Books

London: printed by Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791. First edition, first state, with ‘gve’ on p.135 of the first volume; Mm4 and Nn1 in Volume I and E3, Qq3, and Eee2 in Volume II are cancels. 4to (203 x 295 mm; untrimmed), engraved portrait of Johnson by James Heath after Sir Joshua Reynolds (browned), 2 engraved plates of facsimiles by H. Shepherd. An extraordinary copy in contemporary half calf and the original publisher’s boards and with the edges of the paper all uncut to the extent that it is an exceptional tall copy, almost a large paper copy, morocco spine labels. Hinges cracked, scattered foxing, a few trifling stains, boards somewhat worn and fragile, preserved in a brown cloth chemise and half morocco slipcase. Booklabels of W. Strong (1p. ALS from J. Parsons to him laid in) and ink signature of J. Robinson in Volume I. Accompanied by The London Chronicle, No. 5414, for May 5, 1791, which prints an advertisement for the book.||W. Strong is addressed in the…

James Boswell's 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' is regarded as one of the greatest biographies written in the English language. It provides an in-depth and vivid recounting of the life of Samuel Johnson, a writer and critic who was a towering figure in 18th-century British literature.