The Best of the World's Classics, Vol. V (of X) - Great Britain and Ireland III

(From "Heroes and Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History") 190 IV In Praise of Those Who Toil. (From "Sartor Resartus") 201 V The Certainty of Justice. (From "Past and Present") 202 VI The Greatness of Scott. (From the essay on Lockhart's "Life of Scott") 206 VII Boswell and His Book. (From the essay on Croker's edition of Boswell) 214 VIII Might Burns Have Been Saved? (From the essay on Burns) 223 Lord Macaulay —(Born in 1800, died in 1859.) I Puritans and Royalists. (From the essay on Milton) 233 II Cromwell's Army. (From Chapter I of the "History of England") 238 III The Opening of the Trial of Warren Hastings. (From the essay on Hastings) 242 IV The Gift of Athens to Man. (From the essay on Mitford's "History of Greece") 248 V The Pathos of Byron's Life. (From the essay on Moore's "Life of Byron") 251 GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND—III 1740—1881 JAMES BOSWELL Born in 1740, died in 1795; son of a Scottish judge; admitted to the bar in 1766; recorder of Carlisle in 1788; removed to London in 1789; visited Corsica in 1766; first met Dr. Johnson in 1763; went with him to the Hebrides in 1773; published his "Life of Johnson" in 1791. I BOSWELL'S INTRODUCTION TO DR. JOHNSON [1] Mr. Thomas Davies the actor, who then kept a bookseller's shop in Russell street, Covent Garden, told me that Johnson was very much his friend, and came frequently to his house, where he more than once invited me to meet him; but by some unlucky accident or other he was prevented from coming to us. Mr. Thomas Davies was a man of good understanding and talents, with the advantage of a liberal education. Tho somewhat pompous, he was an entertaining companion; and his literary performances have no inconsiderable share of merit. He was a friendly and very hospitable man. Both he and his wife (who has been celebrated for her beauty), tho upon the stage for many years, maintained a uniform decency of character; and Johnson esteemed them, and lived in as easy an intimacy with them as with any family which he used to visit. Mr. Davies recollected several of Johnson's remarkable sayings, and was one of the best of the many imitators of his voice and manner, while relating them. He increased my impatience more and more to see the extraordinary man whose works I…