Johnson's Letter to Lord Chesterfield

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the letter that Samuel Johnson, one of the great writers of the 18th century, wrote to Lord Chesterfield whom Johnson wanted as a patron of his comprehensive dictionary of the English language. The paper discusses the term patron and Chesterfield's role, if any, in providing financial assistance to the struggling writer, Johnson.

From the Paper:

"A scholar is, according to Johnson, by definition a master and a man of books, in contrast to a potentially tyrannical lord who derives his authority from birth, not real merit. He asserts his dignity time and time again, even though he is a man "struggling for life," whose supposed patron looks upon him with "unconcern" and does not "Encumber him with help." Johnson says he made his achievement in a solitary fashion, thus he has no obligation to than Chesterfield, and also does not desire the lord to imply a patronage relationship in print which never existed between the two of them. Chesterfield's favorable articles in The World aside, Johnson is "unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron, which providence has enabled me to do for myself. Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible." In other words, having survived without patronage, Johnson wants this fact known to the world, and he does not want Chesterfield to take credit for giving support to Johnson, support that never really existed."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Johnson, Samuel. "Letter to Lord Chesterfield." Edited by John Boswell. Complete text available 17 Sept 2008. http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/johnsons/patron.htm
• Johnson, Samuel, George Matthews, Henry John Todd, Alexander Chalmers, & R. Marchbank. A Dictionary of the English Language: In which the Words are Deduced from Their Originals, Explained in Their Different Meanings, and Authorized by the Names of the Writers in Whose Works They are Found. C. & J. Rivington, 1824. Digitized Sep 7, 2006Google Books. Complete text available. 17 Sept 2008. http://books.google.com/books?id=lqsRAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Johnson+Samuel+Dictionary&lr=#PPA528,M1

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