The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Comprehending an Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order; A Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; and Various Original Pieces of His Composition, Never Before Published. The Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain, for Near Half a Century, During Which He Flourished. In Three Volumes (3 volumes)
Dublin: John Chambers; John Ershaw; Robert Rhames, 1792. First Dublin edition. Leather bound. 536; 605; 573pp. Octavo [22 cm] in contemporary brown marbled calf with gilt-stamped red and black morocco spine labels, gilt ruling to spine, all edges speckled blue, with brown topstain. Fair condition only. Front board of Volume I completely detached (but present); Vol II split through at spine and textblock, dividing the book into two wholly unattached portions; the spine of Vol. II is also split through in another place, but the division does not continue through to the textblock; the spine of Vol. III is also cracked through, with textblock holding. Rubbing and moderate wear to boards, spines flaking, corners exposed, joints cracked (but holding, excepting front joint of Vol I); contemporary ink name to title page of each volume, dark dampstain to textblock top of Vol. II does not bleed into margins, text is unmarked. Both folding plates present and crisp: "Round Robin..." Vol. II; "Facsimiles of Dr. Johnson's Handwriting," Vol. III, both bound mid-text. Fair. Item #44479
The second edition of the famous biography (first published in 1791), predating the second London edition of 1792.
Price: $250.00