Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-07-01
B0sweli's L0Ye-Making.

dntCuuttS OF the OS6-maklng ana the
match making of people famous in litera-
ture. The following is a description of
Boswell's love adventures:
Boswell's love-making is singularly
characteristic of the biographer of john
son; the coxcomb and bore, weak, vain,
pushing, curious, garruious,' as Macaulay
calls him. He was eighteen when he
was in Holland, and there he fell in love
with pretty Dutch woman Her name
was Zeiide, or he called her so. But he
does not appear to have been certain
that she returned his passion, Sir John
Pringle,' he says, attended her as a
physician. He wrote 10 my father,
:" She has too much vivacity, she talks of
your son without either resentment or at
tachment.n' This was in 1867, and Bos-
well was then tenderly surveying
young Scotch lass; just eighteen he
wrote; "a genteel person, au agreeable
face, of good family, sensible, good
tempered, cheerful, pious,' and, what
was better than all in Boswell's eyes,
rich. Her name was Blair. Her be-
havior was rather cooler to him than
Boswell either expected or relished; and,
apprehensive that he should lose her, he
petitioned his friend Temple. clergy.
man, to help him to soften her obduracy.
That Temple might not biunder, Bos.
well wrote down certain instructions,
which the reverend gentleman was care
fully TO observe:
"Wednesday. at eight: set
out at nine; Thomas will bring you TO
Adamtown little after eleven. Send
up your name. If possible, put up your
horses there; they can have eut-grass. If
not, Thomas will take them to Mountain,
place mile of, and come back and
wait ct dinner. Give Miss Blair my
letter. Salute her and her mother; ask
10 walk. See the place fully; think
what improvements should be made.
Talk of my mare, the purse, the choco-
late. Tell you are my very old and in
innate friend. Praise me for my good
qualties-you know them; but talk also
how odd, how inconstant, how impetu-
Gus, how much accustomed to women OF
intrigue. Ask, gravely, pray, don't
you think there is something OF madness
in that family?" Talk of my various
travels, German princes, Voltaire and
Rousseau. Talk of my father, my strong
desire to have my own house. Observe
her well. See how amiablc! Judge if
she would be happy with your friend,
Think of me as the great man at Adam
town--quitc classical, too. Study the
mother. Remember well what passes.
Stay tea. AT six order horses and 60 to
New Mills, two miles from London; but,
if they press you to stay all night, do it.
BE man of as much ease as possible.
Consider what romantic expedition
you are on. Take notes. Perhaps you
now fix me for life,
THE whole history of love and court
ship offers nothing more ludicrous than
this document. Temples intercession
was not without fruit. AT last | am
here, writes Boswell from Miss Blair's
house; at last am here, and our meet
ing has been such as you paint i'll your
last but one. have been here but one
night she insisted on my staying an
other; | am dressed in green and gold; |
have my chaise in which ! sit alone, like
Mr.. Gray, and Thomas rides by me in
claret. coored suit with siver-laced
hat He went with her to the theater at
Edinburgh to see 'Othello.' Il sat close
behind the princess (as he called herr
and, at the most affecting scenes, |
pressed my hand upon her waist. she
was in tears, and rather leaned TO me-
He then repofsa conversation between
them:
al really have 40 particular liking for
YOU says Miss Blair like many peo-
pie as well as you
"'Do YOU, indcedf returns Boswell.
Well, cannot help Ii; ] am obliged to
you for telling me 30 in time. | am
sorry for it,
al like JEANNE Maxwell better than
you.'
Every well: but do you like no man
better than meY
mo
Is it possible that you may like me
better than other mens
~ don't know what ispossibe.'
"sYou are very fond Of Auchinleck'
(his fathers estate); that Us one good
circumstance
"sI confess am. wish ! liked you
as well as Auchinleck.'
Her candor would have put an end
to most mems hopes, and passions, too.
But Boswell went on for two months
provoking her sarCasms, until he saw the
game was up. Yet three days after he
had formally resigned her, three days
after he had told her that he was thrown
upon the wide world again, and that he
didn't know what would become OF
him, he wrote: THE heiress' (meaning
Miss Blair is good Scots lass, but
must have an Englishwoman. My
mind is now twice as enlarged as
il has been for some months. You
cannot say how fine woman may mar.
ry-perhaps a Howard, or some other OF
the noblest in the Kingdom The How.
ard not Immediately forthcoming, he re-
newed his correspondence with Ieiide
and protested on his soul lac must have
her. But his father, the old Judge Lord
Auchinleck, objects; so he suggests
compromise. i know writes he, you
are determined TO have me married.
What would you think otfthe fine,
healthy and amiable Miss DICK. she
wants only good fortune He shows
himself grateful TO ais father, not long
fterward, for having objected to his
union with Zelide, and congratulates
himself on having escGped the 'lnsensible
Miss b. for . have now seen the nncst
creature that ever was formed, IN betEe
irtandot.e. Figure TO yourself, Temple,
n young lady just sixteen, formed ike
Grecian nymph, with the sweetest coun'
tenance, full of seDsibility, accom-
plished, with Dublin education, always
half the year in the north of ireland, her
father counselor-at law, with an estate
of 81 900 year and above ElO,0o0 in
ready money!