As the first edition of the Dictionary
was in folio a sheet consisted of four pages. Johnson writing on April
3, 1753 says, 'I began the second vol. of my Dictionary, room being left
in the first for Preface, Grammar, and History, none of them yet begun'
(_ante_, i. 255). As the book was published on April 15, 1755 (_ante_,
i. 290, n. 1), the printing must have gone on very rapidly, when a
start was once made. By _copy_ he means his _manuscript for printing_.
III, IV.
_Two undated letters about printing the Dictionary_.[In the possession
of Mr. John Waller, 2, Artesian Road, Westbourne Grove.]
'DEAR SIR,
'I must desire you to add to your other civilities this one, to go to
Mr. Millar and represent to him the manner of going on, and inform him
that I know not how to manage. I pay three and twenty shillings a week
to my assistants, in each instance having much assistance from them,
but they tell me they shall be able to pull better in method, as indeed
I intend they shall. The Point is to get two Guineas.
'Sir, Your humble Servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
(Address on back.) 'To Mr. Strahan.'
'SIR,
'I have often suspected that it is as you say, and have told Mr. Dodsley
of it. It proceeds from the haste of the amanuensis to get to the end
of his day's work. I have desired the passages to be clipped close, and
then perhaps for two or three leaves it is done. But since poor Stuart's
time I could never get that part of the work into regularity, and
perhaps never shall.
Pages:
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