Books

First edition, Second issue with the "give" reading on page 135, line 10 of Volume One. Two volumes; 8 1/2 inches x 11 in., frontispiece portrait of Samuel Johnson, engraved by J. Heath after the Sir Joshua Reynolds (1756) painting; xii, [16], 516 pp.; 588 pp. With two engraved illustrations in Volume Two: "The Round Robin" at p. 92, and the "facsimiles" of Dr. Johnson's handwriting, at p. 588. The cancelled leaves are present in both volumes. Light brown polished calf spines, sides and corner-pieces, with five raised bands on the spines, gilt titling and floral decorations, and marbled paper over boards, with matching marbled endpapers, and all the edges also marbled. The frontispiece and title-page of Volume One show some tan spotting, a stain to the lower corner, a little, occasional light tan spotting to some page margins, some rubbing to the leather spines, cover edges. Generally, a clean and well-margined set. With the engraved (Cleveland Cliffs Iron scene) bookplate of Samuel Mather (1851-1931), and a signed, 1932 note from his brother, Cleveland, Ohio based book collector, William G. Mather, regarding the book. Overall, a near fine set. Weight: 7 lbs.

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.