London - Samuel Johnson

Summary

Samuel Johnson's "London" is a satirical poem published in 1738, an imitation of Juvenal's Third Satire. It describes the departure of Thales, a virtuous and honest man, from the corrupt and dangerous city of London. Thales laments the pervasive moral decay, crime, social injustice, and lack of opportunity for those who uphold integrity in the bustling metropolis. He criticizes the city's obsession with wealth, its foreign influences (particularly French), and the myriad dangers posed by its inhabitants, from violent criminals to corrupt officials. Thales expresses a strong desire for a simpler, more virtuous life in the countryside, away from the city's vices and turmoil, leaving the narrator to reflect on the grim reality of urban existence. The poem serves as a powerful critique of 18th-century London's societal ills, advocating for honesty and simplicity over urban ambition and corruption.

Book Sections

Section 1

The poem opens with the narrator observing his friend Thales preparing to leave London by boat on the Thames, bound for a life of rural simplicity. Thales, standing on the shore, delivers a passionate monologue explaining his reasons for abandoning the city. He expresses a desire to live in a remote, honest corner of England (perhaps Wales), where nature provides and virtue is valued, unlike London where wealth and vice dictate everything. He contrasts the perceived purity and peace of the countryside with the moral decay and physical dangers of the city. He hints at the impossibility of an honest man thriving in such an environment.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Thales	Virtuous, wise, disillusioned, honest, principled	To escape London's corruption, find peace and honesty in the countryside, live a life of integrity.
Narrator	Observer, friend of Thales, implicitly agrees with Thales's sentiments, somewhat passive	To present Thales's lament and implicitly critique London through his friend's departure.

Section 2

Thales proceeds to detail the specific dangers and injustices that have driven him from London. He speaks of the constant threat of crime, both violent and petty, from highwaymen to pickpockets, making walking the streets at night a perilous endeavor. He laments the corruption of the legal system, where the poor have no recourse against the wealthy, and justice is openly bought and sold. He highlights the lack of safety for honest citizens, who must constantly guard against attack, and the prevalence of violence that can erupt without provocation. For Thales, the city is a trap where one's life, peace, and property are always at risk.

Section 3

A significant portion of Thales's complaint is directed at what he perceives as the corrupting influence of foreigners, particularly the French, who he believes are flooding the city. He views them as taking jobs, introducing foreign manners, and undermining traditional English virtues. He criticizes their perceived effeminacy, deceitfulness, and their ability to flatter and rise in society through means he considers dishonest, while honest Englishmen struggle to find employment or recognition. He also touches on the proliferation of gamblers, prostitutes, and other 'undesirables' who contribute to the city's moral decline and make it an unfit place for a virtuous man.

Section 4

Thales then turns his criticism towards the general corruption of wealth and power within London society. He observes that status and influence are almost entirely dictated by riches, often regardless of merit or virtue. He condemns patrons who support vice and folly, while genuine talent and integrity are neglected or forced into poverty. He points out that honesty and hard work are rarely rewarded, whereas flattery, sycophancy, and dishonesty are the surest paths to success in London. The poem satirizes the lack of public spirit, the widespread pursuit of selfish gain, and the moral bankruptcy of those in power.

Section 5

In his concluding remarks, Thales contrasts the perils and corruption of London with the imagined tranquility and moral purity of rural life. He envisions a life where he can enjoy nature, simple pleasures, and the absence of urban vice and pretense. He emphasizes that in the countryside, one can live genuinely and honestly, free from the constant fear, moral compromises, and social pressures of the city. He reaffirms his decision to leave, asserting that peace of mind, integrity, and the freedom to be truly virtuous are far more valuable than any opportunities London might offer. His final lament solidifies his choice for a life of quiet virtue over the city's tumultuous vice.

Literary Genre

Satirical Poem, Imitation (specifically of Juvenal's Third Satire), Augustan Poetry.

Author Facts

• Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) was a preeminent English writer, poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor, and lexicographer of the 18th century.
• He is most famously known for his monumental work, A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), which was a pioneering achievement in English lexicography.
• Johnson was a leading figure of the Augustan Age and the Enlightenment, deeply influential in shaping literary and intellectual thought of his time.
• His life and conversations were meticulously documented by his friend James Boswell in The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., one of the most celebrated biographies in English literature.
• He suffered from various ailments throughout his life, including scrofula (for which he underwent a "royal touch" as a child), and was known for his distinctive tics and eccentric mannerisms.

Moral of the Book

The moral of "London" is a stark critique of urban corruption and a commendation of virtue and simplicity. It suggests that large cities, particularly a bustling metropolis like London, can become hotbeds of vice, crime, social injustice, and moral decay, where honesty and merit are often unrewarded. The poem champions the idea that true happiness, integrity, and peace of mind are more readily found away from the corrupting influences of wealth, power, and social artifice, in a life of simplicity and virtue. It serves as a potent warning against the dangers of moral compromise in the pursuit of worldly success and urges a return to fundamental ethical principles.

Curiosities of the Book

• "London" was Samuel Johnson's first major publication and brought him significant public recognition, despite being published anonymously in 1738. It earned him 10 guineas.
• Remarkably, "London" was published on the very same day as Alexander Pope's "Epilogue to the Satires" (part of the "Imitations of Horace"). Pope himself was highly impressed by Johnson's poem and tried to discover the identity of its anonymous author.
• Despite the poem's strong critique and Thales's decision to leave London, Johnson himself lived in the city for most of his adult life and eventually became deeply attached to it. This creates an intriguing tension between the poem's message and the author's personal reality. Some scholars interpret Thales as representing an earlier, more disillusioned phase of Johnson's life or an idealised self.
• The poem is a direct and skilful imitation of Juvenal's Third Satire, which describes the complaints of Umbricius, who leaves Rome due to its corruption. Johnson masterfully adapts Juvenal's themes and satirical style to the specific social and political context of 18th-century London, demonstrating his profound classical education.
• The character 'Thales' is sometimes believed to be a stand-in for Richard Savage, a poet and close friend of Johnson who shared his literary struggles and often faced poverty and injustice in London, though Savage's life did not involve a permanent retreat to the countryside.