These two works form a natural pair and, owing that they cover much of the same material, are often read together, focusing on the Scottish highlands.

The text presents a lightly-edited version of both works, preserving the original orthography and corrected typographical errors to fit modern grammar standards.

The introduction and notes provide clear and concise explanations on Johnson and Boswell's respective careers, their friendship and grand biographical projects. It also examines the Scottish Enlightenment, the status of England and Scotland during the Reformation through to the Union of the Crowns, and the Jacobite