A Dictionary of the English Language 1755

A Dictionary of the English Language by Samuel Johnson. 2 Volumes. Second edition so stated on the title-page. 1755/1756. Publisher: Printed by W. Strahan for J. and P. Knapton and T. Longman; C. Hitch and L. Hawes; A. Millar; and R. and J. Dodsley, London. Unpaginated. Large folio 10 ½ x 16 ½ inches. Bound in modern full leather with raised bands, decorative lettering to the spine, ornate front and back leather tooling. Marbled endpapers. Slight rubbing to the boards else in fine condition. Contents clean with the exception of foxing to the last 7 pages of volume 1 and the last 4 pages of volume 2. Title-page of volume 1 repaired and is complete. Overall an exceptional copy of a classic publication. Inventory #20-381. Price: $12,500. The book is also a compendium of English literature, reprinting fine examples of words from the masters, often Shakespeare or Sir Francis Bacon. Johnson illustrated the meanings of his 40,000 definitions with more than 100,000 quotations drawn from the time of Shakespeare down to Johnson s own time.…