Samuel Johnson Biography, Age, Death, Height, Weight, Family, Wiki & More

Samuel Johnson will always be remembered as a noted lexicographer, writer, and critic of all time. He overcame various obstacles to obtain such acclaim. He was diagnosed with various health problems from his childhood. He battled from a form of tuberculosis called scrofula from a very early age. His vision and hearing were also impaired. He also suffered from depression as well.

 

He was very good at his academics and particularly Latin language. He got enrolled at Pembroke College of Oxford University in the year 1728. Due to the financial crisis, he had to drop out from his studies. He then tried to work as a teacher but was unable to find himself a long-term sustainable job. He got a teaching job in Birmingham and that is where he started writing. He after his marriage relocated to London and started working as a hack writer for several years. He churned out various articles so that he can earn money to meet his ends. He meanwhile also started writing for Gentleman’s Magazine in the year 1738 and the very same year his poem titled "London" was released. This was well received.

 

He in the year 1746 took a challenging task in his hand. This task was to write an English Dictionary of the English Language. It took him almost a decade to finally complete that. Simultaneously, he was also working on a publication called Rambler. Finally, Johnson’s dictionary was released in the year 1755 and brought him wide acclaim for his work. In addition to reward, it also garnered him financial rewards as well. His later works include Prince of Abyssinia, The History of Rasselas and a large collection of essays. In his later career, he penned down biographical sketches which later published in various volumes titled The Lives of the Poets. After his death, his friend James Boswell published his biography.