Skip to main content
Personal data
Name
William Butter
Born February, 1726
Died May 23, 1805
in London
Alias
Dr. Butter
Biography

Married (1767) to Catherine Douglas, a cousin of James Boswell. Sometime physician at Derby.

According to James P. Warbasse in the article "Doctors of Samuel Johnson and his Court":

"[Dr. Butter] practiced at Derby till he acquired moderate fortune and then moved to London. He was the author of a number of treatises, and be came a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians."1

Life with Boswell

Dr Butter was married to the daughter of Sir John Douglas, a first cousin of James Boswell. He is mentioned a few times in the Life of Johnson, and it was in connection with a visit by Johnson and Boswell to Dr Butter that the famous quote "We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed..." was coined.

Mentioned in