Johnson on his Dictionary
Dr. Adams found him one day busy at his Dictionary, when the following dialogue ensued. "ADAMS. This is a great work, Sir. How are you to get all the etymologies? JOHNSON. Why Sir, here is a shelf with Junius, and Skinner, and others; and there is a Welch gentleman who has published a collection of Welch proverbs, who will help me with the Welch. ADAMS. But, Sir, how can you do this in three years? JOHNSON. Sir, I have no doubt that I can do it in three years. ADAMS. But the French Academy, which consists of forty members, took forty years to compile their Dictionary. JOHNSON. Sir, thus it is. This is the proportion. Let me see; forty times forty is sixteen hundred. As three to sixteen hundred, so is the proportion of an Englishman to a Frenchman."
-- James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson
-- James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson
3 Comments:
The French aren't going to like that.
By
Christopher, At
7:03 AM
Ha! You should hear some of the things he had to say about the likes of Rousseau and Voltaire. In his preface to Shakespeare, Johnson characterizes Voltaire's writings as "petty cavils of petty minds". For his part, Voltaire called Johnson a "superstitious dog".
See you Saturday?
By
johnk, At
7:49 AM
I may be there. Had my Greek final this week. It would be nice to come down and do some reading I'd enjoy, as opposed to flipping through flash cards and notes.
By
Christopher, At
6:20 PM
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