THE PLAN OF AN ENGLISH DICTIONARY. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PHILIP DORMER, EARL OF CHESTERFIELD, One of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State. MY LORD, WHEN first I undertook to write an English Dictionary, I had no expectation of any higher patronage than that of the proprietors of the copy, nor prospect of any other advantage than the price of my labour. I knew that the work in which I engaged is generally considered as drudgery for the blind, as the proper toil of artless industry; a task that requires neither the light of learning, nor the activity of genius, but may be successfully performed without any higher quality than that of bearing burdens with dull patience, and beating the track of the alphabet with sluggish resolution. Whether this opinion, so long transmitted, and so widely propagated, had its beginning from truth and nature, or from accident and prejudice; whether it be decreed by the authority of reason or the tyranny of ignorance, that, of all the candidates for literary praise, the unhappy lexicographer holds the lowest place, neither vanity nor interest incited me to inquire. It appeared that the province allotted me was, of all the regions of learning, generally confessed to be the least delightful, that it was believed to produce neither fruits nor flowers; and that, after a VOL. V. B CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH VOLUME. MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. PAGE THE plan of an English dictionary 1 Preface to the English dictionary Advertisement to the fourth edition of the English dictionary Observations on the tragedy of Macbeth 23 52 53 55 ..... Proposals for printing the works of Shakespeare 95 Preface to Shakespeare... 103 General observations on the plays of Shakespeare 155 Account of the Harleian library 180 Essay on the importance of small tracts 190 Preface to the catalogue of the Harleian library, vol. iii. 198 Controversy between Crousaz and Warburton 202 Preliminary discourse to the London Chronicle 206 Introduction to the World Displayed Preface to the Preceptor, containing a general plan of education.......... to Rolt's dictionary..... 210 .... 231 247 to the translation of father Lobo's voyage to Abyssinia. 255 An essay on epitaphs 259 Preface to an Essay on Milton's Use and Imitation of the Moderns in his Paradise Lost 267 .... Letter to the Rev. Mr. Douglas, occasioned by his vindication of Milton, &c. By William Lauder, A. M........... Considerations on the plans offered for the construction of Blackfriars bridge 303 Some thoughts on agriculture, both ancient and modern; with an account A complete vindication of the licensers of the stage from the malicious and scandalous aspersions of Mr. Brooke 329 PAGE Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine, 1738 .... 345 An appeal to the publick. From the Gentleman's Magazine, March, 1739 348 352 Proposals for printing, by subscription, Essays in Verse and Prose, by Anna 354 A project for the employment of authors.. 355 DEDICATIONS Preface to the Literary Magazine, 1756.... General conclusion to Brumoy's Greck theatre Preface to Payne's New Tables of Interest. Thoughts on the coronation of his majesty king George the third 363 A dissertation upon the Greek comedy, translated from Brumoy 366 . 414 . 430 . 448 .... 451 Preface to the Artists' Catalogue for 1762 .... . 459 OPINIONS ON QUESTIONS OF Law.. Considerations on the case of Dr. T[rapp]'s sermons. |
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