The Correspondence of Robert Dodsley: 1733-1764

Description

The Correspondence of Robert Dodsley 1733-1764 brings to light much previously unpublished detail for the study of eighteenth-century British literary and publishing history. It is a fully annotated edition of letters exchanged between Robert Dodsley - London's leading literary publisher of the mid eighteenth century - and his authors, members of the book trade, and friends. Numbering about four hundred pieces, the correspondence reflects the publisher's relations with such people as Edmund Burke, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, David Garrick, Thomas Gray, David Hume, Samuel Johnson, Laurence Sterne, and Horace Walpole. A lengthy introduction provides an account of Dodsley's publishing career, including his negotiations with authors and other publishers, and offers many insights into the technical and financial operation of the contemporary book trade.

"Any student of mid-eighteenth-century England can browse for days, with profit and pleasure, among these interesting letters, the numerous long and detailed notes, and the wonderful appendices. This is a solid work that reflects many years of research. If one believes that God lives in the details, then this is a volume to cherish and savor among one's prized books." The Eighteenth Century