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 United States, 9 vols.; Appleton's Cyclop. American Biog. vol. iii. under ‘Johnson, Sir William,’ see also under ‘Brandt’ and ‘De Lancy.’ Much of Johnson's correspondence will be found in the Brit. Mus. Addit. MSS.]  JOHNSON, WILLIAM (1784–1864), educationalist, was born in Cumberland in 1784. He entered at St. John's College, Cambridge, 30 April 1810, and became B.D. in 1827, as a ten-year man. In 1811 he was curate at Grasmere, teacher of the school there, and a friend of Wordsworth. In September 1811 Dr. Andrew Bell [q. v.], the inventor of the Madras or mutual system of education, came over from Keswick to see Wordsworth. He had an interview with Johnson, and was so impressed by the conduct of his school that in January 1812 he offered Johnson, through Wordsworth, an appointment at the new model school which the National Society was building in London; the salary was 100l. a year. Johnson accordingly removed to London, took charge of the temporary school in Holborn, and afterwards of the permanent establishment in Baldwin's Gardens. Johnson was an able teacher, and as Bell's system attracted much curiosity at the time, he was almost daily called on to explain its merits to visitors. To Johnson was largely due the success of both the Madras system and the National Society. For many years he was ‘trainer of masters, travelling organiser, and inspector of schools,’ and afterwards ‘cashier and comptroller of the accounts of the society.’ He was intimate with Southey, Wordsworth, and Lord Kenyon. On 19 Oct. 1820 he was appointed rector of St. Clement's, Eastcheap, with St. Martin Orgar. In 1840 he retired from his scholastic work. Johnson died at his rectory 20 Sept. 1864.

[Southey's Life of Andrew Bell, ii. 398, &c.; Guardian, 28 Sept. 1864; Gent. Mag. 1864, ii. 526, 661; information kindly supplied by R. F. Scott, esq.]  JOHNSTON. [See also and .]

JOHNSTON, ALEXANDER (1775–1849), reorganiser of the government of Ceylon, elder son of Samuel Johnston, brother to the Laird of Carnsalloch, by Hester, only daughter of Francis, fifth lord Napier, was born on 25 April 1775. His father obtained civil employment at Madras under Lord Macartney, and in 1781 settled at Madura. Alexander was partly trained by Swartz the missionary, and Thomas (afterwards Sir Thomas) Monro [q. v.] He learnt the Tamul, Telugu, and Hindustani languages, and imbibed a lifelong sympathy with the natives.

When only eleven years old he was offered a cornetcy of dragoons, but as the regiment was ordered on active service he resigned the commission, and in 1792 returned to Europe with his parents. By Lord Macartney's advice he was now trained for the law, and studied for a time at Göttingen. Thence he passed to Lincoln's Inn, where he was called to the bar, and went the home circuit till an accidental interview with Fox turned his thoughts again to India. He was in need of an increased income, having in 1799 married the only daughter of Captain Lord William Campbell, R.N., and now obtained the post of advocate-general of Ceylon. In 1805 he succeeded to the chief-justiceship, and in 1809 was summoned to England to give suggestions to the government, many of which were embodied in the renewed charter issued to the East India Company in 1813. Johnston was knighted by the prince regent, and returned to Ceylon in 1811 as president of the council. In 1817 he acted as admiralty judge, but declined to accept any salary.

Under his impulse Ceylon now led the vanguard of Indian reform. A system of universal popular education was set on foot, religious liberty was established, and the owners of slaves were led to agree to their complete emancipation; public employment was largely opened to the natives and half-castes, while Europeans were permitted to acquire land; trial by jury was established, and a considerable advance was made in the preparation of a code of law, in which provision was made for the due preservation of the views and usages of Hindus, Muhamadans, and Buddhists (for a letter upon the jury system in Ceylon see Works, ii. 182–8).

When Johnston returned to England in 1819, Lord Grey declared in the House of Lords that his ‘conduct in the island of Ceylon alone had immortalised his name.’

In England he was instrumental in the foundation in 1823 of the Royal Asiatic Society, of which he became vice-president. In 1832 he was made a privy councillor, and it was chiefly owing to his advice that the judicial committee of the privy council was established as a court of ultimate appeal in colonial litigation. Appointed a member of that court 4 Sept. 1833, he became distinguished as a supporter of the rights of the natives and an interpreter of their laws. His services were acknowledged in a petition to the House of Commons from the leaders of native society in the presidency of Bombay; Johnston declined to draw the salary attached to his office.

In 1832, when the East India Company's charter once more came up for renewal, 