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Johnson remained with his close friend Harry Porter during a terminal illness,<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=144}}</ref> which culminated when Porter died on 3 September 1734, leaving his wife Elizabeth Jervis Porter (otherwise known as "Tetty") widowed at the age of 45, with three children.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=143}}</ref> Some months later, Johnson began to court her. The Reverend William Shaw claims that "the first advances probably proceeded from her, as her attachment to Johnson was in opposition to the advice and desire of all her relations".<ref>{{Harvnb|Boswell|1969|p=88}}</ref> Johnson was inexperienced in such relationships, but the well-to-do widow encouraged him and promised to provide for him with her substantial savings.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=145}}</ref> They married on 9 July 1735, at St Werburgh's Church, Derby|St Werburgh's Church in Derby .<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=147}}</ref> The Porter family did not approve of the match, partly because Johnson was 25 and Elizabeth was 21 years his elder, and Elizabeth's marriage to Johnson so disgusted her son Jervis that he severed relations with her.<ref name="Wain p. 65">{{Harvnb|Wain|1974|p=65}}</ref> However, her daughter Lucy had accepted Johnson from the start, and her other son, Joseph, accepted the marriage later.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=146}}</ref>

Johnson remained with his close friend Harry Porter during a terminal illness,<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=144}}</ref> which culminated when Porter died on 3 September 1734, leaving his wife Elizabeth Jervis Porter (otherwise known as "Tetty") widowed at the age of 45, with three children.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=143}}</ref> Some months later, Johnson began to court her. The Reverend William Shaw claims that "the first advances probably proceeded from her, as her attachment to Johnson was in opposition to the advice and desire of all her relations".<ref>{{Harvnb|Boswell|1969|p=88}}</ref> Johnson was inexperienced in such relationships, but the well-to-do widow encouraged him and promised to provide for him with her substantial savings.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=145}}</ref> They married on 9 July 1735, at St Werburgh's Church, Derby|St Werburgh's Church in Derby .<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=147}}</ref> The Porter family did not approve of the match, partly because Johnson was 25 and Elizabeth was 21 years his elder, and Elizabeth's marriage to Johnson so disgusted her son Jervis that he severed relations with her.<ref name="Wain p. 65">{{Harvnb|Wain|1974|p=65}}</ref> However, her daughter Lucy had accepted Johnson from the start, and her other son, Joseph, accepted the marriage later.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=146}}</ref>

In June 1735, while working as a tutor for Thomas Whitby's children, Johnson had applied for the position of headmaster at Solihull School .<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|pp=153–154}}</ref> Although Walmesley gave his support, Johnson was passed over because the school's directors thought he was "a very haughty, ill-natured gent., and that he has such a way of distorting his face (which though he can't help) the gent[s] think it may affect some lads".<ref name="Bate p. 154">{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=154}}</ref> With Walmesley's encouragement, Johnson decided that he could be a successful teacher if he ran his own school.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=153}}</ref> In the autumn of 1735, Johnson opened Edial Hall School as a private academy at Edial, near Lichfield. He had only three pupils: Lawrence Offley, George Garrick, and the 18-year-old David Garrick, who later became one of the most famous actors of his day.<ref name="Bate p. 154"/> The venture was unsuccessful and cost Tetty a substantial portion of her fortune. Instead of trying to keep the failing school going, Johnson began to write his first major work, the historical tragedy '' Irene (play)|Irene ''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=156}}</ref> Biographer Robert DeMaria believed that Tourette syndrome likely made public occupations like schoolmaster or tutor almost impossible for Johnson to hold; this may have led Johnson to "the invisible occupation of authorship".<ref name="Demaria pp. 5-6"/>

In June 1735, while working as a tutor for Thomas Whitby's children, Johnson had applied for the position of headmaster at Solihull School .<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|pp=153–154}}</ref> Although Walmesley gave his support, Johnson was passed over because the school's directors thought he was "a very haughty, ill-natured gent., and that he has such a way of distorting his face (which though he can't help) the gent[s] think it may affect some lads".<ref name="Bate p. 154">{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=154}}</ref> With Walmesley's encouragement, Johnson decided that he could be a successful teacher if he ran his own school.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=153}}</ref> In the autumn of 1735, Johnson opened Edial Hall School as a private academy at Edial, near Lichfield. He had only three pupils: Lawrence Offley, George Garrick, and the 18-year-old David Garrick, who later became one of the most famous actors of his day.<ref name="Bate p. 154"/> The venture was unsuccessful and cost Tetty a substantial portion of her fortune. Instead of trying to keep the failing school going, Johnson began to write his first major work, the historical tragedy ''Irene''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=156}}</ref> Biographer Robert DeMaria believed that Tourette syndrome likely made public occupations like schoolmaster or tutor almost impossible for Johnson to hold; this may have led Johnson to "the invisible occupation of authorship".<ref name="Demaria pp. 5-6"/>

Johnson left for London with his former pupil David Garrick on 2 March 1737, the day Johnson's brother had died. He was penniless and pessimistic about their travel, but fortunately for them, Garrick had connections in London, and the two were able to stay with his distant relative, Richard Norris.<ref name="Bate p. 16465">{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|pp=164–165}}</ref> Johnson soon moved to Greenwich near the Golden Hart Tavern to finish ''Irene''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Boswell|1986|pp=168–169}}</ref> On 12 July 1737 he wrote to Edward Cave with a proposal for a translation of Paolo Sarpi 's ''The History of the Council of Trent'' (1619), which Cave did not accept until months later.<ref>{{Harvnb|Wain|1974|p=81}}; {{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=169}}</ref> In October 1737 Johnson brought his wife to London, and he found employment with Cave as a writer for '' The Gentleman's Magazine ''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Boswell|1986|pp=169–170}}</ref> His assignments for the magazine and other publishers during this time were "almost unparalleled in range and variety", and "so numerous, so varied and scattered" that "Johnson himself could not make a complete list".<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1955|p=14}}</ref> The name '' Columbia (name)|Columbia '', a poetic name for America coined by Johnson, first appears in a 1738 weekly publication of the debates of the British Parliament in the Magazine.<ref>[http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/ilej/image1.pl?item=page&seq=5&size=1&id=gm.1738.6.x.8.x.x.285a The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 8, June 1738, p. 285] Retrieved 22 August 2009</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=_DoJAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR13 ''Debates in Parliament'', Samuel Johnson.] Retrieved 22 August 2009</ref>

Johnson left for London with his former pupil David Garrick on 2 March 1737, the day Johnson's brother had died. He was penniless and pessimistic about their travel, but fortunately for them, Garrick had connections in London, and the two were able to stay with his distant relative, Richard Norris.<ref name="Bate p. 16465">{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|pp=164–165}}</ref> Johnson soon moved to Greenwich near the Golden Hart Tavern to finish ''Irene''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Boswell|1986|pp=168–169}}</ref> On 12 July 1737 he wrote to Edward Cave with a proposal for a translation of Paolo Sarpi 's ''The History of the Council of Trent'' (1619), which Cave did not accept until months later.<ref>{{Harvnb|Wain|1974|p=81}}; {{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=169}}</ref> In October 1737 Johnson brought his wife to London, and he found employment with Cave as a writer for '' The Gentleman's Magazine ''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Boswell|1986|pp=169–170}}</ref> His assignments for the magazine and other publishers during this time were "almost unparalleled in range and variety", and "so numerous, so varied and scattered" that "Johnson himself could not make a complete list".<ref>{{Harvnb|Bate|1955|p=14}}</ref> The name '' Columbia (name)|Columbia '', a poetic name for America coined by Johnson, first appears in a 1738 weekly publication of the debates of the British Parliament in the Magazine.<ref>[http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/ilej/image1.pl?item=page&seq=5&size=1&id=gm.1738.6.x.8.x.x.285a The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 8, June 1738, p. 285] Retrieved 22 August 2009</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=_DoJAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR13 ''Debates in Parliament'', Samuel Johnson.] Retrieved 22 August 2009</ref>

For a decade, Johnson's constant work on the ''Dictionary'' disrupted his and Tetty's living conditions. He had to employ a number of assistants for the copying and mechanical work, which filled the house with incessant noise and clutter. He was always busy with his work, and kept hundreds of books around.<ref name="Lane p. 109">{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=109}}</ref> John Hawkins described the scene: "The books he used for this purpose were what he had in his own collection, a copious but a miserably ragged one, and all such as he could borrow; which latter, if ever they came back to those that lent them, were so defaced as to be scarce worth owning".<ref>{{Harvnb|Hawkins|1787|p=175}}</ref> Johnson was also distracted by Tetty's health, as she started to show signs of a terminal illness.<ref name="Lane p. 109"/> To accommodate both his wife and his work, he moved to 17 Gough Square near his printer, William Strahan.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=110}}</ref>

For a decade, Johnson's constant work on the ''Dictionary'' disrupted his and Tetty's living conditions. He had to employ a number of assistants for the copying and mechanical work, which filled the house with incessant noise and clutter. He was always busy with his work, and kept hundreds of books around.<ref name="Lane p. 109">{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=109}}</ref> John Hawkins described the scene: "The books he used for this purpose were what he had in his own collection, a copious but a miserably ragged one, and all such as he could borrow; which latter, if ever they came back to those that lent them, were so defaced as to be scarce worth owning".<ref>{{Harvnb|Hawkins|1787|p=175}}</ref> Johnson was also distracted by Tetty's health, as she started to show signs of a terminal illness.<ref name="Lane p. 109"/> To accommodate both his wife and his work, he moved to 17 Gough Square near his printer, William Strahan.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=110}}</ref>

In preparation for the work, Johnson wrote a ''Plan'' for the ''Dictionary''. Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, was the patron of the ''Plan'', to Johnson's displeasure.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|pp=117–118}}</ref> Seven years after first meeting Johnson to go over the work, Chesterfield wrote two anonymous essays in ''The World'' recommending the ''Dictionary''.<ref name="Lane p. 118">{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=118}}</ref> He complained that the English language lacked structure and argued in support of the dictionary. Johnson did not like the tone of the essay, and he felt that Chesterfield had not fulfilled his obligations as the work's patron.<ref name="Lane p. 121">{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=121}}</ref> Johnson wrote a letter expressing this view and harshly criticising Chesterfield, saying "Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind: but it has been delayed till I am indifferent and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary and cannot impart it; till I am known and do not want it."<ref name="Bate p. 257">{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=257}}</ref> Chesterfield, impressed by the language, kept the letter displayed on a table for anyone to read.<ref name="Bate p. 257"/>

In preparation for the work, Johnson wrote a ''Plan'' for the ''Dictionary''. Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, was the patron of the ''Plan'', to Johnson's displeasure.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|pp=117–118}}</ref> Seven years after first meeting Johnson to go over the work, Chesterfield wrote two anonymous essays in ''The World'' recommending the ''Dictionary''.<ref name="Lane p. 118">{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=118}}</ref> He complained that the English language lacked structure and argued in support of the dictionary. Johnson did not like the tone of the essay, and he felt that Chesterfield had not fulfilled his obligations as the work's patron.<ref name="Lane p. 121">{{Harvnb|Lane|1975|p=121}}</ref> Johnson wrote a letter expressing this view and harshly criticising Chesterfield, saying "Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind: but it has been delayed till I am indifferent and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary and cannot impart it; till I am known and do not want it."<ref name="Bate p. 257">{{Harvnb|Bate|1977|p=257}}</ref> Chesterfield, impressed by the language, kept the letter displayed on a table for anyone to read.<ref name="Bate p. 257"/>