There are many basic but essential facts to be learned about Samuel Johnson. For example, he was born in 1709 and died in 1784. His life spanned the reign of four British Monarchs: Queen Anne (1702-1714), King George I (1714-1727), King George II (1727-1760), and King George III (1760-1820). He was an English lexicographer, playwright, critic, biographer, moralist, poet, and editor. He is best remembered by historians for his famous Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1755. These are the principal points of his life.
However, did you know that Samuel Johnson could drink 32 cups of tea in one sitting? Did you know that he was turned down for a teaching job for fear that his face would scare the children? Did you know that he married a woman 21 years his senior, or that he kept a mysterious collection of orange peel?
1. Samuel Johnson Drank Tea and Coffee Excessively
It was Sir Charles Sedley (1639-1701) who originally advised that “… he who wished to be considered a man of fashion always drank wine and water with dinner, and a dish of tea afterward.” Just a little later, it was Johann Sebastian Bach who declared that without his morning coffee, he was nothing more than “a dried-up piece of roast goat.”
Certainly, these are two quotes that Samuel Johnson would have heartily agreed with. He enjoyed both tea and coffee throughout his life, drank both beverages to excess, and could scarcely get by without them. He was also by no means afraid to publicly express his adoration. Such was his love for tea and coffee that he was known to drink up to 25 cups of coffee, or 32 cups of tea, in a single sitting.
Although he is best remembered by the British public as a great advocate for coffee, from his own point of view, it was probably tea that had the edge. Samuel Johnson famously described himself as a “… hardened and shameless tea drinker who has, for twenty years, diluted his meals with only the infusion of this fascinating plant.”
One extremely interesting account tells us that, while dining at the house of an unidentified but distinguished lady, Samuel Johnson continued to pass his cup back for one refill after another. It was not until he had finished his 32 cups, and passed his cup back for yet another refill, that the lady shook her head and chided, “Doctor Johnson, you have drunk too much tea.” Since tea was an extremely precious commodity at the time, his excessive consumption of another person’s product could potentially be interpreted as rude or thoughtless.
Another tale tells us that, while dining at a friend’s house among a large party of guests, Samuel Johnson drank his usual amounts of tea. When confronted by a fellow diner about how much he had already swallowed, he responded with the question, “I did not count your glasses of wine, so why should you number my cups of tea?”
Like many of us living in the 21st century, Samuel Johnson could not get on in the morning without a cup of some restoring and energizing beverage. According to James Boswell, he would habitually ignore any and every person he came into contact with until he had consumed a cup or two of his chosen drink, whether it be tea or coffee.
It is likely that coffee would have come in at a close second on his list of favorite refreshments; he notably claimed that coffee “… makes the politician wise, and see through all things with his half-shut eyes.”
At the time of Samuel Johnson’s birth, coffee had been popular in England for around half a century. Throughout these years, its good reputation had continued to rise unceasingly. Not only was it acclaimed for its taste and fashion, but also for its supposed medicinal value.
It is estimated that, by the time Samuel Johnson reached adulthood, there would have been well over 3,000 coffeehouses in England. The first of these is thought to have been opened by a man named Jacob in 1650. Society in the 17th and 18th centuries was very conscious of class and economic status. The arrival of the coffeehouse helped to dispel these rules; they became a place where patrons from different social classes, and different financial situations could meet on equal ground, should they wish to do so.
Again—like many living in the modern era—Samuel Johnson had a favorite place to drink coffee. He was known to frequent a London coffeehouse called The Turk’s Head, located on the Strand. Other clientele associated with this establishment included David Garrick (a great friend of Johnson), Thomas Sheridan (an actor, dramatist, and theatrical manager), and many other artists and writers such as Joshua Reynolds, Oliver Goldsmith, and Edmund Burke.
The Turk’s Head was a well-known and well-established business; it had opened in 1662, around 50 years before Samuel Johnson’s birth. The Kingdom’s Intelligencer, a weekly paper, reported that the coffeehouse had just been opened. In this publication, it was described as “a new Coffeehouse with the sign of the Turk’s Head, where there is sold the right coffee-powder.” Apparently, the right coffee powders were East India Berry and Turk Berry.
The Turk’s Head also sold—much to Samuel Johnson’s delight—sherbet made from lemons, roses, and violets, alongside pots of tea. Hot chocolate was also available, but whether or not Samuel Johnson liked the taste, or ever even tried it for himself, is unknown.
Once again, it is thanks to James Boswell that we now know the details of Samuel Johnson’s favorite place to drink tea and coffee. In his biography, Boswell reported that “… at night, Mr Johnson and I sup in a room at the Turk’s Head Coffee House in the Strand.” He also revealed, “I encourage this house, for the mistress of it is a good and civil woman, and has not much business.”
On another occasion, James Boswell wrote that “… we had our last social meeting at the Turk’s Head Coffee-House, before my setting out for foreign parts.”
As hard as coffeehouses may have tried, there was truly nothing like the tea or coffee that Samuel Johnson could make for himself at home. His own pot was said to hold two liters (67 ounces); he took both tea and coffee strong, with only a little splash of milk and two small lumps of sugar.
By the end of the 18th century, coffeehouses had disappeared from the English social scene almost entirely. However, it is evident that the appetite of the general population for both tea and coffee has not lessened in the slightest, and demand for each product only continues to spread and grow.
2. Samuel Johnson Kept a Mysterious Collection of Orange Peel
For a reason that is, and always will be unknown to us, Samuel Johnson kept his own personal collection of orange peel. Oranges had been popular throughout Europe since the mid-17th century.
It has been recorded that, whenever an opportunity arose, Samuel Johnson would habitually pocket the leftovers of this particular fruit, and then take it home with him and add it to his stash.
It was James Boswell who was brave enough to question Samuel Johnson about his unusual behavior. In response, Johnson simply looked down at his pieces of orange peel and firmly stated, “Nay, Sir, you shall know their fate no further.”
It is possible that Johnson persisted with this strange tradition because he believed in the supposed medicinal value of orange peel. He was known to suffer from various illnesses throughout his life—some of which we will explore later—so perhaps he thought he may be able to concoct some beneficial remedy.
Orange peel is now known to contain rich, immune-boosting vitamins alongside anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It also acts as a skin-lightening agent and is able to clear pigmentation and marks on the face. So, who knows? Maybe there was some kind of method behind Samuel Johnson’s madness.
3. Samuel Johnson Did Not Cry as a Newborn Baby
In order to discover more about our third unexpected fact, we must venture back to the very beginning of Samuel Johnson’s life. He came into the world on the 18th of September in the year 1709, when he was born to his parents, Michael and Sarah Johnson. The happy event took place in the living quarters above Michael Johnson’s bookshop in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Sarah Johnson was 40 years old when she gave birth to her first son, and this made her a particularly well-aged mother for her era. As a consequence, there was much concern about the health of her and her baby. In preparation, a man named Hector George, who was a midwife of great reputation, was present at the birth.
As it turned out, the concern was not uncalled for. Although Sarah Johnson was perfectly healthy, the newborn Samuel was not. According to popular belief, he was so weak that he could not even produce a cry. Memorably, his aunt claimed that she “… would not have picked such a poor creature up in the street.”
Since the family feared that Samuel Johnson would not survive, the vicar of the nearby St Mary’s was called to perform an immediate baptism. Godfathers were quickly selected: Samuel Swynfen (a physician and graduate of Oxford University), and Richard Wakefield (Lichfield town clerk), were promptly handed the honor.
To the relief of all who were present, the young Samuel Johnson managed to struggle through and gradually became healthier over the following days, weeks, and months.
That is not to say that he ever experienced perfect health. Both the nature of his birth and the discomfort he suffered during his first hours, were a sign of what was to come later in life.
4. Samuel Johnson Suffered With Scrofula and Was Touched by Queen Anne
When Samuel Johnson was around three years old, he unfortunately contracted a prevalent disease known as Scrofula. Scrofula was a painful and occasionally deadly swelling of the lymph glands. It was rumored that a patient was most likely to suffer from the illness between Michaelmas (29th September) and Candlemas (2nd February). This was when the British weather was at its coldest and wettest.
Luckily, a cure was available. It was well known that the touch of the reigning monarch would clear a patient of any trace of Scrofula. It was for this reason that Scrofula was nicknamed “the king’s evil.”
In our modern world, we may find the idea easy to laugh off. However, during the 18th century, the theory was considered pretty much reliable. Whether or not the ceremony had any benefit at all is irrelevant: it was the only hope available for any sufferer.
To heal a patient of Scrofula, all a monarch had to do was touch the forehead, face, or shoulders. The first man thought to have possessed this ability was Edward the Confessor, the late Anglo-Saxon King who ruled England between 1043 and 1066. This healing touch was supposed to have been granted as a personal present from God to King Edward. Since then, the ability has allegedly been passed down from monarch to monarch.
Some Monarchs took the ritual more seriously than others. For example, King Edward I, who ruled England between 1272 and 1307, touched nearly 2,000 patients annually.
Being a faithful Catholic, Queen Mary I was also extremely diligent. Her sister, Queen Elizabeth I, was a Protestant who doubted the efficiency of the ceremony but continued nonetheless in the hope of pleasing her people. Queen Elizabeth’s squeamish cousin, King James I, modified the blessing by refusing to touch the sufferers themselves and instead chose to make stroking motions above or around them.
William of Orange, who ruled jointly with his wife Queen Mary during the late 17th century, gave up on the custom altogether. Instead, he administered some rather harsh advice to the sick, saying, “God give you better health and better sense.”
It was in the year 1714, just three months before her death, that Queen Anne performed the ritual for the final time. It was for this ceremony that the sickly toddler, Samuel Johnson, got in line with his parents among hundreds of other sufferers, in the simple hope of receiving a miraculous cure.
Not only did Queen Anne bless Samuel Johnson with the healing touch, but she also granted him an amulet on a chain. Naturally, he treasured the gift and reportedly wore it around his neck for the rest of his life.
5. Samuel Johnson Hated His Brother
Sometime when Samuel Johnson was either three or four years old, his little brother Nathaniel was born. From Samuel’s point of view, the new baby was a most unwelcome addition to the family. Samuel despised Nathaniel during their childhood, and this hate may very well have continued into later life.
In a letter to his mother, written as a young adult, Nathaniel complained to his mother that Samuel would “… scarcely ever use with me any common civility.”
Why Samuel Johnson did not love his brother we do not know. However, one thing we can be sure of is that, around the time of Nathaniel’s birth, the Johnson family’s financial situation took a dramatic turn for the worse. Could it have been that Michael and Sarah Johnson could not cope with the expenses of a second child?
Whether or not the number of children was the direct cause, the family found that they were no longer able to maintain the standard of living they had become familiar with.
6. Samuel Johnson Once Killed a Duckling — Accidentally!
Another interesting anecdote regarding the early life of Samuel Johnson is that, as a young child, he accidentally stepped on a duckling. As a result, the poor creature suffered a very premature death. Samuel was reportedly heartbroken over the incident and was overwhelmed with strong feelings of grief and guilt.
Samuel Johnson even composed an epitaph for its grave: “Here lies good Master Duck,” he lamented, “whom Samuel Johnson trod on; if it had lived it had been a good duck, for then we’d had an odd one.”
This is one of the first examples of Samuel Johnson’s written work. These simple words may not seem significant, but they highlight Samuel’s early inclination toward poetry and literature in general. The epitaph also showcases his early ability to compose and record his own words.
Samuel Johnson’s excellent way with words, and his love of written work, were both developed at an unnaturally young age. The majority of his interests and talents were probably owed to the time spent helping in his father’s bookshop, where he had constant access to all manner of English literature, from various eras and on hundreds of fascinating topics.
7. Samuel Johnson Dropped Out of University
On October 31st, 1728, just a week after Samuel Johnson had turned 19, he entered Pembroke College at Oxford University.
However, due to his uncertain financial situation, he quickly fell behind in his student fees. To his despair, he was forced to return home to Lichfield, without a degree, having spent only 13 months at Oxford.
To Samuel Johnson’s even greater sadness, he left many of his favorite books—originally belonging to his father—in his rooms at Pembroke College. He had been so poor that he had not been able to afford to transport them home. It may also be that he had intended to return within a few months to complete his education.
The silver lining is that he did actually receive a degree. Just before the publication of his dictionary in 1755, the University of Oxford awarded Samuel Johnson a Master of Arts Degree, and he was also granted an honorary doctorate in 1765 by Trinity College Dublin.
8. Samuel Johnson Deliberately Misspelled His Publisher’s Name
It was on March 2nd, 1737 that Samuel Johnson left behind Staffordshire with the intention of venturing to London. Samuel had not a penny to his name, and was far from optimistic about his future. Luckily, he was traveling with his good friend David Garrick, who assured him that he had already made arrangements for accommodation.
The pair initially stayed with friends and relatives, but Samuel soon moved to Greenwich where he focused solely on his literary career.
Just over a year later, in May of 1738, Samuel Johnson’s first major work was published. Having already fallen in love with the city (he notably said, “He who is tired of London is tired of life”), he wrote and published a poem in its honor. Naturally, the poem was called London.
It was in this work that Samuel Johnson chose to deliberately misspell the name of his publisher. This made his poem appear more popular than it was by giving readers the impression it had already been copied and pirated. If someone had gone to the trouble to make a pirated copy of the work, it was sure to contain something worth reading.
London had already done exceptionally well for a first publication. However, there is no doubt that this savvy move of Johnson’s helped to kick-start his own literary career.
9. Samuel Johnson Was Considered Unattractive
Another interesting (and perhaps harsh and unnecessary) fact about Samuel Johnson is that he was considered by many as an extremely unattractive man. It was not only his looks but also his personality and mannerisms that contributed to his unsightly appearance.
When the famous artist, William Hogarth (1697-1764), first laid eyes on Samuel Johnson, he gave an extremely harsh description of what he saw. William noted that Samuel would stand “shaking his head and rolling himself about in a strange and ridiculous manner,” and thought he was “an idiot.”
Samuel Johnson was thought to have been at his most unattractive during mealtimes. His appetite was reported by James Boswell to be “so fierce, and indulged with such intenseness, that while in the act of eating, the veins of his forehead swelled, and generally a strong perspiration was visible.”
Even in his youth, before gaining any sort of successful career, Samuel Johnson was reportedly turned down for a teaching job. Apparently, the Headmaster feared that Samuel’s “way of distorting his face” would scare the pupils.
10. Samuel Johnson Married a Much Older Woman
It was on July 9th, 1735 that Samuel Johnson married his first and only love, Elizabeth Jervis. At the time of their wedding, there was only one unusual thing about their relationship: Elizabeth was 46 years old, and Samuel was just 25. Age-wise, this put just over two decades between the couple.
Samuel and Elizabeth Johnson had fallen in love shortly after she had been made a widow. Her first husband was Henry Porter, a close friend and confidante of Samuel. According to William Shaw, another of their biographers, “… the first advances probably proceeded from her, as her attachment to Johnson was in opposition to the advice of all her relations.”
The age difference between Samuel and Elizabeth Johnson resulted in some problems within the family, and their union was by no means accepted by everyone. Elizabeth’s family found her new relationship to be intolerable, and the marriage disgusted her son to such an extent that he cut all ties with her.
Fortunately, after a brief period of sulking, her other two children came to understand the relationship and reluctantly accepted Samuel Johnson into their circle.
Samuel and Elizabeth Johnson were extremely happy together. He referred to the marriage as being “A love match on both sides,” and she described him as “The most sensible man” she had ever met.
Samuel Johnson never truly recovered emotionally after the death of his wife. He continued to mourn her for the rest of his life.
When asked about his grief, Samuel Johnson replied with a touching statement, “He that outlives a wife whom he has long loved sees himself disjoined from the only mind that has the same hopes and fears and interest; from the only companion with whom he has shared much good and evil; and with whom he could set his mind at liberty, to retrace the past or anticipate the future.”
11. Samuel Johnson Probably Suffered From Tourette Syndrome
According to his many biographers—some more reliable than others—Samuel Johnson displayed signs consistent with various disorders, the most notable of which being Tourette syndrome. This condition was unknown during his lifetime and therefore went undiagnosed.
However, there is a lot of evidence to support the theory that Samuel Johnson was troubled by his symptoms. James Boswell recorded that “… while talking or even musing as he sat in his chair, he commonly held his head to one side towards his right shoulder, and shook it in a tremulous manner, moving his body backwards and forwards, and rubbing his left knee in the same direction with the palm of his hand.”
Samuel Johnson experienced many variations of involuntary movements throughout his life. In the year of 1994, the medical historian J.M.S. Pearce analyzed the details provided by Johnson’s biographers to assess whether or not he genuinely did have Tourette syndrome or another similar medical condition.
J.M.S. Pearce concluded that “The case of Doctor Johnson accords well with current criteria for the Tourette Syndrome.” Furthermore, he confirmed that “… he also displayed many of the obsessional-compulsive traits and rituals which are associated with the syndrome.”
Tourette Syndrome was by no means Samuel Johnson’s only medical complaint. Throughout his life, he is also thought to have suffered from conditions and illnesses such as sight loss, gout, madness, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and even testicular cancer.
One thing we can be sure of is that Samuel Johnson was unconcerned with his movements. When asked by a young child why he made such noises and acted in such a way as he did, he shrugged off the question and replied, “From bad habit.”
12. Samuel Johnson Is Buried in Westminster Abbey
Our final unexpected fact about Samuel Johnson is that, after his natural death at the age of 75, he was buried in Westminster Abbey. The location of his final resting place is unexpected due to the fact that he was born as the son of a Lichfield bookseller and died a man considered worthy of lying beside the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer, Isaac Newton, King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, and fifteen other English and Scottish monarchs.
The inscription on his grave reads “Samuel Johnson, Obiit XIII die Decembris, Anno Domini M.DCC.LXXXXIV.” This translates from Latin to English as “Samuel Johnson, died twentieth of December, the year of our Lord 1784.”
He is now remembered widely as one of the greatest writers in British history.
