Introduction GREG CLINGHAM 1
1 Extraordinarily ordinary：the life of Samuel Johnson PHILIP DAVIS 4
CONTENTS 9
List of illustrations 9
Notes on contributors 10
Chronology 16
List of short titles and abbreviations 18
2 Johnson and the arts of conversation CATHERINE N．PARKE 18
3 Johnson's poetry HOWARD D．WEINBROT 34
4 Johnson，the essay,and The Rambler PAUL J．KORSHIN 51
5 Johnson and the condition of women EITHNE HEN SON 67
6 Johnson's Dictionary ROBERT DEMARIA．JR． 85
7 Johnson's pol itics RO BERT FOLKEN FLIK 102
8 Johnson and imperialism CLEMA ENT HAWFS 114
9 The skepticism of Johnson's Rasselas FRED PARKER 127
10 Shakespeare：Johnson's poet of nature PHILIP SMALLWOOD 143
11 Life and literature in Johnson's Lives of the Poets GREG CLINGHAM 161
12 Johnson's Christian thought MICHAEL SUAR EZ，SJ 192
13 “From China to Peru”：Johnson in the traveled world JOHN WILTSHIRE 209
14 “Letters about nothing”：Johnson and epistolary writing TOM KEYMER 224
15 Johnson's critical reception STEV EN LYNN 240
Further reading 254
Index 260