James Boswell painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds

James Boswell
(1740-1795)

9th Laird of Auchinleck (29 October 1740 - 19 May 1795) was a lawyer, diarist, and author. Man of letters and biographer of Dr Johnson, born in Edinburgh, East Coast of Scotland, UK. He studied at Edinburgh High School and University, then studied civil law at Glasgow, but his ambition was literary fame. At 18 he began his often scandalous journal (only published in the 20th century), and in 1760 ran away to London, where he led a debauched life. He first met Johnson in 1763, and took him on the memorable journey to the Hebrides. His Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1785) appeared after Johnson's death. Its success led him to plan his masterpiece, the Life of Samuel Johnson (1791)