Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson – Life, Works, and Lasting Influence

Dive into the life and legacy of Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)—English lexicographer, critic, essayist, poet, and biographer. Discover his path from illness and struggle to literary fame, his monumental Dictionary, his vibrant voice, and enduring quotations.

Introduction

Samuel Johnson (born September 18, 1709 – died December 13, 1784) was one of 18th-century England’s most remarkable literary figures. As a poet, essayist, lexicographer, critic, and biographer, he exerted a wide and lasting influence on English letters. His A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) was for many years the preeminent standard of the language, and his essays, periodical writings, and critiques established Johnson as a moral voice and stylistic model. He is also perhaps best remembered today through the canonical Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell, which turned his persona into a kind of legend.

Early Life and Family

Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, to Michael Johnson (a bookseller) and his wife, Sarah. scrofula (a tubercular disease of the lymph glands), which left scars and impaired vision in one eye. His childhood illnesses and limitations stayed with him throughout his life but did not prevent prodigious intellectual work.

Johnson’s early education was at the Lichfield Grammar School, where he studied Latin and Greek. Pembroke College, Oxford, but after just 13 months he was forced to leave, as his family could no longer support his expenses.

After leaving Oxford, Johnson attempted various ventures: he opened a small school at Edial (with help from a pupil, David Garrick), but the school failed. London in 1737 seeking fortunes as a writer.

Literary Career & Major Works

Johnson’s literary output spans many genres. Below are some of the key contributions and defining works.

A Dictionary of the English Language (1755)

Johnson’s dictionary was a monumental achievement. It took him about eight years of painstaking work to produce. At its publication, it was among the most comprehensive English dictionaries to date and greatly increased Johnson’s reputation.

Essays, Periodicals, and Prose

Johnson was a prolific essayist. He was a principal contributor to The Rambler (1750–1752) and later wrote for The Idler (1758–1760), among others.

He also edited a critical edition of William Shakespeare (1765) that included a learned preface, which aided in cementing Shakespeare’s canonical status.

Another important project was Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets (1779–1781), a set of critical-biographical essays on earlier poets.

Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia (1759)

This philosophical novella was written (Johnson claimed) in two weeks to help pay for the funeral of his mother. It reflects on the human condition, limits of happiness, and the search for meaning.

Travel Writing and Other Works

Johnson undertook a Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland (published 1775), documenting his observations of Scotland and social conditions.

Persona, Social Circles & The Literary Club

Johnson was famous not just for his writings but for his conversation, personality, and social presence. He was known for his wit, candor, moral earnestness, and verbal agility.

In 1764 he helped found The Club (sometimes called the Literary Club) in London, whose members included luminaries such as Joshua Reynolds, Edmund Burke, Oliver Goldsmith, David Garrick, and others.

The close friendship between Johnson and James Boswell produced what is widely regarded as one of the greatest biographies in English — The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791). Boswell’s narrative captured Johnson’s voice, character, and daily life in rich detail, turning him into a literary monument for posterity.

Challenges, Health & Character

Despite his intellectual gifts, Johnson’s life was marked by ongoing health challenges, financial insecurity, and personal struggle. His early scrofula, later smallpox, nerves, tics, and eye troubles persisted.

He often struggled financially. For many years he wrote to sustain himself, and only later received a government pension (around 1762) which provided some stability.

Johnson’s moral seriousness, religious devotion (he was an Anglican), and belief in the importance of virtue and character infused much of his writing.

Legacy and Influence

Samuel Johnson’s impact is wide and deep:

• His Dictionary shaped English lexicography, setting standards for usage, etymology, and quotations.

• His essays and criticisms influenced later literary criticism and prose style in English. He is often held as a paragon of clarity, firmness, and moral seriousness in prose.

• The Lives of the Poets remains an important source in English literary biography.

• The persona of Johnson—captured by Boswell—became a touchstone of the “man of letters,” a literary celebrity whose character was as important as his works.

• His many aphorisms, witticisms, and moral reflections have entered common citation in English discourse.

He helped to define the eighteenth century as a period of intellectual rigor, moral reflection, and literary culture—it’s often said that the latter half of that century is “the Age of Johnson.”

Selected Quotes

Here are a few representative quotations attributed to Samuel Johnson:

“He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.”
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
“Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.”
“Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.”

These lines convey Johnson’s moral weight, insight, and his concerns with character, knowledge, and society.

Lessons from Samuel Johnson

1. Perseverance in adversity
   Johnson’s life shows how immense intellectual contribution can emerge from physical suffering, insecurity, and struggle.

2. The power of the pen
   He lived by writing; his belief in literature, criticism, and language as instruments of moral and social life remains instructive.

3. Clarity, force, and moral seriousness in expression
   Johnson teaches that style and substance must align: lucid, powerful prose with moral depth.

4. Personality matters in writing
   Johnson’s character, his wit, his convictions—all are part of why he is still remembered; writing is not impersonal.

5. Conversations and community
   His role in The Club and his friendships (especially with Boswell) show how intellectual life thrives with dialogue and companionship.

Conclusion

Samuel Johnson was more than a literary craftsman—he became a moral pillar, a standard-bearer for English prose, and a luminary whose voice continues to reverberate. His breadth of work, intellectual seriousness, and human resilience make him a towering figure in English letters.