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The Dr Johnson Library

The Dr Johnson Library

By: Samuel Johnson
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In The Dr Johnson Library, the works of Samuel Johnson are restored to the ear: essays, poems, tales, criticism, and meditations on the frailty and dignity of mankind. Here the listener may accompany a mind grave without gloom, learned without pedantry, and moral without cant; a companion for hours of solitude, study, reflection, and honest amusement.Public domain
Episodes
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXIV-XXXVII

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXIV-XXXVII
    Jul 4 2026
    In which the Princess Nekayah struggles with the loss of her favourite Pekuah, enduring the slow progress of hope and despair amidst the inefficacy of authority and the solicitations of private agents, all the while wrestling with self-reproach and the discipline of virtue. At last, after many months of sorrowful suspense, a messenger brings news that Pekuah is alive and held for ransom, leading to a cautious negotiation and a tender reunion marked by affectionate tears and solemn recounting of trials.
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    24 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXVIII, XXXIX

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXVIII, XXXIX
    Jul 7 2026
    In which the Lady Pekuah recounts her sudden abduction and subsequent ransom by an Arab chief, whose avaricious yet courteous disposition dictates the terms of her captivity and movement. She reflects with composure on her constrained life amid scant diversions, the futility of her captors' company, and the gradual, uneasy evolution of her conditions as she awaits deliverance.
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    25 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXI-XXXIII

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXI-XXXIII
    Jul 1 2026
    In which the company ventures to the ancient Pyramids, contemplating their majestic structure and the human desires they represent, while confronting the superstitions inspired by their gloomy recesses. Upon their return, an unexpected misfortune befalls the Princess’s favourite, casting a shadow of grief and urgency upon the travellers' camp.
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    12 mins
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