English writer Samuel Johnson

 Samuel Johnson

Who is Samuel Johnson:Johnson was an English writer and critic, and one of the most famous literary figures of the 18th century.

Best work: His best-known work is his 'Dictionary of the English Language'.

Birth Place and Date: Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire, on 18 September 1709.

Family, Education and Work: His father was a bookseller. He was educated at Lichfield Grammar School and spent a brief period at Oxford University, but was forced to leave due to lack of money. Unable to find teaching work, he drifted into a writing career. In 1735, he married Elizabeth Porter, a widow more than 20 years his senior.

The dictionary was published on 15 April 1755. It was not the first such dictionary, but was certainly the most important at that time. In Johnson's lifetime five further editions were published, and a sixth came out when he died.

Johnson's wife had died in 1752 and shortly afterwards Francis Barber, a former slave from Jamaica, joined Johnson's household as a servant. He lived with Johnson for more than 30 years, as did his wife and children, and became Johnson's heir.

Johnson was continually short of money, despite the success of his dictionary. In 1762, his financial situation was alleviated when he was awarded a government pension.

In 1763, he met James Boswell, a young Scottish lawyer, whose 'Life of Johnson' (published in 1791) did much to spread Johnson's name. In 1773, Johnson and Boswell set out on a three-month tour of the Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides. Both wrote accounts of their travels. Johnson spent considerable time in Edinburgh in the 1770s.

Johnson was by now the leader of the London literary world, and a friend of notable artists and writers such as Joshua Reynolds, Edmund Burke, Oliver Goldsmith and David Garrick. Another important friendship for Johnson was with Henry Thrale, a wealthy brewer and member of parliament, and his wife Hester. Johnson became part of their family, treating their London houses as second homes.

Born: September 18, 1709, Lichfield, United Kingdom

Died: December 13, 1784, London, United Kingdom

Spouse: Elizabeth Johnson (m. 1735–1752)

Children: Joseph Porter, Lucy Porter, Jervis Henry Porter

Major works[edit]

	Essays, pamphlets, periodicals, sermons
1732–33	Birmingham Journal
1747	Plan for a Dictionary of the English Language
1750–52	The Rambler
1753–54	The Adventurer
1756	Universal Visiter
1756-	The Literary Magazine, or Universal Review
1758–60	The Idler
1770	The False Alarm
1771	Thoughts on the Late Transactions Respecting Falkland's Islands
1774	The Patriot
1775	A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland
	Taxation No Tyranny
1781	The Beauties of Johnson
	Poetry
1728	Messiah, a translation into Latin of Alexander Pope's Messiah
1738	London
1747	Prologue at the Opening of the Theatre in Drury Lane
1749	The Vanity of Human Wishes
	Irene, a Tragedy
	Biographies, criticism
1735	A Voyage to Abyssinia, by Jerome Lobo, translated from the French
1744	Life of Mr Richard Savage
1745	Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth
1756	"Life of Browne" in Thomas Browne's Christian Morals
	Proposals for Printing, by Subscription, the Dramatick Works of William Shakespeare
1765	Preface to the Plays of William Shakespeare
	The Plays of William Shakespeare
1779–81	Lives of the Poets
	Dictionary
1755	Preface to a Dictionary of the English Language
	A Dictionary of the English Language
	Novellas
1759	The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia