Boswell

1835 · réf. ST17226 — London: John Murray 1835. First Illustrated Edition Croker's Second Edition. 170 x 105 mm. 6 3/4 x 4 1/4". 10 volumes. VERY PRETTY PURPLE CRUSHED MOROCCO GILT BY BAYNTUN OF BATH stamp-signed on front turn-in covers with gilt rule border central panel diapered in gilt with knots at line intersection central compartment filled with floral tools raised bands spine compartments with large fleuron gilt lettering gilt-ruled turn-ins with trefoil at corners marbled endpapers all edges gilt. With a total of 51 ILLUSTRATIONS consisting of: engraved frontispiece and extra engraved title page with vignette in each volume a folding map a folding facsimile plate and one double-page plate as called for all by Edward Francis Finden and all hand-colored AND EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED WITH 28 PLATES 10 portraits nine views nine folding facsimile plates four with vignette views ALL COLORED BY HAND all with tissue guards. Pottle 92. Spines just slightly and evenly sunned to a very pleasing burgundy one front hinge exposed with no hint of looseness offsetting from and onto the folding facsimiles other trivial imperfections but A LOVELY SET clean and fresh internally with attractively colored plates in a luscious and lustrous binding with virtually no signs of use. This is the first illustrated edition of the work generally considered to be the greatest biography in any language here embellished with additional portraits of Johnson's associates and views of important places in his life. First published in 1791 Boswell's account of Dr. Johnson reveals the most fully realized figure in literature and it prefigures modern biography in emphasizing the character of the subject rather than his deeds. It is also a tribute to Boswell's genius in that the bulk of the text is made up of accounts by the author of situations that he himself created so that his subject would be prompted to behave in a revealing and memorable way. Boswell "was a consummate impresario stage-managing the setting and 'dramatis personae' amidst which Johnson would glitter and then providing topics and opinions to elicit the magnificent rejoinders of Johnson." The result is that we see an unforgettable portrait of a man brilliant and profound and at the same time dogmatic overbearing prejudiced and irascible. Day This edition also includes Johnson's journal of his visit to the Hebrides Islands and "anecdotes by Hawkins Piozzi Murphy Tyers Reynolds Steevens &c. and notes by various hands" in the two final volumes which have the running title "Johnsoniana." Our handsome set is a good example of the early 20th century decorative work typical of the Bayntun firm founded in Bath in 1894 and now the last of the great Victorian trade binderies still in family ownership. It is not terribly uncommon to encounter extra-illustrated examples of this and similar sets of major literary works but it is unusual to find such a set with all the illustrations hand colored. John Murray unknown books