Volume 17, Number 2 · August 12, 1971
In Johnson's Bear Hug
By John Wain
Boswell in Extremes, 1776-1778 Editions, McGraw-Hill
edited by Charles McC. Weis, edited by Frederick A. Pottle
Yale Editions of the Private Papers of James Boswell Series: Trade, 440 pp., $15.00
The Correspondence and Other Papers of James Boswell Relating to the Making of the Life of Johnson, Vol. 2 Editions, McGraw-Hill
edited by Marshall Waingrow
Yale Editions of the Private Papers of James Boswell Series: Research, 659 pp., $20.00
Samuel Johnson and the Life of Writing
by Paul Fussell
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 300 pp., $9.50
The Conversations of Dr. Johnson
edited by Raymond Postgate
Taplinger, 326 pp., $6.95
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland (Collected Works, Vol. IX)
by Samuel Johnson, edited by Mary Lascelles
Yale, 185 pp., $8.75
Life of Savage
by Samuel Johnson, edited by Clarence Tracy
Oxford, 191 pp., $6.75
The History of Rasselas
by Samuel Johnson, edited by Geoffrey Tillotson, edited by Brian Jenkins
Oxford, 176 pp., $5.00
The Rambler (Collected Works, Vols. III, IV, V)
by Samuel Johnson, edited by W.J. Bate, edited by Albrecht B. Strauss
Yale, 1,177 pp., $35.00
Need we envy Boswell and Mrs. Thrale? Was there in Dr. Johnson's conversation, his physical presence, even his oddities, some precious essence that is not in the writings he has left behind? Or should we, remembering Boswell's warning that Johnson often talked for victory and said things he would not have committed to cold print, be glad that in his wide-ranging Works we have the fruit of his meditation and deep wisdom about life?
Review, 2798 words
To read the full text of this piece, please choose one of the following options:
|
If you are already a subscriber to the Review's electronic edition, please sign in: |
To subscribe to the electronic edition, please press the button below. |
To purchase access to this article for $3, please press the button below. |