Boswell

1786 · rif. 89347 — London: Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly 1786. Third Edition Revised and Corrected. Octavo. 21.5cm. Bound in a rather spectacular 20th century mossy green ripple patterned vellum with a red leather and gilt title label. xv;1; 442pp.;1 ads. Some sunning to spine panel very light wear to extremities clean tight and very striking; internally clean and fresh plain endpapers half title present without map as issued gathering "O" slightly proud and with a pinhole of damage to the title page affecting the "L" in "Journal." a little thumbing and soiling in places otherwise a very good tidy copy in a rather delightful later binding. An account by James Boswell of the three-month journey through the Highlands and islands of Scotland that he undertook with Samuel Johnson in 1773. Johnson later published his own version of the expedition A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland in 1775. Johnson perhaps predictably sticks to the improving topographical observation fashionable at the time whereas Boswell's account probably has a case for being the shared ancestor of the Rough Guide/Lonely Planet Guide style of travel writing preferring engaging anecdote and less predictable slightly voyeuristic in places observations both of the people and the places but also of Johnson himself. The retained ad leaf is for Boswell's "Life of Johnson" "Preparing for the Press in one Volume Quarto. Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly unknown books