Books

Four volumes, 8vo, engraved frontispiece portrait and pp. [ii], xxxi, [i], 452; [ii], 490; [ii], 475; [ii], 514; with folding plates at p. 83 in vol III and 466 in vol IV; offsetting of frontispiece onto title page in vol I; an uncut copy, in the original blue boards, with white paper spines; with the original printed paper labels, but both spines and labels much chipped. Third edition of Boswell's Life, published in May 1799 at the price of �1.8s in boards. This edition is 'now generally regarded as the definitive edition' (Pottle), and incorporates the corrections that Boswell made between the second edition (1793) and his death. Most of the improvements, however, were the work of Edmond Malone, who continued his work of revision and correction; and also of Dr Charles Burney, whose notes are signed 'B.'. Roger Lonsdale's first important work was a biography of Burney, and he has written out a list of the notes added by him, which is loosely inserted into this copy. Pottle 82.

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.