JOHNSON, Samuel. 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. By Samuel Johnson. In two volumes. The fourth edition, revised by the author. [RARE DUBLIN EDITION]

ORIGINAL SUBSCRIBER'S COPY

Dublin: Printed for Thomas Ewing, in Capel-Street, 1775. Quarto. The fourth edition. Contemporary full sprinkled calf, title in gilt on contrasting labels on spines. Earl of Annesley's copy with his armorial bookplate on front pastedown. Spines professionally rebacked. Wear to corners, otherwise a very good set. Very scarce.
Out of the 203 private libraries in eighteenth-century Ireland most of these owners bought Irish reprints rather than the original English editions, they were from the landed proprietors, clergy, and lawyers. Irish booksellers probably made more from their reprints of Johnson than from any other leading writer. Ewing's two volume quarto edition of 1775 got the approval of Johnson, who wrote that the Dublin edition: ""was more correct than the folio edition completed under his own inspection"".
For this Ewing edition there were only 280 subscribers, of which over 100 sets were taken by the Irish booksellers: Hay, Magee, Ferrar, Mills, Moncrieffe, Saunders, Smith, Walker, Watson, White, Williams and Wilson. Included in the subscribers are: Hon. Richard Annesley, Rev. Mervyn Archdall, Rev. George Ewing, John Foster, Rev. Michael Kearney, Rev. Philip Lefanu, Edmund Malone, Rev. Joseph Stock, Major Charles Vallancey, Isaac Weld, Mr. Samuel Whyte, etc.
Richard Annesley, 2nd Earl Annesley (1745-1824), styled The Honourable from 1758 to 1802, Anglo-Irish politician and noble. He was the second son of William Annesley, 1st Viscount Glerawly and Lady Anne Beresford. He inherited the Earldom of Annesley created for his childless brother through the terms of the special remainder, as well as the Viscountcy of his father, in 1802. He represented Coleraine in the Irish House of Commons from 1776 to 1783 and then St Canice to 1790. Subsequently he sat for Newtownards until 1798, when Annesley was elected for Fore and Blessington. He chose the latter constituency and sat for it until 1800. He served as High Sheriff of Down in 1783. He married Anne Lambert on 25 September 1771 and with her had four children."

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