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JOHNSON, SAMUEL (1709-1784) and HIS CIRCLE

  • (Oliver Goldsmith, James Boswell, and Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi).

    The Soule-Miner gift of 1949 included many books (many first editions) by and relating to Johnson, Goldsmith, Boswell, and Mrs. Piozzi. For particulars see: New and notable. Princeton University Library Chronicle X, 4 (June, 1949) pp. 199-200 [full text] . The gift is described briefly, and includes 11 titles by Johnson, 22 by Goldsmith, 11 by Boswell, and two by Mrs. Piozzi.

    Another gift, that of Mrs. Wilton Lloyd-Smith, is a collection of volumes having to do with Johnson, Boswell, and Mrs. Piozzi. It contains about 50 volumes.

    The Library also has a copy of Mrs. Piozzi's Retrospection (1801) [(Ex) 3891.8.376, copy 3] with her manuscript corrections and annotations. For particulars refer to: Jeremiah S. Finch, "Mrs. Piozzi" in the Princeton University Library Chronicle XIV, 3 (Spring, 1953) pp. 161-164 [full text] . As well, it has her copy of The Tatler (London, 1789) with her autograph annotations [(Ex) 3594.895.1789 4 vol.]. 

  • Also note that in the Manuscripts Division is a disbound copy of The Intimate Letters of Hester Piozzi and Penelope Pennington 1788-1821 which has been extra-illustrated by the addition of 198 holograph letters of Mrs. Piozzi wholly or partially published in the text as well as a large number of other letters, poems, anagrams, epigrams, and prologues by Mrs. Piozzi. See Hester Piozzi and Penelope Pennington Correspondence [(MSS) C0015].

  • Samuel Collings (active 1784-1789, died 1795), The Journey of Dr. Johnson and James Boswell to Scotland, no date [1780s], 22 ink wash drawings. Gift of Dickson Q. Brown, Class of 1895. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2006.01985.  See blog posting.

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