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Excerpt from Readings in English Prose of the Nineteenth Century, Vol. 2
Boswell has already been much commented upon; but rather in the way of censure and vituperation than of true recognition. He was a man that brought himself much before the World; confessed that he eagerly coveted fame, or if that were not possible, notoriety; of which latter as he gained far more than seemed his due, the public were incited, not only by their natural love of scandal, but by a special ground of envy, to say whatever ill of him could be said. Out of the fifteen mil lions that then lived, and had bed and board, in the British islands, this man has provided us a greater pleasure (than any other individual, at whose cost we now enjoy ourselves; per haps has done us a greater service than can be specially attrib uted to more than two or three: yet, ungrateful that we are, no written or spoken eulogy of James Boswell anywhere exists; his recompense in solid pudding (so far as copyright went) was not excessive; and as for the empty praise, it has altogether been denied him. Men are unwiser than Children; they do not know the hand that feeds them.
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