London: J. Johnson and others, 1799

2 vols., 4tos, initial blank and half-titles present in both volumes. Bound in contemporary calf, lettered in gilt and with gilt fleurons to spines. Gilt borders. Marbled endpapers. Presentation inscriptions and ownership signatures to preliminaries of both volumes, offsetting from frontispiece to title page of Vol. I, and light foxing to preliminaries. Bindings cracked, with front boards of both volumes loose. Spines worn and faded with some loss to ends, corners bumped and worn, boards rubbed and with some loss to top edge of rear board of Vol. II.

Eighth edition, corrected and revised. The last quarto edition published in the eighteenth century.

'Dr. Johnson performed with his Dictionary the most amazing, enduring and endearing one-man feat in the field of lexicography. [...] [D]espite the progress made during the past two centuries in historical and comparative philology, Johnson's book may still be consulted for instruction as well as pleasure.' (Carter and Muir, Printing and the Mind of Man)

The early presentation inscriptions present in both volumes read: 'For my grandson Frederick Fenton from R. Frederick Fenton'. Earlier ownership signatures of the latter on opposite versos in both volumes.