Authorship in the Days of Johnson: Being a Study of the Relation Between Author, Patron, Publisher, and Public, 1726-1780

"Authorship in the Days of Johnson" is a comprehensive study of the literary profession during the mid-eighteenth century, focusing specifically on the years 1726 to 1780. Arthur Simons Collins examines the intricate and evolving relationships between writers, their patrons, the burgeoning publishing industry, and the growing reading public. This era, dominated by the formidable presence of Samuel Johnson, marks a significant transition from the system of private aristocratic patronage to a more commercialized literary marketplace.

The work explores how the decline of noble sponsorship and the rise of the professional bookseller reshaped the creative process and the social standing of the author. Collins provides detailed insights into the economic realities of writing, the legal developments in copyright, and the growth of libraries and periodicals that expanded the reach of the printed word. By analyzing the lives and struggles of "Grub Street" writers alongside the successes of established literary figures, the book offers a vivid portrait of the cultural landscape of Georgian England. It remains an essential resource for understanding the historical foundations of the modern book trade and the professionalization of the English man of letters.

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