Samuel Johnson1709-1783

The Age of Johnson: A style of balance, simple elegance and great symmetry.

Childhood

Born to older parents, sickly, too weak to cry Nursed by a wet-nurse Contracted a tubercular infection called

scrofula Taken to Queen Anne Early school and gingerbread

Youth Overcame physical ailments Father loses bookstore Start and stop genius: Hamlet Scholarship becomes avenue to

success Boxer Uncle taught him to fight—he

would later fend off four robbers and hold them at bay until the police arrive

He became an avid swimmer, ice skater and climber-continued into his 70’s

University Schooling

Legacy provides funds Proclivity for debate Oxford University—attended only one year due to limited funds. Never graduated Converts to Christianity

Next Stages

He is heavy, ugly and brilliant Floundered in deep depression for several

years. Marries a woman 15 years older Moves to London with Garrick Begins to write at the encouragement of

friends

Companions and Friends

David Garrick Sir Joshua Reynolds Alexander Pope William Hogarth

Dictionary of the English Language Johnson produces alone over 9

years with the help of 5 runners French employ 40 men who

spent 40 years to produce. Johnson provides definition,

pronunciation, diction and illustrates the word from literature

Dictionary—43,000 definitions and 110,000 citations

Publication and Canals

Literary Accomplishments

Poetry— London written in imitation of Juvenal’s satire on Rome

Here malice, rapine, accident conspire,And now a rabble rages, now a fire;

their ambush here relentless ruffians lay,and here the fell attorney prowls for prey;here falling houses thunder on your head,

and here a female atheist talks you dead....This mournful truth is everywhere confessed,

Slow rises worth, by poverty depressed.

Shakespearean Commentary

The work of a correct and regular writer is a garden accurately formed and diligently planted, varied with shades and scented with flowers; the composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend their branches, and pines tower in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelter to myrtles and to roses; filling the eye with awful pomp, and gratifying the mind with endless diversity.

The Rambler  13: The invalidity of all excuses for betraying

secrets.

    64: The requisites to true friendship.  

  90: The pauses in English poetry adjusted.

134: Idleness an anxious and miserable state.

156: The laws of writing not always indisputable.

159: The nature and remedies of bashfulness.

183: The influence of envy and interest compared.

207: The folly of continuing too long upon the stage.

Rasselas

In the spring of 1759 he wrote a short novel, The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia.

Meets James Boswell

The Scotsman would befriend Dr. Johnson and eventually author the greatest biography ever written.

Contains vignettes of the “stuff Dr. Johnson’s life was made of.”

His latter years Deep devotion to God Struggle with depression; found solace in the

presence of friends. Love for the poor. “And just as he would give all

the silver in his pocket to the poor who watched him as he left the house, so, on returning late at night, he for years had been putting pennies into the hands of children lying asleep on thresholds so that they could buy breakfast in the morning.”

Dr Samuel Johnson, critic, poet, essayist, biographer and conversationalist is one of England's best-known literary figures and dominated 18th century London's literary life.

He was also known for his great wit and aphorisms, and after Shakespeare, with more than a thousand quotes to his name, Johnson became the most quoted of English writers.