JOHNSON, Samuel

JOHNSON, Samuel
(1709-1784) UK poet, critic, lexicographer and author of one novel, The Prince of Abissinia: A Tale (1759; rev 1759; vt The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia: An Asiatic Tale 1768 US; vt The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia: A Tale 1787 UK), written to pay for his mother's funeral (he got ps100 for the first printing). It is of interest to the student of PROTO SCIENCE FICTION for its sustained meditation on the nature of and chances of obtaining human happiness (see also UTOPIAS; DYSTOPIAS). The initial setting of the tale is a secret valley, from whichRasselas hopes to escape in a flying machine (in the event it fails - SJ's spirit was inimical to unsustained flights of fancy); also featured is an astronomer who believes himself responsible for weather control. The book is an archetypal example of the important sf theme of CONCEPTUAL BREAKTHROUGH. The most attractive 20th-century critical edition was ed1927 by R.W. Chapman; a useful recent critical edition was ed 1977 by Geoffrey Tillotson and Brian Jenkins.
   JC/PN
   See also: ASTRONOMY; FANTASTIC VOYAGES.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Encyclopedia. . 2011.

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  • Johnson,Samuel — Johnson, Samuel. Known as “Dr. Johnson.” 1709 1784. British writer and lexicographer. The leading literary figure in the second half of the 18th century, he wrote Dictionary of the English Language (1755) and Lives of the Poets (1779 1781). * * * …   Universalium

  • Johnson, Samuel — known as Dr. Johnson born Sept. 18, 1709, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Eng. died Dec. 13, 1784, London British man of letters, one of the outstanding figures of 18th century England. The son of a poor bookseller, he briefly attended Oxford… …   Universalium

  • Johnson, Samuel — (1709 1784)    The son of a poor bookseller of Lichfield, Staffordshire, he was educated at the local grammar school and from 1728 to 1731 at Pembroke College, Oxford, but poverty forced him to leave without graduating. He started working for… …   British and Irish poets

  • Johnson, Samuel — 1. (1696–1772) American philosopher. A symptomatic figure rather than an independently important philosopher, Johnson was born in Connecticut and taught at Yale. He was instrumental in founding the university of Pennsylvania and Columbia… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Johnson, Samuel — (1709–94)    Literary Figure.    Johnson is famous in the history of English literature for his Dictionary of the English Language and as the subject of James Boswell’s biography. He was a highly influential writer in his own time. He was born in …   Who’s Who in Christianity

  • Johnson, Samuel — ► (1709 84) Literato inglés, llamado Doctor Johnson. Autor del Diccionario de la lengua inglesa (1747 55) y Rasselas (1759). * * * llamado Dr. Johnson (18 sep. 1709, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Inglaterra–13 dic. 1784, Londres). Literato británico …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • JOHNSON, SAMUEL —    the great English lexicographer, born in Lichfield, the son of a bookseller; received his early education in his native town and completed it at Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1728; in 1736 he married a widow named Porter, who brought him £800;… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Johnson, Samuel Curtis — ▪ 2005       American business executive (b. March 2, 1928, Racine, Wis. d. May 22, 2004, Racine), served for more than 30 years, until 2000, as head of S.C. Johnson & Son, a company founded by his great grandfather in 1886. Under his guidance… …   Universalium

  • JOHNSON, Samuel — (1709 1784)    English ESSAYIST, man of letters and defender of CHRISTIANITY against DEISM and other criticisms of his age …   Concise dictionary of Religion

  • Johnson, Samuel — 1) (1649 1703)    Political writer, sometimes called the Whig to distinguish him from his great namesake. Of humble extraction, he was ed. at St. Paul s School and Camb., and took orders. He attacked James II. in Julian the Apostate (1682), and… …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • Samuel Johnson — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnsons, grabado a partir del original por sir Joshua Reynolds Nacimiento …   Wikipedia Español

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