THE IDLER
On April 15, 1758 Samuel Johnson began a new periodical paper which was printed every Saturday in the Unversal Chronicle, a weekly gazette. This ended on April 5, 1760 after one hundred and three essays were published. Twelve were written by friends and others whose contributions he cheerfully solicited.
The Idler has a greater variety of real life situations and an ease of language that is lacking in
The Ramblers. Each essay is much shorter and substantially lighter in tone. They were intended to be casual, light and airy in direct contrast to the Ramblers. Sentences are not as involved, phraseology simpler and more suitable for informal consideration. Johnson attempted to capture, to some degree, the style and effect of Addison and Steele. The content was not as carefully considered as the Ramblers but meant to please a wider and less educated population. In many of the essays Johnson revealed much about himself. As the series continued the subject matter became more serious. The first twenty five or so Idlers are humorous and relaxed, the content becoming progressively more complicated, conforming to Johnson’s customary approach to writing.
INDEX
1- The Idlers character
2- Invitation of correspondents
3- The Idler’s reason for writing
4- Charities and hospitals
5- Proposal for a female army
6- Lady’s performance on horseback
7- Scheme for news-writers
8- Plan of military discipline
9- Progress of idleness
10- Political credulity
11- Discourses on the weather
12- Marriages why advertised
13- The imaginary housewife
14- Admiration of the cynic, Alexander’s visit to Diogenes, robbery of time
15- Treacle’s complaint of his wife
16- Ned Drugget’s retirement
17- Expedients of idlers
18- Drugget vindicated
19- Whirler’s character
20- Capture of Louisbourg
21- Linger’s history of listlessness
22- Imprisonment of debtors
23- Uncertainty of friendship
24- Man does not always think
25- New actors on the stage
26- Betty Broom’s history
27- Power of habits
28- Wedding-day, Grocer’s wife, chairman
29- Betty Broom’s history continued
30- Corruption of news-writers
31- Disguises of idleness, Sober’s character
32- Sleep, the need for oblivion
33- Jounal of a fellow of a college
34- Punch and conversation compared
35- Auction-hunter described and ridiculed
36- The terrifick diction ridiculed
37- Useful things easy of attainment
38- Cruelty shown to debtors in prison
39- The various uses of the bracelet
40- The art of advertising exemplified
41- Serious reflections on the death of a friend
42- Perdita’s complaint of her father
43- Monitions on the flight of time
44- The use of memory considered
45- On painting, portraits defended
46- Molly Quick’s complaint of her mistress
47- Deborah Ginger’s account of city-wits
48- The bustles of idledness described and ridiculed
49- Marvel’s journey narrated
50- Marvel’s journey paralleled
51- Domestick greatness unattainable
52- Self-denial necessary
53- Mischiefs of good company
54- Mrs. Savecharge’s complaint
55- Author’s mortifications
56- Virtuosos whimsical
57- Character of Sophron
58- Expectations of pleasure frustrated
59- Books fall into neglect
60- Minim the critic
61- Minim the critic
62- Ranger’s account of the vanity of riches
63- Progress of arts and language
64- Ranger’s complaint concluded
65- Fate of posthumous works
66- Loss of ancient writings
67- Scholar’s journal
68- History of translation
69- History of translation
70- Hard words defended
71- Dick Shifter’s rural excursion
72- Regulation of memory
73- Tranquil’s use of riches
74- Memory rarely deficient
75- Geladdin of Bassora
76- False criticisms on painting
77- Easy writing
78- Steady, Snug, Startle, Solid and Misty
79- Grand style of painting
80- Ladies journey to London
81- Indian’s speech to his countryman
82- The true idea of beauty
83- Scruple, Wormwood, Sturdy and Gentle
84- Biography, how best performed
85- Books multiplied by useless compilations
86- Miss Heartless’ want of a lodging
87- Amazonian bravery revived
88- What have ye done?
89- Physical evil moral good
90- Rhetorical action considered
91- Sufficiency of the English language
92- Nature of cunning
93- Sam Softly’s history
94- Obstructions of learning
95- Tim Wainscot’s son a fine gentleman
96- Hacho of Lapland
97- Narratives of travelers considered
98- Sophia Heedful
99- Ortogrul of Basra
100- The good sort of woman
101- Omar’s plan of life
102- Authour’s inattentive to themselves
103- Horrour of the last
104- Vultures (Original #22)
James Boswell | Hester Lynch Piozzi | Samuel Johnson | Miscellany