Samuel Johnson: His Life, Works, and Enduring Legacy

Few people shaped the English language the way Samuel Johnson did — a lexicographer, poet, critic, and man whose physical quirks and personal struggles often stole the spotlight from his towering achievements. This article digs into the real man behind the myth: his work, health, marriage, and legacy.

Birth: September 18, 1709, Lichfield, England ·
Death: December 13, 1784, London, England ·
Known for: A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) ·
Occupation: Poet, essayist, lexicographer, literary critic, biographer ·
Notable work: The Life of Samuel Johnson (Boswell), The Rambler, A Dictionary of the English Language ·
Key association: James Boswell

Seven key facts about Johnson’s life, drawn from authoritative sources, show a man of immense intellect and persistent hardship.

What was Samuel Johnson best known for?

A Dictionary of the English Language (1755)

• Johnson’s dictionary was the first comprehensive English dictionary, published in 1755 after eight years of solitary work (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• It defined about 42,000 entries and set the standard for lexicography (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

Literary criticism and essays

• Johnson wrote and edited The Rambler almost single-handedly from 1750 to 1752, producing 208 essays (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• His preface to his edition of Shakespeare (1765) helped cement Shakespeare’s place in the literary canon (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).

The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets

• Published between 1779 and 1781, this series of biographical prefaces covered 52 poets and defined modern literary biography (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• Johnson’s blend of personal anecdote and critical judgment set a new standard for the genre (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

The implication: Johnson’s dictionary, essays, and biographies collectively made him the most influential English man of letters of the 18th century.

Did Samuel Johnson have Tourette’s syndrome?

Historical accounts of Johnson’s tics and gestures

• Contemporary witnesses described involuntary movements and vocal tics that Johnson displayed throughout his life (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• These included compulsive counting, touching objects, and making odd sounds (museum-digital citing ODNB).

Modern retrospective diagnosis debate

• Many scholars support a probable Tourette’s diagnosis based on the behavioral descriptions (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• However, no definitive medical evidence from his lifetime exists (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

Alternative explanations (e.g., Sydenham’s chorea)

• Some researchers have proposed Sydenham’s chorea or other movement disorders (museum-digital citing ODNB).
• The debate remains open, with no consensus (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

The catch: Without a modern medical examination, any diagnosis is speculative, but the descriptions align strongly with Tourette’s syndrome.

What is the famous quote by Samuel Johnson?

“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

• This phrase originates from Boswell’s Life of Johnson (1775) (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• Johnson used it to criticize false patriotism, and it remains one of his most quoted lines (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”

• Recorded in Boswell’s Life of Johnson (1777), this line reflects Johnson’s deep affection for the city (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• It is often quoted out of context, but Johnson meant it as a genuine praise of London’s variety (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).

Context and misinterpretations of his words

• Johnson’s aphorisms are among the most frequently quoted in English, but they are often stripped of their original context (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• His wit frequently satirizes human follies, making his sayings timeless (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

The pattern: Johnson’s quotes endure because they cut to universal truths, but readers should always check the original setting.

What happened to Samuel Johnson?

Final years and declining health

• Johnson suffered from gout, dropsy (edema), and respiratory issues in his later years (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• He continued writing despite pain, completing The Lives of the Poets in 1781 (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).

His death in London in 1784

• Johnson died on December 13, 1784, in his London home at 7 Bolt Court (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• His last words, according to Boswell, were “God bless you, my dear” to a visiting friend (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

Legacy and burial

• Johnson was buried in Westminster Abbey, reflecting his national stature (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• His works have never gone out of print, and his life continues to be studied (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).

The trade-off: Johnson’s physical suffering was considerable, but it never stopped him from producing the work that defined English letters.

Did Samuel Johnson ever marry?

Johnson’s marriage to Elizabeth Porter (Tetty)

• He married Elizabeth Porter, known as Tetty, in 1735; she was 20 years older than him (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• The marriage was generally affectionate, though it attracted gossip due to the age gap (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

Their life together and her death

• Tetty died in 1752, leaving Johnson deeply grieved (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• He wrote a touching sermon on her death and never remarried (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).

Speculations about relationships after Tetty

• Some historians speculate about a possible romantic attachment to Hester Thrale, but no conclusive evidence exists (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• Johnson remained a widower for the rest of his life (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

What this means: Johnson’s marriage was a central emotional anchor, and its loss may have deepened his melancholic worldview.

Timeline of Samuel Johnson’s life

• 1709: Born in Lichfield, Staffordshire (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• 1728: Enrolled at Pembroke College, Oxford; left due to financial difficulties (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• 1735: Married Elizabeth Porter (Tetty) (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• 1749: Published poem ‘The Vanity of Human Wishes’ (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• 1755: A Dictionary of the English Language published (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• 1763: Met James Boswell, his future biographer (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).
• 1777–1781: Wrote The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary).
• 1784: Died in London (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

What we know and what remains uncertain

Quotes from Samuel Johnson

“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

— Samuel Johnson, as recorded by James Boswell in Life of Johnson (1775) (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography)

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”

— Samuel Johnson, as recorded by James Boswell in Life of Johnson (1777) (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography)

Johnson also said, “He who does not mind his belly, will hardly mind anything else,” as recorded by Boswell in Life of Johnson (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

Johnson’s last recorded words, according to Boswell, were “God bless you, my dear” in December 1784 (Encyclopaedia Britannica biography).

Johnson’s life was a study in contrasts: immense literary output paired with chronic illness, deep friendships matched by periods of melancholy. For any reader interested in the history of English literature, the choice is clear: engage with Johnson’s own works and Boswell’s biography, or risk missing the foundation of modern English letters.

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