“Sir John Hawkins” Dr. Johnson's Friend-Attorney-Executor-Biographer

"Sir John Hawkins" -- Dr. Johnson's Friend-Attorney-Executor-Biographer -- A Reorientation of The Knight, The Lady, and Boswell -- by C. A. Miller, LL.M -- Privately Printed March, 1951 was published in Washington, DC It is a 39 page booklet, in paper covers, that measures approximately 6 ¾ x 10 inches. Mr. Miller states, in his introductory remarks, that "...It would be hard to find among all of Dr. Johnson's friends and acquaintances a more controversial figure than Sir John Hawkins. While many nasty things have been said about him, running the whole gamut of criticism, ridicule and invective, there have been some things said about him that are not wholly bad...It is the purpose of this paper to put Hawkins in a better perspective and to correct some of the old prejudices, as far as the ascertainable facts will do that. While some of the nasty things said about him were well deserved, impartiality must sustain the conviction that a man who contributed so much could hardly have been as bad as he has been proclaimed to have been.". Mr. Miller then proceeds with his mini-biography of Sir John Hawkins.

The booklet is a first edition with a hand-written signed inscription on the front cover reading "To Mr. Wallace J. Baker With the regards of C A Miller". The booklet contains a frontispiece portrait of Sir John Hawkins, from an Original Picture by I. Roberts in the Music School, Oxford. There are some signs of wear on the covers, but the text is clear and easily read. The overall condition of the booklet is very good.

The illustrations accompanying this description show the front cover of the booklet, the frontispiece, and the first page of the text.

Sir John Hawkins (29 March 1719 – 21 May 1789) was an English author and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson and Horace Walpole. He was part of Johnson's various clubs but later left The Literary Club after a disagreement with some of Johnson's other friends. His friendship with Johnson continued and he was made one of the executors of Johnson's will. He married the heiress Sidney Storer and was the father of the novelist Laetitia Hawkins. During his life, he wrote many works, including A General History of the Science and Practice of Music and his Life of Samuel Johnson in memory of his friend. He was appointed as a magistrate and later became Chairman of the Quarter Session for Middlesex. He was knighted in 1772 for his services. [Wikipedia]