The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [688]
p. 480, 5 December 1775
When at Paris… literarum.’] om. 1791.
p. 505, 21 March 1776
My illustrious… improves by time.] om. 1791.
p. 506, 21 March 1776
This passage… lowland cane.] om. 1791.
p. 507, 21 March 1776
‘He had… the annuity.] om. 1791.
pp. 509–10, 22 March 1776
He said to me… for the purpose.] om. 1791.
p. 525, 3 April 1776
I have acted… so valuable an education.] om. 1791.
pp. 562-3, 16 May 1776
The following letters… better but slowly.’] om. 1791.
pp. 567-8, 30 August 1776
1791 omits the letter to Sir Joshua Reynolds dated 3 August 1776.
p. 569, 21 October 1776
1791 omits the letter to Robert Levet dated 21 October 1776.
pp. 632-4, 23 September 1777
The argument dictated… most people’s Certainties.] om. 1791.
pp. 671-2, 12 April 1778
Having impartially censured… dog’s a WbigV] om. 1791.
p. 728, 2 April 1779
A gentleman… ever known.’] om. 1791, PCA.
p. 744, 12 October 1779
Yet he had… could have robbed them.’] om. 1791.
pp. 777–81, 1780
‘Beauclerk having observed… see him again.’] om. 1791.
pp. 779–81, 1780
‘On occasion of… see him again.’] om. 1793.
p. 783, 1781
But he was… private society.] om. 1791.
p. 814, 15 April 1781
I agreed… will languish.] The event proved the justice of Johnson’s opinion as to the impracticability of getting people to meet, when they know there is absolutely nothing to touch the palate; for this society, though held at the house of a person deservedly much esteemed, and composed of very eminent men, could not be preserved from gradual decay. 1791
p. 814, 15 April 1781
and found… use of it.] om. 1791.
p. 828, 2 June 1781
1791 omits the letter to Perkins dated 2 June 1781.
pp. 837-8, 16 June
1781 Johnson’s charity… ‘June 23, 1781.’ ‘Sam. Johnson.’] om. 1791.
p. 850, 24 August 1782
1791 omits the letter to Perkins dated 28 July 1782.
p. 864–73, 1783
I heard him once… perpetuated his ancestry.] om. 1791, substantially om. 1793.
p. 884, 2 May 1783
1791 omits the letter to Sir Joshua Reynolds dated 2 May 1783.
p. 888, 17 June 1783
1791 and PCA omit the letter to Edmund Allen dated 17 June 1783.
p. 898, November 1783
in the parish… in The Idler.] om. 1791, PCA.
p. 905, 21 January 1784
1791 omits the letter to Perkins dated 21 January 1784.
p. 920, 3 June 1784
Indeed his… common rights of humanity.’] om. 1791.
p. 938, June 1784
1 have mentioned… lively conversation.] om. 1791.
p. 940, June 1784
A foppish… notice.] A foppish physician imagined that Johnson had animadverted on his wearing a fine coat, and mentioned it to him. “I did not notice you;” was his answer. The physician still insisted. 1791
p. 940, June 1784
At another… is a favour.] om. 1791, 1793, PCA.
p. 941, June 1784
When I observed… cannot inform.] om. 1791.
p. 965, 20 October 1784
1791 omits the letter to Perkins dated 4 October 1784.
pp. 967–9, 19 August 1784
1791 omits the four entries in the letter to Sir Joshua Reynolds dated 21 July, 2 September, 9 September and 2 October 1784; PCA omits the last three.
pp. 993–5, December 1784
The following particulars… could write.’] om. 1791.
p. 996, December 1784
Long-expected… drown at last.] om. 1791; 1793 gives an abbreviated account of the poem, and quotes only the final line.
p. 997, December 1784
Being pressed… inebriating substance.’] om. 1791.
p. 998, 13 December 1784
Having, as… took place.] om. 1791.
p. 999, 20 December 1784
Mr. Burke… bore his pall.] om. 1791.
p. 1001, 1784
but the Dean… to his memory:] om. 1791, PCA.
p. 1006, 1784
Such was… admiration and reverence.] and the more we consider his character, we shall be the more disposed to regard him with admiration and reverence. 1791
Appendix 2
Selected MS Variants
The voluminous manuscript of The Life of Samuel Johnson was discovered as part of the great haul of Boswell’s papers recovered from Malahide Castle in Ireland and Fettercairn House in Scotland during the first half of the twentieth century by Colonel Ralph H. Isham.1 The manuscript is currently being published as part of the ‘Yale Edition of the Private Papers of James Boswell