Biography

Paul Lewis. (-1763)

Born at Hurstmonceaux, Sussex, the son of a Clergyman. He became a Lieutenant in the navy before, at some point, he took to robbing people and on 12/3-63 following a failed attempt at robbing a farmer, Mr. Brown, he was taken into custody. He was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey, and on May 4, 1763 he was executed at Tyburn.

Life with James Boswell:

Boswell and Lewis didn't really meet, but on May 3, 1763 Boswell went to the Newgate prison to watch the prisoners, and there saw Lewis going to the chapel. Boswell took to him instantly, and in his journal described him as a "genteel, spirited young fellow. He was just a Macheath. [...] Poor fellow! I really took a great concern for him, and wished to relieve him." Boswell probably didn't mean it quite literally - Lewis was executed on the next day. As was Hannah Diego/Dagoe (Link), also mentioned briefly by Boswell. Boswell watched the executions, together with Robert Temple, and was "thrown into a very deep melancholy".

External links:

• The Newgate calender: Paul Lewis

This article was last updated at February 07 2008 13:06:11 CET

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