New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-03-02

The extraordinary manner in which the MS. CORE
spondence of Boswell has to light, is not the
least interesting thing about the book which is
amusing the literary world According to the story
related in the preface, few years ago clergyman
(whose name is not given,) having occasion to buy
some articlesat the shop of Madame Noel at Bou-
logne, observed that the paper in which they were
wrapped was the fragment of an English letter.
Further investigation led to the production OF large
parcel of similar papers, which proved to be CORE
spondence of nearly forty years (rom 1853 to 1867
between Boswell and his early friend thesRey. Will
liam Johnson Temple. The only account that could
be obtained was, that the lot was purchased from
hawker, who was in the habit Of passing through
BOulOgne or twice year, to supply the different
shops with paper. In spite Of this questionable orr
gin, (Which is just what might be invented tors
skilful forgery the literary judges are unanimous
in their verdict of the genuineness of these letters.
The man himself is displayed in them. in way that
no torger could assume; and the lnnumerable facts
and incidents alluded to, would afford too many
chances for detection to be braved by the most expert
couuterteiter. A singular circumstance has lately
occurred in the Boswell family, which will remind
the readers of Ten Thousand Year that truth is
as strange as fiction.
One of James Boswell's deepest feelings was SEN
timent of pride in his family name and estate, and
desire to perpetuae it in succession of mail heirs.
who should keep up the old name and reputation. In
one of the newly discovered letters he says: You
know that as an old laird of this family gave the
estate to the male heir though he had four daughters,
hold it sacred point of honor not to alter that
line of succession We may well imagine the an
ceut blood of the writer would have boiled with in
dgnation could he have foreseen that his grandson
was to set aside the deed of entail attaching the
family estate of Auchinleck to the heirs male which
he and his father executed with all the solemnites of
the law in ITS. Yet it is. Boswell left two sons,
The elder, Sir Alexander Boswell, a gentleman of
great talents and much beloved, was killed in Il duel
by Mr.Stewart, the author Three Years in Amer-
ca" which, twenty years ago, was accounted the fair
est book the United States. His son, the present
Sir James Boswell, has large family of daughters
only On examination of the deed above mentioned,
it was pronounced invalid by the Scottish judges; be-
cause when word of any importance in deed of
entail is written on an erasure, without being anthem
tcated in the testing clause the effect is fatal the
object of the deed. The Auchinleck deed in this
position In the clause prohibiting the right of SALE
the word redeemabte had at first been written instead
of irredeemabie, erasure was made, and the five
letters Tired were written on this eraslre and no
notice of the circumstance contained in the test
ing clause. This was ruled to be a fatal objection
and Sir James Boswell is at liberty to sell the estate
make any disposition of it he likes to provide for
his daughters. Thus vanishes the family name and
male succession of Boswell of Auchnleck," before
the blunder Of a copying clerk.