Johnson, Samuel

75 volumes, including two index volumes, 8vo, half-titles to volumes one and 7-75, fly titles, 32 portraits (5 in vol. 1; 3 in vol. 2; 9 in vol. 3; 3 in vol. 4; 5 in vol. 5; 7 in vol. 6) including Milton, Dryden, Swift, Pope, Johnson and others, contemporary full calf, flat spine ruled in 7 compartments, red morocco spine labels lettered "Johnson's Poets" in gilt, oval black morocco volume number labels, and black morocco labels lettered in gilt, with names of poets at foot of spine, all edges yellow, some volumes a little rubbed, some slightly worn at head and foot of spine, occasional spotting, some offsetting to endpapers

Sir William Forbes, bookplates

The Forbes Baronetcy was created in 1626 for Sir William Forbes (d. circa 1650) by James VI in the Barontage of Nova Scotia. The majority of the works offered here were acquired by the sixth Baronet, also William (1739-1806), who added Pitsligo to his title in 1781. He was an eminent Scottish banker and benefactor, good friend of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson (see lots 45-46), and finally succeeded in recovering the Pitsligo estates forfeited after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. His son William, the seventh baronet, beat Sir Walter Scott to the hand of the renowned beauty Williamina Belsches Stuart (1776-1810), and it was with their marriage that the family moved to her family seat, Fettercairn House in Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire.

ESTC T152606

A HANDSOME SET.