Life of Johnson, Volume 6 Addenda, index, dicta philosophi, etc. — Reading Companion

The Index as a Biographical Map

The Index in this volume is not a mere list of names and topics; it is a structured record of Boswell's preoccupations. Under 'Johnson, Samuel,' subentries for 'talk' occupy nearly a full column, with references to his 'rule to talk his best,' his love of victory in conversation, and the observation that 'his little fishes would talk like whales.' The entry for 'style' is similarly detailed, noting imitations by Barbauld, Burney, and Gibbon, and Johnson's own dislike of parentheses and 'the former, the latter.' These index entries mirror the Life's central interest in Johnson's spoken and written voice.

Recurring Images: Tea, Tenderness, and Temper

The Index entries for 'tea' are remarkably specific: 'cups, a dozen, i. 313, n. 3; fifteen, ii. 268, n. 2; sixteen, v. 207, n. 1.' This quantitative precision reflects Boswell's eye for concrete detail. Alongside these are entries for 'tenderness of heart,' citing moments such as Johnson 'kissing Streatham church' and weeping over Beattie's Hermit. The juxtaposition of temper—'violent passion, iv. 171'—with tenderness creates a portrait of a man of strong contrasts, a pattern the Index makes visible at a glance.

The Addenda: Corrections and Continuity

The Addenda section contains autograph letters and corrections, suggesting that Boswell or his editor, George Birkbeck Hill, treated the Life as a living document. One entry corrects a misattribution; another adds a letter that fills a gap in the chronology. These additions do not alter the main narrative but refine it, much like the Index refines the reader's access to the text. The Addenda thus functions as a paratextual layer, reinforcing the impression that Boswell's work was constantly under revision.

Dicta Philosophi: Johnson's Aphorisms Collected

The Dicta Philosophi section gathers Johnson's sayings into a separate compendium, extracted from the main text. This structure isolates Johnson's conversational wit from its narrative context, allowing the reader to encounter his aphorisms as a standalone philosophical work. The entries range from observations on subordination to remarks on swearing, and include the famous line about 'surly virtue.' By removing these dicta from Boswell's framing, the volume invites a different kind of reading—one focused on Johnson's ideas rather than his life.

Readers approaching this volume should treat the Index not as a finding aid but as a thematic guide to Boswell's biographical priorities. The Addenda and Dicta sections reward those who read them alongside the main narrative, revealing the editorial choices that shaped the Life. This volume is best used as a companion to the earlier five, offering a structured entry into Johnson's world through the lens of Boswell's meticulous indexing.

I finished the Johnson addenda the other night, and what stayed with me wasn’t the index itself, but how those tiny entries—"tenderness," "talk," "style"—felt like footprints of a man who lived fully in words. It reminded me of a quiet hour spent with Books and Bookmen — Themes and Context, where the same gentle ache for what books carry stays close. Some volumes simply leave their warmth behind.