The desk of the renowned writer Dr. Samuel Johnson is set to make a return to his former London home after more than 260 years. However, in a surprising turn of events, doubts have been raised about the authenticity of the desk, which has been treated as a literary relic for many years.
The desk, where Dr. Johnson famously wrote his comprehensive dictionary of the English language in 1755, has been in the possession of Pembroke College Oxford since the 19th century. The college is now lending the desk to the Dr. Johnson House museum for an upcoming exhibition.
Professor Lynda Mugglestone, who has been researching the history of the desk, has uncovered some unexpected questions about its provenance. It is believed that the desk may have been part of a Victorian scheme to raise money, with the Lowe sisters claiming to be in poverty and in possession of the desk left to them by Dr. Johnson.
Despite the desk being revered as a prized possession and a symbol of literary history, there is now uncertainty surrounding its authenticity. Visitors to the exhibition at Dr. Johnson’s House will be asked to share their opinions on whether they believe the desk truly belonged to Dr. Johnson.
The exhibition, titled “Desks, Drudgery and the Dictionary: Samuel Johnson’s Garret Lexicography,” will open on 3 July at Dr. Johnson’s House in London. The museum director, Celine Luppo McDaid, acknowledges the ambiguity surrounding the desk’s origins, stating that while she would love for it to be authentic, there is no definitive way of knowing for sure.
