Samuel Johnson's elegy 'On the Death of Dr Robert Levet' is a poignant tribute to his personal physician, a man of modest means and immense compassion. The poem, written in 1782, captures Levet's character through vivid detail and warmth, celebrating his unassuming yet profound impact on the lives of the poor and friendless.
Robert Levet, born in Hull in 1705, lived in Johnson's household from the late 1740s. Originally a waiter in Paris, he developed an interest in medicine by eavesdropping on doctors' conversations. With financial support, he received training in pharmacy and anatomy, though he never qualified. In London, he treated the poor for little or no payment, earning Johnson's deep trust as his physician.
Johnson's elegy employs allegorical figures such as 'Hope's delusive mine' and 'Misery's darkest cavern' to convey the harsh realities of life and death. The poem's first stanza reflects on the inevitable loss of 'social comforts' as loved ones pass away, setting a sombre tone for Levet's descent into the grave.
Levet is described as 'officious, innocent, sincere' and 'of every friendless name the friend,' highlighting his dutiful nature and kindness. Johnson's oxymoronic phrase 'obscurely wise, and coarsely kind' captures Levet's contradictory character, which Johnson once described to James Boswell as 'a brutal fellow, but I have a good regard for him.'
The poem's sixth stanza most effectively characterises Levet through his daily routine: 'The modest wants of every day / The toil of every day supplied.' This steady, unglamorous service is presented as a virtue, and Johnson concludes that Levet's 'single talent' was well employed by the 'Eternal Master.' Levet died peacefully at nearly 80, with 'no throbbing fiery pain,' his soul freed 'the nearest way.'
