![[Header#^header-embed]] > [!SUMMARY] > The **Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, LL.D. During the Last Twenty Years of His Life** was written by [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury]]. It was based on the notes and anecdotes of [[Dr. Samuel Johnson|Samuel Johnson]] that Thrale kept in her [[Thraliana]]. She wrote the work in Italy while she lived there for three years after marrying [[Gabriel Piozzi]]. It was first published 26 March 1786. > [!QUOTE] Gentleman's Magazine, March 1786… > On the third morning after the book was published not a copy of it could be obtained. The book went into four editions in 1786. ![[samuel_johnson_by_reynolds_1756-57.jpg]] <div class="caption">Samuel Johnson by Sir Joshua Reynolds.</div> > [!QUOTE] In 1815, Hester wrote of the books first publication: > At Rome we received letters saying the book was bought with such avidity, that Cadell had not one copy left when the King sent for it at ten o'clock at night, and he was forced to be one from a friend to supply his Majesty's impatience, who sate up all night reading it. I received £300, a sum unexampled in those days for so small a volume. The book and annotations is available from **thrale.com** … | | |:------------------------:| | Introduction • [[Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson - preface\|Preface]] | ![[Attribution - Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson#^attribution-anecdotes]] ## See also ![[hester-lynch-thrale-1741-1821🔎#^hester-lynch-thrale-infoblock]]![[Books 🔎#^books-infoblock]] #history/person/JOHNSON/samuel-born-1709 #history/book ![[Footer#^footer-embed]]