Famous Freemasons - Dr. Samuel Johnson.
Dr Samuel Johnson, Ll.B. - The first English Dictionary
Food For Thought
1709
Samuel Johnson was born on September 18 in Lichfield, England. His father was Michael Johnson, a bookseller aged 52. His mother Sarah Johnson nee Ford aged 40. He was their first child.
Samuel had to have a wetnurse. Unfortunately her milk was tubercular. Young Samuel's eyes are infected, and he contracted scrofula. This left him almost blind in his left eye, and his right eye was also affected. He was deaf in one ear, and his face was also scarred.
1725 - 1726
Johnson spent time living with his older 1st cousin, the Rev. Cornelius Ford. Ford had a huge influence on Johnson. It is reported that "the worldly Ford first opened the young man's eyes to a world of sophistication which he had never seen as a boy in Lichfield". It is also probable that he acquired his first knowledge of the London literary scene from his cousin during his stay 1725-26.
1726
On returning home he began to read and discovered Petrarch and The Classics.
1728
At the age of 19 Samuel Johnson enters Pembroke College, Oxford University
1729
This is the first year that he is reported as suffering deep depression, which is described by his biographer James Boswell as "overwhelmed with an horrible hypochondria ... dejection, gloom, and despair." It affected him so much that he leaves Oxford without a degree; although his exit is believed to be due to a lack of funds.
1731
His father Michael Johnson dies in December.
1732
It is recorded that Samuel worked as usher in a school at Market-Bosworth.
1733
He moved this year to Birmingham, with Edmund Hector, who was a schoolfellow and lifelong friend to him. Johnson contributes a few essays to a local publisher, and meets Elizabeth Porter, whom he will eventually marry. He works on his translation of Lobo, with a lot of assistance from Hector.
1734
Johnson returned to Lichfield, and in November writes a letter to Edward Cave, London magazine publisher of "Gentleman's Magazine", offering the services of someone he knows well, (believed to be himself) who would make sundry contributions to this publication.
1735
He marries Elizabeth "Tetty" Porter, aged 46, in July. She is the widow of a mercer he met in Birmingham in 1733.
Johnson tries his hand as a schoolmaster in Edial. The effort is unsuccessful, which is reported as being due to his "His oddities of manner, and uncouth gesticulations". During this year his translation of Lobo's Voyage to Abyssinia published.
1736-37
While working as a schoolmaster, he started on his play Irene.
1737
Johnson accomapnies Garrick to London, seeking fame and fortune, the education industry having provided neither. He left his wife in Lichfield for the time being. Johnson made further proposals to Edward Cave, hoping for more work. He returned to Lichfield and Tetty in the summer, and finished his play "Irene". Near the end of the year he moved to London with his wife.
1738
Johnson gets work as a hack writer for Cave's Gentleman's Magazine, and he also earns ten guineas from publisher Robert Dodsley for his writings "London". On reading London, Alexander Pope is impressed. His works published in the year are London; Life of Sarpi.
1739
He had published "Vindication of the Licensers of the Stage; Marmor Norfolciense; and Life of Boerhaave.
1740
His works published included Start of the Parliamentary Debates; Life of Admiral Drake; Life of Admiral Blake; and Life of Barretier.
1744
Life Of Savage was the principal work published for the year
1747
He had part planned an edition of Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth Shakespeare's plays. However he aborted the project after a publisher of another edition threatened to sue for copyright infringement
1746
A consortium of booksellers approached him and he began work on the Dictionary.
1747
He finished his Plan for a Dictionary of the English Language
1748
The main work was Vision of Theodore the Hermit
1749
Samuel Johnson branched out a little and founded the Ivy Lane Club. He completed The Vanity of Human Wishes, and had the satisfaction of seeing his play "Irene" being produced
1750
He starts writing The Rambler essays.
1751
The major accomplishment was "Life of Cheynel"
1752
This was a sad year, as his Wife Tetty dies. They had had no children, but she had a daughter from her previous marriage. He also ends writing The Rambler essays.
1753
He begins contributing essays to The Adventurer series.
1754
He writes "Life of Edward Cave"
1755
Altogether a better year for Johnson who received an honorary degree from Oxford University (an M.A.), which will appear on the title page of his Dictionary. The 1st edition of this, A Dictionary of the English Language, is published. He also wrote his famous Letter to Lord Chesterfield;
1756
In March, Johnson is arrested for debt, and released with the help of Richardson. The Dictionary is so popular that the 2nd edition is published.
1758
Money continues to be a problem, and Johnson avoids being arrested for debt again with another loan from a friend. He starts writing The Idler essays and completes "On the Bravery of the Common English Soldier"
1759
Another sad year as Johnson's mother Sarah dies. However he completes Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia
1760
He finishes writing The Idler essays
1762
Dr Johnson receives an annual pension from the crown. However, he greeted the offer with apprehension, as he had earlier characterized pensioners in his Dictionary as state hirelings and traitors to the country. His trepidation is allayed by assurances that the pension is payment for his past efforts, not work to be done in the future.
1763
From the modern perspective this year was a most important one, as on May 16, Dr Samuel Johnson meets his future biographer and travelling companion James Boswell, then aged 23 in Thomas Davies bookshop, London. He completed The Life Of Ascham and Account of the Imposture of the Cock-Lane Ghost.
1764
The Club was formed, with Johnson as a charter member. The list of eventual members is to this day impressive: among them were Joseph Banks, James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Charles Burney, Charles James Fox, David Garrick, Edward Gibbon, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Adam Smith, and William Windham.
1765
He met Hester (1741-1821) and Henry (1728?29?-1781) Thrale. He was very depressed when they met him, and they took him in. His exposure to their family life in Streatham, and their friendship meant a lot to him, and his spirits were considerably lifted. He published Johnson's edition of Shakespeare's plays.
1766
He published The Fountains
1767
During a February visit to the library of King George III, Johnson encountered King George III himself. According to Bowell, during the conversation, the King "expressed a desire to have the literary biography of his country ably executed".
1770
The False Alarm was published
1771
Thoughts on the Late Transactions Respecting Falklands Islands was published
1773
The famous adventure, Dr Samuel Johnson and James Boswell tour Scotland, August 18 - November 22, was planned and executed. The 4th edition of his Dictionary was also published
1774
Dr Johnson visited Wales with his friend Henry Thrales.
The first "Collected Edition" of J's works published. Records show that the genesis of the edition is curious: Davies, in financial difficulties, started it without Johnson's authorization, rounding out the second volume [of an intended 2 volumes] with the works of others; the whole idea incensed Johnson, but his temper was dissipated on seeing Davies' financial straits, and together they published more. His work this year was "The Patriot"
1775
Johnson with his friend Henry Thrales visited France.
This was the year that his famous "A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" was completed and published along with his less adventurous "Taxation No Tyranny"
1781
A sad year again, as his friend Henry Thrales died. Johnson was one of four executors of his will.
1784
The Thrale Brewery was finally sold, and this provided Hester with closure. She married Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian musician. Unfortunately this upset Johnson, who had become exceptionally fond of her over the years.
Dr Samuel Johnson died on December 13 1784.
Footnote:
In 1795 James Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. was published.
Samuel Johnson was born on September 18 in Lichfield, England. His father was Michael Johnson, a bookseller aged 52. His mother Sarah Johnson nee Ford aged 40. He was their first child.
Samuel had to have a wetnurse. Unfortunately her milk was tubercular. Young Samuel's eyes are infected, and he contracted scrofula. This left him almost blind in his left eye, and his right eye was also affected. He was deaf in one ear, and his face was also scarred.
1725 - 1726
Johnson spent time living with his older 1st cousin, the Rev. Cornelius Ford. Ford had a huge influence on Johnson. It is reported that "the worldly Ford first opened the young man's eyes to a world of sophistication which he had never seen as a boy in Lichfield". It is also probable that he acquired his first knowledge of the London literary scene from his cousin during his stay 1725-26.
1726
On returning home he began to read and discovered Petrarch and The Classics.
1728
At the age of 19 Samuel Johnson enters Pembroke College, Oxford University
1729
This is the first year that he is reported as suffering deep depression, which is described by his biographer James Boswell as "overwhelmed with an horrible hypochondria ... dejection, gloom, and despair." It affected him so much that he leaves Oxford without a degree; although his exit is believed to be due to a lack of funds.
1731
His father Michael Johnson dies in December.
1732
It is recorded that Samuel worked as usher in a school at Market-Bosworth.
1733
He moved this year to Birmingham, with Edmund Hector, who was a schoolfellow and lifelong friend to him. Johnson contributes a few essays to a local publisher, and meets Elizabeth Porter, whom he will eventually marry. He works on his translation of Lobo, with a lot of assistance from Hector.
1734
Johnson returned to Lichfield, and in November writes a letter to Edward Cave, London magazine publisher of "Gentleman's Magazine", offering the services of someone he knows well, (believed to be himself) who would make sundry contributions to this publication.
1735
He marries Elizabeth "Tetty" Porter, aged 46, in July. She is the widow of a mercer he met in Birmingham in 1733.
Johnson tries his hand as a schoolmaster in Edial. The effort is unsuccessful, which is reported as being due to his "His oddities of manner, and uncouth gesticulations". During this year his translation of Lobo's Voyage to Abyssinia published.
1736-37
While working as a schoolmaster, he started on his play Irene.
1737
Johnson accomapnies Garrick to London, seeking fame and fortune, the education industry having provided neither. He left his wife in Lichfield for the time being. Johnson made further proposals to Edward Cave, hoping for more work. He returned to Lichfield and Tetty in the summer, and finished his play "Irene". Near the end of the year he moved to London with his wife.
1738
Johnson gets work as a hack writer for Cave's Gentleman's Magazine, and he also earns ten guineas from publisher Robert Dodsley for his writings "London". On reading London, Alexander Pope is impressed. His works published in the year are London; Life of Sarpi.
1739
He had published "Vindication of the Licensers of the Stage; Marmor Norfolciense; and Life of Boerhaave.
1740
His works published included Start of the Parliamentary Debates; Life of Admiral Drake; Life of Admiral Blake; and Life of Barretier.
1744
Life Of Savage was the principal work published for the year
1747
He had part planned an edition of Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth Shakespeare's plays. However he aborted the project after a publisher of another edition threatened to sue for copyright infringement
1746
A consortium of booksellers approached him and he began work on the Dictionary.
1747
He finished his Plan for a Dictionary of the English Language
1748
The main work was Vision of Theodore the Hermit
1749
Samuel Johnson branched out a little and founded the Ivy Lane Club. He completed The Vanity of Human Wishes, and had the satisfaction of seeing his play "Irene" being produced
1750
He starts writing The Rambler essays.
1751
The major accomplishment was "Life of Cheynel"
1752
This was a sad year, as his Wife Tetty dies. They had had no children, but she had a daughter from her previous marriage. He also ends writing The Rambler essays.
1753
He begins contributing essays to The Adventurer series.
1754
He writes "Life of Edward Cave"
1755
Altogether a better year for Johnson who received an honorary degree from Oxford University (an M.A.), which will appear on the title page of his Dictionary. The 1st edition of this, A Dictionary of the English Language, is published. He also wrote his famous Letter to Lord Chesterfield;
1756
In March, Johnson is arrested for debt, and released with the help of Richardson. The Dictionary is so popular that the 2nd edition is published.
1758
Money continues to be a problem, and Johnson avoids being arrested for debt again with another loan from a friend. He starts writing The Idler essays and completes "On the Bravery of the Common English Soldier"
1759
Another sad year as Johnson's mother Sarah dies. However he completes Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia
1760
He finishes writing The Idler essays
1762
Dr Johnson receives an annual pension from the crown. However, he greeted the offer with apprehension, as he had earlier characterized pensioners in his Dictionary as state hirelings and traitors to the country. His trepidation is allayed by assurances that the pension is payment for his past efforts, not work to be done in the future.
1763
From the modern perspective this year was a most important one, as on May 16, Dr Samuel Johnson meets his future biographer and travelling companion James Boswell, then aged 23 in Thomas Davies bookshop, London. He completed The Life Of Ascham and Account of the Imposture of the Cock-Lane Ghost.
1764
The Club was formed, with Johnson as a charter member. The list of eventual members is to this day impressive: among them were Joseph Banks, James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Charles Burney, Charles James Fox, David Garrick, Edward Gibbon, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Adam Smith, and William Windham.
1765
He met Hester (1741-1821) and Henry (1728?29?-1781) Thrale. He was very depressed when they met him, and they took him in. His exposure to their family life in Streatham, and their friendship meant a lot to him, and his spirits were considerably lifted. He published Johnson's edition of Shakespeare's plays.
1766
He published The Fountains
1767
During a February visit to the library of King George III, Johnson encountered King George III himself. According to Bowell, during the conversation, the King "expressed a desire to have the literary biography of his country ably executed".
1770
The False Alarm was published
1771
Thoughts on the Late Transactions Respecting Falklands Islands was published
1773
The famous adventure, Dr Samuel Johnson and James Boswell tour Scotland, August 18 - November 22, was planned and executed. The 4th edition of his Dictionary was also published
1774
Dr Johnson visited Wales with his friend Henry Thrales.
The first "Collected Edition" of J's works published. Records show that the genesis of the edition is curious: Davies, in financial difficulties, started it without Johnson's authorization, rounding out the second volume [of an intended 2 volumes] with the works of others; the whole idea incensed Johnson, but his temper was dissipated on seeing Davies' financial straits, and together they published more. His work this year was "The Patriot"
1775
Johnson with his friend Henry Thrales visited France.
This was the year that his famous "A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" was completed and published along with his less adventurous "Taxation No Tyranny"
1781
A sad year again, as his friend Henry Thrales died. Johnson was one of four executors of his will.
1784
The Thrale Brewery was finally sold, and this provided Hester with closure. She married Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian musician. Unfortunately this upset Johnson, who had become exceptionally fond of her over the years.
Dr Samuel Johnson died on December 13 1784.
Footnote:
In 1795 James Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. was published.
Any writer attempting to write a bigraphy on this most amazing man must by necessity truncate his wonderful story. As such I have chosen to compose it in a year by year timeline basis.
Dr Johnson will always have one of the most prominent names in English literature, for he was the author and compiler of the first English dictonary.
He is also remembered for his remarkable travels in the Highlands and western isles of Scotland 30 year after the Battle of Culloden..
Dr Johnson will always have one of the most prominent names in English literature, for he was the author and compiler of the first English dictonary.
He is also remembered for his remarkable travels in the Highlands and western isles of Scotland 30 year after the Battle of Culloden..
The first pages of Dr Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, a portrait of the great man, and a drawing of him and Boswell being hosted by a Highland family.