James Boswell (Boswell James)

(1740-1795), born October 29, 1740 in Edinburgh. As a child at a private school in Edinburgh, Mundell, then studied at home under the guidance of teachers, clergy. Thirteen years (which was not uncommon) enrolled in the University of Edinburgh, from 1759 continued preparations for a legal career at the University of Glasgow. In 1762, passed the exams in civil law.
May 16, 1763 Boswell met in London with Samuel Johnson, and by August they are friends now so that when the young man reluctantly went to Utrecht University for the continuation of occupation law, Johnson saw him in Harwich. After a dismal year in Holland, Boswell traveled to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France (1764-1766). The most important and gamble during these travels was a trip to Corsica, where a rebellion against Genoa, went under the famous Pasquale di Paoli. The visit gave impetus to his first significant work of the story of Corsica: Diary of a trip to this island and the memory of Pascal Paoli (An Account of Corsica, . The Journal of a Tour to that Island; and Memoirs of Pascal Paoli, . 1768), . give him a flattering nickname Corsican Boswell,
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Adopted July 26, 1766 to the bar in Scotland, Boswell was the best lawyer than might be expected if we bear in mind that his 'forcibly driven to the service'. The next important event in his life was a joint trip with Johnson on the Hebrides (August - November 1773). Both have written essays on a trip to this region (Boswell published his essay only after the death of Johnson in 1784). In 1773 he was elected a member of the famous club. Next ten years, Boswell kept constant practice of law, at the same time, he wrote for the magazine 'London Magazine' a series of 70 essays hypochondriac (The Hypochondriack, 1777-1783).

Turning to the English Bar (9 February 1786) and moved to London, he almost lost his practice, but the success of Diary of a trip to the Hebrides (Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 1785) inspired him to Johnson's biography. Depressed by the death of his wife, . loss of legal practice and a possible political career, . encumbrance and expenditure on the maintenance and education of five children, . Boswell moved his dedication to the completion of the most significant of all the known biographical works,
. In 1750 the number of copies of a two-volume Life of Samuel Johnson (Life of Samuel Johnson) was released May 16, 1791, in 28 years of acquaintance with Johnson, Boswell, and quickly sold. The second edition appeared in 1793, the third, revised and corrected E. Malone, in 1799. Publication of Life of Johnson was the last major event in the literary fate of Boswell. Boswell died in London on May 19, 1795.