Dr. Samuel Johnson (18 September, 1709 – 12 December, 1784) was an English writer, poet and essayist who has made large contributions to English literature.
“Samuel Johnson by Joshua Reynolds 2” by Joshua Reynolds –
Originally in English Wikipedia, uploaded 21:07, 2005 June 14 by w:User:Geogre
Scanned from: Rogers, Pat (2001).
The Oxford Illustrated History of English Literature. Oxford University Press, p. 241. ISBN 1435295811. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons.
- Born in Lichfield, Staffordshire, Samuel Johnson showed much intelligence as a child, he started school at the age of 4 and was doing so well he was promoted to the upper school at 9.
- Johnson has been referred to as “arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history”.
- Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) had a great effect on modern English. The dictionary was described as “one of the greatest single achievements of scholarship”.
- Johnson is the subject of James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson, a biography which was described as “the most famous single work of biographical art in the whole of literature”.
- Johnson was known for his strange behavior and mannerisms, some of which were described in Life of Samuel Johnson. Posthumously, Dr. Jonson was diagnosed as having Tourette syndrome.
- Dr . Johnson’s father didn’t have much money and his son never got to finish his college degree.
- In 1755, Johnson finally became a college graduate when Oxford University awarded him a degree of Master of Arts.
- In 1765 Mr. Johnson became Dr. Johnson when he received and honorary doctorate by Trinity College Dublin.
- In 1756 Johnson was arrested for an outstanding debt of £5 18s. The good doctor wrote Samuel Richardson, a writer and publisher who lent him money. The two have been friends ever since.
- His earliest known published work was a Latin translation of Alexander Pope’s Messiah while he was a college student.
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First appeared as “Fun Facts Friday: Dr. Samuel Johnson” on 18 September, 2015
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Fun Facts Friday: Johnson
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Dr. Samuel Johnson (18 September, 1709 – 12 December, 1784) was an English write, poet and essayist who has made large contributions to English literature.
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Man of la Book
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Man of la Book - A Bookish Blog
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