He was the son of James Boswell, the seventh laird of Auchinleck.

He studied medicine at Leiden University, graduating in 1736 with a thesis about amber.

He was Treasurer of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh from 1748 to 1763 with a break of two years at the end of 1756.

[1] He died in 1780 and his nephew, the ninth laird and famous biographer James Boswell wrote, "He was a very good scholar, knew a great many things, had an elegant taste, and was very affectionate.

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