| Administrative History | James Boswell (1740 - 1795). The friend and biographer of Samuel Johnson, who appears to have been an early friend of Beattie, though it is unclear when they first met. He is first mentioned in the Beattie correspondence in 1770. He introduced Beattie to Johnson in 1771. |
| Description | Letter from James Boswell, Edinburgh, to James Beattie, mentioning the enclosed letter [not present] from Mr Dilly; Mr Beattie's good health, 'The Minstrel' and 'Religion and Virtue'. Boswell writes about Samuel Johnson's letter to him and transcribes the part regarding Johnson's positive opinion of Beattie's book. Boswell's letter talks about his and Beattie's disagreement with Horace's [Horatio [Horace] Walpole (1717 - 1797), fourth earl of Orford, author, politician, and patron of the arts] remark; Boswell's belief in various degrees of excellence in poetry and asks for Beattie's opinion on the matter.
According to annotation on reverse of letter, Boswell was answered 17 November 1772. |