PIOZZI, Hesther Lynch (1741-1821). Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson, LL. D., during the last twenty years of his life, London, for T. Cadell, 1786, 8°, FIRST EDITION, with half title and postscript, contemporary calf (covers detached) [Courtney & Smith p. 161]; and 6 other contemporary works on Johnson in 4 vols. (5)

細節

PIOZZI, Hesther Lynch (1741-1821). Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson, LL. D., during the last twenty years of his life, London, for T. Cadell, 1786, 8°, FIRST EDITION, with half title and postscript, contemporary calf (covers detached) [Courtney & Smith p. 161]; and 6 other contemporary works on Johnson in 4 vols. (5)

拍品專文

Mrs. Piozzi, formerly Mrs. Thrale, was in Italy on honeymoon when she heard the news of Johnson's death. She wrote the Anecdotes there, shipping the manuscript to Cadell from Leghorn in October 1785, and she was still in Northern Italy when the book appeared on March 25th the following year. The first edition of 1000 copies was sold out by the evening of the same day. Far from publication himself, Boswell found his own relationship to Johnson rendered insignificant in his rival biographer's account. (cf. Mary Hyde, The Impossible Friendship, 1972, pp. 99 and ff.).