PhillipsBrooksoncetoldtheboysatExeterthatinreadingbiographythreemenmeetoneanotherincloseintimacy——thesubjectofthebiography，theauthor，andthereader。Ofthethreethemostinterestingis，ofcourse，themanaboutwhomthebookiswritten。Themostprivilegedisthereader，whoisthusallowedtolivefamiliarlywithaneminentman。Leastregardedofthethreeistheauthor。Itishisparttointroducetheothers，andtodevelopbetweenthemanacquaintance，perhapsafriendship，whilehe，thougheverbusyandsolicitous，withdrawsintothebackground。
SomethinkthatBoswell，inhisLifeofJohnson，didnotsufficientlyrealizehisdutyofself-effacement。Heistoomuchinevidence，toobustling，tooanxiousthathisownopinion，thoughcomparativelyunimportant，shouldgetahearing。Ingeneral，Boswell’sfaultsareeasilynoticed，andhavebeentoomuchtalkedabout。Hewasmorbid，restless，self-conscious，vain，insinuating；
and，poorfellow，hediedadrunkard。ButtheessentialBoswell，theskilfulanddevotedartist，isalmostunrecognized。AsthecreatoroftheLifeofJohnsonheisalmostasmucheffacedasisHomerintheOdyssey。Heisindeedsocloselyconcealedthatthereadersuspectsnoartatall。Boswell’sperformancelookseasyenough——merelythemoreorlesscoherentstringingtogetherofamassofmemoranda。Neverthelessitwasrareanddifficult，asisthehighestachievementinart。Boswellisprimarilytheartist，andhehascreatedoneofthegreatmasterpiecesoftheworld。*Hecreatednothingelse，thoughhisheadwascontinuallyfillingitselfwithliteraryschemesthatcametonought。ButintohisLifeofJohnsonhepouredallhisartisticenergies，asMiltonpouredhisintoParadiseLost，andVergilhisintotheAneid。
*HereIincludehisJournalofaTouroftheHebridesasessentiallyapartoftheLife。TheJournalofaTourinCorsicaisbutapropaedeuticstudy。
First，Boswellhadtheindustryandthedevotiontohistaskofanartist。Twentyyearsandmorehelaboredincollectinghismaterial。Hespeaksfranklyofhismethods。HerecordedthetalkofJohnsonandhisassociatespartlybyaroughshorthandofhisown，partlybyanexceptionalmemory，whichhecarefullytrainedforthisverypurpose。’Oforshorthandtotakethisdown!’saidhetoMrs。ThraleastheylistenedtoJohnson；andshereplied：
’You’llcarryitallinyourhead；alongheadisasgoodasshorthand。’MissHannahMorerecallsagaymeetingattheGarricks’，inJohnson’sabsence，whenBoswellwasboldenoughtomatchhisskillwithnootherthanGarrickhimselfinanimitationofJohnson。ThoughGarrickwasmoresuccessfulinhisJohnsonianrecitationofpoetry，Boswellwoninreproducinghisfamiliarconversation。Helostnotimeinperfectinghisnotesbothmentalandstenographic，andsatupmanyanightfollowedbyadayofheadache，towritetheminfinalform，thatnoneofthefreshnessandglowmightfade。Thesheerlaborofthisprocess，nottomentionthedifficulty，canbemeasuredonlybyonewhoattemptsasimilarfeat。Lethimtrytoreportthebestconversationofalivelyevening，followingitscourse，preservingitspoint，differentiatingsharplythetraitsoftheparticipants，keepingthestyle，idiom，andexactwordsofeach。Lethimrejectallpartsofit，howeverdiverting，ofwhichthecharmandforcewillevaporatewiththeoccasion，andretainonlythatwhichwillbeasamusing，significant，andlivelyaseverattheendofonehundred，or，forallthatwecansee，onethousandyears。Hewillthen，insomemeasure，realizethedifficultyofBoswell’sperformance。WhenhisworkappearedBoswellhimselfsaid：’Thestretchofmindandpromptassiduitybywhichsomanyconversationsarepreserved，Imyself，atsomedistanceoftime，contemplatewithwonder。’
HewasindefatigableinhuntingupandconsultingallwhohadknownpartsoraspectsofJohnson’slifewhichtohimwereinaccessible。
Hementionsalltoldmorethanfiftynamesofmenandwomenwhomheconsultedforinformation，towhichnumbermanyothersshouldbeaddedofthosewhogavehimnothingthathecoulduse。’IhavesometimesbeenobligedtorunhalfoverLondon，inordertofixadatecorrectly。’Heagonizedoverhisworkwiththetruedevotionofanartist：’Youcannotimagine，’hesays，’whatlabor，whatperplexity，whatvexationIhaveenduredinarrangingaprodigiousmultiplicityofmaterials，insupplyingomissions，insearchingforpapersburiedindifferentmasses，andallthisbesidestheexertionofcomposingandpolishing。’Hedespairsofmakinghispicturevividorfullenough，andofeverrealizinghispreconceptionofhismasterpiece。
Boswell’sdevotiontohisworkappearsinevenmoreextraordinaryways。Throughoutherepeatedlyoffershimselfasavictimtoillustratehisgreatfriend’swit，ill-humor，wisdom，affection，orgoodness。Heneverspareshimself，exceptnowandthentoassumeasomewhatdiaphanousanonymity。Withoutregardforhisowndignity，heexhibitshimselfashumiliated，ordrunken，orhypochondriac，orinquisitive，orresortingtopettysubterfuge——anythingfortheaccomplishmentofhisonemainpurpose。’Nay，Sir，’saidJohnson，’itwasnotthewinethatmadeyourheadache，butthesensethatI
putintoit。’’What，Sir，’asksthehaplessBoswell，’willsensemaketheheadache？’’Yes，Sir，whenitisnotusedtoit。’
Boswellisalsotheartistinhisregardfortruth。Inhimitwasapassion。Againandagainheinsistsuponhisauthenticity。HedevelopedaninfalliblegustandunerringrelishofwhatwasgenuinelyJohnsonianinspeech，writing，oraction；andhisownaccountleadstotheinferencethathediscarded，asworthless，massesofdivertingmaterialwhichwouldhavetemptedalessscrupulouswriterbeyondresistance。’Iobservedtohim，’saidBoswell，’thattherewereveryfewofhisfriendssoaccurateasthatIcouldventuretoputdowninwritingwhattheytoldmeashissayings。’Thefaithfulnessofhisportrait，eventotheminutestdetails，ishisunremittingcare，andhesubjectsallcontributedmaterialtothesternestcriticism。
Industryandloveoftruthalonewillnotmaketheartist。WithonlytheseBoswellmighthavebeenmerelyatirelesstranscriber。
Buthehadbesidesakeensenseofartisticvalues。Thisappearspartlyintheunityofhisvastwork。Thoughitwasyearsinthemaking，thoughthedetailsthatdemandedhisattentionwerecountless，yettheyallcentreconsistentlyinonefigure，andaresofocuseduponit，thatonecanhardlyopenthebookatrandomtoalinewhichhasnotitsdirectbearingupontheonesubjectofthework。Noristheunityofthebookthatofanundeviatingnarrativeinchronologicalorderofoneman’slife；itgrowsratheroutofasingledominatingpersonalityexhibitedinallthevicissitudesofamanifoldcareer。Boswelloftenspeaksofhisworkasapainting，aportrait，andofsingleincidentsaspicturesorscenesinadrama。Hiseyeiskeenforcontrasts，forpicturesquemoments，fordramaticaction。WhileitisalwaysthesameJohnsonwhomhemakesthecentralfigure，hestudiestoshiftthebackground，theinterlocutors，thelightandshade，insearchofnewrevelationsandeffects。Hepresentsasuccessionofmanyscenes，exquisitelywrought，ofJohnsonamidwidelyvarioussettingsofEighteenth-CenturyEngland。Andsubjectandsettingaresocloselyalliedthateachborrowscharmandemphasisfromtheother。LetthedevotedreaderofBoswellaskhimselfwhatglamorwouldfadefromthechurchofSt。ClementDanes，fromtheMitre，fromFleetStreet，theOxfordcoach，andLichfield，iftheburlyfigurewerewithdrawnfromthem；orwhatcharmandillumination，ofthemanhimselfwouldhavebeenlostapartfromthesesettings。ItistheunseenhandoftheartistBoswellthathaswroughttheminseparablyintothisreciprocaleffect。
ThesinglescenesandpictureswhichBoswellhasgivenuswillallofthembearclosescrutinyfortheirprecision，theireconomyofmeans，theirlifelikeness，theirartisticeffect。Nonewaswroughtmorebeautifully，normoreardently，thanthatofJohnson’sinterviewwiththeKing。FirstweseetheplainmassivefigureofthescholaramidtheelegantcomfortofBuckinghamHouse。Heisintentonhisbookbeforethefire。ThentheapproachoftheKing，lightedonhiswaybyMr。Barnardwithcandlescaughtfromatable；
theirentrancebyaprivatedoor，withJohnson’sunconsciousabsorption，hissuddensurprise，hisstartingup，hisdignity，theKing’seasewithhim，theirconversation，inwhichtheKingcourteouslydrawsfromJohnsonknowledgeofthatinwhichJohnsonisexpert，Johnson’smanlybearingandvoicethroughout——allissetforthwiththeunadornedvividnessandpermanenteffectwhichseemartlessenough，butwhicharecharacteristicofonlythegreatestart。
Boswell’sLifeofJohnsonisfurtheramasterpieceofartinthatitexertsthevigorousenergyofamasterpiece，anabundanceofwhat，forwantofabetterword，wecallpersonality。ItisBoswell’sconfessedendeavortoaddthisqualitytotheothers，becauseheperceivedthatitwasanessentialqualityofJohnsonhimself，andhemorethanoncelamentshisinabilitytotransmitthefullforceandvitalityofhisoriginal。Besidesartisticperceptionandskillitrequiredinhimadmirationandenthusiasmtoseizethischaracteristicandimpartittohiswork。Hisadmirationheconfessesunashamed：’IsaidIworshippedhim……I
cannothelpworshippinghim，heissomuchsuperiortoothermen。’
Hestudiedhissubjectintensely。’Duringallthecourseofmylongintimacywithhim，myrespectfulattentionneverabated。’
Uponsuchintensityandsuchardorandenthusiasmdependtheenergyandanimationofhisportrait。
Butitexhibitsotherpersonalqualitiesthanthese，which，iflessoftenremarked，areatanyrateunconsciouslyenjoyed。Boswellhadgreatsocialcharm。Hisfriendsareagreeduponhislivelinessandgoodnature。Johnsoncalledhim’clubbable，’’thebesttravelingcompanionintheworld，’’oneScotchmanwhoischeerful，’’amanwhomeverybodylikes，’’amanwhoIbelieveneverleftahousewithoutleavingawishforhisreturn。’Hisvivacity，hisloveoffun，hispassionforgoodcompanyandfriendship，hissympathy，hisamiability，whichmadehimacceptableeverywhere，havemingledthroughoutwithhisownhandiwork，andcauseittoradiateakindofgenialwarmth。Thisgenialityitmaybewhichhasattractedsomanyreaderstothebook。Theyfindthemselvesingoodcompany，inacomfortable，pleasantplace，agreeablystimulatedwithwitandfun，andcheeredwithfriendliness。Theyarelothtoleaveit，andwouldeverenteritagain。Thisrarecharmthebookowesinlargemeasuretoitscreator。
TheallianceofauthorwithsubjectinBoswell’sJohnsonisoneofthehappiestandmostsympathetictheworldhasknown。Socloseisitthatonecannoteasilydiscernwhatgreatqualitiestheworkowestoeach。WhileitsurelyderivesmoreofitsexcellencethaniscommonlyremarkedfromtheartofBoswell，itsgreatnessafterallisultimatelythatofitssubject。ThenoblequalitiesofJohnsonhavebeenwelldiscernedbyCarlyle，andhisobviouspeculiaritiesandprejudicessomewhatmagnifiedanddistortedinMacaulay’sbrilliantrefractions。OnequalityonlyshallIdwellupon，thoughthatmaybethesumofalltherest。Johnsonhadasupremecapacityforhumanrelationship。Inhimthiscapacityamountedtogenius。
Inallrespectshewasofgreatstature。Hiscontemporariescalledhimacolossus，theliteraryGoliath，theGiant，thegreatChamofliterature，atremendouscompanion。Hisframewasmajestic；hestrodewhenhewalked，andhisphysicalstrengthandcouragewereheroic。Hismodeofspeakingwas’veryimpressive，’hisutterance’deliberateandstrong。’Hisconversationwascomparedto’anantiquestatue，whereeveryveinandmuscleisdistinctandbold。’
Fromboyhoodthroughouthislifehiscompanionsnaturallydeferredtohim，andhedominatedthemwithouteffort。Butwhatovercametheharshnessofthisautocracy，andmadeitreasonable，wasthelargenessofanaturethatlovedmenandwaseverhungryforknowledgeofthem。’Sir，’saidhe，’IlookuponeverydaylostinwhichIdonotmakeanewacquaintance。’Andagain：’Why，Sir，I
amamanoftheworld。Iliveintheworld，andItake，insomedegree，thecoloroftheworldasitmovesalong。’Thushewasapartofallthathemet，acentralfigureinhistime，withwhoseopiniononemustreckoninconsideringanyimportantmatterofhisday。
HisloveofLondonisbutapartofhishungerformen。’ThehappinessofLondonisnottobeconceivedbutbythosewhohavebeeninit。’’Why，Sir，youfindnomanatallintellectualwhoiswillingtoleaveLondon：No，Sir，whenamanistiredofLondon，heistiredoflife；forthereisinLondonallthatlifecanafford。’
AshelovedLondon，sohelovedatavernforitssociability。
’Sir，thereisnothingwhichhasyetbeencontrivedbyman，bywhichsomuchhappinessisproducedasbyagoodtavern。’’A