BOSWELL, JAMES, a celebrated literary cha racter, was descended from an ancient and honourable family in Scotland. He was born at Edinburgh, October 29, 1740. His father, Alexander Boswell, was one of the judges in the supreme courts of Ses sion and Justiciary, by the title of Lord Auchinleck, a man of a strong understanding, a sound scholar, a respectable and useful country gentleman, and an able and upright judge. His mother, Euphan Erskine, descended in the line of Alva from the house of Mar, was a woman of exemplary piety. He received the first rudiments of his education partly at home under pri vate tuition, and partly at the school of Mr Mundell in Edinburgh. In his earliest years, he displayed that quickness of mind, vivacity of disposition, and taste for literature, which accompanied him throughout his life. He afterwards studied civil law in the univer sities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. This latter semi nary was then, as it is now, very much resorted to by students from England, with several of whom Bos well became intimate, but with none so much as with Mr Temple, afterwards Vicar of St Glurias in Corn wall, who was a friend of Gray, and whose character of that poet has been adopted both by Dr Johnson and Mr Mason. This society confirmed in him a de sign, which he had early formed, of visiting England, and a predilection for English manners, which he has often been heard to say, was originally derived from a perusal of the lively representations in the Specta tor. His first visit to London was in the year 1760, which afforded him the highest gratification. He happened, at his first entrance into the capital, to form an acquaintance with Derrick, an author by profession, who was afterwards master of the cere monies, or king, (as it is termed), at Bath. Derrick was a man of some literature, but had hung loose about the world for some time, and was thus admi rably qualified, by his lively talents and desultory ha bits, to introduce a stranger into all the varieties of a London life. The circumstances of this visit Bos well used often to detail with that felicity, for which he was always remarkable in narration, and exhibited so curious a picture of the scenes he had passed through, that his friend Dr Johnson advised him to commit it to paper and preserve it. Notwithstand ing he was intended, by his education, for the bar, yet he was himself, at this period, earnestly bent upon obtaining a commission in the guards, and solicited Lord Auchinleck's acquiescence ; but lie returned, by his desire, into Scotland, where he received a regular course of instruction in the law, and passed his trials as a civilian at Edinburgh. Though still
anxious to pursue his original design, he at last re linquished it in compliance with his father's wishes, and consented to go to Utrecht in 1763, to hear the lectures of an eminent civilian, after which he had permission to make the tour of Europe. But before he quitted his native country, a circumstance took place, of no small importance to himself, and, as it afterwards appeared, of no small importance to the public. He obtained this year an introduction to Dr Johnson. He lad long entertained the most en. thusiastic admiration of that great man as a writer ; and having learned, that his powers in conversation were equal to his noblest productions, he was anxi ously solicitous for his acquaintance. From hence we are to date a friendship which continued unabated to the last. Boswell, who saw every day as his know ledge of Johnson increased, fresh evidences of the strength of his intellect and the goodness of his heart, regarded this venerable moralist with almost filial reverence ; while Johnson, whose sagacious in tuition into character, soon led him to perceive and appreciate justly the fertile talents, and truly amiable disposition of his young acquaintance, repaid his fer vent affection with the most cordial attachment. Having continued one winter at Utrecht, during which time he visited several parts of the Nether lands; lie commenced his projected travels. Passing from Utrecht into Germany, lie pursued his route through Switzerland to Geneva, whence he crossed the Alps into Italy, having visited in his journey Voltaire at Ferney, and Rousseau in- the, wilds of Neufchatel. But the most distinguished incident in his tour was, his spirited expedition into Corsica, then struggling against the tyranny of the Genoese.' He adopted the feelings of those brave islanders with the most ardent, enthusiasm, and. the most intimate friendship with their illustrious chief. He afterwards went to Paris, from whence he returned to Scotland in 1766, and soon after' became an ad vocate the Scotch bar. But, in the mean time, he was by no means forgetful of the interest of that gallant body of patriots whom he had left behind.