New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-09-03

great that he, should have succeeded
in penetrating into Rousseau's jeal-
| ouslys guarded seclusion and meeting
| the morose and irascible philosopher
on a rather intimate footing. 1t also
speaks we'll for Boswell's good nature
that he should have been one os tho
very few people who ever came into
! contact with Rousseau without quar-
reling with him. Boswell was also ac-
corded an interview of an hour with
Voltaire ut his retreat at Ferney Dur
ing this time Boswell, in accordance
with the methods which he employed
so successfully during his association
with the great DR.. Johnson, asked
Voltaire's opinion on some profound
qaestiSns of religion and metaphysics.
Voltaire, however, does not appear
to have been as willing to crafty
Boswell's zest for information as
DR.. Johnson was, for he returned
somewhat evasive replies to Boswells
inquiries 1t is unfortunate that the
sardonic old Frenchman's impressions
of the young Scotchman, who burst
in upon his retirement with his COM
| plete self-confidence and his endless
| interrogations, have not been pre-
served for us. Whatever Voltaire's
| opinion of Boswell. it would most Ger
tainly' have made entertaining reading
lnNE of the most interesting aspects
/ " of Boswell's career with which Pro-
lessor Tinker deals is that of his love
affairs. Roswell was of highly sus-
ceptible temperament. He was even
somewhat promiscuous, and some of his
affairs were not of the most reputable
kind But the most serious as we'll as
the most interesting Of his many pas
sions- was the one which he entertained
for Mademoiselle Isabella de Zuylen,
whom he met during his residence at
Utrecht. This young lady, the daugh-
ter of wealthy Dutch nobleman, was
in her way as unusual character as
Boswell himself and an interesting ex-
ample Of the emancipated woman Of the
eighteenth century. She had an active
and Independent mind and combined
marked talent for coquetry with taste
for geometry and complete skepticism
in religious matters. She appears to
have frightened Boswell almost as much
as she fascinated him, but despite his
disapproval of her independence and
her free thinking he was willing to
marry her.
Professor Tinker prints letter
which Boswell addressed to Mademoi-
selle de Zuylen. 1t is, perhaps, the
strangest love letter ever written. In
it, the conflict between Boswell's ma
tive caution and his infatuation is
plainly shown. At great length and in
very didactic strain, he points out to
traits in her character which are dis
pleasing to him and then proceeds to
set forth exactly what qualities he
would exact in a wife. This extra ordi-
nary epistle, however, failed of it's
effect. Either Mademoselle de Zuylen
felt herself incapable of meeting the
requirements Boswell demanded in a
wife, or else neither Boswell himself
nor the picture he drew of his life in
Scotland attracted her sufficiently to
induce her to make the effort. For she
told him that she would never make
suitable wife for him because she
lacked the "subaltern talents" neces-
sary for the role, and the affair termi-
mated.
Boswell subsequently told Rousseau
the whole story and sought his advice,
and some time later he even renewed
his advances TO Mademoiselle de Zuy
len. But he was not destined to marry
that strong-minded and rationalistic
Young woman. And after another dis
appointment, occasioned by his court
ship of lady who was heiress to a
large fortune, and who replied to his
proposals somewhat unkindly by tell
ing him that she wished that she liked
him as we'll as she liked his family
estate of Auchinleck, he eventually
who fortunately did possess those in
dispensable "subaltern talents" which
the high spirited Mademoiselle de Zuy-
len had lacked.
Professor Tinker deals only briefly
with Boswell's later life In his last
years, after the completion of the
"Life of Johnson" Boswell appears to
have fallen into bad habits. He was
drunk very often, and on two occasions,
we are told, he was attacked and
robbed by thieves while in q state of
complete intoxication. But until the
very end of his days Boswell remained,
as he had always been, eager 20 seize
any opportunity of encountering fam
dictated letter to Warren Hastings.
whose trial had just concluded, telling
him that he looked forward to meet
ing with him as soon as his health
was restored. One. cannot help feeling
that even death had not the power to
extinguish Boswell's ruling passion
and that on the Elysian Fields he
would be quite in his element scrap
ing an acquaintance with the shades Of
the great.
Professor Tinker has been complete
ly successful in his task Of portraying
unique and complex character. He
shows us the inimitable Boswell,
pompous, sentimental, garrulous and
insatiably curious. A likable fellow,
and yet one who was more than
little absurd. Surely the most curious
figure in all the ranks of genius.