The Works of Samuel Johnson. In Twelve Volumes. With an Essay on His Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy. Volume 1

Immortalized in Boswell's famous Life of Samuel Johnson, "Dr. Johnson" towers - as critic, author, lexicographer, and general wit - among English literary figures. Johnson wrote countless essays and articles, many poems, a critical edition of Shakespeare, a Lives of the English Poets, and, most famous of all, his Dictionary of the English Language, the first comprehensive dictionary of modern English. But Johnson is best remembered as Boswell portrayed him: a witty, often scathing conversationalist and man of letters. In his later years, Johnson spent much time engaged in conversation with fellow members of his famous Literary Club.