1787 The Life of Samuel Johnson Second Edition Revised and Corrected

Description

First Edition, Leather Binding

Noted as the second edition to the title page, this is the first separate edition of Hawkins' biography. The work was previously issued as the first volume of Hawkins' 'Works of Samuel Johnson' which was an eleven volume series. The title page notes this work as a 'revised and corrected' second edition. John Hawkins was a music scholar who was first introduced to Johnson by Edward Cave of 'The Gentleman's Magazine'. Hawkins was one of the nine founding members of the Ivy Lane and Literary Clubs and was also an executor of Johnson's will. This biography of Johnson was the first full length biography on him and was written by someone who had a long standing friendship with Johnson. As many point out, Hawkins knew Johnson twice as long as Boswell, whose biography sometimes eclipses Hawkins' work. ESTC no. T113903. A lovely and bright copy of this biography.