Samuel Johnson (1) (1709–1784)
Author of Rasselas
For other authors named Samuel Johnson, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Samuel Johnson was born in 1709, in Lichfield, England. The son of a bookseller, Johnson briefly attended Pembroke College, Oxford, taught school, worked for a printer, and opened a boarding academy with his wife's money before that failed. Moving to London in 1737, Johnson scratched out a living show more from writing. He regularly contributed articles and moral essays to journals, including the Gentleman's Magazine, the Adventurer, and the Idler, and became known for his poems and satires in imitation of Juvenal. Between 1750 and 1752, he produced the Rambler almost single-handedly. In 1755 Johnson published Dictionary of the English Language, which secured his place in contemporary literary circles. Johnson wrote Rasselas in a week in 1759, trying to earn money to visit his dying mother. He also wrote a widely-read edition of Shakespeare's plays, as well as Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland and Lives of the Poets. Johnson's writing was so thoughtful, powerful, and influential that he was considered a singular authority on all things literary. His stature attracted the attention of James Boswell, whose biography, Life of Johnson, provides much of what we know about its subject. Johnson died in 1784. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Samuel Johnson
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. I: Diaries, Prayers and Annals (1958) 31 copies
Boswell's Life of Johnson, including Boswell's Journal of a tour to the Hebrides and Johnson's Diary of a journey into… (1887) 31 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. XVIII: Johnson on the English Language (2005) 29 copies
The Age of Enlightenment: An anthology of eighteenth-century texts: Volume 1 (1979) — Contributor — 26 copies
Johnson on Johnson : a selection of the personal and autobiographical writings of Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) (1976) 21 copies
The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia/Dinarbas; A Tale (Everyman's Library (Paper)) (1994) 20 copies
A Dictionary of the English Language (Complete and Unabridged in Two Volumes), Volume Two (2010) 17 copies
The Works of the English Poets. With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, by Samuel Johnson 16 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. II: The Idler and The Adventurer (1707) 15 copies
The plan of a dictionary of the English language : addressed to the Right Honourable Philip Dormer, Earl of… (2001) 15 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. XVI: Rasselas and Other Tales (1991) 13 copies
Letters to and from the late Samuel Johnson, LL.D. : to which are added some poems never before printed (2013) 13 copies
The letters of Samuel Johnson, with Mrs. Thrale's genuine letters to him. Collected & edited by R.W. Chapman (1952) 13 copies
Taxation no tyranny : an answer to the resolutions and address of the American Congress (1996) 12 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. VII-VIII: Johnson on Shakespeare (complete) (1968) 10 copies
Marmor norfolciense, or, An essay on an ancient prophetical inscription, in monkish rhyme : lately discover'd near… (2018) 9 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. XIX: Biographical Writings - Soldiers, Scholars, and Friends (2016) 8 copies
The false alarm 8 copies
Samuel Johnson's Unpublished Revisions to the Dictionary of the English Language: A Facsimile Edition (2005) 7 copies
Dr. Johnson's Works: Life, Poems, and Tales, Volume 1The Works of Samuel Johnson, Ll.D., in Nine Volumes (2010) 7 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. XX: Johnson on Demand: Reviews, Prefaces, and Ghost-Writings (2019) 5 copies
Falkland-Malvinas: panfleto contra la guerra : sobre las recientes negociaciones en torno a las Islas de Falkland… (2012) 4 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. XVII: A Commentary on Mr. Pope's Principles of Morality, or Essay… (2004) 4 copies
Miscellaneous and fugitive pieces 4 copies
The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 06 Reviews, Political Tracts, and Lives of Eminent Persons (2012) 3 copies
The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. : comprising the Lives of the English poets, Rasselas, Lives of eminent persons, and… (1876) 3 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. XXI-XXIII: The Lives of the Poets (complete) (2010) 3 copies
The life of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D.D. By the late Dr. Samuel Johnson. Containing animadversions and additions relating… (2010) 3 copies
Two satires 3 copies
The idler. By the author of The rambler. In two volumes. ... the third edition. With additional essays. (2010) 3 copies
Samuel Johnson's Original Dictionary 3 copies
Selections from Johnson's 'Rambler' 3 copies
Select essays of Dr. Johnson 3 copies
Dr Johnson said... 3 copies
Memoirs of Charles Frderick King of Prussia . . . with notes and continuation, by Mr. Harrison 2 copies
Prayers on several occasions 2 copies
The Poetical Works of Johnson, Parnell, Gray and Smollett. With Memoirs, Critical Dissertations and Explanatory Notes… (1855) 2 copies
The Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. XI-XIII: Debates in Parliament (complete) (2011) 2 copies
Johnson's lives of the British poets 2 copies
The Adventurer 2 copies
Classic tales 2 copies
Johnson's chief lives of the poets, being those of Milton, Dryden, Swift, Addison, Pope, Gray, and Macaulay's life of… (2010) 2 copies
Debates in Parliament 2 copies
Journeys in Scotland : Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland, Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands,… (2014) 2 copies
A Journey of a Tour to the Hebrides 2 copies
The prayers of Doctor Samuel Johnson 2 copies
Samuel Johnson on Shakespeare. Dr. Johnson on Shakespeare. Edited with an introduction by W. K. Wimsatt (1969) 2 copies
THE ESSAYS OF SAMUEL JOHNSON. 2 copies
The Drury-Lane prologue 2 copies
Arte de la biografía — Contributor — 2 copies
Samuel Johnson 1709-1784: An Exhibit of Books and Manuscripts from the Johnsonian Collection Formed By Mr. And Mrs.… (1966) 2 copies
Wit and Sagacity of Dr. Johnson 2 copies
Selections. A Johnson reader 2 copies
Johnson's Lives of the Poets MILTON 2 copies
Works (8 vols.) 2 copies
The Works of Samuel Johnson: With an Essay on His Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy. Volume 3 (2001) 1 copy
The Works of Samuel Johnson: With an Essay on His Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy. Volume 4 (2001) 1 copy
Boswell's Life of Johnson together with Boswell's Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides and Johnson's Diary… (1971) 1 copy
L-Z 1 copy
Johnson's England - vol 11 1 copy
Dr Johnson: prose and poetry 1 copy
The works of the English poets. With prefaces, biographical and critical: The Poems of Savage 1 copy
Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets: Granville. Rowe. Tickell. Congreve. Fenton.… (2012) 1 copy
THE RAMBLER Volume One 1 copy
Johnson's England - vol 1 1 copy
THE LETTERS OF SAMUEL JOHNSON. VOL. I: 1731 - 1772; VOL. II: 1773 - 1776; VOL. III: 1777 - 1781 [THREE VOLUMES] (1992) 1 copy
Boswell's Life of Johnson together with Boswell's Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides and Johnson's Diary… (1971) 1 copy
The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia. a Tale. by Dr. Johnson. Two Volumes in One. Embellished with a Portrait… (2010) 1 copy
The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets; with Critical Observations on Their Works, Volume III 1 copy
Early Rambler Essays 1 copy
The life of Richard Savage 1 copy
Select Poets Of Great Britain and Ireland with Prefaces Biographical and Critical Containing Garth Rowe Hughes Etc… (1953) 1 copy
A Dictionary of the English Language, Vol. 1 of 2: In Which the Words Are Deduced From Their Originals, Explained in… (2016) 1 copy
Journals of the Western Isles Including a Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and the Journa 1 copy
Selected works 1 copy
Moore's British classics 1 copy
The Preface to Shakespeare 1 copy
Samuel's Dictionary 1 copy
The Rambler Vol. III 1 copy
Essays. Selected from the Rambler, 1750-1752; the Adventurer, 1753; and the Idler, 1758-1760. With biographical introd.… (2010) 1 copy
Hodge & Other Cats 1 copy
The Works of Samuel Johnson, Ll. D.: Together With His Life, and Notes On His Lives of the Poets, Volume 5 (2016) 1 copy
Great English short novels 1 copy
Sir Thomas Browne's Christian Morals: the second edition with 'The Life' of the Author (2007) 1 copy
Diary of a tour in North Wales, in the year 1774 : to which is added an essay on the corn laws 1 copy
Johnson's Letters 1 copy
The works of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland : with prefaces biographical and critical 1 copy
Life of Pope 1 copy
Johnson's Life of Dryden 1 copy
Essays 1 copy
Harrison's British classicks 1 copy
Chap. I. Of magistracy 1 copy
Lives of Eminent Persons 1 copy
Tour to the Hebrides 1 copy
British Novelists: Vol. II 1 copy
The poems of Samuel Johnson 1 copy
The Works of the English Poets, with Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, Vol. 8: Cowley, Part 2 1 copy
The Works of the English Poets, with Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, Vol. 7: Cowley, Part 1 1 copy
The Rambler. Vol. II 1 copy
Samuel Johnson: Collection of Works with analysis and historical background (Annotated and Illustrated) (Annotated… (2013) 1 copy
The wisdom of Dr. Johnson;: Being comments on life and moral precepts chosen from his writings, (1948) 1 copy
SHAKESPEARE COMMENTARY AND SHAKESPEARE BIOGRAPHY ULTIMATE EDITION - 3 AMAZING COMMENTARIES from 3 Literary GIANTS PLUS… (2011) 1 copy
The Life Of Johnson Vol. 1-3 1 copy
The Rambler. Vol. I 1 copy
The Rambler. Vol. III 1 copy
The Rambler - Volume II 1 copy
The Rambler - Volume I 1 copy
The Works of Samuel Johnson. In Twelve Volumes. With an Essay on His Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy. Volume 6 (2001) 1 copy
Parlimentary Debates II 1 copy
The Works of Samuel Johnson. In Twelve Volumes. With an Essay on His Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy. Volume 5 (2001) 1 copy
Samuel Johnson 1 copy
Life of Dryden 1 copy
Historia Studiorum 1 copy
The winter's walk 1 copy
Johnson's dictionary: extended and improved: To which is prefixed Murray's Abridgement of English grammar (1855) 1 copy
Sententies 1 copy
Paradise Lost: With Notes, Selected from Newton and Others, to Which Is Prefixed, the Life of the Author. with a… (2010) 1 copy
The Works of Samuel Johnson: With an Essay on His Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy. Volume 2 (2001) 1 copy
Associated Works
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (1589) — Editor, some editions; Contributor, some editions — 31,576 copies
The Best Poems of the English Language: From Chaucer Through Robert Frost (2004) — Contributor — 1,042 copies
Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (1995) — Contributor, some editions — 915 copies
The American Revolution: Writings from the Pamphlet Debate 1773-1776: (Library of America #266) (2015) — Contributor — 79 copies
Essay on Johnson, together with passages from Boswell's Johnson, and selections from Johnson's works; edited with a… (1924) — Contributor — 14 copies
English Verse: Volume 3: The Eighteenth Century: Swift to Crabbe (Penguin Classics) (1995) — Contributor — 11 copies
A Book of 'Characters' from Theophrastus, Joseph Hall, Sir Thomas Overbury, Nicolas Breton, John Earle, Thomas Fuller, (1924) — Contributor — 4 copies
Samuel Johnson's translation of Sallust: A Facsimile and Transcription of the Hyde Manuscript (1993) — Translator — 3 copies
Love & Marriage — Contributor — 2 copies
Gray: Poetry & Prose, With Essays by Johnson, Goldsmith and others — Contributor — 2 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1709-09-18
- Date of death
- 1784-12-13
- Burial location
- Westminster Abbey, London, England, UK
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, UK
- Place of death
- London, England, UK
- Places of residence
- London, England, UK
Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, UK
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England, UK - Education
- Lichfield Grammar School
Oxford University (Pembroke College) - Occupations
- poet
essayist
biographer
lexicographer
critic
teacher - Relationships
- Boswell, James (friend, biographer)
Burke, Edmund (friend)
Goldsmith, Oliver (friend)
Hawkins, John (friend)
Gibbon, Edward (friend)
Thrale, Henry (friend) (show all 10)
Thrale, Hester (friend)
Garrick, David (friend)
Lennox, Charlotte (friend)
Porter, Lucy [2] (step-child) - Organizations
- The Literary Club
- Awards and honors
- Honorary Doctorate (Trinity College Dublin)
Honorary Doctorate (Oxford University)
Members
Discussions
How do I catalogue a book which contains 2 works in Talk about LibraryThing (July 2011)
Reviews
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 520
- Also by
- 42
- Members
- 8,046
- Popularity
- #3,011
- Rating
- 4.4
- Reviews
- 102
- ISBNs
- 585
- Languages
- 9
- Favorited
- 41