Samuel Johnson: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:30, 2 May 2019

1709 - 1784. One of the chief British intellectuals of the 18th century.

Biography

The son of Michael Johnson, a bookseller, Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield, England, on 18 September 1709. From his early life on he suffered from several diseases (loss of hearing and blindness in one eye). Since his father was a bookseller he early came into contact with books and developed a good knowledge even in his childhood.

Johnson later spent a year at Pembroke College, Oxford, but due to financial problems he had to leave. As a consequence “he went to a severe depression” [1] that lasted for two years. It was in that time that Johnson met the Porters, a merchant family. Henry Porter was a big help for Johnson to get back his self-confidence. Porter’s wife Elizabeth was fascinated by Johnson from the first day she met him. After her husband’s death, she got married (1735) to Samuel Johnson, who was 21 years younger than her (she was 46).

His first profession was that of a schoolmaster, but he had to give it up because he did not have a proper degree and he was not respected by his students since his appearance was not very pleasant.

His career as a writer started in 1737 when Johnson went to London where he wrote for several periodicals. Later on, “he was assigned the task of writing thinly disguised reports of the debates in Parliament” [2]. Although he was quite successful in the 1730s and 40s, his real success started in the 1750s. Worth mentioning in this context is his Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1755. ”Oxford University rewarded him with a Master of Arts degree, which came in time for him to include it on the title page of the Dictionary”. [3] Moreover, Samuel Johnson is also known for his complete edition of Shakespeare’s works.

Samuel Johnson died on 13 December 1784.

Friendship with Boswell

In 1763, James Boswell (1740-1795) met Samuel Johnson by accident in a bookshop. Both liked each other and became fast friends. Boswell began his literary career in 1760 by writing pamphlets. In 1791 he published a biography of Samuel Johnson (The Life of Samuel Johnson) which today is known to be one of the best biographies ever written about Johnson. The biography was published in two volumes. "Contemporary criticism set the pattern of acclaim for the work and derision for its author." [4]

Conflict with his patron

Samuel Johnson needed several years to write his Dictionary. Since he could not finance his work on his own, Jonson looked for a patron - and Lord Chesterfield offered his help. Nevertheless, Johnson never received money from his patron and never heard from him until the Dictionary was finished. Now, Chesterfield expected a dedication to him. The letter Johnson wrote to Chesterfield in response to his demand is rather well-known. In this letter, Johnson describes a patron as someone who stands on the river bank watching a man drowning. Then, after the drowning man is saved, the patron asks him if he can help ([5].

Johnson as a man of letters

Not only did Samuel Johnson write his famous Dictionary, he is also known for his poems and other literary works. His literary career began shortly after his marriage. Johnson did not have much money and in order to earn some extra money, he started to write small articles for Edward Cave, publisher of The Gentleman's Magazine, the first example of a magazine in a modern sense. Quickly, Johnson realized that Pope's imitations of Horace's satires were very fashionable at that time and so he decided to write an imitation of Juvenal's satires and called his poem "London". This poem was very successful and was also acknowledged and praised by Pope himself. In the following years, Johnson kept on writing for The Gentleman's Magazine. Moreover, he wrote biographies, a preface to Shakespeare as well as some novels.

Major works and contributions

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: an anthology of especially quotable sentences by 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

Drama

1749 Irene, a Tragedy

Biographies, criticism

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
1755 Preface to the Dictionary of the English Language
A Dictionary of the English Language

Novellas

1759 The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia

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 == Conflict with his patron ==
-Samuel Johnson needed several years to write his ''Dictionary''. Since he could not finance his work on his own, Jonson looked for a patron - and a man called Lord Chesterfield offered his help. Nevertheless, Johnson never received money from his patron and never heard from him until the ''Dictionary'' was finished. Now, Lord Chesterfield expected a dedication to him. The letter Johnson wrote to Chesterfield in response to his demand is well-known. In this letter, Johnson describes a patron as someone who stands on the river bank watching a man drowning. Then, after the drowning man is saved, the patron asks him if he can help.
+Samuel Johnson needed several years to write his ''Dictionary''. Since he could not finance his work on his own, Jonson looked for a patron - and [[Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield|Lord Chesterfield]] offered his help. Nevertheless, Johnson never received money from his patron and never heard from him until the ''Dictionary'' was finished. Now, Chesterfield expected a dedication to him. The letter Johnson wrote to Chesterfield in response to his demand is rather well-known. In this letter, Johnson describes a patron as someone who stands on the river bank watching a man drowning. Then, after the drowning man is saved, the patron asks him if he can help ([https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/copy-of-the-letter-from-samuel-johnson-to-the-earl-of-chesterfield].
 == Johnson as a man of letters ==