SAVE A BOOK IV:
A Dictionary of the English Language
by Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson's famous dictionary was published in two volumes in April 1755. Many years before the publication of Johnson's dictionary, English writers had called for the compilation of a more comprehensive and authoritative English language dictionary. Johnson himself compared his work with the Italian and French dictionaries, such as those published by the Accademia della Crusca and Academie Francaise. In 1746, Johnson and several booksellers signed a contract for the dictionary. In August 1747, he published his plan for the dictionary and, hoping to obtain Lord Chesterfield as a patron, addressed the plan to Chesterfield. Johnson intended to complete the work in three years, but the final printing was not completed until April 1755.
Johnson wrote all the definitions for the dictionary. It was the first dictionary in English to incorporate illustrative quotations from English writers in the definitions. He also attempted to provide comprehensive definitions for words with different meanings. Although his work was criticized for its etymological shortcomings, it soon became the standard English language dictionary. Since the dictionary was expensive (4 pounds 10 shillings), work began on 14 June 1755 on a second edition, issued in weekly installments which were sold for 6d each for two years. To supply another market, an abridged edition of 5,000 copies was published in December 1755 and sold for 10 shillings. A third edition was published in 1765 and a thoroughly revised fourth edition in 1773. In addition to the first edition, Special Collections has the seventh edition of the dictionary, published in 1785.
"When we compare this book with other dictionaries, the merit of its author appears very extraordinary. Those which in modern languages have gained the most esteem, are that of the French Academy, and that of the academy Della Crusca. Both these were composed by a numerous society of learned men, and took up a longer time in the composition, than the life of a single person could well have afforded. The Dictionary of the English Language is the work of a single person, and composed in a period of time very inconsiderable, when compared with the extent of the work."
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-Adam Smith, Edinburgh Review, 1755
Johnson defines "to save" as "To preserve from damage or destruction." Save A Book funds were used to save the Libraries copy of this landmark work and make it again available for scholarly research. The volumes were resewn and conservation bindings created by Donald Etherington, Summersfield, North Carolina, in February 1999.
Images of the dictionary prior to conservation.
Definitions from the
dictionary of the words, "Save," "Preserve," and "Oats."