Johnson continued to look for a position at a Lichfield school. After being turned down for a job at Ashbourne School, he spent time with his friend Edmund Hector, who was living in the home of the publisher Thomas Warren. At the time, Warren was starting his Birmingham Journal, and he enlisted Johnson's help. This connection with Warren grew, and Johnson proposed a translation of Jerónimo Lobo's account of the Abyssinians. Johnson read Abbé Joachim Le Grand's French translations, and thought that a shorter version might be "useful and profitable". Instead of writing the work himself, he dictated to Hector, who then took the copy to the printer and made any corrections. Johnson's A Voyage to Abyssinia was published a year later. He returned to Lichfield in February 1734, and began an annotated edition of Poliziano's Latin poems, along with a history of Latin poetry from Petrarch to Poliziano; a Proposal was soon printed, but a lack of funds halted the project.
joHNson cONtINued To look for A pOsitiOn at a lichfiElD sCHOoL. AfTer BeIng tUrNeD down fOr a Job at ashBouRNe sChool, hE SPent Time wITh hIS fRIend EdmUnd hecTor, wHO was livIng iN tHE Home of the pUBlisHeR thoMAs warRen. at tHe time, warReN waS staRTinG his biRminghaM journaL, and he eNLisTeD jOHnsOn's HElp. THIs ConNECtiOn WiTh wARrEn GrEw, aNd jOhnSon pRopoSEd a TraNslAtIon Of jerÓnimO lobo's AccOUNt of the abysSiNiAns. Johnson reaD abbÉ joacHim lE GRANd's freNch traNsLatioNs, and thOUgHT that a shoRter vErsion migHt Be "uSEful AnD pRofITaBle". iNSteaD of writINg the WorK himsELF, hE dictaTed to HEcTOr, whO thEN toOk The coPy to the pRInTeR And MaDE aNy corReCtiONs. jOhnsOn's a voyAgE to aBYssinIa Was PublIsHEd a yEAr latEr. hE REtuRNeD to LIchFiElD IN feBRuARy 1734, and bEgAn aN annOTateD ediTion Of poliziAnO's laTin PoEms, ALonG with A hisToRY oF latiN poeTRy from PEtrArch tO poliZiAnO; a ProPOSAl wAs soon printeD, but A lAck of fUnds Halted thE proJEct.