Józef Boruwłaski, Esq.

The money gathered by Joseph’s friends and benefactors was invested in a lifetime annuity that ensured Boruwłaski an annual income of around 150 pounds. ¹ The tale of the transaction itself was quite amusing, although perhaps not for everyone involved. The initial capital was given over to a wealthy merchant from Durham, who in exchange agreed to make the annuity payments to Boruwłaski for the remainder of his life. His purchase of the annuity was presumably motivated by the hope of earning considerable profits, given the advanced age of the beneficiary and the presumed likelihood of his death in the not-too-distant future. But Boruwłaski lived on and on. The merchant, though a decade and a half younger, was already ailing and elderly while Joseph remained in good health, and the amount of the annuity payments had long since exceeded the initial capital. Charles Mathews recalled a visit to Durham when Boruwłaski took him to visit the shop of a certain old man, with whom he exchanged some forced pleasantries. Boruwłaski reassured the man with great merriment that he was faring quite well and had felt ‘never better.’ Once out of earshot he could barely contain his laughter while explaining to Mathews that this had been the owner of his annuity, who was praying and praying for his death but ‘Boruwlaski never die!’ ² Indeed, it seems that the obligation to make the annuity payments was even inherited by the hapless investor’s children.