Boswelliana: The Commonplace Book of James Boswell, with a Memoir and AnnotationsBoswell, James
History
Boswelliana: The Commonplace Book of James Boswell, with a Memoir and Annotations
Boswell, James
Boswell, James, 1740-1795
“Lady Di Beauclerk told me that Langton had never been to see her since
she came to Richmond, his head was so full of the militia and Greek.
‘Why,’ said I, ‘madam, he is of such a length, he is awkward, and not
easily moved.’ ‘But,’ said she, ‘if he had laid himself at his length,
his feet had been in London, and his head might have been here _eodem
die_.’”
* * * * *
“Lord Chesterfield could indulge himself in making any sort of pun at a
time. Dr. Barnard, now Bishop of Killaloe, was standing by his lordship
in the pump-room at Bath, when the late Duchess of Northumberland’s
father was brought in a chair very unwieldy. The musick was playing. My
lord said to Barnard, ‘We have a new sort of instrument this morning—a
dull Seymour[288] (dulcimer).’”
From DR. BARNARD, London, 1781.
* * * * *
“Parnell[289] was miserably addicted to drinking. He could not refrain
even the morning that Swift introduced him to Lord Oxford.[290] My lord
pressed through the crowd to get to Parnell. But he soon perceived his
situation. He in a little said to Swift, ‘your friend, I fear, is not
very well.’ Swift answered, ‘He is troubled with a great shaking.’ ‘I
am sorry,’ said the Earl, ‘that he should have such a distemper, but
especially that it should attack him in the morning.’”
From DR. BARNARD, Bishop of Killaloe,
who had it from DR. DELANY.
* * * * *
“In spring, 1781, Dr. Franklin[291] wrote from Paris to a freind in
London, with indignation against one who had been entrusted with money
belonging to the American prisoners, and had run off with it. One
expression in his letters was singularly strong, and indeed wild:—‘If
that fellow is not damned, it is not worth while to keep a devil.’”
MR. SUARD.[292]
* * * * *
“Lord Foley,[293] whose extravagance frequently brought his creditors
upon him so as to have executions in his house, was rallying George
Selwyn on his particular curiosity for spectacles of death. ‘You go,’
said he, ‘I understand, to see all executions.’ ‘No my lord,’ answered
George, ‘I don’t go to see your executions.’”
MR. SUARD.
* * * * *
“The Honourable Mrs. Stuart[294] was one day talking to me with just
severity against drunkenness (the sin which doth most easily beset me).
I attempted to apologise, and said that intoxication might happen at a
time to any man. ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘to any man but a Scotsman, for what
with another man is an accident is in him a habit.’”
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account