page_title: Esther Johnson
section_title: Last years and death
hierarchical_section_title: Esther Johnson / Last years and death
caption_attribution_description: St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland English: Plaque dedicated to Hester Johnson. The inscription reads: Underneath lie interred the mortal Remains of Mrs HESTER JOHNSON better known to the World by the Name of STELLA, under which she is celebrated in the Writings of Dr JONATHAN SWIFT Dean of this Cathedral. She was a Person of Extraordinary Endowments and Accomplisments in Body, Mind and Behaviour; justly admired and respected, by all who knew her, on account of her many eminent virtues, as well as for her great natural and acquired Perfections. She dyed January the 27th 1727–8 in the 46th year of her Age and by her Will bequeathed one thousand Pounds towards the Support of a Chaplain to the Hospital founded in this City by Doctor Steevens.
context_page_description: Esther Johnson was the English friend of Jonathan Swift, known as "Stella". Whether or not she and Swift were secretly married, and if so why the marriage was never made public, remains a subject of intense debate.
context_section_description: Her health began to fail in her mid-forties. In 1726 she was thought to be dying; Swift rushed back from London to be with her but found her better. The following year it became clear that she was gravely ill. After sinking slowly for months she died on 28 January 1728, and was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Swift was inconsolable at Esther's death and wrote The Death of Mrs. Johnson in tribute to her; when he died he was buried beside her at his own request. A ward in St Patrick's University Hospital is named "Stella" in her memory.
caption: Rococo cartouche dedicated to her in the south aisle of St. Patrick's Cathedral[8]
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