On the Death of Dr. Robert Levet - Classic Text | Alexandria
On the Death of Dr. Robert Levet
"On the Death of Dr. Robert Levet" (1783) stands as one of Samuel Johnson's most poignant and personally revealing poems, commemorating his friend and long-time houseguest, Robert Levet (1705-1782), a peculiar figure in 18th-century London's medical landscape who provided care to the city's impoverished residents.
The poem emerged during a period of profound personal loss for Johnson, composed shortly after Levet's death on January 17, 1782. This timing situates the work within the broader context of Johnson's later years, when he was grappling with mortality while completing his final literary projects. The verses first appeared in The Gentleman's Magazine in August 1783, through the efforts of Johnson's friend John Nichols, marking its transition from private grief to public memorial.
Johnson's twenty-four-line elegy, structured in six quatrains of iambic tetrameter, transcends conventional memorial verse through its unique blend of Christian stoicism and unflinching realism. The poem's depiction of Levet as an unassuming practitioner who "walked the round of every day" while serving London's poorest inhabitants has evolved into a powerful commentary on quiet heroism and social conscience. Notably, Johnson's portrayal challenged contemporary class distinctions by elevating a humble medical practitioner to the status of moral exemplar.
The work's enduring legacy lies in its dual nature as both a personal lament and a broader meditation on virtue, service, and mortality. Modern scholars continue to mine the poem for insights into 18th-century medical practice, class relations, and the nature of friendship. Its influence extends beyond literary circles, serving as a touchstone for discussions about medical ethics and social responsibility. The poem's closing lines, lamenting that "such a life should have an end," continue to resonate, raising questions about how society values and remembers those who serve its most vulnerable members without seeking fame or recognition.