Samuel Johnson defined the English language with his 1755 dictionary, but behind the monumental work was a man whose physical tics and compulsive rituals have led modern medical historians to diagnose him retrospectively with Tourette syndrome. This article explores his remarkable life, his literary contributions, and the evidence for this condition.
Born: September 18, 1709, Lichfield, England ·
Died: December 13, 1784, London, England ·
Occupation: Writer, poet, lexicographer, critic ·
Known for: A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) ·
Major work: A Dictionary of the English Language
Quick snapshot
- Published A Dictionary of the English Language in 1755 with 42,733 entries (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia))
- Wrote poems, essays, and critical biographies (Poetry Foundation (U.S. literary publisher))
- Exhibited tics and vocalizations consistent with Tourette syndrome (Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine via PMC/NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine))
- Married Elizabeth Porter in 1735 (Encyclopædia Britannica (reference publisher))
- James Boswell recorded Johnson’s “almost constant tics and gesticulations” (PM C / NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine))
- Boswell’s biography remains a landmark of English literature (Project Gutenberg (digital library of public domain works))
- Johnson’s friends noted his compulsive rituals and repetitive sounds (Wellcome Collection (UK museum and library))
- His dictionary was the pre-eminent British reference until the Oxford English Dictionary (Encyclopædia Britannica (reference publisher))
- Lives of the Poets shaped English literary criticism (Poetry Foundation (U.S. literary publisher))
- His periodical The Rambler established his moral essayist reputation (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia))
- Scholars continue to examine Johnson’s health through modern diagnostic criteria (PM C / NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine))
Seven key facts one pattern: a life of extraordinary output shaped by chronic physical and mental challenges.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Samuel Johnson |
| Born | 18 September 1709, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England |
| Died | 13 December 1784, London, England |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Porter (m. 1735; died 1752) |
| Notable work | A Dictionary of the English Language |
| Known as | Dr. Johnson |
| Literary period | 18th century, Neoclassicism |
What was Samuel Johnson best known for?
His lexicography and the dictionary
- Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1755, defined approximately 42,733 words and became the pre-eminent British dictionary until the Oxford English Dictionary eventually surpassed it (Wellcome Collection (UK museum and library)).
- He was the first lexicographer to include extensive literary quotations to illustrate usage, an innovation that gave the dictionary both authority and readability (Encyclopædia Britannica (reference publisher)).
Johnson didn’t just compile words — he set the standard for how an English dictionary should work, a model that lasted more than 150 years.
The pattern: Johnson’s literary innovations, from dictionary quotations to periodical essays, set standards that shaped English letters for generations.
His role as a literary critic and biographer
- Beyond the dictionary, Johnson was a prolific essayist and moralist. From 1750 to 1752 he wrote and published The Rambler, a twice-weekly periodical that established his reputation as a moral essayist (Poetry Foundation (U.S. literary publisher)).
- Johnson’s Lives of the Poets (1779–1781) remains a landmark of English literary criticism, offering detailed biographies and critical assessments of 52 poets (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
- The foundational biography of Johnson himself, The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell, published in 1791, is still considered one of the greatest biographies in the language (Project Gutenberg (digital library of public domain works)).
What this means: Johnson’s influence was double — he defined the lexicon and, through Boswell, became the subject of a biographical standard that shaped how we remember writers.
What is the famous quote by Samuel Johnson?
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”
- This remark, recorded by James Boswell in The Life of Samuel Johnson, captures Johnson’s deep attachment to London’s diversity and energy. Boswell notes Johnson said it during a conversation about the advantages of city living (Project Gutenberg (digital library of public domain works)).
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”
- This line appeared in Johnson’s 1775 essay in The Idler, no. 19. He used it to criticize false patriotism that masks selfish motives (Poetry Foundation (U.S. literary publisher)).
“No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money.”
— Samuel Johnson, The Idler No. 19
The catch: Johnson’s wit was often ironic and situational — his quotes live on because they capture universal human tendencies with razor clarity.
Did Samuel Johnson have Tourette’s syndrome or another movement disorder?
Evidence for Tourette’s in historical accounts
- Contemporaries, including James Boswell, described Johnson’s “almost constant tics and gesticulations,” along with involuntary sounds, whistling, and repetitive rituals (PM C / NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine)).
- These behaviors — tics, echo phenomena, and compulsive acts — are today recognized as hallmarks of Tourette syndrome (Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine via NCBI (U.S. National Library of Medicine)).
“Johnson’s case accords well with current criteria for Tourette syndrome.”
— Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1994
Diagnoses in modern medical literature
- Multiple medical reviews argue that Johnson suffered from Tourette syndrome, noting his rituals, dystonic tics, and verbal outbursts (PM C / NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine)).
- One article characterizes him as “the Great Convulsionary” and concludes that his symptoms are consistent with the syndrome (PM C / NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine)).
The man who defined the English language could not control his own speech or movements — and yet his tics likely never hindered his intellectual output. If anything, they made him more distinctive.
The implication: Johnson’s neurological condition, far from hindering his work, may have coexisted with — and perhaps even fueled — his extraordinary productivity.
What happened to Samuel Johnson?
His final years and illness
- In the last years of his life, Johnson suffered from what modern doctors would likely call a cerebrovascular accident (stroke). He experienced “drop attacks” and persistent respiratory issues (PM C / NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine)).
- He died on December 13, 1784, in London (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
Death and legacy
- Samuel Johnson was buried at Westminster Abbey, a testament to his stature as a national literary figure (Westminster Abbey (historic church and royal burial site)).
- His dictionary remained the definitive reference for English until the Oxford English Dictionary began publication in the 1880s (Encyclopædia Britannica (reference publisher)).
The implication: Johnson’s death closed a chapter in English letters, but his dictionary and Boswell’s biography ensured his influence lived on.
What did Samuel Johnson suffer from and did he ever marry?
Johnson’s health conditions: scrofula, depression, tics
- As a child, Johnson suffered from scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis) and was “touched” by Queen Anne in a ceremony intended to cure the condition — a common but ineffective practice (Encyclopædia Britannica (reference publisher)).
- He also experienced bouts of severe depression (melancholia) and obsessive-compulsive behaviors, documented by Boswell (Wellcome Collection (UK museum and library)).
- The involuntary tics and vocalizations — now linked to Tourette’s — were lifelong companions (PM C / NIH (U.S. National Library of Medicine)).
Marriage to Elizabeth Porter
- In 1735, Johnson married Elizabeth Porter, a widow twenty years his senior. The marriage was reportedly affectionate, though Johnson was often away for work (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
- Elizabeth died in 1752, and Johnson never remarried (Encyclopædia Britannica (reference publisher)).
The pattern: Johnson’s personal and physical struggles were constant, but he channeled them into an extraordinary literary output.
Timeline of Samuel Johnson’s life
- 18 September 1709 — Samuel Johnson born in Lichfield (Wikipedia)
- 1735 — Marries Elizabeth Porter (Wikipedia)
- 1738 — Publishes poem London (Poetry Foundation)
- 1749 — Publishes The Vanity of Human Wishes (Poetry Foundation)
- 1750–1752 — Writes The Rambler periodical (Britannica)
- 1755 — Publishes A Dictionary of the English Language (Britannica)
- 1777–1781 — Writes Lives of the Poets (Poetry Foundation)
- 13 December 1784 — Dies in London (Wikipedia)
- 1791 — James Boswell publishes The Life of Samuel Johnson (Project Gutenberg)
Clarity: what we know and what remains speculative
Confirmed facts
- Johnson compiled the first comprehensive English dictionary (Britannica)
- He suffered from physical tics and compulsive behaviors described by Boswell (PM C / NIH)
- He married Elizabeth Porter (Wikipedia)
- His works include key poems, essays, and critical biographies (Poetry Foundation)
What’s unclear
- The precise medical diagnosis of his movement disorder remains retrospective; Tourette’s syndrome is the leading hypothesis but unconfirmed by genetic evidence
- The full extent of his relationship with other literary figures beyond Boswell is partially documented
Quotes from and about Samuel Johnson
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
— Samuel Johnson, The Idler No. 19
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
— Samuel Johnson, quoted in James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson
“No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money.”
— Samuel Johnson, The Idler No. 19
“Johnson’s case accords well with current criteria for Tourette syndrome.”
— Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1994
Summary: the man behind the words
Samuel Johnson lived with a body that often betrayed him — tics, compulsions, depression — and yet he produced a dictionary that defined English and a body of criticism that still shapes literary study. For modern readers interested in the intersection of disability and creativity, Johnson’s story delivers a clear lesson: his tics didn’t define his work, but they were part of the man who redefined the English language. For biographers, the lasting task is to integrate his condition without reducing a polymath to his neurological symptoms.
discoverbritain.com, wsps.info, emco.swansea.ac.uk, farmerofthoughts.co.uk, ocduk.org, hekint.org, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, johnsonsdictionaryonline.com
Frequently asked questions
What was Samuel Johnson’s dictionary called?
It was called A Dictionary of the English Language, sometimes referred to as Johnson’s Dictionary.
When did Samuel Johnson live?
He lived from 18 September 1709 to 13 December 1784.
Did Samuel Johnson have children?
No, he and his wife Elizabeth did not have any children.
Was Samuel Johnson knighted?
No, he declined a knighthood.
Who wrote the biography of Samuel Johnson?
James Boswell wrote The Life of Samuel Johnson, published in 1791.
What school did Samuel Johnson attend?
He attended Lichfield Grammar School and later Pembroke College, Oxford, though he left without a degree due to financial difficulties.
Related reading: Jane Austen: Biography, Works, and Legacy · Benjamin Franklin: Biography, Inventions, Quotes, and Legacy
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Voice, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.