ties. In 1785, Mr. Boswell published "A Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides" with Dr. Johnson; which met a similar success to his entertaining account of Corsica. This year Mr. Boswell removed to London, and was soon after called to the English bar.

The

But Mr. Boswell's professional business was interrupted by preparing his most celebrated work, "The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D." This was published in 1791, and was received by the world with most extraordinary avidity. It is a faithful history of Johnson's life, and exhibits a most interesting picture of the character of that illustrious moralist, delineated with a masterly hand. preparation of a second edition of this work was almost the last literary performance of Mr. Boswell; though he was at the same time preparing a general answer to a letter from Dr. Samuel Parr, in Gent. Mag. vol. lxv. p. 179. ; in which he proposed briefly to notice the attacks of his more puny antagonists. He had also a design, which was in some forwardness, of publishing a quarto volume, to be embellished with fine plates, on the subject of the controversy occasioned by the Beggar's Opera; and it is to be regretted, that the public were not gratified with a perusal of what so good a judge of human nature would say on so curious a subject. With this particular view he had paid frequent visits to the then truly humane "Governor of Newgate," as he ordinarily styled Mr. Kirby. His death, unexpected by his friends, was a subject of universal regret; and his remains were carried to Auchinleck; and the following inscription is engraved on his coffin-plate:

JAMES BOSWELL, Esq.,

died 19th May, 1795,

aged 55 years.

No. II. EXTRACTS FROM BOSWELL'S LETTERS TO MR. MALONE.

[Mr. Boswell's letters to Mr. Malone, written while the first edition of his Life of Johnson was passing through the press, afford so curious a view of his situation and state of mind at that period, that the Editor has gladly availed himself of Mr. Upcott's permission to make some extracts from the MSS. in that gentleman's collection.]

"Dec. 4. 1790. Let me begin with myself. On the day after your departure, that most friendly fellow Courtenay (begging the pardon of an M.P. for so free an epithet) called on me, and took my word and honour that, till the 1st of March, my allowance of wine per diem should not exceed four good glasses at dinner, and a pint after it; and this I have kept, though I have dined with Jack Wilkes; at the London Tavern, after the launch of an Indiaman; with dear Edwards; Dilly; at home with Courtenay; Dr. Barrow; at the mess of the Coldstream; at the Club; at Warren Hastings's; at Hawkins the Cornish member's; and at home with a colonel of the guards, &c. This regulation I assure you is of essential advantage in many respects. The Magnum Opus advances. I have revised p. 216. The additions which I have received are a Spanish quotation from Mr. Cambridge; an account of Johnson at Warley Camp from Mr. Langton; and Johnson's letters to Mr. Hastings-three in all-one of them long and admirable; but what sets the diamonds in pure gold of Ophir is a letter from Mr. Hastings to me, illustrating them and their writer. I had this day the honour of a long visit from the late Governor-general of

India. There is to be no more impeachment. But you will see his character nobly vindicated. Depend upon this. (')

"And now for my friend. The appearance of Malone's Shakspeare on the 29th November was not attended with any external noise; but I suppose no publication seized more speedily and surely on the attention of those for whose critical taste it was chiefly intended. At the Club on Tuesday, where I met Sir Joshua, Dr. Warren, Lord Ossory, Lord Palmerston, Windham, and Burke in the chair, Burke was so full of his anti-French revolution rage, and poured it out so copiously, that we had almost nothing else. He, however, found time to praise the clearness and accuracy of your dramatic history; and Windham found fault with you for not taking the profits of so laborious a work. Sir Joshua is pleased, though he would gladly have seen more disquisition — you understand me!

"Dec. 7. I dined last Saturday at Sir Joshua's with Mr. Burke, his lady, son, and niece, Lord Palmerston, Windham, Dr. Lawrence, Dr. Blagden, Dr. Burney, Sir Abraham Hume, Sir William Scott. I sat next to young Burke at dinner, who said to me, that you had paid his father a very fine compliment. I mentioned Johnson, to sound if there was any objection. He made none. In the evening Burke told me he had read your Henry VI., with all its accompaniments, and it was 'exceedingly well done.' He left us for some time; I suppose on some of his cursed politics; but he returned-I at him again, and heard from his lips what, believe me, I delighted to hear, and took care to write down soon after: I have read his History of the Stage, which is a very capital piece of criticism and anti-agrarianism. I shall now read all Shakspeare through, in a very different manner from what I have yet done, when I have got such a commentator.' Will not this do for you, my friend? friend? Burke was admirable

(1) [The impeachment and trial of Warren Hastings, which lasted nine years, terminated in April, 1795, in his entire acquittal. From this period he passed the remainder of his life in retirement, although honoured with a seat in the Privy Council; and died August 22. 1818, in his seventy-fifth year.]