The theme for these two months is Samuel Johnson, plus a bit of Schubert. Apparently these two were Samuel Beckett’s favourite artists (but that’s a coincidence). There’s a lot of stuff here, so we’re allowed to skim the Boswell for the best bits about Johnson!

Samuel Johnson

• The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia (prose)
• The Life of Mr Richard Savage (prose)
• Plan and Preface to a Dictionary of English (prose)
• On the Death of Dr Robert Levet (poem)
• The Vanity of Human Wishes (poem)
• The Rambler no. 32 [Stoicism] (periodical essay)
• The Rambler no. 60 [Biography] (periodical essay)
• The Adventurer no. 67 [The Benefits of Human Society] (periodical essay)
• The Adventurer no. 85 [The Role of the Scholar] (periodical essay)
• The Idler no. 61 [How to Become a Critic (1)] (periodical essay)
• The Idler no. 62 [How to Become a Critic (2)] (periodical essay)
• The Idler no. 85 [Autobiography] (periodical essay)
• The Idler no. 89 [Limitations of Human Achievement] (periodical essay)

James Boswell

• The Life of Samuel Johnson (biography)

Franz Schubert

• Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat, Op.99 D.898
• Piano Trio No.2 in E flat, Op.100 D.929