-Contents-
1 Introduction

22-29 Research 
JOHNSON, Samuel

Conclusion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Price:  $27,500.00 s&h fee $10.00 

Merchant:   Heritage Book Shop 
  The Most Amazing, Enduring and Endearing One-Man Featin the 
  Field of LexicographyJOHNSON, Samuel. A Dictionary of the 
  English Language: In which the words are deduced from their 
  originals, and illustrated in their different significations by 
  examples from the best writers. To which are prefixed, a history 
  of the language, and an English grammar. London: Printed by W. 
  Strahan, for J. and P. KnaptonÉ, 1755.First edition of the most
  amazing, enduring and endearing one-man feat in the field of 
  lexicography (Printing and the Mind of Man). Two large folio 
  volumes (16 1/16 x 9 15/16 inches; 408 x 253mm.). Unpaginated. 
  Text in double columns. Title-pages printed in red and black. 
  Decorative woodcut tail-pieces.Contemporary reversed calf, neatly 
  rebacked to style, with the original brown and green morocco gilt 
  lettering labels. Covers decoratively panelled in blind. Edges 
  sprinkled red. Small repair to lower blank corner of last leaf in 
  Volume I. A superb copy, much fresher than is usually seen.Begun 
  in 1747, and printed over five years, Johnson's Dictionary at once 
  put to shame every other dictionary that had ever been written and 
  set the standard for every dictionary that has been written since. 
  Its genius was at once acknowledged by every hand, and the first 
  edition of two thousand copies was instantly sold outÉPerhaps the 
  greatest innovation in Johnson's work was his consistent reliance 
  not on earlier word-lists and dictionaries, not on his own intuition, 
  but on English literature itselfÑthe vast, wonderful treasury of 
  words that, well chosen and properly sorted and accurately quoted, 
  became in itself almost a dictionary of the language. Indeed, after 
  Johnson showed the way by quoting from English literature at 
  every turn, it was even suggested that a great dictionary might be 
  written without definitions at allÑif the quotations were plentiful 
  enough and well enough chosen and edited. This insistence on real 
  examples from the real language as it has been really used has 
  informed every serious dictionary every sinceÑfrom Richardson 
  and Webster to the new OED (The Collection of The Garden Ltd., 
  Sotheby's New York, November 9 and 10, 1989, lot 
  148).Courtney and Nichol Smith, pp. 54-55. Grolier, 100 English, 
  50. Printing and the Mind of Man 201. Rothschild 1237. HBS 
  39740. 

JOHNSON, Samuel (1709-1784): 
A Dictionary of the English Language
Price:  $27,500.00 

 Merchant:  Donald Heald Rare Books-zShop
  Title: A Dictionary of the English Language: in which the words 
  are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different 
  significations by examples from the best writers. To which are 
  prefixed, a history of the language, and an english grammar 
  BUYER PAYS FOR SHIPPING - please see below. London: 
  printed by W. Strahan for J. & P. Knapton, T. & T. Longman, C. 
  Hitch & L. Hawes, A. Millar, and R. & J. Dodsley, 1755. 2 
  volumes, folio. (15 7/8 x 9 3/4 inches). Titles in red and black. 
  Contemporary speckled calf, spines gilt in seven compartments 
  with raised bands, red morocco lettering-piece in the second, black 
  morocco lettering-piece in the third (neatly rebacked to style, 
  some small repairs to covers). An internally very fine copy of 
  Johnson's masterpiece: the most important dictionary of the 
  English language and first genuinely descriptive dictionary in any 
  language. "Johnson's writings had, in philology, the effect which 
  Newton's discoveries had in mathematics" (Webster). "It is the fate 
  of those that toil at the lower employments of life, to be rather 
  driven by the fear of evil, than attracted by the prospect of good; 
  to be... punished for neglect, where success would have been 
  without applause, and diligence without reward. Among these 
  unhappy mortals is the writer of dictionaries... Every other author 
  may aspire to praise; the lexicograper can only hope to escape 
  reproach" (Johnson, preface to the present work). Johnson's 
  monumental work, which drew on all the best ideas and aspects of 
  earlier dictionaries, was published on 15 April 1755 in an edition 
  of 2000 copies. The price was a high one 4 10s, or 3 10s to the 
  trade. The group of publishers whose names appear in the imprint 
  were joint proprietors, having paid Johnson 1575 in installments 
  for copy which took him eight years to complete, although in the 
  final months publication was held back for the granting of his 
  Oxford M.A. (20 February, 1755). Some of Johnson's advance 
  was used to rent the well-known house in 17 Gough Square, where 
  the garret became his "dictionary work-shop." He called on the 
  assistance of six amanuenses, five of whom, Boswell proudly 
  records, were Scotsmen, and who were almost derelict when he 
  hired them. "With no real library at hand, Johnson wrote the 
  definitions of over 40,000 words ... illustrating the senses in which 
  these words could be used by including about 114,000 quotations 
  drawn from English writing in every field of learning during the 
  two centuries from the middle of the Elizabethan period down to 
  his own time" (W. Jackson Bate Samuel Johnson, New York, 1977, 
  p. 247). The Dictionary was issued with two title-pages, 
  identifying the volumes as "I" and "II," and is usually divided 
  betweeen the letters "K" and "L.", as here. Although Fleeman 
  estimates that "more than half" of the 2000 copies survive, their 
  condition is extremely variable. The great weight of the work 
  ensured that when standing upright and even when stoutly bound, 
  the covers were likely to detach with time. Once the covers were 
  loose damage to the titles and the other outer leaves was almost 
  inevitable. The present copy is remarkable for the fine condition 
  of the contents. Courtney & Smith p. 54; Chapman & Hazen p. 
  137; Fleeman 55.4D/1a; Grolier English 50; PMM 201; Rothschild
  1237. 

JOHNSON, SAMUEL.:
 One page autograph letter signed
('Sam: Johnson') to 'Dear Madam' [i.e. Elizabeth Way].... 

Price:  $11,500.00 

 Merchant:  Rulon-Miller Books, ABAA/ILAB
  Title: One page autograph letter signed ('Sam: Johnson') 
to'Dear Madam' [i.e. Elizabeth Way]. 
  4to, integral leaf not preserved; quite a nice example with a good, 
  bold signature. In full: "Dear Madam, I am compelled by a very 
  frequent and violent cough, with an oppressive and distressful 
  diffic ulty of breathing to delay the pleasure which I promised 
  myself from your company and that of Lady Sheffield. I am 
  indeed very much disordered, as I have been for several days, but 
  for a time I expect ed to grow speedily well, and was not in haste 
  to send you notice. I am, dear madam, your most humble servant, 
  Sam: Johnson. May 4 - 82." Elizabeth Way (1746-1825) née 
  Cooke, was the eldest daughter o f Dr. William Cooke, Provost of 
  King's College, Cambridge, and was noted for her beauty. In 1767 
  she had married Benjamin Way, MP, a Sub-Governor of the South 
  Sea Company, President of Guy's Hospital, FSA & FRS. Her 
  sister-in-law was the aforementioned Lady Sheffield, a close friend 
  of William Gibbon who had likely introduced her to Johnson. Six 
  letters or notes survive from Johnson to Mrs. Way, d ated 1782-4; 
  they constitute a brief but affectionate correspondence of his later 
  years. See The Letters, ed. Redford, IV. 35. 
  Publisher: [London] May 4 1782. 
  Keywords: SAMUEL, JOHNSON, ENGLISH, LITERATURE, 
  AUTOGRAPHS, MANUSCRIPTS, LETTERS, LANGUAGE, 
  DICTIONARIES, ELIZABETH, WAY, LADY, SHEFFIELD 
 

BOSWELL,James: 
The Life of Samuel Johnson 

 Price:  $9,500.00 

 Merchant:  Argosy Book Store 
 Seller: Argosy Book Store 
  BUYER PAYS FOR SHIPPING - please see below. BOSWELL, James. 
  The Life of Samuel Johnson, 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. Engraved frontis. 
  port., Madam' [i.e. Elizabeth Way].., thick 4to, rebound in 3/4 red morocco, 
gilt-dec. raised bands, a.e.g. London: Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791. First  Edition. Fine.
$9500.00 Final three pages of vol. II     mispaginated. 
  Keywords: CASE 1 SH2, ENGLISH LIT, BIOGRAPHY, 18THC 

JOHNSON, Samuel. 
Dictionary of the English Language

Price:  $6,000.00 s&h fee $10.00

 Merchant:  Heritage Book
  The Last Edition to Be Published in Johnson's LifetimeJOHNSON, 
  Samuel. A Dictionary of the English Language; In which the 
  words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their 
  different significations by examples from the best writers. To 
  which are prefixed, A History of the Language, and an English 
  Grammar. London: Printed by W. & A. Strahan; for W. Strahan, 
  J.F. & C. Rivington, 1784.Fifth edition and the last to be issued 
  during Johnson's lifetime. Two folio volumes (16 1/8 x 10 inches). 
  Unpaginated. Title pages printed in red and black. Woodcut 
  vignettes. Contemporary mottled calf, expertly rebacked with 
  original spines laid down, smooth spines decorated in gilt, black 
  morocco gilt lettering labels. Some light restoration to tips and 
  three areas of surface rubbing, small repair to gutter margin of 
  two leaves in Volume I, occasional faint foxing. Armorial 
  bookplate of Archibald Cochrane. A near fine set, very clean and 
  with good margins. An excellent copy of the last edition to be 
  published in Johnson's lifetime. By and large, a reprint of the 
  much expanded and improved fourth edition. The most amazing, 
  enduring and endearing one-man feat in the field of lexicography 
  (Printing and the Mind of Man).Courtney & Nichol Smith, p. 57. 
  Sledd and Kold p. 127. Printing and the Mind of Man 201(first 
  edition). Rothschild 1237 (first edition). HBS 42722. 
 

JOHNSON, SAMUEL.: 
The plan of a dictionary of theEnglish language; addresse... 

 Price:  $5,000.00 
Merchant:  Rulon-Miller Books, ABAA/ILAB 
Title: The plan of a dictionary of the English language; addressed 
  to the Right Honorable Philip Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield...
  Second [first octavo] edition, one of 1500 copies printed, pp. [2], 
  37; early underlining, pages untrimmed; some browning but 
  generally a nice copy neatly rebound in recent brown calf-backed 
  marbled b oards, red morocco label on spine. "A notable 
  document which showed that the problem of [establishing 
  standardized English] had found its master, one who had the 
  vision, the learning, the common sense , and the tenacity to execute 
  a project comparable to that which had for so long occupied the 
  French Academy.. Under such a burden of responsibility Johnson 
  formulated a comprehensive and minute plan, discussing selection 
  of the vocabulary, orthography, pronunciation, etymology, syntax, 
  definitions, usage, and citations of authorities. Johnson's Plan 
  presented two proposals of outstanding importan ce, the carefully 
  divided and ordered definition and the citation of authorities" 
  (Starnes & Noyes, pp. 148-52). "Johnson conceived the thought of 
  compiling an English Dictionary quite early in life, but he did not 
  turn to the work until his proposals to publish an edition of 
  Shakespeare in 1745 were nullified by Tonson, the holder of the 
  Shakespeare copyright. Work began fairly early in 1746 for 
  Johnson's manuscript draft of his plan, entitled "A Short Scheme 
  for compiling a new Dictionary of the English Language," now in 
  the Hyde collection, is dated 20 April, 1746. The manuscript was 
  read b y at least two readers who made notes an comments on it. 
  Johnson then revised and rewrote his "Short Scheme" and had the 
  second version copied out by a professional scribe.. The faircopy 
  was apparentl y read by Lord Chesterfield to whom the published 
  version was addressed .. In August 1747 the Plan was published. 
  There are two versions of the original quarto pamphlet, the first 
  bearing the drop-hea d title on p. 1 "To the Right Honorable Philip 
  Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield.. The first signed sheet A containing 
  pp. 1-8 was then canceled and reprinted, the second version having 
  no drop-head title on p. 1, and differing in a few minor readings.. 
  When the Dictionary was about to appear in February 1755, the 
  Plan was reprinted [as here] from the non-Chesterfield version, as 
  an octavo pamphlet, st ill bearing the date of 1747" (Alston). 
  Alston V, 362; Courtney & Smith, p. 20 (erroneously stating that 
  the octavo was published in 1747); Kennedy 6234. 
   Publisher: London printed for J. and P. Knapton [et al.], 1747 [i.e.1755].

  SALE CATALOGUES OF THE LIBRARIES 
OF SAMUEL JOHNSON,
HESTER LYNCH THRAL E (MR... 

Price:  $215.00 

Merchant:  oak_knoll zShop
Title:   SALE CATALOGUES OF THE LIBRARIES OF SAMUEL 
  JOHNSON, HESTER LYNCH THRAL E (MRS. PIOZZI) AND 
  JAMES BOSWELL. 
  With Introductions by Donald D. Eddy. First edition, limited to 
  210 numbered copies. In studying great authors, one of the 
  persisting lines of inquiry has involved questions of influence and 
  association. What specific authors influenced our writer? What 
  books has he read, quoted from, or owned? The obvious first way 
  to answer these questions is to examine the author's own published 
  writings. Other ways include examining the author's 
  correspondence; letters of the author's friends and acquaintances; 
  contemporary biographical accounts; locating the actual physical 
  volumes owned by the author or presented to others: etc. An 
  important part of this process is examining any available list of the 
  books in the author's library. All too frequently - and this is true 
  in the case of Samuel Johnson - the only list is the sale catalogue of 
  his library prepared for the auction following his death. However 
  hastily such a catalogue may have been prepared, and whatever its 
  faults and omissions, it is still invaluable since it presents the 
  names of more authors and titles our author knew than any other 
  source. It is for this reason that the three sale catalogues 
  reproduced here, for the first time in one volume, are so 
  important. Donald Eddy has provided a lively and informative 
  introduction explaining the significance of each catalogue, some of 
  the highlights of the sales and the dangers inherent in studying 
  these catalogues. He also provides a list of known locations of each 
  of these catalogues. The introduction has been printed by 
  letterpress and the catalogues by offset lithography at The 
  Ascensius Press. The book has been bound by Campbell-Logan 
  Bindery. 
  Publisher: Oak Knoll Books 
  Place of Publication: New Castle, Delaware 
  Date of Publication: 1993
  Binding: 8vo., quarter leather, paper over boards. (vii), 320  pages. 
  Keywords: JOHNSON,SAMUEL, England, Great Britain, United 
  Kingdom, AUCTION, CATALOGUE, BC-NINEIG, OKPX,