James Boswell - letters

James Boswell (1740 - 1795)

Letters to Temple & Johnston

Below are extracts from two letters written about a year apart to Boswell's two closest friends. The difference in tone and content are marked, and probably attributable to the fact that one is a contemporary, the other considerably older (a difference of ten years when you are only nineteen is a great deal).

Most remarkable, perhaps, is the almost condescending description by this young man who is only just out of University of the most powerful intellect of the age, David Hume, who had by this time written all his most famous philosophical and moral works and most of his highly controversial history of England. We also see perhaps the first public outing of the phrase 'cultivate an acquaintance', which became such a familiar one in later years.

         Extract from a letter to William Temple of 29 July
         1758(taken from Volume 6 of the Yale Research Edition          of the Correspondence)

         "Some days ago I was introduced to Your friend Mr. Hume;
         He is a most discreet, affable man as ever I met with,
         and has realy a great deal of learning, and a choice
         collection of books:  He is indeed an extraordinary man,
          few such people are to be met with now adays.  We talk          a great deal of genius, fine language, improving our
         style &c., but I am afraid sollid learning is much wore 
         out.  Mr. Hume, I think, is a very proper person for a 
         Young Man to cultivate an acquaintance with; though he
         has not, perhaps, the most delicate taste, yet he has
         apply'd himself with great attention to the study of the
         ancients, and is likewise a great Historian, so that You
         are not only entertained in his company, but may reap a
         great deal of usefull instruction.  I own myself much
         obliged to You, Dear Sir, for procuring me the pleasure
         of his acquaintance."
			____________________

         Extract from a letter to John Johnston of 26 September
         1759 (taken from Volume 1 of the Yale Research Edition
         of the Correspondence)

         "Auchinleck is a most sweet, romantic Place.  There is
         a vast deal of Wood and Water, fine retired shady walks,
         and every thing that can render the Countrey agreable to
         contemplative Minds.  I can here indulge those pleasing
         dispositions which must have inspired the breast of my
         favourite Poet Horace, when in his Ode to Maecaenas he
         breaks out into this elegant and beautifull Exclamation

		Me doctoram ederae praemia frontium
		Dis miscent superis; me gelidum nemus
		Nympharumque leves cum Satyris chorae
		Secernent Populo, si neque tibias
		Euterpe cohibet, nec Polyphymnia
		Lesboum refugit tendere Barbiton*

         I beg you may not think me pedantic for inserting this
         quotation, for it is realy so delicate, so picturesque,
         that I could not resist the pleasure of transcribing it
         at full length."

         [*But me the crown of ivy, sign
           Of poets' brows, denotes divine;
           Me the light troop, in the cool glen,
           Of nymphs and satyrs screens from men-
           While Euterpe still lets me use
           Her twin pipes, and her sister Muse
           Consents to tune the Lesbian lyre.
             (translated by James Michie)]

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