James Boswell’s father belonged to an old Scottish family with the title Lord of Auchinleck. This made James the 9th Laird of Auchinleck.
James Boswell, the Scottish author and diarist best known for his biography of Samuel Johnson, died in London on 19 May 1795. He was 54 years old.
Born in Edinburgh, Boswell was educated at the University of Edinburgh and later studied law in Glasgow and Utrecht. Boswell married his cousin, Margaret Montgomerie, when he was 29. She remained faithful to him, despite his frequent liaisons with prostitutes. James and Margaret had four sons and three daughters, and he also had at least two extramarital children.
Boswell’s fame largely stems from his friendship with Samuel Johnson, the renowned English writer and lexicographer with whom he travelled around the west coast of Scotland. Boswell’s meticulous and candid diaries provide valuable insights into 18th-century life and culture, capturing not only his own experiences but also his interactions with notable figures of the time, including Johnson, David Hume, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Despite his literary successes, Boswell grappled with personal demons throughout his life, including alcoholism and depression. His later years were marked by ill health, financial struggles, and the loss of loved ones. The exact cause of Boswell’s death is uncertain, but it is widely believed to have been related to his alcoholism and other health issues. Boswell’s remains were interred in the crypt of his family mausoleum in what is now the old Auchinleck Kirkyard in Ayrshire, Scotland.
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