because the Word eke was the ufual Refuge of our old Writers, when they wanted a Syllable. And buxom, which means only obedient, is now made, in familiar Phrases, to ftand for wanton; because in an ancient Form of Marriage, before the Reformation, the Bride promifed Complaifance and Obedience, in thefe Terms: I will be bonair and buxom, in bed and at board.'

I know well, my Lord, how trifling many of these Remarks will appear, feparately confidered, and how eafily they may give Occafion to the contemptuous Merriment of sportive Idlenefs, and the gloomy Cenfures of arrogant Stupidity; but Dulness it is eafy to defpife, and Laughter it is eafy to repay. I fhall not be follicitous what is thought of my Work by fuch as know not the Difficulty or Importance of philological Studies; nor fhall think thofe that have done nothing, qualified to condemn me for doing little. It may not, however, be improper to remind them, that no terrestrial Greatness is more than an Aggregate of little Things; and to inculcate, after the Arabian Proverb, that Drops, added to Drops, conftitute the Ocean.

There remains yet to be confidered the Diftribution of Words into their proper Claffes, or that Part of Lexicography which is ftrictly critical.

The popular Part of the Language, which includes all Words not appropriated to particular Sciences, admits of many Diftinctions and Subdivifions; as, into Words of general Ufe, Words employed chiefly in Poetry, Words obfolete, Words which are admitted only by particular Writers, yet not in themselves improper; Words used only in burlefque Writing, and Words impure and bar

barous.

Words of general Use will be known by having no Sign of Particularity, and their various Senfes will be fupported by Authorities of all Ages.

VOL. II.

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The

The Words appropriated to Poetry will be diffin guifhed by fome Mark prefixed, or will be known by having no Authorities but thofe of Poets.

Of antiquated, or obfolete Words, none will be inferted but fuch as are to be found in Authors who wrote fince the Acceffion of Elizabeth, from which we date the golden Age of our Language; and of thefe many might be omitted, but that the Reader may require, with an Appearance of Reason, that no Difficulty fhould be left unrefolved in Books which he finds himself invited to read, as confessed and eftablished Models of Stile. Thefe will be likewife pointed out by fome Note of Exclufion, but not of Difgrace.

The Words which are found only in particular Books, will be known by the fingle Name of him that has ufed them; but fuch will be omitted, unless either their Propriety, Elegance, or Force, or the Reputation of their Authours affords fome extraordinary Reafon for their Reception.

Words ufed in burlesque and familiar Compofitions, will be likewife mentioned with their proper Authorities; fuch as dudgeon, from Butler, and lea fing, from Prior; and will be diligently characterised by Marks of Diftinction.

Barbarous, or impure Words and Expreffions, may be branded with fome Note of Infamy, as they are carefully to be eradicated wherever they are found; and they occur too frequently even in the best Writers As in Pope:

-in endless Error hurl'd,
'Tis thefe that carly taint the female Soul..

In Addifon :

Attend to what a leffer Mufe indites.

And

And in Dryden.

A dreadful Quiet felt, and worfer far

Than Arms-

If this Part of the Work can be well performed it will be equivalent to the Propofal made by Boileau to the Academicians, that they fhould review all their polite Writers, and correct fuch Impurities as might be found in them, that their Authority might not contribute, at any distant Time, to the Depravation of the Language.

With Regard to Queftions of Purity, or Propriety, I was once in doubt whether I should not attribute too much to myself, in attempting to decide them, and whether my Province was to extend beyond the Propofition of the Question, and the Difplay of the Suffrages on each Side; but I have been fince determined, by.your Lordship's Opinion, to interpofe my own Judgment, and fhall therefore endeavour to fupport what appears to me most confonant to Grammar and Reafon. Aufonius thought that Modesty forbad him to plead Inability for a Task to which Cæfar had judged him equal.

Cur me poffe negem poffe quod ille putat ?

And I may hope, my Lord, that fince you, whofe Authority in our Language is fo generally acknowledged, have commiffioned me to declare my own Opinion, I fhall be confidered as exercifing a Kind of vicarious Jurisdiction, and that the Power which might have been denied to my own Claim, will be readily allowed me as the Delegate of your Lordship.

In citing Authorities, on which the Credit of every Part of this Work muft depend, it will be proper to obferve fome obvious Rules; fuch as of preferring Writers of the first Reputation to thofe of an infetior Rank; of noting the Quotations with Accu

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racy;

racy; and of felecting, when it can be conveniently done, fuch Sentences, as, befides their immediate Use, may give Pleasure or Inftruction, by conveying fome Elegance of Language, or fome Precept of Prudence, or Piety.

It has been afked, on fome Occafions, who fhall judge the Judges? And fince, with regard to thisDefign, a Question may arife by what Authority the Authorities are selected, it is neceffary to obviate it, by declaring that many of the Writers whofe Teftimonies will be alledged, were selected by Mr. Pope; of whom, I may be justified in affirming, that were he ftill alive, follicitous as he was for the Success of this Work, he would not be difpleafed that I have undertaken it.

It will be proper that the Quotations be ranged according to the Ages of their Authours; and it will afford an agreeable Amusement, if, to the Words and Phrafes which are not of our own Growth, the Name of the Writer who first introduced them can be affixed; and if, to Words which are now antiquated, the Authority be fubjoined of him who laft admitted them. Thus, for feathe and buxom, now obfolete, Milton may be cited.

-Thee Mountain Oak.
Stands feath'd to Heaven--

He with broad Sails

Winnow'd the buxom Air

By this Method every Word will have its History, and the Reader will be informed of the gradual Changes of the Language, and have before his Eyesthe Rife of fome Words, and the Fall of others. But Obfervations so minute and accurate are to be defired rather than expected: And if Use be carefully fupplied, Curiofity muft fometimes bear its Difappointments.

This,

This, my Lord, is my Idea of an English Dietionary; a Dictionary by which the Pronunciation of our Language may be fixed, and its Attainment facilitated; by which its Purity may be preferved, its Use afcertained, and its Duration lengthened. And though, perhaps, to correct the Language of Nations by Books of Grammar, and amend their Manners by Difcourfes of Morality, may be Tafks equally difficult; yet, as it is unavoidable to wish, it is natural likewife to hope, that your Lordship's Patronage may not be wholly loft; that it may contribute to the Prefervation of ancient, and the Improvement of modern Writers; that it may promote the Reformation of those Tranflators, who, for Want of understanding the characteristical Difference of Tongues, have formed a chaotic Dialect of heterogeneous Phrafes; and awaken to the Care of purer Diction fome Men of Genius, whofe Attention to Argument makes them negligent of Stile, or whofe rapid Imagination, like the Peruvian Torrents, when it brings down Gold, mingles it with Sand.

When I furvey the Plan which I have laid before you, I cannot, my Lord, but confefs, that I am frighted at its Extent, and, like the Soldiers of Cafar, look on Britain as a new World, which it is almoft Madness to invade. But I hope, that though I should not complete the Conqueft, I fhall at least difcover the Coaft, civilize Part of the Inhabitants, and make it easy for fome other Adventurer to pro-ceed farther, to reduce them wholly to Subjection, and fettle them under Laws.

We are taught by the great Roman orator, that every Man fhould propofe to himself the higheft Degree of Excellence, but that he may ftop with Honour at the Second or the Third: Though therefore my Performance fhould fall below the Excellence of other ∙Dictionaries, I may obtain, at least, the Praise of having endeavoured well; nor fhall I think it any Reproach

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