The Life of Samuel Johnson, Comprehending an Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order. The Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain for Near a Century During Which He Flourished. In Two Volumes.

BOSWELL, James.

Published by London: by Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791

About this Item

First edition; this a handsomely bound and notably wide-margined copy, just a little short of copies that we have handled in the original boards. "Boswell's Life of Johnson remains the most famous biography in any language, one of Western literature's most germinal achievements" (ODNB). The immense task of compiling the thousands of notes Boswell had recorded on "the great man's talk, habits and opinions" was begun after Johnson's death in 1784. Made up of trifling incidents as well as the significant events in Johnson's life, the work remains a masterpiece of portraiture. "The Life of Johnson was no single book miraculously produced by an inexperienced author. It was the crowning achievement of an artist who for more than twenty-five years had been deliberately disciplining himself for such a task" (Pottle, p. xxi). "Homer is not more decidedly the first of heroic poets, Shakespeare is not more decidedly the first of dramatists, Demosthenes is not more decidedly the first of orators, than Boswell is the first of biographers" (Macaulay). This copy has p. 135, vol. 1, in the first, uncorrected state, reading "gve"; in volume two, pages 78, 92, 275, and 352 are in their first, uncorrected states. The usual cancels, outlined by Pottle, are present. Corrections were made in press, and 1,750 copies were available on publication day, 16 May 1791, the 28th anniversary of Boswell's first meeting with Johnson. Of these, 800 copies were sold in the first two weeks. Loosely inserted is a copy of A. Edward Newton's quarto leaflet reproducing the uncorrected vol. II, p. 302, inscribed (with his initials) in 1933 to another collector. The original text contained Johnson's controversial remarks on marital infidelity, and is known in only a few copies. Provenance: with gilt morocco bookplate in each volume ("Omnia Pro Bono H.M.") of Harold Murdock (1862-1934), Boston banker, book collector, historian of the American Revolution, and director of Harvard University Press. Courtney 172; Grolier, English, 54; Pottle 79; Rothschild 463; Tinker 338. 2 vols, quarto (293 x 225 mm). Portrait frontispiece engraved by James Heath after Sir Joshua Reynolds, 2 engraved plates by H. Shepherd. Text printed on pale blue paper. Early 20th-century brown morocco by Riviere & Son, spines lettered in gilt, compartments, covers, and turn-ins ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. A few minor scratches to binding, spines a little sunned, contents with occasional light foxing, skilful restoration to upper outer corner of frontispiece and initial 5 leaves in vol. I, infill to small wormhole to title page of vol. II, a little cracked preceding title page in vol. I and before main contents in vol. II, still firm. A very attractive copy.

Seller Inventory # 163181

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Life of Samuel Johnson, Comprehending an Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order. The Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain for Near a Century During Which He Flourished. In Two Volumes.
• Publisher: London: by Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791
• Edition: 1st Edition