JOHNSON, or JONSON, BEN, one of the most distinguished dramatic poets of the Elizabethan age, whether we consider the number or the merit of his productions. He was born at Westminster in 1574, and was educated at the public school there, under the great Camden. He was descended from a Scottish family; but as his father, who had lost his estate under Queen Mary, died before our poet was born, and his mother married a brick-layer for her second husband, Ben was taken from school to work at his father-in-law's trade. Not being captivated with this employment, however, he went into the Low Countries, and distinguished himself in a military capacity. On his return to England, he entered himself at St John's College, Cambridge; and having killed a person in a duel, he was condemned, and narrowly escaped execution. After this he turned actor; and Shakespeare is said to have first introduced him to the world, by recommending a play of his to the stage, after it had been rejected. His Alchymist gained him such reputation, that in 1619 he was, at the death of Mr Daniel, made poet-laureate to King James I. and master of arts at Oxford. As we do not find Jonson's economical virtues anywhere recorded, it is the less to be wondered that, after this, we should find him petitioning King Charles, on his accession, to enlarge his father's allowance of a hundred marks into pounds; and soon afterwards we learn that, being very poor and sick, he lodged in an obscure alley. On this occasion it was that Charles, having been moved in his favour, sent him ten guineas, upon which Ben remarked, "His majesty sent me ten guineas because I am poor, and live in an alley; go and tell him that his soul lives in an alley." He died in August 1637, at the age of sixty-three, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. The most complete edition of his works was that printed in 1756, in 7 vols. 8vo.