ve looked into my
Dictionary. If you find faults, I shall endeavour to mend them; if you
find none, I shall think you blinded by kind partiality: but to have
made you partial in his favour, will very much gratify the ambition of,
Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant,

'SAM. JOHNSON.'

'Gough-square, Fleet-street, April 8,1755.'

The Dictionary, with a Grammar and History of the English Language,
being now at length published, in two volumes folio, the world
contemplated with wonder so stupendous a work achieved by one man,
while other countries had thought such undertakings fit only for
whole academies. Vast as his powers were, I cannot but think that his
imagination deceived him, when he supposed that by constant application
he might have performed the task in three years.

The extensive reading which was absolutely necessary for the
accumulation of authorities, and which alone may account for Johnson's
retentive mind being enriched with a very large and various store of
knowledge and imagery, must have occupied several years. The Preface
furnishes an eminent instance of a double talent, of which Johnson
was fully conscious. Sir Joshua Reynolds heard him say, 'There are two
things which I am confident I can do very well: one is an introduction
to any literary work, stating what it is to contain, and how it should
be executed in the most perfect manner; the other is a conclusion,
shewing from various causes why the execution has not been equal to what
the authour promised to himself and to the publick.'

A few of his definitions must be admitted to be erroneous. Thus,
Windward and Leeward, though directly of opposite meaning, are defined
identically the same way; as to which inconsiderable specks it is enough
to observe, that his Preface announces that he was aware there might be
many such in so immense a work; nor was he at all disconcerted when an
instance was pointed out to him. A lady once asked him how he came
to define Pastern the KNEE of a horse: instead of making an elaborate
defence, as she expected, he at once answered, 'Ignorance, madam,
pure ignorance.' His definition of Network* has been often quoted with
sportive malignity, as obscuring a thing in itself very plain. But to
these frivolous censures no other answer is necessary than that with
which we are furnished by his own Preface.

* Any thing reticulated or decussated, at equal distances,
with interstices between the interse