Due to the frequent use of quotations from and references to books, a lot of abbreviations are being used (or rather, a few abbreviations are being used often). The editions mentioned below are those used by me, i.e. not necessarily first editions. For bibliographical information see the bibliography.

BftD: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1960). Boswell for the Defence 1769-1774. Published by William Heinemann Ltd.

BiH: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1952). Boswell in Holland 1763-1764. Published by William Heinemann Ltd.

BJJ: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1951). Journal of My Jaunt 1762. In London Journal 1762-1763 limited de luxe edition. Published by William Heinemann Ltd.

BLA: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1977). Boswell: Laird of Auchinleck 1778-1782. Published by McGraw-Hill.

BSW: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1957/1958). Boswell in Search of a Wife 1766-1769. First publ. 1957 by William Heinemann Ltd. This edition publ. 1958 by The Reprint Society Ltd.

BOY: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1963). Boswell: The Ominous Years 1774-1776. Published by William Heinemann Ltd.

CJJ: Walker, Ralph S. (ed.) (1966). The Correspondence of James Boswell and John Johnston of Grange. Published by William Heinemann Ltd.

CVJB: Vulliamy, C. E. (1932). James Boswell. Published by Geoffrey Bles, Pall Mall, London.

GC66: Cole, Richard C. (1993). The General Correspondence of James Boswell 1766-1769, Volume 1, 1766-1767. Published by Edinburgh University Press.

GT1: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1953). Boswell on the Grand Tour: Germany and Switzerland 1764 . Published by William Heinemann Ltd.

GT2: Pottle, F. (ed.) (1955). Boswell on the Grand Tour: Italy, Corsica and France 1765-1766 . Published by William Heinemann Ltd.

LJ: Pottle, F. (ed.) (2004). Boswell's London Journal 1762-1763, second edition. Foreword by Peter Ackroyd. Published by Yale University Press.

PM: Martin, Peter (2000). A Life of James Boswell. Published by Yale University Press.

TAJ: Lustig, Irma S.; Pottle, Frederick A. (eds.) (1981). Boswell: The Applause of the Jury 1782-1785. Published by McGraw-Hill.

TEY: Pottle, Frederick A. (1966/1985). James Boswell: The Earlier Years, 1740-1769. Published by McGraw-Hill.

WWB: Smith-Dampier, J.L. (1935). Who's who in Boswell.