James Boswell | The life of Samuel Johnson, 1791, 2 volumes, first edition of the most celebrated biography of all time

James Boswell

The Life of Samuel Johnson. London: Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791

FIRST EDITION, one of 1,750 copies, 2 volumes, 4to (292 x 227 mm), engraved portrait frontispiece of Johnson by James Heath after Reynolds in volume 1, two engraved plates by H. Shepherd in volume 2 (of Round Robin addressed to Johnson and of his hand-writing), earlier state with reading "gve" in line 10 of p. 135 of volume 1, seven cancel leaves as usual, with initial blank in volume 2, original blue-grey boards, preserved in modern black cloth folding box, rebacked with white parchment, some spotting to text and boards, a few minor blemishes and marginal tears, extremities of binding slightly worn, some discoloration to boards

FIRST EDITION IN BOARDS OF THE MOST CELEBRATED BIOGRAPHY, IN ANY LANGUAGE, OF ALL TIME: "one of Western literature's most germinal achievements: unprecedented in its time in its depth of research and its extensive use of private correspondence and recorded conversation..." (Gordon Turnbull, ODNB).

PROVENANCE:

William Harris Arnod, bookplate dated 1921; Beverly Chew, bookplate

LITERATURE:

Pottle 79; Grolier English 54; Rothschild 463; Tinker 338