Literary anecdotes of the eighteenth century : comprizing biographical memoirs of William Boywer, printer, F.S.A. and many of his learned friends ; an incidental view of the progress and advancement of literature in this kingdom during the last century ; and biographical anecdotes of a considerable number of eminent writers and ingenious artists ; with a very copious index.

This is the second edition. "Preface to the second edition, in 1812" is on p.ix-xiv" in the first volume. The first edition was published in 1782

The first six volumes state that the edition is "In six volumes" (and the sixth is described as "Volume VI. Part I", the index originally being intended to be part 2). However, seventh, eighth and ninth volumes were added between 1813 and 1816. Some sets omit some or all of these later volumes

Volume 7 (the index) is divided into two parts. Part 1 (published 1813) contains indexes to volumes 1-6, and part 2 (published 1816) indexes to volumes 8 and 9

"Directions for lacing the portraits, &c." i.e. the placement of the plates in v.1-v.6 is on p.xvi in the first volume. In v.8 directions are on page x. In v.9 directions are on page xvi

Pagination: Vol. 1: xvi, 712 p., [4] leaves of plates -- Vol. 2: iii, [1], 622, [1], 626-732 p., [6?] leaves of plates (1 folded) -- Vol. 3: iv, 760 p., [3] leaves of plates -- Vol. 4: iv, 732 p., [4?] leaves of plates (2 folded) -- Vol. 5: iv, 274, *273-*274, 275-712 p., [3?] leaves of plates -- Vol. 6: iv, 129, [1], 133-496, 597-646 p., [1] leaf of plates -- Vol. 7:pt. 1: 486 p. -- Vol. 7:pt. 2: [2], 491-720 p. -- Vol. 8: xii, 368, 353-762 p., [6] leaves of plates (1 folded) -- Vol. 9: xvi, 816 p., [13] leaves of plates

The page between 622 and 626 in vol. 2 is numbered "623-5". That between 129 and 133 in vol. 6 is numbered "130-132."

Preface to vol.7:pt. 1, is signed: "S. B. [i.e. Samuel Bentley]."

Pages 673-732 of vol. 2, pages 665-732 of vol. 4, and pages 665-712 of vol. 5, were issued after the respective volumes were notionally complete, and may be absent from some copies

Volumes 1-6 are dated 1812; vol. 7:pt. 1 is dated 1813; vol. 7:pt. 2 is dated 1816; vol. 8 is dated 1814; vol. 9 is dated 1815

Frontispieces engraved/etched by James Basire, J. Collyer, Charles Heath and J. Caldwall. That in vol. 1 shows William Bowyer, 1663-1737 -- v. 2, William Bowyer, 1699-1777 -- v. 3, John Nichols -- v. 4, Jeremiah Markland -- v. 5, Edward Cave -- v. 6, George Virtue -- v. 8, double-page frontispiece of George Allan and William Hutcheson -- v. 9, James Basire

"A genealogy of the family of Tindal" (v.9, p. 302-304)

First edition published in 1782 as "Biographical and literary anecdotes of William Bowyer ... and of many of his learned friends ... "