Samuel Johnson

""Samuel Johnson"" is a biography written by Leslie Stephen about the life and works of the famous 18th-century English writer, Samuel Johnson. The book provides a comprehensive overview of Johnson's life, from his birth in 1709 to his death in 1784. It explores his childhood, his education, his struggles with poverty and illness, and his eventual rise to fame as a writer, critic, and lexicographer. Stephen also delves into Johnson's personal life, including his relationships with friends, family, and colleagues, as well as his marriage to Tetty Porter. The book examines Johnson's literary works in detail, including his famous dictionary, his essays, his poetry, and his plays. Throughout the biography, Stephen provides insights into Johnson's character, his beliefs, and his impact on English literature and culture. He also discusses the social and political context of Johnson's time, including the rise of the middle class, the Enlightenment, and the American Revolution. Overall, ""Samuel Johnson"" is a well-researched and engaging biography that offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of England's most celebrated writers.Boswell saw in him chiefly the great dictator of conversation; and though the reports of Johnson's talk represent his character in spite of some qualifications with unusual fulness, there were many traits very inadequately revealed at the Mitre or the Club, at Mrs. Thrale's, or in meetings with Wilkes or Reynolds. We may catch some glimpses from his letters and diaries of that inward life which consisted generally in a long succession of struggles against an oppressive and often paralysing melancholy.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.