An Account of the Life of Mr Richard Savage was published, anonymously, in 1744. The poet Richard Savage (1697/8-1743) was famous for his disputed claims of aristocratic birth. In 1727 he had killed a man in a tavern brawl, and in 1743, after years of precarious living, he had died in a debtor's prison. Yet these sensational materials are used in the

for far more serious purposes. It is a work that transcends its generic origins, and is one of the first masterpieces of its author, Savage's friend Samuel Johnson. A far more famous and successful Johnson would later insert it into

in 1779. It was immediately popular, and, along with its narrative command and power quickly established itself as a work of very considerable insight and judgement.

1916 words

Citation: Rounce, Adam Simon. "Life of Mr Richard Savage". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 November 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=3955, accessed 22 November 2024.]

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