Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) was an English author, critic, and lexicographer whose influence on English letters was profound. Born in Lichfield, he overcame poverty and chronic illness to become a leading literary figure in London. His greatest achievement, "A Dictionary of the English Language" (1755), set a standard for lexicography and shaped English usage for generations. Johnson also produced enduring works of fiction, including the philosophical novella "The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia" (1759), which examines the vanity of human wishes. His critical essays, collected in "The Rambler" and "The Idler," and his biographical masterpiece "Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets" (1779–1781) established him as a preeminent critic. Johnson's wit, moral insight, and conversational brilliance were famously recorded by James Boswell in "The Life of Samuel Johnson." His legacy endures as a cornerstone of English literary criticism and lexicography.