July 1762, Boswell passed his oral law exam, after which his father decided to raise his allowance to £200 a year and permitted him to return to London. Boswell had started keeping a careful journal, written in full, and the volume covering this period was published in 1950 as the ''
London Journal James Boswell's ''London Journal'' is a published version of the daily journal he kept between the years 1762 and 1763 while in London. Along with many more of his private papers, it was found in the 1920s at Malahide Castle in Ireland, and w ...
''. On 16 May 1763, Boswell met Johnson for the first time. The pair became friends almost immediately, though Johnson became more of a parental figure in Boswell's eyes. In Boswell's ''Life of Johnson'', he records the first conversational exchange between himself and Johnson as follows:
oswell:"Mr Johnson, I do indeed come from Scotland, but I cannot help it."
ohnson:"That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help."
On 6 August, Boswell departed England for Europe, with the initial goal of continuing his law studies at
Utrecht University Utrecht University (UU; , formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public university, public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2023, it had an enrollment of ...
. He spent a year there and although desperately unhappy the first few months, eventually quite enjoyed his time in Utrecht. He mixed with prominent families, and pursued his studies industriously. Boswell admired the young widow
Geelvinck Geelvinck (" yellow finch") was a Dutch surname. The family died out in the early 19th century. Some notable members of the family include: * Jan Cornelis Geelvinck, the son of a merchant in beans and peas, and involved in the West India Company. ...
who refused to marry him. He befriended and fell in love with
Isabelle de Charrière Isabelle de Charrière (; ; 20 October 174027 December 1805), also known as Madame de Charrière and in the Netherlands as Belle van Zuylen (), was a Dutch and Swiss writer of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment who lived the latter h ...
, also known as Belle van Zuylen, a vivacious young Dutchwoman of unorthodox opinions, his social and intellectual superior. On 18 June 1764, Boswell set out from Utrecht by coach, and spent most of the next two years travelling around the continent, his Grand Tour. He travelled through Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Corsica and France. He arranged to meet European intellectuals
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Republic of Geneva, Genevan philosopher (''philosophes, philosophe''), writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment through ...
and
Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, philosopher (''philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit ...
with a
recommendation letter A letter of recommendation or recommendation letter, also known as a letter of reference, reference letter, or simply reference, is a document in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person being recomme ...
of Constant d'Hermenches, and made a pilgrimage to Rome, where his portrait was painted by George Willison. Boswell also travelled to
Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
and spent seven weeks there, meeting the Corsican resistance leader
Pasquale Paoli Filippo Antonio Pasquale de' Paoli (; or ; ; 6 April 1725 – 5 February 1807) was a Corsican patriot, statesman, and military leader who was at the forefront of resistance movements against the Republic of Genoa, Genoese and later Kingd ...
, and sending reports to London newspapers. His diaries and correspondence of this time have been compiled into two books, ''Boswell in Holland'' and ''Boswell on the Grand Tour''.


Mature life

Boswell returned to London in February 1766 accompanied by Rousseau's mistress
Thérèse Levasseur Marie-Thérèse Levasseur (; 21 September 1721 – 12 July 1801; also known as ''Thérèse Le Vasseur'', ''Lavasseur'') was the domestic partner, mistress, wife and widow of Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Biography Thérèse Le ...
, with whom he had a brief affair on the journey home. After spending a few weeks in the capital, he returned to Scotland, buying (or perhaps renting) the former house of
David Hume David Hume (; born David Home; – 25 August 1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist who was best known for his highly influential system of empiricism, philosophical scepticism and metaphysical naturalism. Beg ...
on James Court on the
Lawnmarket The Royal Mile () is the nickname of a series of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. The term originated in the early 20th century and has since entered popular usage. The Royal Mile runs between two ...
. He studied for his final law exam at
Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...
. He passed the exam and became an
advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. List of country legal systems, Different countries and legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a ba ...
. He practised the law in Edinburgh for over a decade, and most years spent his annual break in London, mingling with Johnson and many other London-based writers, editors, and printers, and furthering his literary ambitions. He contributed a great many items to newspapers and magazines, in London and Edinburgh. He found enjoyment in playing the intellectual rhyming game
crambo Crambo is a rhyming game which, according to Joseph Strutt, was played as early as the 14th century under the name of the ABC of Aristotle. It is also known as capping the rhyme. The name may also be used to describe a doggerel poem which exhaus ...
with his peers. In 1768 he published ''An account of Corsica, the journal of a tour to that island, and memoirs of Pascal Paoli.'' The book contained both a history and description of Corsica, as well as an account of his visit. Boswell was a major supporter of the
Corsican Republic The Corsican Republic () was a short-lived state on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. It was proclaimed in July 1755 by Pasquale Paoli, who was seeking independence from the Republic of Genoa. Paoli created the Corsican Constitutio ...
. Following the island's invasion by France in 1768, Boswell attempted to raise public awareness and rally support for the Corsicans. He sent arms and money to the Corsican fighters, who were ultimately defeated at the
Battle of Ponte Novu The Battle of Ponte Novu took place on May 8 and 9, 1769, between royal French forces under the Comte de Vaux, a seasoned professional soldier with an expert on mountain warfare on his staff, and the native Corsicans under Carlo Salicetti. I ...
in 1769. Boswell attended the
masquerade Masquerade or Masquerades may refer to: Books * ''Masquerade'' (book), a 1979 children's book by Kit Williams that sparked a worldwide treasure hunt * ''Masquerades'' (novel), a 1995 Forgotten Realms novel by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb * ''Masq ...
held at the Shakespeare Jubilee in
Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon ( ), commonly known as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon (district), Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands region of Engl ...
in September 1769 dressed as a Corsican Chief. He was also, much to the chagrin of his friend Johnson, a strong defender of the American Revolution. Some of his journal entries and letters from this period describe his amatory exploits. Thus, in 1767, in a letter to
William Johnson Temple William Johnson Temple (also Johnstone) (1739–1796) was an English cleric and essayist, now remembered as a correspondent of James Boswell. Early life William Johnson Temple was the son of William Temple of Allerdean, near Berwick-on-Tweed, wh ...
, he wrote, "I got myself quite intoxicated, went to a Bawdy-house and past a whole night in the arms of a Whore. She indeed was a fine strong spirited Girl, a Whore worthy of Boswell if Boswell must have a whore." A few years earlier, he wrote that during a night with an actress named Louisa, "five times was I fairly lost in supreme rapture. Louisa was madly fond of me; she declared I was a prodigy and asked me if this was not extraordinary for human nature." Though he sometimes used a condom for protection, he contracted venereal disease at least seventeen times. Boswell married his cousin, Margaret Montgomerie, on 25 November 1769. She remained faithful to Boswell, despite his frequent liaisons with prostitutes, until her death from
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
in 1789. After his infidelities, he would deliver tearful apologies to her and beg her forgiveness, before again promising her, and himself, that he would reform. James and Margaret had four sons and three daughters. Two sons died in infancy; the other two were
Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...
(1775–1822) and
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
(1778–1822). Their daughters were Veronica (1773–1795), Euphemia (1774 – c. 1834) and Elizabeth, known as 'Betsy', (1780–1814). Boswell also had at least two extramarital children, Charles (1762–1764) and Sally (1767 – c. 1768). 250px, A commemorative plaque to Boswell at his former home at James Court, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh Despite his relative literary success with accounts of his European travels, Boswell was only a moderately successful advocate, with the exception of the
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of Copyright#Scope, works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the c ...
case of ''
Donaldson v Beckett ''Donaldson v Becket'' (1774) 2 Brown's Parl. Cases (2d ed.) 129, 1 Eng. Rep. 837; 4 Burr. 2408, 98 Eng. Rep. 257; 17 Cobbett's Parl. Hist. 953 is the ruling by the British House of Lords that held that copyright in published works was not perp ...
'', where Boswell represented the Scottish bookseller Alexander Donaldson. By the late 1770s, Boswell descended further and further into alcoholism and gambling addiction. Throughout his life, from childhood until death, he was beset by severe swings of mood. His depressions frequently encouraged and were exacerbated by his various vices. His happier periods usually saw him relatively vice-free. His character mixed a superficial
Enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...
sensibility for reason and taste with a genuine and somewhat romantic love of the sublime and a propensity for occasionally puerile whimsy. The latter, along with his tendency for drink and other vices, caused many contemporaries and later observers to regard him as being too lightweight to be an equal in the literary crowd that he wanted to be a part of. However, his humour and innocent good nature won him many lifelong friends. In 1773 Boswell bought the house of
David Hume David Hume (; born David Home; – 25 August 1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist who was best known for his highly influential system of empiricism, philosophical scepticism and metaphysical naturalism. Beg ...
(who moved to a new house on South St David Street/St Andrew Square) on the south east corner of James Court. He lived there until 1786. Boswell's residency at James Court has been well established, but not the exact location. For example, a later edition of ''Traditions of Edinburgh'' by Robert Chambers suggests that Boswell's residence at James Court was actually in the Western wing. His James Court flat was notable for having two levels, and although a modern renovation in the Eastern section reveals such a possibility, it is likely that Boswell's residence was a similarly equipped one in the Western section that no longer exists, having burned down in the mid 1800s.


Earl of Dumfries

Boswell became quite friendly with the 6th Earl of Dumfries. As well as seeing him in Scotland, he also visited him in Rosemount, London in 1787 and 1788. In Boswell's journal of November 2, 1778, he writes, " he Earl of Dumfrieswas exceedingly attentive to me ..I was upon my guard, as I well knew that he and his Countess flattered themselves that they would get from me that road through our estate which my father had refused, and which in truth I was still more positive for refusing". He saw the Earl as ''“very attentive”''. Having hosted the Earl, Boswell and his wife also decide to visit
Dumfries House Dumfries House is a Palladian country house in Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located within a large estate, around west of Cumnock. Noted for being one of the few such houses with much of its original 18th-century furniture still present, including ...
" r visit was a little awkward, as there had been no communication between the families for several of the last years of my father's life ..I, however, wished to live on civil terms with such near neighbours". On October 27, 1782, Boswell writes, "we looked at Lord Dumfries's gate and the famous road. ..I showed him that granting it would make the Auchinleck improvements appear part of the Earl of Dumfries's domains. ..If Lord Eglinton – if my Earl – were Earl of Dumfries and living at Dumfries House, he should have the road, but not to him and his heirs."


Later life

Boswell was a frequent guest of
Lord Monboddo James Burnett, Lord Monboddo (baptised 25 October 1714 – 26 May 1799) was a Scottish judge, scholar of linguistic evolution, philosopher and deist. He is most famous today as a founder of modern comparative historical linguistics. In 1767, h ...
at
Monboddo House Monboddo House () is a historically famous mansion in Kincardineshire, The Mearns, Scotland. The structure was generally associated with the Burnett of Leys family. The property itself was owned by the Clan Barclay, Barclay family from the 13th ...
, a setting where he gathered significant observations for his writings by association with
Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
,
Lord Kames Henry Home, Lord Kames (1696–27 December 1782) was a Scottish writer, philosopher and judge who played a major role in Scotland's Agricultural Revolution. A central figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, he was a founding member of the ...
and other notable attendees. After Johnson's death in 1784, Boswell moved to London to try his luck at the English
Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...
, which proved even less successful than his career in Scotland. In 1792 Boswell lobbied the Home Secretary to help gain royal pardons for four
Botany Bay Botany Bay (Dharawal language, Dharawal: ''Kamay'') is an open oceanic embayment, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south of the Sydney central business district. Its source is the confluence of the Georges River at Taren Point a ...
escapees, including
Mary Bryant Mary Bryant (c. 1765 – after 1794) was a Cornish convict sent to Australia in 1787 with the First Fleet. In 1791, she became one of the first successful escapees from the fledgling Australian penal colony alongside her husband William Bryan ...
. He also offered to stand for Parliament but failed to get the necessary support, and he spent the final years of his life writing his ''
Life of Samuel Johnson ''The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.'' (1791) by James Boswell is a biography of English writer and literary critic Samuel Johnson. The work was from the beginning a universal critical and popular success, and represents a landmark in the devel ...
''. During this time his health began to fail due to
venereal disease A sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the older term venereal disease (VD), is an infection that is spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, or ...
and his years of drinking. Boswell died in London in 1795. Close to the end of his life he became strongly convinced that the " Shakespeare papers", including two previously unknown plays ''
Vortigern and Rowena ''Vortigern and Rowena'', or ''Vortigern, an Historical Play'', is a play that was touted as a newly discovered work by William Shakespeare when it first appeared in 1796. It was eventually revealed to be a Shakespeare hoax, the product of promi ...
'' and ''Henry II'', allegedly discovered by
William Henry Ireland William Henry Ireland (1775–1835) was an English forger of would-be Shakespearean documents and plays. He is less well known as a poet, writer of gothic novels and histories. Although he was apparently christened William-Henry, he was known ...
, were genuine. After Boswell's death they proved to be forgeries created by Ireland himself. Boswell's remains were interred in the
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
of the Boswell family
mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...
in what is now the old
Auchinleck Auchinleck ( ; ;
) is a village southea ...
Kirkyard In Christian countries, a churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church (building), church, which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language and in both Scottish English and Ulster S ...
in
Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...
. The mausoleum is attached to the old Auchinleck
kirk Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning 'church'. The term ''the Kirk'' is often used informally to refer specifically to the Church of Scotland, the Scottish national church that developed from the 16th-century Reformation ...
.


''Life of Samuel Johnson''

When the ''
Life of Samuel Johnson ''The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.'' (1791) by James Boswell is a biography of English writer and literary critic Samuel Johnson. The work was from the beginning a universal critical and popular success, and represents a landmark in the devel ...
'' was published in 1791, its style was unique in that, unlike other biographies of that era, it directly incorporated conversations that Boswell had noted down at the time for his journals. He also included more personal and human details than those to which contemporary readers were accustomed. Instead of writing a strictly fact-based record of Johnson's public life in the style of the time, he painted a more personal and intimate portrait of the man than was normal in biographies of the day. Macaulay and Carlyle, among others, have attempted to explain how a man such as Boswell could have produced a work as detailed as the ''Life of Johnson''. The former argued that Boswell's uninhibited folly and candour were his greatest qualifications; the latter replied that beneath such traits was a mind to discern excellence and a heart to appreciate it, aided by the power of accurate observation and considerable dramatic ability.


Position on slavery

Boswell was present at the meeting of the
Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade The Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, also known as the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and sometimes referred to as the Abolition Society or Anti-Slavery Society, was a British abolitionist group formed on ...
in May 1787 set up to persuade
William Wilberforce William Wilberforce (24 August 1759 – 29 July 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780 ...
to lead the abolition movement in Parliament. However, the abolitionist
Thomas Clarkson Thomas Clarkson (28 March 1760 – 26 September 1846) was an English abolitionist, and a leading campaigner against the slave trade in the British Empire. He helped found the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade (also known ...
records that by 1788 Boswell "after having supported the cause ... became inimical to it". Boswell's most prominent display of support for slavery was his 1791 poem "No Abolition of Slavery; or the Universal Empire of Love", which lampooned Clarkson, Wilberforce and Pitt. The poem also supports the common suggestion of the pro-slavery movement, that the slaves actually enjoyed their lot: "The cheerful gang! – the negroes see / Perform the task of industry."


Discovery and publication of Boswell's private papers

In the 1920s a great part of Boswell's private papers, including intimate journals for much of his life, were discovered at
Malahide Castle Malahide Castle (), parts of which date to the 12th century, lies close to the village of Malahide, 14 km (nine miles) north of central Dublin in Ireland. It has over of remaining parkland estate, forming the Malahide Demesne Regional P ...
, north of
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
. These provide a hugely revealing insight into the life and thoughts of the man. They were sold to the American collector Ralph H. Isham and have since passed to
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
, which has published popular and scholarly editions of his journals and correspondence, mostly edited by Frederick A. Pottle. A second cache was discovered soon after and also purchased by Isham. A substantially longer edition of ''The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides'' was published in 1936 based on his original manuscript, edited by L. F. Powell. His ''London Journal 1762–63'', the first of the Yale journal publications, appeared in 1950. The last popular edition, ''The Great Biographer, 1789–1795'', was published in 1989. Publication of the research edition of Boswell's journals and letters, each including never before published material, was ceased by Yale University in June 2021, prior to the completion of the project. These detailed and frank journals include voluminous notes on the Grand Tour of Europe that he took as a young man and, subsequently, of his tour of Scotland with Johnson. His journals also record meetings and conversations with eminent individuals belonging to The Club, including
Lord Monboddo James Burnett, Lord Monboddo (baptised 25 October 1714 – 26 May 1799) was a Scottish judge, scholar of linguistic evolution, philosopher and deist. He is most famous today as a founder of modern comparative historical linguistics. In 1767, h ...
,
David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...
,
Edmund Burke Edmund Burke (; 12 January ew Style, NS1729 – 9 July 1797) was an Anglo-Irish Politician, statesman, journalist, writer, literary critic, philosopher, and parliamentary orator who is regarded as the founder of the Social philosophy, soc ...
,
Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...
and
Oliver Goldsmith Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1728 – 4 April 1774) was an Anglo-Irish people, Anglo-Irish poet, novelist, playwright, and hack writer. A prolific author of various literature, he is regarded among the most versatile writers of the Georgian e ...
. It is since the discovery of these journals that Boswell has become recognized as a major literary artist. In his openness to every nuance of feeling, his delicacy in capturing fugitive sentiments and revealing gestures, his comic self-regard and (at times) self-contempt, Boswell was willing to express what other authors of the time repressed.


Freemasonry

Boswell was initiated into Freemasonry in Lodge Canongate Kilwinning on 14 August 1759. He subsequently became Master of that Lodge in 1773 and in that year was Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. From 1776 to 1777 he was the Depute Grand Master of that Grand Lodge.


In fiction and popular culture

Boswell's surname has passed into the English language as a term ('' Boswell'', '' Boswellian'', '' Boswellism'') for a constant companion and observer, especially one who records those observations in print. In "
A Scandal in Bohemia "A Scandal in Bohemia" is the first short story, and the third overall work, featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. It is the first of the 56 Holmes short stories written by Doyle and the first of 38 Sherlock Holmes ...
",
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Hol ...
's character
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
affectionately says of
Dr. Watson Dr. John H. Watson is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). "The Adventure of Shosc ...
, who narrates the tales, "I am lost without my Boswell." The comedy ''Young Auchinleck'' (1962) by Scottish playwright
Robert McLellan Robert McLellan OBE (1907–1985) was a Scottish Renaissance dramatist, writer and poet and a leading figure in the twentieth century movement to recover Scotland’s distinctive theatrical traditions. He found popular success with plays and ...
depicts Boswell's various courtships and troubled relations with his father in the period after his return to Scotland in 1766, culminating in his eventual marriage to his cousin Margaret Montgomery (Peggy) in 1769 on the same day as his father's second marriage in a different part of the country. The play was first produced at the
Edinburgh International Festival The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially european classical music, classical music) and ...
in 1962 and adapted for
BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1 January 1927. It p ...
in 1965. In 1981 the cartoonist
R. Crumb Robert Dennis Crumb (; born August 30, 1943) is an American artist who often signs his work R. Crumb. His work displays a nostalgia for American folk culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and satire of contemporary American c ...
published the piece "Boswell's London Journal" in the anthology magazine '' Weirdo''. Presented as a "Klassic Komic," the piece featured meticulous cross-hatched illustrations and excerpts from Boswell's writing to tell a satirical story of the young Boswell attempting to establish himself in London society, dallying with prostitutes and suffering from venereal disease. In the ''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
'' episode "Ink and Incapability",
Edmund Blackadder Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series ''Blackadder'', each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of Britis ...
claims that James Boswell is a pseudonym used by a woman, and that she only took up writing to "get inside
Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
's britches". Boswell was played by
John Sessions John Sessions (born John Marshall; 11 January 1953 – 2 November 2020) was a British actor and comedian. He was known as a regular performer on comedy improvisation show '' Whose Line Is It Anyway?'', as co-creator, co-writer and co-star of the ...
in '' Boswell & Johnson's Tour of the Western Isles'', a 1993
BBC 2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matter, incorporating genres such as comedy, drama and d ...
play. In February and March 2015, BBC Radio 4 broadcast three episodes of "Boswell's Lives", writer Jon Canter's comedic take on Boswell meeting later historical figures (Sigmund Freud, Maria Callas and Harold Pinter, respectively) for the purposes of biographing them. Boswell was played by
Miles Jupp Miles Hugh Barrett Jupp (born 8 September 1979) is an English actor and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian before playing the role of the inventor Archie in the children's television series ''Balamory''. He also played John Dugg ...
. American novelist
Philip Baruth Philip E. Baruth (born February 10, 1962) is an American politician, novelist, biographer, professor, and former radio commentator from Vermont. A Democrat and member of the Vermont Progressive Party, he represents the Chittenden-Central Vermo ...
wrote a fictional account of James Boswell's early life in ''The Brothers Boswell'' (Soho Press 2009). The novel, which includes scenes that feature Samuel Johnson, is a thriller that focuses on the tense relationship between James and his younger brother John. Boswell also features as a character in James Robertson's novel, '' Joseph Knight'' (2003).


Major works

* ''The Cub at Newmarket'' (1762, published by
James Dodsley James Dodsley (1724–1797) was an English bookseller. Life Dodsley was born near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire in 1724. He was probably employed in the shop of his prosperous brother, Robert Dodsley, Robert, by whom he was taken into partnership ...
) * ''Letters Between the Honourable Andrew Erskine, and James Boswell, Esq.'' (1763) * ''Dorando, a Spanish Tale'' (1767, anonymously) *
Account of Corsica, The Journal of a Tour to That Island, and Memoirs of Pascal Paoli
' (1768) * "The Rampager" (1770–82, a series of 20 essays published sporadically in the ''Public Advertiser'') * ''The Hypochondriack'' (1777–83, a series of 70 essays published monthly in the ''London Magazine'') * '' The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D'' (1785) * '' The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D'' (2 vols. 1791, 2nd edition: 3 vols. July 1793) - reprinted in
Everyman's Library Everyman's Library is a series of reprints of classic literature, primarily from the Western canon. It began in 1906. It is currently published in hardback by Random House. It was originally an imprint of J. M. Dent (itself later a division ...
*
No Abolition of Slavery
' (1791) (poem)


Published journals

After Boswell's private papers were recovered, and brought together by Ralph Isham, they were acquired by Yale University, where a dedicated office was established to edit and publish his journals and correspondence. The journals have been published in 13 volumes, as follows. *'' Boswell's London Journal, 1762–1763,'' ed. F. A. Pottle (1950) *
Boswell in Holland, 1763–1764
including his correspondence with Belle de Zuylen (Zelide)'', ed. F. A. Pottle (1952) *'' Boswell on the Grand Tour: Germany and Switzerland, 1764'', ed. F. A. Pottle (1953) *
Boswell on the Grand Tour: Italy, Corsica, and France, 1765–1766
', ed. Frank Brady and F. A. Pottle (1955) *
Boswell in Search of a Wife, 1766–1769
', ed. Frank Brady and F. A. Pottle (1957) *''Boswell for the Defence, 1769–1774'', ed. W. A. Wimsatt and F. A. Pottle (1960) *'' Boswell: the Ominous Years, 1774–1776'', ed. Charles Ryskamp and F. A. Pottle (1963) *''Boswell in Extremes, 1776–1778,'' ed. C. McC. Weis and F. A. Pottle (1970) *''Boswell, Laird of Auchinleck, 1778–1782'', ed. J. W. Reed and F. A. Pottle (1977) *''Boswell: The Applause of the Jury, 1782–1785'', ed. I. S. Lustig and F. A. Pottle (1981) *''Boswell: The English Experiment, 1785–1789'', ed. I. S. Lustig and F. A. Pottle (1986) *''Boswell: The Great Biographer, 1789–1795'', ed. Marlies K. Danziger and Frank Brady (1989)


References

Notes Sources * Pierce, Patricia. ''The Great Shakespeare Fraud: The Strange, True Story of William-Henry Ireland''. Sutton Publishing, 2005. *


Further reading

* Boswell, James. ''Boswell's Book of Bad Verse (A Verse Self-Portrait) or 'Love Poems and Other Verses by James Boswell. Edited with Notes by Jack Werner. London. White Lion, 1974. . * Boswell, James. ''Boswell's Column. Being his Seventy Contributions to The London Magazine under the pseudonym The Hypochondriack from 1777 to 1783 here First Printed in Book Form in England''. Introduction and Notes by Margery Bailey. London. William Kimber, 1951. * Boswell, James. ''Facts and Inventions: Selections from the Journalism of James Boswell''. Edited by Paul Tankard. New Haven. Yale University Press, 2014. * Boswell, James. ''The Journal of a Tour to Corsica; and Memoirs of Pascal Paoli''. Edited, with an Introduction, by Morchard Bishop. London. Williams & Norgate, 1951. * Boswell, James. ''Letters of James Boswell to the Rev. W. J. Temple''. Introduction by
Thomas Seccombe Thomas Seccombe (1866–1923) was a miscellaneous English writer and, from 1891 to 1901, assistant editor of the ''Dictionary of National Biography'', in which he wrote over 700 entries. A son of physician and episcopus vagans John Thomas S ...
. London. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1908. * Brady, Frank. ''Boswell's Political Career''. Yale University Press, 1965. * Daiches, David. ''James Boswell and his World''. Thames & Hudson, 1976. . * William C. Dowling. ''The Boswellian Hero''. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 1979. . * Finlayson, Iain. ''The Moth and the Candle. A Life of James Boswell''. London. Constable, 1984. . * Maurice Lévy : James Boswell. Un libertin mélancolique, Grenoble, éd. Ellug, 2001, 412 pages. * McLaren, Moray: ''The Highland Jaunt. A Study of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson upon their Highland and Hebridean Tour of 1773''. London. Jarrolds, 1954. * Mallory, George. ''Boswell the Biographer''. London. Smith, Elder, 1912. * Martin, Peter. "A Life of James Boswell". London. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1999. * Pottle, Frederick A. ''Boswell and the Girl from Botany Bay''. London. Heinemann, 1938. * Tinker, Chauncey g Brewster. ''Young Boswell. Chapters on James Boswell the Biographer Based Largely on New Material''. Boston.
Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 ...
, 1922. * Uglow, Jenny, "Big Talkers" (review of
Leo Damrosch Leopold Damrosch Jr. (born 1941) is an American author and professor. In 2001, he was named the Ernest Bernbaum Professor of Literature at Harvard University. He received a B.A. from Yale University, a M.A. from Cambridge University, where he was ...
, '' The Club: Johnson, Boswell, and the Friends Who Shaped an Age'', Yale University Press, 473 pp.), ''
The New York Review of Books ''The New York Review of Books'' (or ''NYREV'' or ''NYRB'') is a semi-monthly magazine with articles on literature, culture, economics, science and current affairs. Published in New York City, it is inspired by the idea that the discussion of ...
'', vol. LXVI, no. 9 (23 May 2019), pp. 26–28. * Wyndham Lewis, D.B. ''The Hooded Hawk or The Case of Mr. Boswell''. London. Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1946.


External links

*
James Boswell
at th
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA)
* * *


Online catalogue (in progress) of James Boswell's library
at
LibraryThing LibraryThing is a social cataloging web application for storing and sharing book catalogs and various types of book metadata. It is used by authors, individuals, libraries, and publishers. Based in Portland, Maine, LibraryThing was developed b ...

James Boswell – a Guide

James Boswell's "An Account of Corsica" – Full text and illustrations

Young Boswell, by Chauncey Brewster Tinker, Boston: Atlantic monthly press, 1922, University of Michigan Library (Digital Collection)

Boswell Book Festival celebrates the art of biography and memoir at Boswell's home, Auchinleck House, in Ayrshire, Scotland
* *
Portraits of James Boswell and Dr. Johnson
at the
Scottish National Portrait Gallery National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. Portrait holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Collec ...

Boswell Collection--Scope and Contents. Archives at Yale: Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boswell, James 1740 births 1795 deaths 18th-century Scottish biographers 18th-century Scottish diarists 18th-century Scottish lawyers 18th-century British letter writers 18th-century Scottish essayists 18th-century Scottish poets Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Glasgow People from Auchinleck Writers from Edinburgh Samuel Johnson People educated at James Mundell's School Scottish proslavery activists Scottish Freemasons Conversationalists Streathamites