A Dictionary of the English Language
Johnson, Samuel
London. Printed by W. Strachan for J. & P. Knapton...... 1755
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The first edition of Samuel Johnson's magnum opus, his great dictionary of the English language.
The first proper dictionary of the English language and certainly the most important was published on June 14th 1755 in an edition of 2,000 copies. Unlike many other such lexicographical works, Johnson's was the fruit of his labours alone and stands as a testament to his learning, genius and indefatigability.
'Dr Johnson performed with his Dictionary the most amazing, enduring and endearing one-man feat in the field of lexicography ... it took Johnson less than ten years from writing his first prospectus to publication day, 14 June 1755, when the two folios went on sale at £4.10s. ... The preface ranks among Johnson's finest writings; the history and the grammar, which did not interest him in the least, are dull rehashes of older compilations. It is the dictionary itself which justifies Noah Webster's statement that 'Johnson's writings had, in philology, the effect which Newton's discoveries had in mathematics'. Johnson introduced into English lexicography principles which had already been accepted in Europe but were quite novel in mid-eighteenth-century England. He codified the spelling of English words; he gave full and lucid definitions of their meanings ... and he adduced extensive and apt illustrations from a wide range of authors.' (Printing and the Mind of Man).
'Perhaps the greatest innovation in Johnson's work was his consistent reliance not on earlier word-lists and dictionaries, not on his own intuition, but on English literature itself; ... This insistence on real examples from the real language has informed every serious dictionary ever since.' (The Garden Collection).
[PMM 201].
The first proper dictionary of the English language and certainly the most important was published on June 14th 1755 in an edition of 2,000 copies. Unlike many other such lexicographical works, Johnson's was the fruit of his labours alone and stands as a testament to his learning, genius and indefatigability.
'Dr Johnson performed with his Dictionary the most amazing, enduring and endearing one-man feat in the field of lexicography ... it took Johnson less than ten years from writing his first prospectus to publication day, 14 June 1755, when the two folios went on sale at £4.10s. ... The preface ranks among Johnson's finest writings; the history and the grammar, which did not interest him in the least, are dull rehashes of older compilations. It is the dictionary itself which justifies Noah Webster's statement that 'Johnson's writings had, in philology, the effect which Newton's discoveries had in mathematics'. Johnson introduced into English lexicography principles which had already been accepted in Europe but were quite novel in mid-eighteenth-century England. He codified the spelling of English words; he gave full and lucid definitions of their meanings ... and he adduced extensive and apt illustrations from a wide range of authors.' (Printing and the Mind of Man).
'Perhaps the greatest innovation in Johnson's work was his consistent reliance not on earlier word-lists and dictionaries, not on his own intuition, but on English literature itself; ... This insistence on real examples from the real language has informed every serious dictionary ever since.' (The Garden Collection).
[PMM 201].
2 vols. Folio. (410 x 260 mm). Printed titles in red and black to each vol., five leaves with Johnson's Preface, 14 leaves with 'The History of the English Language', 7 leaves with 'A Grammar of the English Language' and 'A General Dictionary of the English Language', letters A - K inclusive (vol. I) and L to Z inclusive (vol. II), five-line initial to begin each letter entry, woodcut tail-pieces throughout. (Sheet size: 398 x 250 mm). Full contemporary calf, boards ruled in black with additional blindstamp decoration, rebacked in later calf, banded spine with gilt rules and blindstamp decoration and red and green morocco title labels in six compartments, marbled endpapers, sprinkled edges.
#43663
