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.
Nathaniel McKie
Nathaniel McKie
Born ca. 1715Died 1781
Alias:
Minister of Crossmichael and Balmaghie
Biography:
Son of William M'Kie. Ordained minister of Crossmichael and/or Balmaghie on August 23rd, 1739. According to Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae McKie "was noted for simplicity of character, plain uncultivated manners, superstitious credulity, and great eccentricity."1 Author of Some thoughts on the Sacred Ministry, the opposition it meets with, its triumph, and the spring of its victory, a sermon (1741).
McKie is described by Boswell as "a strange Caliban of a clergyman", (Harvest, 160962) and "a great curler upon the ice [and] at the same time a great admirer of poetry [who] imagining that he has genius, is now and then bellowing out some uncouth clumsy ditty of his own composition." (Harvest, 170962) A friend and/or neighbour of Lord Kenmure.
Life with Boswell:
Boswell probably met him at Lord Kenmure's on 16/9-62, but his journal isn't entirely clear as to whether he merely referred something told to him by Lord Kenmure, or formed the description himself.
Note 1: My identification of Boswell's McKie with this McKie is based on the similarities between Boswell's description and the description of a Nathaniel McKie in Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae (Link).
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