| 1697/8 | (16 January?) Richard Savage born in Holborn, LondonBrought up by a nurse as Richard Smith |
| 1709 | Samuel Johnson born in Lichfield, Staffordshire |
| 1712 | Death of the 4th Earl Rivers |
| 1715 | Richard Smith discovers ‘convincing Original Letters’ apparently proving his true birthright as Richard Savage |
| 1716 | Savage begins to haunt the street outside Lady Macclesfield’s house |
| 1718 | Savage is befriended by Sir Richard Steele, and the Drury Lane actors Robert Wilks and Anne Oldfield. |
| 1720 | Savage receives a £50 pension from Ann Oldfield until her death |
| 1723 | Savage’s play Sir Thomas Overbury fails at Drury Lane |
| 1724 | Aaron Hill begins campaign on behalf of Savage in the Plain Dealer, and publishes ‘Lament’ |
| 1726 | Savage publishes Miscellaneous Poems, with Preface violently attacking Lady Macclesfield |
| 1727 | (December) Trial of Savage, and conviction for murder Publication of the anonymous pamphlet The Life of Mr Richard Savage, Who was Convicted of Murder at the Old Bailey |
| 1728 | Savage receives Royal PardonSavage publishes The Bastard’ against LadyMacclesfield, which runs to five editionsSavage receives £200 pension from her nephew, Lord TyrconnelSavage’s ‘Golden period beginsJohnson goes to Oxford University |
| 1729 | Savage publishes The Wanderer, dedicated to Lord Tyrconnel |
| 1732 | Savage appoints himself Volunteer Laureate to Queen Caroline, and receives £50 pension |
| 1733 | Savage begins publishing poetry in the Gentleman’s Magazine |
| 1735 | Savage quarrels with Lord Tyrconnel, ‘Right Honourable Brute and Booby’ (Savage), and loses £200 pension |
| 1736 | Savage publishes Of Public Spirit in Regard to Public Works, dedicated to Frederick, Prince of Wales. |
| 1737 | (March) Johnson comes to LondonSavage reprints The Bastard’ in the Gentleman’s Magazine Savage meets Johnson at offices of The Gentleman’s Magazine (November) Death of Queen Caroline and loss of Savage’s £50 pension Savage reduced to penury |
| 1738 | Savage and Johnson begin to share night walks round London(April) Johnson publishes Latin epigram in praise of Savage(May) Johnson publishes poem London, partly based on Savage’s experiences as ‘Thales’ |
| 1739 | Pope launches subscription scheme to support Savage in Wales with £50 pension(July) Savage leaves for Bristol, parting from Johnson ‘with Tears in his Eyes’. |
| 1740 | Savage in Wales |
| 1743 | (January) Savage arrested for debt in Bristol(1 August) Death of Richard Savage in Newgate Gaol, Bristol |
| 1744 | (February) Johnson publishes An Account of the Life of Mr Richard Savage, Son of the Earl Rivers |
| 1748 | Johnson publishes a second, corrected edition of the Life |
| 1750 | Johnson publishes ‘On Biography’ (Rambler No. 60) |
| 1753 | Death of Lady Macclesfield (Mrs Ann Brett) |
| 1759 | Johnson publishes ‘On Autobiography’ (Idler No. 84) |
| 1760 | Johnson publishes ‘On Literary Biography’ (Idler No. 102) |
| 1763 | (May) Johnson meets James Boswell |
| 1775 | Publication of The Works of Richard Savage Esq., with A Life by Samuel Johnson, 2 vols. |
| 1781 | Life of Mr Richard Savage incorporated into The Lives |
| 1784 | Death of Samuel Johnson |
| 1791 | Boswell publishes The Life of Samuel Johnson LL.D. |
