Letter to Lord Chesterfield

In18th century, though industry developed fast in British, academic was not in the first place, especially lexicography industry. Quite a number of scholars and publishers had big plans for producing standard English dictionary, but these ideas went away at last. To make up for the pity, Dodsley---a literature publisher, joint with other presses(including the famous Longman Publishing Company), raised ￡1,575 to implement this plan. In the light of great advertising effect, they hoped that Lord Chesterfield---the well-known politician, as well as a literary patron could step in. However, this fifty-four year old sick man took no interest of Mr. Johnson and kept him waiting in the sitting room for over one hour. Then spared Johnson ￡10, which made him feel very angry. The letter to Lord Chesterfield was Samuel Johnson?s response to what some believed to be Lord Chesterfield?s opportunistic endorsement of h is A Dictionary of the English Language. Although Chesterfield was patron of the Proposal for the Dictionary, he made no moves to further the progress of the Dictionary until seven years after his original investment into the project. Suddenly, Chesterfiel d wrote two “puff” pieces to promote the Dictionary, which prompted Johnson to write a letter accusing Chesterfield of only providing help when it was least needed.

Following is the analysis of the letter according to its language features:

1. The use of triple parallelism

In this short letter, triple parallelism is used twice to reach the climax, which awakes the readers greatly:

The notice which you have been pleased to take care of my labors, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impact it; till I am known, and do not want it.

This parallel sentence not only adds the rhythm of language, but also tells the truth at a cracking pace. The sentence …till I am solitary, and cannot impact it? touches us mostly, because Johnson?s wife died at 1752, which was the hardest time when Johnson made up the dictionary. His wife has been died for three years while writing this letter. This triple parallelism represents the deep inner world, loneliness and dignity of Johnson.

2. The combination of metaphor and allusion

The metaphor draws the hardhearted Lord deeply:

Is not a patron, my Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help?

The vivid metaphor, along with rhetorical question, directly points Lord Chesterfield?s despicable behavior, reveals his true colors of casualness but self-described hero image.

3. Propriety

Though in appearance, the letter is denunciation of the Lord, but it is a thank-you letter in form. It depends on the ironic fiction of the letter. What?s more, Johnson would not allow himself to say something improperly according to his inner character and status in London literary circle. So the words used in the whole letter are very properly. Except …Lordship?-the respectful name of the Lord, the beginning as well as the ending are all written in self-mockery tone:

… to be so distinguished is an honor, which being very little a ccustomed to favor from

the great, I know not very well how to receive, or in what term to acknowledge. Letter to Lord Chesterfield has a high place in the history of English literature because this letter shows the independent personality and unimpeachable reasoning ability of the writer. Johnson?s letter has been described as literature?s “declaration of independence”, which has been the subject of critical comment ever since in the literary wo rld. It is a poor writer to the man?s indictment-like, showing contempt for the writer of the elite, which represents the English new bourgeois resistance against feudalism.