James Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck, was a Scottish biographer and diarist, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson, which the modern Johnsonian critic Harold Bloom has claimed is the greatest biography written in the English language...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth29 October 1740
book science journey
Boswell: But, Sir is it not somewhat singular that you should happen to have Cocker's Arithmetic about you on your journey? Dr. Johnson: Why, Sir if you are to have but one book with you upon a journey, let it be a book of science. When you read through a book of entertainment, you know it, and it can do no more for you; but a book of science is inexhaustible.
stranger should worthy
In every place, where there is any thing worthy of observation, there should be a short printed directory for strangers.
years world belief
It is wonderful that five thousand years have now elapsed since the creation of the world, and still it is undecided whether or not there has ever been an instance of the spirit of any person appearing after death. All argument is against it; but all belief is for it.
trying journalism let-me
I find I journalize too tediously. Let me try to abbreviate.
mind
My mind was, as it were, strongly impregnated with the Johnsonian ether.
home germany citizens
I am, I flatter myself, completely a citizen of the world. In my travels through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Corsica, France, I never felt myself from home.
friendship wine should
Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed.
whimsical pleasure whim
The pleasure of gratifying whim is very great. It is known only by those who are whimsical.
littles little-things strict
One must be strict even in little things.
melancholy silent unhappiness
Melancholy cannot be clearly proved to others, so it is better to be silent about it.
drinking play criticism
We had some port, and drank damnation to the play and eternal remorse to the author.
heart kids men
People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids? A man cannot know himself better than by attending to the feelings of his heart and to his external actions, from which he may with tolerable certainty judge "what manner of person he is." I have therefore determined to keep a daily journal.
sister brother sibling
I, who have no sisters or brothers, look with some degree of innocent envy on those who may be said to be born to friends.
strong fire soul
O charitable philosopher, I beg you to help me. My mind is weak but my soul is strong. Kindle that soul, and the sacred fire shall never be extinguished.