site logo

Boswell's Life Of Johnson


Sir John Malcolm once asked Warren Hastings, who was a contemporary and

companion of Dr. Johnson and Boswell, what was his real estimation

of Boswell's Life of Johnson? "Sir," replied Hastings, "it is the

dirtiest book in my library;" then proceeding, he added: "I knew

Boswell intimately; and I well remember, when his book first made its

appearance, Boswell was so full of it, that he could neither think nor

talk of anything else; so much so, that meeting Lord Thurlow hurrying

through Parliament-street to get to the House of Lords, where an

important debate was expected, for which he was already too late,

Boswell had the temerity to stop and accost him with "Have you read my

book?" "Yes," replied Lord Thurlow, with one of his strongest curses,

"every word of it; I could not help it."



* * * * *



More

;