It would be generally agreed that the greatest literary figure of the 18th Century was Dr Samuel Johnson.
In terms of enduring influence, this assessment is probably correct. He place the foundations of the voguish English that we asseverate today, with his Vocabulary of 1755; and had the sageness and humility to recognise that he was performing an detail of description, rather than prescription, thus leaving the talking at liberty to establish in agreement with changing times, deriving its coercion and compel from the collective creativity of the utterance population, rather than from a governmental Academy, on the French example or as advocated by Dean Swift some decades earlier. Johnson stated, correctly, that this would be opposite to English notions of freedom (in the introduction to his Dictionary).

He was as well decision-making for elevating Shakespeare from his status as a admirable playwright to his now position of international pre-eminence, by pointing away overlooked subtleties of the Bard's writing in his
Edition of Shakespeare, published 1765, and came to be regarded as an state on literature in a measure attained by no other critic before or since.

He is probably bad admitted to the public general for the digit of quotes attributable to him; so alive with that an case would be pointless, and a unabridged record overwhelming. He is the third most prolific source of quotes in English after the Bible and Shakespeare.

Whether asked for a folder of rivals to Johnson as the greatest literary figure of the 18th Century, we would probably hear the names of Jonathan Swift, Henry Fielding, Samuel Richardson, Oliver Goldsmith, and maybe others. Most lists would except the handle of James Boswell. Even James Boswell produced the greatest literary exertion of that century with his 'Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D'.

In writing it he succeeded in establishing himself as a minimal observing and video presence, allowing the highlight to stay firmly aimed on the central figure, the Bull Cham himself. This operate of self-minimalisation as a literary device, and the naked truth that he onliest produced one better work, has advance him to be remembered as an embellishment to Johnson. All the more Johnson's most famous works were of lexicography and criticism; his artistic creativity was community and laboured. He was indubitable great, and being of his potency felt to this day, probably was the greatest figure.
Without Boswell, we would yet revere Shakespeare and English would even be fit for aim above all other languages; the quotes would be away or less used.

Seeing of one decided work, Johnson, has nevertheless one funereal competitor for the greatest literary figure of the 18th century, the alcoholic, fornicating, possibly sycophantic James Boswell, without whom Johnson would all the more be an influence, on the contrary one generally unseen, and confessed one shot as a footnote to academics. Stand a glass to the fat James Boswell.