James Boswell, The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D.

Picture of James Boswell

James Boswell was born in Edinburgh in 1740, the son of an Ayrshire laird and lawyer. His father wanted him to follow him into the law, and he attended Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities. However, he preferred a literary career and ran off briefly to London in 1760. On a later visit in 1763, he met the key figure in his life, and replacement father figure, Samuel Johnson. He studied law in the Netherlands, and travelled extensively on the continent. He married in 1769 and had six children, settling in London. He toured Scotland with Johnson in 1773 but his account of the tour was not published until 1784. His best known publication is his Life of Samuel Johnson, maybe the greatest biography ever written in English. He died in 1795.

The following sections are available:
Introduction
August 14th to 17th, 1773: In Edinburgh
August 18th to 20th, 1773: From Edinburgh to Montrose
August 21st to 23rd, 1773: Montrose to Aberdeen
August 24th to 26th, 1773: Aberdeen to Forres
August 27th to 31st, 1773: Forres to Glen Moriston via Inverness
Sept. 1st to 7th, 1773: Glen Moriston to Skye
September 8th to 12th, 1773: Raasay; meeting with Flora McDonald
September 13th, 1773: Bonnie Prince Charlie's Escape
September 14th to 20th, 1773: Dunvegan, Skye
September 21st to 24th, 1773: Dunvegan to Talisker
September 25th to October 2nd, 1773: South east Skye
October 3rd to 8th, 1773: Coll
October 9th to 16th, 1773: Mull
October 17th to 22nd, 1773: Inchkenneth and Iona
October 23rd to 26th, 1773: Inveraray
October 27th to November 7th, 1773: Through Glasgow to Ayrshire
November 8th to 22nd, 1773: Back to Edinburgh