Happy birthday, Doctor

Dr Samuel Johnson, the creator of the first 'proper' English Dictionary, is one of the most famous people to have been born in Staffordshire.
His birthday - on 18th September - is always celebrated in Lichfield, his home town, with a big dinner. Even in Uttoxeter, another Staffordshire town associated with him, there is a small public ceremony.

However, he actually lived most of his life in London.  In fact, one of his most famous witty sayings was about his adopted city: "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."  I suppose he couldn't have said the same about Lichfield at the time...

The photo shows the house Dr Johnson lived in in London, which is now a museum.

Dr Johnson broods

The literary genius, Dr Samuel Johnson, broods over his home-town of Lichfield. His statue is right in the centre of the market-place next to the parish church, so it really is integral to the town.

It’s a bit unfair to make him look so gloomy. Yes, he did have really bad bouts of depression, but it came and went, and a lot of the time, he was full of energy, and a booming vitality.

And, as we know – he was full of clever and witty sayings.  One of his I like it because it relates to what I and other bloggers in the 'City Daily Photo' family are doing:
The world is not yet exhausted: let me see something to-morrow which I never saw before.

Link: Selected sayings of Dr Johnson