תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

be folicitous what is thought of my work by fuch as know not the difficulty or importance of philological ftudies; 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 terreftrial greatnefs is more than an aggregatė 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 distribution 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 fciences, admits of many diftinctions and fubdivifions; as, into words of general ufe, words employed chiefly in poetry, words obfolete, words which are admitted only by particular writers, yet not in themfelves improper; words ufed only in burlefque writing; and words impure and barbarous.

Words of general ufe will be known by having no fign of particularity, and their various fenfes will be fupported by authorities of all ages.

The words appropriated to poetry will be diftinguifhed 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 reafon, that no difficulty fhould be left unrefolved in books which

he

he finds himself invited to read, as confeffed and eftablished models of ftile. 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 used them; but fuch will be omitted, unless either their propriety, elegance, or force, or the reputation of their authors, affords fome extraordinary reafon for their reception.

Words ufed in burlefque and familiar compofitions, will be likewife mentioned with their proper authorities; fuch as dudgeon, from Butler, and leafing, from Prior; and will be diligently characterifed 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 early taint the female foul,

In Addifon:

Attend to what a leffer mufe indites.

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 diftant time, to the depravation of the language.

With regard to questions of purity or propriety, I was once in doubt whether I fhould not attribute too much to myfelf, in attempting to decide them, and whether my province was to extend beyond the propofition of the queftion, and the difplay of the fuffrages on each fide; 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 moft confonant to grammar and reafon. Aufonius thought that modefty forbad him to plead inability for a task to which Cafar 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 jurifdiction, and that the power which might have been denied to my own claim, will be readily allowed me as the delegáte 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 those of an inferior rank; of noting the quotations with accuracy; and of felecting, when it can be conveniently done, fuch fentences, as, befides their immediate ufe, may give pleafure or inftruction, by conveying fome elegance of language, or fome precept of prudence, or piety.

It has been afked, on fome occafions, who shall judge the judges? And fince, with regard to this defign, a queftion may arife by what authority the authorities

authorities are felected, it is neceffary to obviate it, by declaring that many of the writers whofe teftimonies will be alledged, were felected by Mr. Pope; of whom I may be juftified in affirming, that were he ftill alive, folicitous as he was for the fuccefs 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 authors; 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 firft 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,

-The mountain oak

Stands feath'd to heaven

He with broad fails

Winnow'd the buxom air

By this method every word will have its hiftory, and the reader will be informed of the gradual changes of the language, and have before his eyes the rife of fome words, and the fall of others. But obfervations fo minute and accurate are to be defired, rather than expected; and if ufe be carefully fupplied, curiofity muft fometimes bear its difappointments.

This, my Lord, is my idea of an English Dictionary; a dictionary by which the pronunciation of our language may be fixed, and its attainment facilitated; by which its purity may be preferved, its ufe afcertained, and its duration lengthened. And though, perhaps, to correct the language of nations

by

by books of grammar, and amend their manners by difcourfes of morality, may be tafks equally difficult; yet, as it is unavoidable to wifh, it is natural likewife to hope, that your Lordship's patronage may not be wholly loft; that it may contribute to the preservation 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 whose rapid imagination, like the Peruvian torrents, when it brings down gold, mingles it with fand.

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 foldiers of Cefar, look on Britain as a new world, which it is almost madness to invade. But I hope, that though I fhould not complete the conqueft, I fhall at leaft difcover the coaft, civilize part of the inhabitants, and make it easy for fome other adventurer to proceed farther, to reduce them wholly to fubjection, and fettle them

under laws.

We are taught by the great Roman orator, that every man should propofe to himself the highest degree of excellence, but that he may ftop with honour at the fecond or third: though therefore my performance fhould fall below the excellence of other dictionaries, I may obtain, at leaft, the praife of having endeavoured well; nor fhall I think it any reproach to my diligence, that I have retired without a triumph,

« הקודםהמשך »