The Duel between Sir Alexander Boswell and James Stuart

Download or read book The Duel between Sir Alexander Boswell and James Stuart written by Michael Moss and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2019-07-25 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sir Alexander Boswell (1775-1822) wrote Scottish songs that are still performed today, such as “Jenny’s Bawbee”. An extravagant character and a Tory, he wrote flagrant lampoons of his Whig opponents. One of them greatly incensed his Whig cousin James Stuart of Dunearn, who challenged him to a duel in which Boswell was killed. At his trial for murder, Stuart was represented as a peaceable man unaccustomed to the use of firearms. Nothing could be further from the truth. He served in the militia, was irascible and, at times, violent. This book tells the compelling stories of the remarkable tangled events that led to their quarrel. The duel marked a turning point in Scottish politics away from a turbulent and fractious past to a quieter future. The Whigs triumphed, paving the way for liberal Scotland. In addition, this volume includes, for the first time, many of Boswell’s poems and witty lampoons.