Born on September 18, 1709, Dr. Johnson was a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic and lexicographer who made lasting contributions to English literature before his death on December 13, 1784.   We have previously looked at Samuel Johnson’s life and legacy.

The Letter to Chesterfield was Johnson’s response to Lord Chesterfield’s opportunistic endorsement of A Dictionary of The English Language.

You may read the Letter to Chesterfield here:

http://www.bartleby.com/39/29.html

Alternatively, you may listen to a selection of letters from Dr. Johnson here: