A DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: In which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers. To which are prefixed, a History of the Language, and an English Grammar.

London: Printed for J. F. and C. Rivington [et al.]., 1785.. Sixth edition. Two volumes. Quarto. Contemporary full brown diced calf, the boards ruled in gilt, the spine with compartments ruled in gilt and titles in gilt. Marbled endpapers. Engraved portrait frontispiece of Johnson after a painting by Joshua Reynolds to volume one. Half-title present in volume one. Contemporary owner's name in ink to the head of the title page of volume one. Skillfully re-backed with the original spines neatly re-laid, the boards likewise neatly re-cornered. A very good copy, the bindings square and firm with some scuffing to the boards (more so to the lower boards, particularly that of volume two). The contents with spotting and a watermark to the lower blank margin of the frontispiece, a little wear to the foot of the front free endpaper of volume two, a light tide-mark to the fore-edge margin of 16pp. of volume two, and some light spotting to the preliminary pages and occasionally elsewhere, are otherwise in very good order. A handsome, sturdy set. The first London quarto edition of Samuel Johnson's celebrated dictionary of the English language, also notable as being the first edition to include a portrait of Johnson, and the first to be printed after his death in December 1784.

(Fleeman 55.4D/8; Alston V 186; ESTC T116655).

Please note: This is a heavy set which may require additional shipping costs for overseas customers.