Profile: Samuel Johnson

CAIRO – 18 September 2017: Egypt Today celebrates the birthday of the English author Samuel Johnson.

Johnson was born on September 18, 1709 and died on December 13, 1784. He had many health problems throughout his life.

According to biographer James Boswell, Johnson once said he was “born almost dead and could not cry for some time."

Johnson’s father was a bookseller, and Johnson himself was a smart student. He was educated at Lichfield Grammar School and spent a short time at Oxford University.

Johnson was never an affluent person, and sought work as a teacher early on in his life to supplement his income.

In 1735, he married a widow with money called Elizabeth Porter. After the marriage, Johnson had access to the finances he needed to start his own school. This project was short-lived however and Johnson’s school failed.

He began his writing career in journalism. In 1738, he contributed to The Gentleman’s Magazine, and in the same year published a series of poems called “London.”

In 1746, he started to write “The Dictionary of the English Language.” It was published in 1755.

Five editions of the dictionary were published in Johnson’s lifetime and the sixth was published after his death.

After publishing the dictionary, Johnson continued his literary writings.

He completed his philosophical tale “The History of Rasselas,” and the “Prince of Abissinia” and collection of essays.

His major literary works include: “The Dictionary of English Language,” “An Account of the Life of Mr. Richard Savage,” “Son of the Earl Rivers,” “The Idler,” and his edition of “The Complete Works of Shakespeare.”