PHER. His announcement of this important undertaking had taken place so early as 1747, in which year he printed his Prospectus, entituled, "The Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language, addressed to the Right Honourable Philip Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State." It is probable that he had, for some years previous to the date of this pamphlet, meditated on the utility, and mode of construction, of an English Dictionary, as he told Mr. Boswell that the idea "had grown up in his mind insensibly." As soon, however, as he proposed seriously engaging in the arduous task, he met with liberal patronage among the booksellers of the metropolis; seven of whom, namely, Mr. Robert Dodsley, Mr. Charles Hitch, Mr. Andrew Millar, the two Messieurs Longman, and the two Messieurs Knapton, agreed to remunerate him for his labours with the sum of fifteen hundred and seventy-five pounds, a reward which, though at that time justly considered ample and munificent, would now be deemed totally inadequate to the time and effort necessarily required for such a work.

By what means he was induced to address his "Plan" to Lord Chesterfield, he himself confidentially communicated to Mr. Boswell. " Sir," said he, "the way in which the Plan of my Dictionary came to be inscribed to Lord Chesterfield, was this: I had neglected to write it by the time appointed. Dodsley suggested a desire to have it addressed to Lord Chesterfield. I laid hold of this as a pretext for delay, that it might be better done, and let Dodsley have his de'sire. I said to my friend Dr. Bathurst, ' Now if 'any good comes of my addressing to Lord Chesterfield, it will be ascribed to deep policy, when, in fact, it was only a casual excuse for laziness."* -The manuscript was communicated to his Lordship through the hands of Mr. Whitehead, afterwards Poet Laureat.

The Plan thus addressed to the supposed Mæcenas of the age, is written with peculiar perspicuity both of style and method, and delivers a very distinct relation of what its author hoped to execute; " a dictionary by which the pronunciation of our language may be fixed, and its attainment facilitated; by which its purity may be preserved, its use ascertained, and its duration lengthened. And though, perhaps," he continues, " to correct the language of nations by books of grammar, and amend their manners by discourses of morality, may be tasks equally difficult; yet, as it is unavoidable to wish, it is natural likewise to hope, that your Lordship's patronage

may not be wholly lost; that it may contribute to the preservation of ancient, and the improvement of modern writers; that it may promote the reformation of those translators, who, for want of understanding the characteristical differ-. ence of tongues, have formed a chaotic dialect of heterogeneous phrases; and awaken to the care of purer diction some men of genius, whose attention to argument makes them negligent of style, or whose rapid imagination, like the Peruvian torrents, when it brings down gold, mingles it with sand." *

The patronage of Lord Chesterfield was soon discovered by Johnson to be nothing more than a mere name. No two characters, indeed, could be more opposed, and it was not probable, therefore, that they should assimilate either in matter or manner. Void of all exterior accomplishments, the rigid moralist, the retired and uncourtly scholar, was appealing to a man who placed little value upon any thing that was not subservient to elegance of address, to the blandishments of flattery, and the arts of consummate hypocrisy; who inculcated, in his system of education, as a duty, the vices most destructive of domestic peace and happiness, and who thought it unnecessary, in his plan, to advert either to the *Johnson's Works, Murphy's edition, vol. 2, p. 28, 29.

principles of religion or morality. From such a man, nearly as deficient in literature as he was in virtue, what could genius and learning, truth and piety expect? nothing but what they encountered in the person of Johnson, insincerity and neglect.

The interviews that were obtained shortly after the publication of the "Plan" were productive only of mutual disgust; and Johnson was speedily taught to deplore the mistake which he had made in the choice of a patron, to view his acquirements with contempt, and his principles with abhorrence. He ceased, therefore, to indulge any hopes of support from this quarter, and, gradually prosecuting his laborious task, looked forward solely to the approbation of the public as his best reward.

Seven years had now been consumed in the construction of this vast design; when, towards the close of the year 1754, Lord Chesterfield again made his appearance on the stage, and, with a meanness only equalled by his previous neglect, attempted to soothe the resentment of the Lexicographer, and obtain the honour of a dedication, by printing two essays in the periodical work entituled "The World," in recommendation of his Dictionary, which was, at this period, expected to appear in the course of a few months. These papers were dated November the 28th, and December the 5th, 1754, and, though written with studied elegance, and in a high strain of compliment, justly excited the indignation of our author, who exclaimed in anger to his friend Garrick, " I have sailed a long and painful voy age round the world of the English language; and does he now send out two cock-boats to tow me into harbour?" Determined that his Lordship should be apprised of what he felt upon this occasion, he addressed to him the following letter, dated February the 7th, 1755; a composition, which for the keenness of its sarcasm, the ele. gance of its language, and the lofty tone of reprehension which it displays, is, perhaps, unrivalled. "TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD.

"My Lord,

" I have been lately informed, by the proprietor of The World, that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the publick, were written by your Lordship. To be so distinguished, is an honour, which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknow ledge.

"When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your Lordship, I was overpowered,