Biography

Robert Irvine. (1704-1772) (aka. Robert Irving)

According to Boswell (BJJ, p. 69) a writer in Edinburgh and a very good plain man and more genteel than usual. According to a note in CJJ (p. 39n1), Writer to the Signet, third son of William Irving of Bonshaw.

He is probably the Mr. Robert Irvine, W.S. (Writer to the Signet) who married Mary Veitch, daughter of William Veitch of Elleock, and thus a sister of Lord Eliock in January, 1764. However, another Robert Irvine, also a writer in Edinburgh, was also married in January, 1764, which means that the identification in CJJ is possibly not so certain (i.e. there were two Edinburgh writers of that name in the early 1760s).

Life with James Boswell:

Boswell met with him at Dumfries on October 6, 1762, and went with him to Kelhead. On the next day they dined at the house of Irvine's nephew at Bonshaw.

This article was last updated at January 31 2008 22:20:27 CET

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