The Life Of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell

[DATo]

A friend who is aware of my penchant for reading classic literature asked me recently if I had ever read Boswell's biography of Samuel Johnson. I was embarrassed to confess that I had not, but as a result of his endorsement I had begun and am now nearly finished with it.

Samuel Johnson's life spanned the better part of the 18th century and during this period he was probably the most respected and celebrated man of letters in Great Britain. He is most notable for having produced the first English language dictionary and in addition was one of the preeminent critics and translators of his age. His very close friendship and association with James Boswell afforded the author a first-hand view of his life, personal deportment in mannerism, elocution and philosophy. The book is marvelously punctuated with an enormous amount anecdotal material describing Johnson's conversations with many of the titans of arts and letters of his day as well as a detailed summary of Johnson's day-to-day activities.

As Johnson's personality and intellectual profundity emerged I found myself both impressed with his powers of articulation and quickness of thought (wit), but increasingly irritated with his intransigence and sense of self-importance. Even Boswell, who idolized him, often stopped associating with him (for short periods) out of irritation with the manner in which Johnson demeaned his opinions both privately as well as in public. It seems to me as I come to the conclusion of the book that Johnson, though capable of great charity, benevolence, and kindness was often insistent that the company he found himself in defer to his opinion and would wax wroth if any disagreed with him.

Boswell's account:
One evening, in a circle of wits, he (Oliver Goldsmith) found fault with me for talking of Johnson as entitled to the honour of unquestionable superiority. 'Sir, (said he,) you are for making a monarchy of what should be a republick.'
(Spelling is Boswell's)

The book has been entertaining and instructional on many levels. I must agree with the critical acclaim it has garnered as well as the book's reputation as: Greatest Biography In The English Language.

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