"BOSWELL'S INDISCRETIONS… AND THE EXTREMITY OF DRUNKENNESS… CREATED A LITERARY SENSATION"
BOSWELL, James. The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. London: Printed by Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, 1785. Octavo, twentieth-century three-quarter tan calf gilt, raised bands, black and burgundy morocco spine labels. $2500.
First edition, second issue, of "perhaps the sprightliest book of travels in the language," with "poetical pieces by Johnson relative to the tour and never before published" (Tinker, 212).
Boswell toured through Scotland with Dr. Johnson in 1773; his account of the trip, The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D., was published in 1785. At the time, he had already begun to write his renowned biography of Johnson (an advertisement for which appears at the rear of this volume). "Boswell's indiscretions as to the emotions aroused in him by the ladies' maids at Inveraray, and the extremity of drunkenness which he exhibited at Corrichatachin, created a literary sensation and sent the Tour through three editions in one year" (Britannica). First edition, second issue: with "in-duced" on page 121, "Kings and subjects" on page 237, and "nor Mrs. Thrale" inserted after "Beauclerk" on page 299, leaves E3 and E4, M4 cancelled as usual. Rothschild 456. Bookplate.
A few instances of embrowning to text, binding fine. A lovely copy.