Essential writings on the English language—its history, structure, and cultural importance—by one of its most adroit practitioners   This volume of the Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson collects the writer’s most important statements on the English language. It includes fully annotated editions of Johnson’s main writings on the history, structure, and cultural importance of English, as well as his reflections on lexicography. These texts represent Johnson’s thinking as he undertook and completed the major work of his life, the colossal Dictionary of the English Language.   By setting Johnson’s writings on the English language in historical context, the editors provide the fullest possible account of their composition. Among the works presented in the volume are Johnson’s Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language and the Preface to the Dictionary , both of which are counted among his finest works of prose. “Thanks . . . to the consummate and consummating editors of Johnson on the English Language : Gwin J. Kolb and Robert DeMaria, Jr. Their cooperation—with one another and with Johnson—is magnificent. Their erudition is immense and yet measured, deep and yet crystalline.”—Christopher Ricks, New Criterion “The latest superb volume of the Yale edition of [Johnson’s] works.”—Eric Ormsby, New York Sun “Since these writings are never again likely to be critically edited, it is fortunate they fell in to such capable hands; two editors who, in an imperfect world, have reached a high level of perfection, and prepared a model edition likely to stand the test of time.”—O. M. Brack, Jr., Eighteenth-Century Intelligencer Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) was a poet, essayist, biographer, and editor. Gwin J. Kolb is Chester D. Tripp Professor Emeritus in Humanities, University of Chicago. Robert DeMaria, Jr. , is Henry Noble MacCracken Professor of English at Vassar College. THE WORKS OF SAMUEL JOHNSON VOL XVIII Johnson on the English Language By SAMUEL JOHNSON YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS Copyright © 2005 Yale University All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-300-10672-5 Contents Preface....................................................................................................................ixContents...................................................................................................................xvIntroduction...............................................................................................................xviiShort Titles and Abbreviations.............................................................................................xlvSigla Used in the Textual Notes............................................................................................xlviiThe Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language (1747) Editor's Introduction..............................................3The Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language (1747)....................................................................25From A Dictionary of the English Language (1755)Editor's Introduction to the Preface.......................................................................................63Preface....................................................................................................................73Editor's Introduction to "The History of the English Language".............................................................115"The History of the English Language"......................................................................................125Editor's Introduction to "A Grammar of the English Tongue".................................................................265"A Grammar of the English Tongue"..........................................................................................275From A Dictionary of the English Language, First Abridged Edition..........................................................(1756)Editor's Introduction......................................................................................................363The Preface................................................................................................................367From A Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Folio Edition (1773)Editor's Introduction......................................................................................................373"Advertisement to this Edition"............................................................................................375AppendicesFacsimile and Transcription of "A Short Scheme for compiling a new Dictionary of the English Language".....................379Facsimile of the Fair Copy of the Plan.....................................................................................428Index......................................................................................................................491 Chapter One THE PLAN OF A DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE (1747) EDI