Books

London: printed for J.F. & C. Rivington, L. Davis, [et al.], 1785. Folio, pp. [1150]; lexicon in triple column; engraved frontispiece portrait of Johnson engraved by Thomas Cook after Reynolds, published by Longmans, March 23rd 1787. The portrait is described by Fleeman as "a late addendum for the weekly subscribers"; boards scuffed, else generally a very good, sound copy in 19th-century mottled calf neatly rebacked. This folio edition was printed to counterattack the intrusion into the market by James Harrison, who had begun to reprint the work in 100 six-penny numbers, the first appearing on October 22, 1785. Harrison's edition was, unfortunately, for him, taken from the first edition of 1755; the proprietors, led by Longman, took their edition from the corrected fourth edition. It, too, was printed in weekly numbers, which probably accounts for the irregular size of the title-p. and several other leaves in this copy. This edition is taken from the fourth, and best edition, but…

Samuel Johnson's 'A Dictionary of the English Language' is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language. First published on 15 April 1755, the dictionary offered comprehensive definitions and illustrative examples of usage.