-by a lucky chance it was the anniversary
of the red day in Boswell's calendar, his meeting with Johnson eight and
twenty years before! 'When it is fairly launched, I mean to stick close
to Westminster Hall, and it will be truly kind if you recommend me
appeals or causes of any sort.'

The rest of his life is soon told. Paoli was now again in Corsica. When
Mirabeau had recalled the exiles, the general had been made by Louis
XVI. military commandant of the island. Johnson, also, was gone, and the
two strongest checks upon the excesses of Boswell were removed. Piteous
it is to find him writing to Malone: 'that most friendly fellow
Courtenay, begging the pardon of an M.P. for so free an epithet,' had
taken him in hand, and had taken his word that for some months his daily
allowance of wine should not exceed four good glasses at dinner, and a
pint after it. The qualifying adjective 'good' is dangerous, and before
the time for the bill was half expired, Bozzy has closured it and the
amendment. The state of his affairs, the loss of his wife bore heavily
on him, together with 'the disadvantage to my children in having so
wretched a father--nay, the want of absolute certainty of being happy
after death, the _sure_ prospect of which is frightful.' Then a fitful
gleam of the old Adam breaks out. He has heard of a Miss Bagnal, 'about
seven and twenty, lively and gay, a Ranelagh girl, but of excellent
principles insomuch that she reads prayers to the servants in her
father's family every Sunday evening.' Another matrimonial scheme was
the daughter of the late Dean of Exeter, 'a most agreeable woman _d'un
certain age_,' as he engagingly adds, 'and with a fortune of L10,000.'
The preparation of a second edition of the _Life_ for July 1793 raised
his spirits, but after a while he had run into excess, been knocked down
and robbed. This he vows shall be a crisis in his life, and Temple's
apprehension of his friend being carried off in a state of intoxication
he finds awful to contemplate. Early in 1795 the end is announced by
Temple's son writing to his father--'a few nights ago Mr Boswell
returned from the Literary Club, quite weak and languid;' and the last
letter to Temple from his correspondent of thirty-seven years is dated
8th April: 'I would fain write to you in my own hand, but really
cannot.' His son James finishes the letter, to tell that the patient
'feels himself a good deal stronger to-day.' He was attended by Dr
Warren, wh