Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson was born in 1709. In 1728 he attended the Pembroke College in Oxford, but a lack of funds forced him to leave eighteen months later.

In 1734 he married Elizabeth Porter – a widow twenty-one years his senior.

Johnson’s books

Johnson travelled to London in 1737 to seek fame and fortune as a writer, but didn’t have a hit until he published London one year later. His first novel, Irene didn’t surface for another ten years after that.

One of his most famous creations was a bi-weekly periodical called The Rambler, which ran between 1750 and 1752. He also contributed to The Idler and The Adventurer to raise some funds, but was never very rich. He scrapped a living writing biographies, essays, pamphlets and parliamentary reports – anything that promised to raise a few pennies.

His fortunes turned around in 1762 when he was awarded a Government pension of £300 a year, and his long-planned planned compendium of works by William Shakespeare appeared three years later.

Dr Johnson’s dictionary

Johnson first got the idea to publish a dictionary in 1746, but the first edition wasn’t ready until 1755.

It is often described as the first dictionary in history, but in actual fact he was beaten to the punch by both the Italians and the French one year before. It was, however, far and away the best until the OED came out a century-and-a-half later.

It contained definitions for over 40,000 words, and was illustrated with 114,000 quotations. Some of the definitions are laugh-out-loud funny: Patron: One who countenances, supports, or protects. Commonly a wretch who supports with insolence, and is repaid with flattery.

Later life

Johnson died on the 13th December 1784, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

• Historical pictures
• Famous quotes

Paintings of Samuel Johnson

^{Samuel Johnson, around 1769Samuel Johnson, in 1772Dr. Samuel Johnson, c.1775}

Famous quotes by Samuel Johnson

Oats: A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.
Patron: Commonly a wretch who supports with insolence, and is paid with flattery.

_{Dictionary of the English Language}

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.

_{Life of Samuel Johnson – Volume 3}

A Frenchman must be always talking, whether he knows anything of the matter or not; an Englishman is content to say nothing, when he has nothing to say.

_{Life of Samuel Johnson – Volume 4}

Sir, I have two very cogent reasons for not printing any list of subscribers; – one, that I have lost all of the names, – the other, that I have spent all the money.

_{Life of Samuel Johnson – Volume 4}

Dr. Samuel Johnson – Related articles…

Dr. Johnson’s House
Visit this 18th-century townhouse, and see where Samuel Johnson wrote his dictionary.