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'''Samuel Johnson''' (1709-1784), almost invariably referred to in literary circles as '''Dr. Johnson''', was an English writer and lexicographer based in London.   

'''Samuel Johnson''' (1709-1784), almost invariably referred to in literary circles as '''Dr. Johnson''', was an English writer and lexicographer based in London.   

The son of a bookseller of modest means, he attended local schools and spent a year at Oxford.  He was largely self-educated, using the stock in the family bookstore as his base. (There were no public libraries.) Unable to obtain a teaching position he started to write for money; in 1735 he married a wealthy widow Elizabeth Porter, née Jervis (1689–1752), twenty years his senior.  They moved to London in 1737, working as a political journalist and translator and starting to earn some money from his poetry.   

The son of a bookseller of modest means, he attended local schools and spent a year at Oxford.  He was largely self-educated, using the stock in the family bookstore as his base. (There were no public libraries.) Unable to obtain a teaching position he started to write for money; in 1735 he married a wealthy widow Elizabeth Porter, née Jervis (1689–1752), twenty years his senior.  He moved to London in 1737, working as a political journalist and translator and starting to earn some money from his poetry; he had no children.   

==The Dictionary==

==The Dictionary==

In 1746 a consortium of publishers contracted with Johnson to produce a dictionary; he used the advance money to hire assistants and finished in nine years.

In 1746 a consortium of publishers contracted with Johnson to produce a dictionary; he used the advance money to hire assistants and finished in nine years.

His master work is his ''Dictionary of the English Language'', published in 1755, it was the first great dictionary of English (or any language), and was based on 100,000 quotations that displayed his complete mastery of the body of English literature as well as the technical sources in law, medicine and engineering.  Each word was defined precisely and each supported with quotations showing the historical usages.  (A religious man, Johnson refused to quote writers he deemed irreligious.) The ''Dictionary'' not only shaped as subsequent dictionaries (such as that by American [[Noah Webster]]), but it helped shape and standardize the language and he prepared three new enlarged editions; other editors kept expanding the work in the next century.

His master work is his ''Dictionary of the English Language'', published in 1755, it was the first great dictionary of English (or any language), and was based on 100,000 quotations that displayed his complete mastery of the body of English literature as well as the technical sources in law, medicine and engineering.  Each word was defined precisely and each supported with quotations showing the historical usages.  (A religious man, Johnson refused to quote writers he deemed irreligious.) The ''Dictionary'' not only shaped all subsequent dictionaries (such as that by American [[Noah Webster]]), but it helped shape and standardize the language and he prepared three new enlarged editions; other editors kept expanding the work in the next century.

By 1764 Johnson was the center of the Literary Club, which featured many of the leading intellectuals and artists of London; he dominated by his quick wit and vast range of knowledge.

By 1764 Johnson was the center of the Literary Club, which featured many of the leading intellectuals and artists of London; he dominated by his quick wit and vast range of knowledge.