The enduring work of:
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
Samuel Johnson was an important literary figure in England from the early to the middle 18th century, who left his mark upon many facets of literature from poetry to essays to biographies. Many people knew him simply as Dr. Johnson and aside from his aforementioned accomplishments he also had some degree of success as a lexicographer and many historians consider him the pre-eminent critic of English literature. A man of exceptional wit and writing talent, many of Samuel Johnson's writings are still being quoted to this very day.
Samuel Johnson was born on September 18, 1709 in Lichfield, Staffordshire to a poor bookseller, where he pursued his early education in Lichfield Grammar School. Upon turning nineteen years of age, he enrolled in Pembroke College in Oxford University as a fellow-commoner beginning on October 31, 1728. His stay at the university was short-lived however and due financial difficulties, he was forced to leave without obtaining his degree staying a little more than a year in Pembroke College. He then returned to Lichfield but in 1764, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Oxford University.
Johnson sought to find employment as a teacher and schoolmaster in Adam's Grammar School but the headmaster there, Rev. Samuel Lea, turned him down. He later successfully managed to gain entry into a school in Stourbridge as a teacher.
Samuel Johnson was 25 years of age when he was married to Elizabeth "Tetty" Porter who was a widow more than twenty years his senior. This age difference between the two would raise more than a few eyebrows even in this day, but at that time this union was considered almost scandalous.
In 1735, Samuel Johnson published his first literary work, which was an English translation of the French Voyage to Abyssinia by Lobo's. The following year saw Johnson establishing a private academy in Edial near his hometown of Lichfield. Although he only had a total of three students in his class, one of them, David Garrett went on to further acclaim as an actor (arguably one of the most famous of the time) and the two of them remained friends for many years. It was also during this time that Johnson began working on what would prove to be his first important literary work; the historical tragedy entitled Irene.
David Garrett would later produce this work for the stage in 1749. Before then however, Johnson encountered a period of poverty and he was quite impoverished when he left for London in 1737 with Garrett. While he continued to write for several publications, most notably the Gentleman's Magazine, he remained poor for most of this time.
Dr. Johnson made many ripples in the philosophical world with his famous refutation of the tenets put forth by the idealism of Bishop Berkeley. Historical accounts have it that in the course of being interviewed for his own biography, Johnson became quite enraged at the suggestion that the Bishop's teachings could not be refuted. He then kicked a nearby stone in rage saying loudly of Berkeley's teachings, "I refute it thus!"
Samuel Johnson died on December 13, 1784.
Original Authors: Doods Pangburn
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 21/07/2008
