Dr Samuel Johnson. Engraving of Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), English lexicographer and author. The son of a bookseller, he read at Oxford University, England, but never completed his degree. He moved to London in 1737, and wrote widely before founding his own periodical, The Rambler, in 1750. This included several celebrated discourses on literature and morals. His most famous work was The Dictionary of The English Language. It was published in 1755, and contained around 40,000 entries. In 1764, with Sir Joshua Reynolds, he founded The Literary Club. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Trinity College, Dublin, in 1765. Engraving published between 1833-1837.