COLUMBIA
LIBRARY
COLUMNS
 

Two Distinguished Dr. Johnsons
 

MARY C. HYDE
 

a
 

kNE of the most delightful letters of Dr. Johnson, the
British lexicographer, is owned by the Columbia Li¬
brary. It was wiitten on Match 4, 1773, to the Ameii¬
can Dr. Johnson who later became the first Piesident of Columbia
College. "Several letters passed between the two men," The Gen¬
tleman's Magazine noted when it published the text of this parti¬
cular letter in 1825, adding, "it is feared that this is the only one
remaining." Since no other letter is now known, this is the only-
record by the lexicographer of the pleasant acquaintance of the
two remarkable Dr. Johnsons. There was no blood relationship
between them, but they had many qualities of lesemblance and, as
one follows theii eaily careeis, they leveal an unusual sympathy
of interest.

The American, William Samuel (1727-1819) was the son of
another Dr. Samuel Johnson, the eminent Anglican clergyman
and first President of King's College, the original name for
Columbia. Born to position and comparative financial security, he
received a more conventional education than the English Samuel
Johnson (1709-1784). AVilliam Samuel was a giaduate of Yale,
and obtained his lU.A. fiom Haivaid; this in contiast to Samuel
who could only affoid one yeai at Oxfoid, not long enough to