A SCARCE ITEM BEING THE FIRST TIME THAT SAMUEL JOHNSON APPEARED IN PRINT. OCTAVO. REBOUND IN HALF LEATHER OVER BROWN CLOTH SPINE AND CORNERS RUBBED VERY TIGHT BINDING MARBLED ENDPAPERS. CONTENTS VERY CLEAN AND BRIGHT APART FROM THE TITLE PAGE WHICH IS BROWNED. MINOR REPAIR TO THE FOOT OF THE TITLE PAGE OF THE PREFACE. THE BOOK COMPRISES: A VERY LONG PREFACE BY HUSBANDS ‘ CONTAINING SOME REMARKS ON THE BEAUTIES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES MORE ESPECIALLY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WHERE THEY ARE CONSIDERED IN A CLASSICAL VIEW’; A LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS (19 PAGES); THE POEMS (270 PAGES). IN THE PREFACE HUSBANDS SAYS OF JOHNSON ‘ THE TRANSLATION OF MR POPE’S MESSIAH WAS DELIVERED TO HIS TUTOR AS A COLLEGE EXERCISE BY MR JOHNSON A COMMONER OF PEMBROKE COLLEGE IN OXFORD AND ‘ TIS HOPED WILL BE NO DISCREDIT TO THE EXCELLENT ORIGINAL’. OVERALL A VERY GOOD COPY OF A SCARCE BOOK.
FIRST ENGLISH EDITION TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH. SMALL OCTAVO 189 pp. CARD COVERS WHICH ARE POOR – BOARDS DETACHED. CONTENTS GOOD AND COMPLETE. RIPE FOR REBINDING OR AS A READING COPY ONLY. SCARCE.
