Samuel Johnson

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Samuel Johnson, by Leslie StephenThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: Samuel JohnsonAuthor: Leslie StephenRelease Date: February 11, 2004 [EBook #11031]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAMUEL JOHNSON ***Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Linda Cantoni and PG Distributed ProofreadersSAMUEL JOHNSONBYLESLIE STEPHENNEW YORK1878CONTENTS.CHAPTER I. CHILDHOOD AND EARLY LIFECHAPTER II. LITERARY CAREERCHAPTER III. JOHNSON AND HIS FRIENDSCHAPTER IV. JOHNSON AS A LITERARY DICTATORCHAPTER V. THE CLOSING YEARS OF JOHNSON'S LIFECHAPTER VI. JOHNSON'S WRITINGSSAMUEL JOHNSON.CHAPTER I.CHILDHOOD AND EARLY LIFE.Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield in 1709. His father, Michael Johnson, was a bookseller, highly respected by thecathedral clergy, and for a time sufficiently prosperous to be a magistrate of the town, and, in the year of his son's birth,sheriff of the county. He opened a bookstall on market-days at neighbouring towns, including Birmingham, which was asyet unable to maintain a separate bookseller. The tradesman often exaggerates the prejudices of the class whose wantshe supplies, and Michael Johnson was probably a more devoted High Churchman and Tory than many of the cathedralclergy ...