Macaulay's Life of Samuel Johnson, with a Selection from his Essay on Johnson

"Macaulay's Life of Samuel Johnson" by Thomas Babington Macaulay is a late 19th-century biography that explores the life and achievements of Samuel Johnson, a major 18th-century literary icon celebrated for his impact on English literature through his dictionary and essays. Edited by Charles Lane Hanson, the book also features excerpts from Thomas Babington Macaulay's own reflections on Johnson, revealing connections between their perspectives on literature and society. Beginning with an introduction to Thomas Babington Macaulay, the book turns to Johnson's early years and his battles with poverty and health issues as he worked to become a recognized writer. The narrative follows Johnson's family history, education, and hardships before his eventual rise in London, exposing the key experiences that molded Johnson’s character, his thirst for knowledge, his struggles with illness, and his formative relationships that paved the way for his literary prominence.