Judge and unsuccessful political aspirant, essayist, poet, and critic, but most famous for The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D (1791), Boswell established the modern biographical focus on the intimacies of private character through this famous biography and his preface defending his methods. That publication was preceded by The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (1785), which appeared shortly after Johnson's death and aroused reader enthusiasm for a portrait that includes personal foibles as well as venerable accomplishments. Also notable as a unique combination of biography of Pascal Paoli, history, and travel journal, An Account of Corsica (1768) helped inspire British popular support for Corsica's struggle against French domination.