[Literature] Boswell, James The Life of Samuel Johnson...

London: Printed by Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791. In two volumes. First edition, first issue (with "gve" on line 10, p. 135, in first volume). 4to. xii, (xvi), 516; (ii), 588 (some pages misnumbered); (ii), 42 pp. Second volume bound with the scarce The Principal Corrections and Additions to the First Edition of Mr. Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson (London: Printed by Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1793); with ten contemporary manuscript corrections in ink: eight to page numbers and two to typographical errors (another copy of this title was sold in 2019 by Dominic Winter with corrections in a similar hand). Illustrated with an engraved portrait frontispiece of Johnson by J. Heath after Sir Joshua Reynolds, in first volume; engraved "Round Robin" plate facing p. 92, and the engraved plate with facsimile of Johnson's handwriting, facing final page of Principle Corrections, in second volume. Full contemporary tree calf, stamped in gilt, rebacked, original spine laid down, red morocco spine labels, rear board on second volume detached, front board on same starting, boards and extremities to each rubbed; scattered foxing to text leaves; closed tear at bottom, pp. 195/196 in first volume. From the library of New York philanthropists and book collectors, Clara and Irwin Strasburger, with their black morocco book-plate on front paste-down of first volume (perished in second volume); additional book-plate of Henry Sterry on each front paste-down. ESTC T064481; Grolier, English 65; Rothschild 463 and 466; Pottle 79

First edition of Boswell's landmark biography, including the scarce first edition of Principal Corrections, Boswell's final publication before his death. Principal Corrections was published simultaneously with the second edition of The Life of Samuel Johnson and was intended as a supplement for owners of the first edition, providing additional material such as letters and anecdotes that were given to Boswell following the first edition's publication.

Provenance

Henry Sterry

Clara and Irwin Strasburger

Sotheby's, New York, Fine Printed Books, June 25, 1982, Sale 4909, Lot 205

From the private collection of Asher D. Atchick, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania