The Life of Samuel Johnson

After eight years of work, the Dictionary is published in August 1755 in two folio volumes, with an accompanying Grammar and History of the English Language. Because of the expenses of producing the work, Johnson makes only a “very inconsiderable” profit on it. As usual, Johnson’s reaction to this is mild and philosophical. In any case, the Dictionary becomes famous and admired, particularly for the fact that Johnson produced it by himself with secretarial help.

Boswell assesses the Dictionary’s strengths and weaknesses, again providing a balanced critique of Johnson’s literary work that assures readers of Boswell’s impartiality. Notably, Boswell states that the Dictionary is so widely familiar that he does not need to quote it extensively, which indicates that the book was owned by much of the English public and had become a classic. Boswell praises Johnson’s ability to define words with “acuteness of intellect and precision of language” (211) as well as the sheer study and dedication that went into the writing of the work. On the debit side, Boswell points out that a few of Johnson’s definitions are erroneous and that he sometimes allows his personal prejudices to enter into the definitions. Sometimes, however, this is in a spirit of playfulness or even self-deprecation, as when Johnson self-referentially defines a lexicographer as “a writer of dictionaries, a harmless drudge” (212).

In 1756, Johnson contributes essays to the periodicals The Universal Visiter and The Literary Magazine, or Universal Review. The essays include both original pieces and book reviews in which Johnson continues to show his “masterly style,” critical acumen, and wide knowledge. In particular, he concentrates on essays on politics that show his keen interest in political thought.

Boswell quotes from Johnson’s Prayers and Meditations, one of his major religious works. Johnson’s views on religion would become among the best-known aspects of his persona. Johnson belonged to the most traditional branch of the Anglican Church, but he respected Christians of other denominations. Johnson’s Christian beliefs influenced his interest in charity and opposition to slavery.

Throughout the biography, Boswell portrays Johnson’s Christian orthodoxy as being in opposition to the more secular perspectives and skepticism that were gaining ground among Enlightenment intellectuals in the 18th century. In particular, the empiricist philosopher David Hume appears as an intellectual antithesis to Johnson. Johnson considers Hume’s stoical fearlessness in the face of death only a pretense; in contrast, Johnson openly morbidly fears death and the judgment of God. Johnson also defends belief in free will, a core Christian doctrine, and the historical truth of Christianity. Boswell portrays himself as being allied with Johnson’s religious perspective, in opposition to skeptical thinkers like Hume; however, Boswell implies that he knows that he falls far short of an ideal religious life.

Throughout the rest of this section, Boswell continues his practice of quoting from Johnson’s correspondence to various literary friends, including Bennet Langton and Dr. Charles Burney. This helps place Johnson in the context of a closely-knit circle of cultured men and women of the time. During this period, English literature was under the control of a classically educated elite, including Johnson. Boswell assumes a certain level of classical culture in the readers of the Life by including extensive quotations from Latin and Greek; however, a later annotator has provided translations in the footnotes.

By including extensive footnotes in the Life, Boswell shows his desire to control and influence the reader’s perception of Johnson even further. Boswell frequently uses the footnotes to explain ambiguous issues and help to defend Johnson against accusations made by other authors. Boswell has a particularly low opinion of Sir John Hawkins and his own Life of Johnson, written shortly before Boswell’s. Boswell shows that he wants to be in charge of Johnson’s legacy and demonstrate that he is eminently qualified for the position of Johnson’s amanuensis (see Terms).