James Boswell died in 1795 believing he had touched and kissed a cache of Shakespeare's original letters and papers discovered by a Mr. Ireland. His friend, Edmond Malone, publicly exposed the lot as a forgery just a year later.
James Hope-Johnstone - 3rd Earl of Hopetoun
James Hope-Johnstone
Born Aug 23, 1741Died May 29, 1816
Son of John Hope (1704-1781), 2nd Earl of Hopetoun, and Anne Ogilvy (d. 1759). Younger brother of Charles Hope. Married (1766) to Elizabeth Carnegie (1750-1793), dau of the 6th Earl of Northesk. They had five daughters, but no sons, wherefore his titles was inherited by his half-brother, John Hope, upon his death.
He joined the Guards (3rd Regiment of Foot-guards) in 1758, and participated in the famous Battle of Minden during the Seven Years War. He left the army in 1764, and travelled for a while with his older brother, Charles, whose health was declining. In 1781 he succeeded to the title of Earl of Hopetoun, in 1784 he was elected a Representative Peer of Scotland, and in 1809 he was created Baron Hopetoun. He even served as Lord-Lieutenant of Linlithgowshire for some time. In 1792 he had inherited the large estates of his grand-uncle George Johnstone, 3rd Marquis of Annandale, although he did not assume Johnstone's titles. He did, however, change his name to Hope-Johnstone to reflect his inheritance.1
- 1. Sources include the Dictionary of National Biography, entry James Hope.
Boswell met James Hope at the Court of Brunswick on June 27, 1764.
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