London

poem by Johnson

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June 30, 2026

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The poem "London" is a Juvenalian satire by Samuel Johnson. Modeled on the Roman satirist Juvenal's third satire, Johnson's poem uses bitter and ironic criticism to denounce contemporary London society, its institutions, and the discomforts of city life. Johnson, a prominent English writer, was known for his sharp wit and critical observations of his time. His work often reflected a pessimistic view of human behavior and societal flaws.123

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Samuel Johnson
The Gentleman’s Magazine and early publications of Samuel Johnson
London is an “imitation” of the Roman satirist Juvenal’s third satire. (A loose translation, an imitation applies the manner and topics of an earlier poet to contemporary conditions.) Thales, the poem’s main speaker, bears some resemblance to the poet Richard Savage, of whom Johnson knew…
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London is an “imitation” of the Roman satirist Juvenal’s third satire. (A loose translation, an imitation applies the manner and topics of an earlier poet to contemporary conditions.) Thales, the poem’s main speaker, bears some resemblance to the poet Richard Savage, of whom Johnson knew…
Read More

English literature
Johnson’s poetry and prose
…as it was exhibited in London (1738), an invigorating reworking of Juvenal’s third satire as a castigation of the decadence of contemporary Britain. Johnson’s finest poem, The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749), also takes its cue from Juvenal, this time his 10th satire. It is a tragic meditation on the…
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…as it was exhibited in London (1738), an invigorating reworking of Juvenal’s third satire as a castigation of the decadence of contemporary Britain. Johnson’s finest poem, The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749), also takes its cue from Juvenal, this time his 10th satire. It is a tragic meditation on the…
Read More