Autograph letter signed on The Life of Samuel Johnson - photo 1
Autograph letter signed on The Life of Samuel Johnson - photo 2

Autograph letter signed on The Life of Samuel Johnson

Sold
$ 23 940
Auction dateClassic
06.10.2022 12:00UTC -04:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
USA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 813634
Lot 91 | Autograph letter signed on The Life of Samuel Johnson
Autograph letter signed on The Life of Samuel Johnson

James Boswell, 5 April 1792

BOSWELL, James (1740-1795). Autograph letter signed (“James Boswell”) to Reverend [Ralph Churton of Brasenose College], London, 5 April 1792.



4 pages, 220 x 185mm, bifolium, date of receipt annotated at upper margin of first page by the recipient. Provenance: T.P. Churton, Esq. (Sotheby’s, 16 June 1930, lot 171a) [bought by Gabriel Wells] – Christie’s New York, 22 May 1981, lot 44 – Sotheby's, 13 July 2000, lot 19 – Christie's, 8 June 2005, lot 45.



An important letter from Boswell discussing Johnson's "morbid melancholy" and The Life. Writing at length to his friend Reverend Churton, Boswell makes reference to Johnson’s notion of the unhappiness of human life, and, indeed, his own, as well as his plans to include these observations in the next edition. Churton had written a long letter to Boswell on 9 March, expressing the delight that he and Dr Thomas Howson had taken in reading the Life together. Here Boswell first thanks his friend for this praise and continues, "As to Johnson's notion of the unhappiness of human life, I have when mentioning the Rambler (Vol. 1, p. 116) in some degree obviated any reflections against him on that head; and when mentioning Rasselas (Vol. 1, p. 186) I suggest that his 'morbid melancholy' may have made life appear to him more miserable than it generally is. But the truth, Sir, is as you have judiciously observed that I myself have a large portion of melancholy in my constitution for which I am satisfied that allowance should be made. Your remark upon this important subject is so good that if you will give me permission, I will insert it as a note on 'the unhappiness of human life' in my second Volume, p. 242 ... My Octavo edition is now in the press; and therefore you will be so good as to let me hear from you with your first convenience ..." William Ralph Churton (1837-1897) was an Anglican churchman and author, and in his reply dated 10 April, he would assent to Boswell including his remarks. The resulting footnote added to the second edition would ultimately take up nearly three columns. See Thomas F. Bonnell, James Boswell's Life of Johnson: An Edition of the Original Manuscript, in Four Volumes, Edinburgh University Press, 2020, vol. 4 p. 219.

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
06.10.2022 – 06.10.2022
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:30 – 17:00   
Tu 09:30 – 17:00   
We 09:30 – 17:00   
Th 09:30 – 17:00   
Fr 09:30 – 17:00   
Sa closed
Su closed

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.