Biography of James Boswell
James Boswell is a Scottish author, born in Edinburgh; son of the famous judge.
Because of his father’s persistence, young Boswell reluctantly studied law. In 1766 he received the right to practice law in court, he practiced throughout his life. However, for the entire biography of James Boswell was interested only in literary career and his recognition among the great people of that time.
Boswell first met with Samuel Johnson during a trip to London in 1763. In the same year he travels across the continent, where he met Rousseau and Voltaire. James Boswell received literary fame thanks to the work “The Story of Corsica”, which is based on his visit to this island and an acquaintance with the Corsican patriot Pasquale Paoli. Boswell married his cousin Margaret Montgomery in 1769.
In 1773, Boswell became a member of the Johnson Club, which included Burke, Garrick, Reynolds, Goldsmith and other outstanding people of the 18th century.
Later
This work was so skilful that perhaps Johnsons is remembered today more by his words in the work than by his own works.
Curious combinations of the author’s various character traits and his genius intrigued later critics who noted that the biography of James Boswell is the greatest in Western literature.
Bad behavior led James to poverty and disease by the end of life. In the 20th century, a lot of manuscripts, magazines, letters and other papers of James Boswell were found, most of them in Malachid Castle in Ireland.
Ralph Aishma purchased the first found work in 1927 and sold it, later it was transferred to Yale University. Her publication of the “Yale publications of private papers” edited by Frederick Pottle has reached several editions.
Recent findings, especially multi-volume diaries, have increased the literary glory of James Boswell. Always bright, and sometimes even fascinating, diaries depict James Boswell in everyday life in great detail. They are written in a simple, conversational style that recalls the style of many authors of the 20th century.
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