A satirical print rebuking the many writers who profited by writing memoirs of Samuel Johnson. On the left, Mrs. Piozzi is seated at her writing desk in her study. With a look of astonishment. she looks behind her at the ghost of Samuel Johnson in a night shirt who with his right hand points to the portraits of James Boswell and Sir John Hawkins on the wall and in his left hand holds a money purse. Another portrait on the far right depicts John Courtenay with a pen in his hand looking toward a bust of Prisian. On her desk is a letter "D Johnson ... Letters Dear Lady", implying that she has been concoting Johnson's letters to her. Immediately above her desk in the middle of the wall of books, a violin, an allusion to her second husband a musician, obscures the portrait of her first husband Henry Thrale
Alternative Title:
Frontispiece for the 2d edition of Dr. Johnson's letters
Description:
Title etched below image., Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twenty-four lines of verse in two columns below title: Madam! my debt to nature paid, I thought the grave with hallow'd shade would now protect my name ..., 1 print : etching with stipple on laid paper ; plate mark 25 x 17.7 cm, on sheet 27.2 x 19.4 cm., and Mounted on leaf 39 of James Sayers's Folio album of 144 caricatures.
Portrait of David Garrick standing whole-length to front with legs crossed and leaning on bust of Shakespeare that stands on a plinth in a garden; he holds stick in his left hand, looking to right; folly beside river, beyond at right
Description:
Title, artist, and printmaker scratched with production and publication detail below image.
Publisher:
London Magazine
Subject (Name):
Garrick, David, 1717-1779, and Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,
Embossed: "Photograph by Carl Van Vechten" and Stamped verso: "Photograph by Carl Van Vechten. / 146 Central Park West / Cannot be reproduced without permission."
Subject (Name):
Hersey, John, 1914-1993
Subject (Topic):
Authors, College teachers, and Journalists--United States
"Portrait of Swift seen half length, within oval frame, panelled corners, directed towards left, facing towards and looking towards left, wig, bands, black gown; after face and title altered from Benjamin Pratt, and arms and inscriptions erased."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Jonathan Swift S.T.D.
Description:
Title engraved below image., State from: Russell, C.E. English Mezzotint portraits and their states., Later state of a plate, engraved by John Simon and published circa 1715 by William Sarson, that originally depicted the clergyman Benjamin Pratt and had the title "The Reverend Mr. Benjamin Pratt A.M." The face was altered to that of Jonathan Swift by the engraver Peter Pelham, and the original inscription was erased and replaced. See: Smith, J.C. British mezzotinto portraits., Date of publication from the British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1935,0413.132., Twelve lines of verse in two columns below title: Four brillant [sic] gems, in this great genius shine, The scholar, poet, statesman and divine ..., Window mounted to 51 x 36 cm., and Mounted opposite page 2 (leaf numbered '30' in pencil) in volume 1 of an extra-illustrated copy of: Moore, T. Memoirs of the life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Publisher:
John Bowles
Subject (Name):
Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745, and Pratt, Benjamin, 1676 or 1677-1715.
