Anglican Irishman from County Derry. Curate of Newtownards, County Down (1756-1759) and rector of Ballymaglasson, Country Meath (1759-1771). Sometime assistant priest in the Ambassador, Sir Joseph Yorke's, Chapel at The Hague.
In a letter to Boswell dated February 28, 1769, he wrote of himself that "[I] have a small parish, but it requires no Attendance. I entertain at present little hopes of preferment, but am very Content. Ecclesiastical promotion is gained by Interest on the other side of the water, and I have never hunted after it, nor given my friends any trouble on that account."1
- 1Cited in The General Correspondence of James Boswell 1768-69, p. 145
Boswell became friendly with Caldwell during his visit to The Hague in April 1764, and the two had friendly and intimate conversations almost daily for the duration of his stay in that city. On June 2, 176, Boswell told Caldwell the uncensored story of his life.
After three years of silence, the two had a brief and friendly correspondence in early 1769.