Book ID: 28473 An Inquiry into Some Passages in Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets: Particularly His Observations on Lyric Poetry, and the Odes of Gray. ROBERT POTTER.
An Inquiry into Some Passages in Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets: Particularly His Observations on Lyric Poetry, and the Odes of Gray.

An Essay on Johnson's Lives of the Poets

An Inquiry into Some Passages in Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets: Particularly His Observations on Lyric Poetry, and the Odes of Gray.

Place and Imprint: London: Printed for J. Dodsley, 1783.
Edition: First and only edition.
Bibliographical References: ESTC T2862; Courtney, page 139; NCBEL II, 1153.
Condition: Spine skillfully rebacked; fine, large copy.
Book ID: 28473

Physical Description

4to, 19th century maroon half calf, marbled paper boards, gilt lettering. Frontis portrait of Thomas Gray after a drawing by Potter. With half-title.

Comments

An essay on Samuel Johnson's treatment of poets in his famous Lives of the English Poets, which evolves into a close examination of Johnson's discussion of Thomas Gray's lyric poetry. Robert Potter (1721-1804) was a clergyman, translator and poet himself (see the ODNB), who pays respect to Johnson, but thinks many of his comments about certain poets, Gray among them, are too severe and in some cases unnecessarily caustic. The essay on Johnson and Gray is followed by Potter's translation of the Ninth Pythian Ode of Pindar. Contemporary ink signature of "L. Cautley Jes: Coll" on the half-title and title-page.

Price: $650.00

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