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James Boswell. The Life of Samuel Johnson. London: Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilley, 1791....
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Description
An outstanding association copy, inscribed by Boswell to close friend, contributor, and one of Johnson's intimate friends, Dr. Charles Burney
James Boswell. The Life of Samuel Johnson. London:
Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilley, 1791.2 volumes, 4to (273 x 211 mm). Engraved portrait frontispiece of Johnson by James Heath after Sir Joshua Reynolds, 2 engraved plates of facsimiles by H. Shepherd, and six of seven cancel leaves noted in Pottle: Mm4 (not Nn1, as often found a cancel) in Vol. I; and E3, Oo4, Qq3, Zz1 and Eee2 in Vol. II. Bound in early 19th-century drab brown boards and quarter plum cloth, leather labels; half morocco folding case.
FIRST EDITION, second state, with "give" on page 135. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY BOSWELL TO DR. CHARLES BURNEY at the foot of p. [viii] in Vol. I: "To Dr. Charles Burney / from his old friend / and obliged humble servant / the Authour."
A HIGHLY IMPORTANT PRESENTATION COPY. Apart from the dedication copy presented by Boswell to Sir Joshua Reynolds (now at Harvard), Dr. Burney's is one of the most desirable presentation copies recorded, and the only one of this level of importance to become available. Burney was one of Johnson's oldest and most intimate friends. He first wrote to Johnson in 1755, when Johnson was engaged on the Dictionary, first met him in 1758, and remained his close friend for more than 25 years. Of Burney, Johnson said, "I love Burney; my heart goes out to him." Johnson wrote dedications to two of Burney's books, frequently visited and received visits from Burney, and saw him often at Mrs. Thrale's.
Burney was also a close friend of Boswell, and supplied him with many recollections and anecdotes of Johnson (especially for the years before Boswell met Johnson) that appear in the Life. Boswell met Burney at Lord Eglinton's in the spring of 1760, when he had run away from Scotland and Eglinton was introducing him to London society. Boswell records in his Journal for 1781 drinking a toast with Burney to their friendship of 21 years, which had "come of age." Boswell thus knew Burney three years before he met Johnson.
Charles Burney (1726-1814) received his doctorate in Music at Oxford in 1769. He was a noted musician, composer, teacher and historian of music. Johnson wrote for him the dedications of his Account of the... Commemoration of Handel (1785), and his History of Music (Vol. I, 1776), of which Johnson also corrected the proofs. He was a father of the novelist Fanny Burney, who was a great favorite of Johnson's, and he was also teacher of music to the children of Mrs. Thrale. This copy is accompanied by photocopies from the originals in the Boswell Papers at Yale, of Boswell's manuscript list of the presentation copies of his Life, showing that Burney received the twelfth copy; and a copy of the manuscript letter from Burney to Boswell, thanking him for the gift.
Condition: Vol. I with hinges cracked and upper cover and frontispiece detached, with spine pulling away from text block; corners of both volumes worn with pasteboards exposed, with other edgewear; spines faded with some wear at ends and to joints; spine labels worn (Vol. II with chip). Vol. I: foxing and marginal stain to frontispiece; title-page in Vol. I becoming loose with some fraying at gutter; tiny hole on Ddd2 not affecting text; some staining on leaves Mmm2-4; rear free endpaper with piece torn away. Vol. II: small hole in text on Rr3 touching a few letters; marginal tear on Ggg3. Both volumes with some spotting, soiling, or occasional minor stains.
References: Grolier, English 131; Pottle 148; Rothschild 464.
Provenance: C. J. Mitchels (signature on both front endpapers); Joseph Esdaile (signature on both titles, and with his marginal annotations in pencil throughout); Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, prime minister and author (bookplate); Herbert L. Carlebach (bookplate); Hannah D. Rabinowitz (bookplate); Herman W. Liebert (bookplate); purchased from C. A. Stonehill, New Haven, 1973. From the William A. Strutz Library.
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Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2024
27th
Thursday
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