One of the most celebrated individuals of English literature, Samuel Johnson (1709-84) was a defining figure of his age. In addition to his celebrated labours as a lexicographer, Johnson distinguished himself as a poet, essayist, critic, biographer and editor. The writer and society hostess Hester Lynch Piozzi (1741-1821) was an unconventional woman of great intellectual vivacity. She became a close friend of Johnson, whom she met through her first husband, the brewer Henry Thrale, whose ailing business Johnson did much to support. As well as writing essays, poetry, memoirs and travel diaries, she was one of the first women to produce works on philology and history. First published in 1788 - two years after her groundbreaking Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, which anticipated Boswell's biography - these letters offer a captivating glimpse into their daily lives and concerns. Volume 1 covers the period 1765 to 1777.

One of the most celebrated individuals of English literature, Samuel Johnson (1709-84) was a defining figure of his age. In addition to his celebrated labours as a lexicographer, Johnson distinguished himself as a poet, essayist, critic, biographer and editor. The writer and society hostess Hester Lynch Piozzi (1741-1821) was an unconventional woman of great intellectual vivacity. She became a close friend of Johnson, whom she met through her first husband, the brewer Henry Thrale, whose ailing business Johnson did much to support. As well as writing essays, poetry, memoirs and travel diaries, she was one of the first women to produce works on philology and history. First published in 1788 - two years after her groundbreaking Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, which anticipated Boswell's biography - these letters offer a captivating glimpse into their daily lives and concerns. Volume 2 covers the period 1777 to 1784.

Highly educated and accustomed to intellectual society, the writer and woman of letters Hester Lynch Piozzi (1741-1821) became a close friend of Samuel Johnson through her first husband, the brewer Henry Thrale. Her second marriage, to the Italian musician Gabriel Mario Piozzi in 1784, estranged her from Johnson, but following his death she published her groundbreaking Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, anticipating Boswell's biography. As well as her letters, poetry, essays, memoirs and travel diaries (several of which are also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection), she was one of the first women to produce works on philology and history. Originally published in 1833, this highly readable volume of recollections by the writer and translator Edward Mangin (1772-1852) draws on her letters to him and his family (as well as on other memorabilia), extracts from which are quoted extensively in the work.

Highly educated and accustomed to intellectual society, the writer Hester Lynch Piozzi (1741 1821) became a close friend of Samuel Johnson through her first husband, the brewer Henry Thrale. Her second marriage, to the Italian musician Gabriel Mario Piozzi in 1784, estranged her from Johnson, but following his death she published her groundbreaking Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, anticipating Boswell's biography. In addition to publishing essays, memoirs, poetry and travel diaries, she was one of the first women to produce works on philology and history. Edited by the essayist Abraham Hayward (1801 84) and incorporating correspondence and other writings, this two-volume work offers a valuable insight into the life of an important woman of letters and how she was perceived by contemporaries and posterity. Reissued here is the enlarged second edition of 1861. Volume 1 is devoted to Hayward's biographical essay and critique of her works.

Highly educated and accustomed to intellectual society, the writer Hester Lynch Piozzi (1741 1821) became a close friend of Samuel Johnson through her first husband, the brewer Henry Thrale. Her second marriage, to the Italian musician Gabriel Mario Piozzi in 1784, estranged her from Johnson, but following his death she published her groundbreaking Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, anticipating Boswell's biography. In addition to publishing essays, memoirs, poetry and travel diaries, she was one of the first women to produce works on philology and history. Edited by the essayist Abraham Hayward (1801 84) and incorporating correspondence and other writings, this two-volume work offers a valuable insight into the life of an important woman of letters and how she was perceived by contemporaries and posterity. Reissued here is the enlarged second edition of 1861. Volume 2 presents her autobiographical writings together with marginalia, letters and poetry.

Hester Piozzi's 1789 Observations is an entertaining title, with a conversational, present-tense style that makes it stand out from other (largely male) travel writing of the period. Extremely well-educated and accustomed to society and activity, Hester was stifled in her first marriage to brewer Henry Thrale. A close friend of Samuel Johnson, she collaborated with him on several works, but also found herself increasingly called upon to nurse him as he became ill. Her second marriage to Italian musician Gabriel Mario Piozzi in 1784 was therefore extremely liberating. The European travels recounted in these volumes were an escape, allowing Hester to develop her own literary tone. This first volume recounts the beginnings of their travels through France and Italy, and Hester's enjoyment of her experiences shows through clearly in the liveliness of her writing. For more information on this author, see http: //orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=piozh

In the second volume of Piozzi's Observations, the travels continue from Naples and into Germany before the return to England. Well educated and accustomed to society and activity, Hester relished her intellectual collaboration and close friendship with Samuel Johnson, developed during her first marriage to the successful but stifling Henry Thrale. Yet as Johnson became ill he was increasingly demanding of her attention as a nurse and they became susceptible to society gossip. Hester's second marriage, to Italian musician Gabriel Mario Piozzi in 1784, was therefore extremely liberating. The European travels recounted in these volumes were an escape, and Hester revelled in her experiences, a joy which shows through clearly in this development of her own, non-Johnsonian literary tone. The books were well received, even being read at court by Queen Charlotte and Fanny Burney. For more information on this author, see http: //orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=piozh