Books

1799 Samuel Johnson FAMOUS Dictionary of English Language Americana Lexicon 2v "I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am." ― Samuel Johnson A fine 18th-century printing of Samuel Johnson's famous English Dictionary. This eighth edition is unpaginated and well-preserved, and features a section on grammar unique to the English language. This edition is also considered a highly collectable edition. It includes over 4,000 entries on various subjects such as fashion, food, science, and even sex! Specific spelling examples from Shakespeare are also included in addition to the original and accepted spellings. According to the DNB, "For the most part the Dictionary was able to demonstrate the fecundity of the language more comprehensively than any of its predecessors. Conscious that his primary role was to record the state of English vocabulary, rather than to legislate for its usage, Johnson registered the entire sweep of words from the crude…

Samuel Johnson's 'A Dictionary of the English Language' is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language. First published on 15 April 1755, the dictionary offered comprehensive definitions and illustrative examples of usage.