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selenakSo, James Boswell, whom I may have mentioned once or twice, was an 18th century man who really wanted to be liked. He also was a Tory. And yet, when it came to the American Revolution, his sympathies were were with the Revolutionaries throughout. Granted, he was Scottish, but it wasn't exactly a popular view to root for the Colonials in Scotland, either, and several preachers declared it was everyone's duty to pray for the King's troops and pray for the Americans' demise, which caused the religious and very anxious about it Boswell to switch churches to go to for a while at one point.
Have some diary entries:
Friday 8 November 1776: I had this day read an extraordinary Gazette with accounts of the King's troops having taken New York. I regretted it.
Thursday 12 December 1776: This was the fast appointed by the King to pray for success to his arms against the Americans. I paid no regard to it, but studied a confused cause and dicatated part of a paper upon it. At five I went by appointment to tea and cards at the Hon. Alexander Gordon's. MacLaurin was there. I maintained that it was shocking in a nation to pray to GOD for success in destroying another nation.
Sunday 5 January 1777: Heard Dr. Webster at the Tolbooth Church in the forenoon, and Warden of the Canongate in teh afternoon, imagining Mr. Walker was to preach. Was shocked with his praying against the Americans.
Sunday 16 February 1777: Heard Dr. Webster in the forenoon. Dined with him at my father's. He mentioned the success of his Majesty's arms today in his prayer in such a manner as hurt me, and I thought I should not hear him again while the war in America continued.
Sunday 1 March 1778: As Lord North had now brought in bills for conciliation with the Americans, our clergy who were for the violent measures could no longer pray in a hostile strain. So I went to hear Dr. Blair, from whose ministry I had absented myself for more than a year. I heard him again with much relish.
Don't be too hasty, Boswell. For:
Saturday 25 December 1779: Lay longer in bed than usual. (...) The town was illuminated on account of the news of a victory in Georgia over Count d'Estaing and the Americans. It gave me no pleasure, for I considered that it would only encourage a longer continuance of the ruinous war.
Thursday 3 February 1780: This was a fast by Proclamation. As I was dubious whether the Americans were not in the right to insist on independence, I did not go to church.
Friday 30 November 1781: The account of Lord Cornwallis's surrender came today. It pleased me much as I trusted it would at length put an end to the American war.
Saturday 1 December 1781: Restrained my joy on Lord Cornwallis's surrender, not to give offence. But it inspireted me, in so much that though for some time I had been quite lazy in the morning, relaxed and unable to rise, I this day sprung up. I supped at my father's. I was a little heated with wine. He had his old republican humour, reading the King's speech: 'What a clattering's this - my forces! I think he might have said OURS.
Have some diary entries:
Friday 8 November 1776: I had this day read an extraordinary Gazette with accounts of the King's troops having taken New York. I regretted it.
Thursday 12 December 1776: This was the fast appointed by the King to pray for success to his arms against the Americans. I paid no regard to it, but studied a confused cause and dicatated part of a paper upon it. At five I went by appointment to tea and cards at the Hon. Alexander Gordon's. MacLaurin was there. I maintained that it was shocking in a nation to pray to GOD for success in destroying another nation.
Sunday 5 January 1777: Heard Dr. Webster at the Tolbooth Church in the forenoon, and Warden of the Canongate in teh afternoon, imagining Mr. Walker was to preach. Was shocked with his praying against the Americans.
Sunday 16 February 1777: Heard Dr. Webster in the forenoon. Dined with him at my father's. He mentioned the success of his Majesty's arms today in his prayer in such a manner as hurt me, and I thought I should not hear him again while the war in America continued.
Sunday 1 March 1778: As Lord North had now brought in bills for conciliation with the Americans, our clergy who were for the violent measures could no longer pray in a hostile strain. So I went to hear Dr. Blair, from whose ministry I had absented myself for more than a year. I heard him again with much relish.
Don't be too hasty, Boswell. For:
Saturday 25 December 1779: Lay longer in bed than usual. (...) The town was illuminated on account of the news of a victory in Georgia over Count d'Estaing and the Americans. It gave me no pleasure, for I considered that it would only encourage a longer continuance of the ruinous war.
Thursday 3 February 1780: This was a fast by Proclamation. As I was dubious whether the Americans were not in the right to insist on independence, I did not go to church.
Friday 30 November 1781: The account of Lord Cornwallis's surrender came today. It pleased me much as I trusted it would at length put an end to the American war.
Saturday 1 December 1781: Restrained my joy on Lord Cornwallis's surrender, not to give offence. But it inspireted me, in so much that though for some time I had been quite lazy in the morning, relaxed and unable to rise, I this day sprung up. I supped at my father's. I was a little heated with wine. He had his old republican humour, reading the King's speech: 'What a clattering's this - my forces! I think he might have said OURS.
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