Esther Johnson
Esther Johnson
1681 — 1728
Esther Johnson (1681–1728), known by the nickname "Stella", was the close friend and confidante of the writer Jonathan Swift. Their intellectual and epistolary relationship, chronicled in the Journal to Stella, makes her a notable figure in English literary life of the 18th century.
Key Facts
- Born in 1681, probably in Richmond, England
- Met Jonathan Swift around 1689 when he was secretary to Sir William Temple
- Swift gave her the nickname "Stella" and addressed his famous Journal to Stella (1710–1713) to her
- Moved to Ireland around 1701, near Swift, where she remained until her death
- Died on 28 January 1728 in Dublin
Works & Achievements
A series of intimate letters from Swift addressed to Esther and Rebecca Dingley, forming the primary source on their relationship. This text reveals the unique intellectual bond between the two correspondents.
A series of poems composed each year by Swift for Esther's birthday, blending tenderness, wit, and reflections on friendship and aging — an exceptional literary tribute to a real woman.
An obituary text written by Swift on the evening of Esther's death, in which he pays tribute to her intelligence, virtue, and loyalty — one of the most moving pieces by the author of Gulliver's Travels.
A handful of poems are attributed to Esther Johnson herself, testifying to her mastery of writing and the sharp humor that characterized her exchanges with Swift.
Anecdotes
Jonathan Swift gave Esther Johnson the poetic nickname "Stella", meaning "star" in Latin, while referring to himself as "Presto" in their secret correspondence. This private code between them reflects the exceptional intimacy that defined their epistolary relationship — unique in eighteenth-century English letters.
Esther Johnson learned to read and write under Swift's tutelage as a child at Moor Park, Sir William Temple's estate in Surrey. Struck by her sharp intelligence and curious mind, Swift quickly came to regard her as his most brilliant pupil and, later, as his intellectual equal.
In 1701, Esther Johnson left England to settle in Dublin, always accompanied by her companion Rebecca Dingley, in order to remain close to Swift. This was a bold decision for a woman of the time, and it speaks to the strength of their bond — even as social conventions required that she never live under his roof.
The question of a secret marriage between Swift and Stella has long fascinated historians: some contemporaries claimed the two had wed in 1716 in the presence of Bishop Ashe, yet Swift never acknowledged it publicly. This unresolved mystery remains one of the most famous enigmas in English literature.
When Esther died in January 1728, Swift was so devastated that he could not bring himself to attend her funeral, instead shutting himself away to write "On the Death of Mrs. Johnson". In it, he described her intelligence, generosity, and loyalty with a depth of feeling rare for an author so renowned for his biting irony.
Primary Sources
My own dearest MD, I have been very busy these three days, and cannot get time to write to you... I love you both better than anybody in the world.
She was sickly from her childhood until about the age of fifteen; but then grew into perfect health, and was looked upon as one of the most beautiful, graceful, and agreeable young women in London.
Stella this day is thirty-four / (We sha'n't dispute a year or more) / However, Stella, be not troubled, / Although thy size and years are doubled.
My friend Mrs. Johnson is the truest, the most disinterested, and the most faithful person I have ever known.
Key Places
The estate of Sir William Temple where Esther Johnson grew up and where Swift first met her as a child. It was here that their intellectual and personal bond was forged — a friendship that would last a lifetime.
Swift served as Dean of this cathedral from 1713; Esther Johnson was buried here in 1728, and a commemorative plaque in her honour stands alongside one for Swift.
Esther Johnson lived in rented lodgings near St Patrick's Cathedral, always accompanied by Rebecca Dingley in keeping with the social conventions of the time.
The country estate of Colonel Francis Rochfort, a friend of Swift's, where Esther would occasionally stay. It was from this place that Swift addressed several of the poems in his Stella's Birthday series to her.