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1、SamuelJohnsonandhisfamousletterThedayJunethe18thof1746isamilestoneinthehistoryofEnglishdictionary.Onthisday,apoverty-strickenscholarsignedanimpressivecontractwithapublisherinLondon.HedecidedtocompilethefirstEnglishdictionaryonhisown.ThisextraordinaryintellectualisSamuelJohnson,agreatBritis
2、hpoet,essayist,literarycritic,biographerandlexicographer.WhydoIcallthecontractimpressive?Forthecompilingjobistootryingandarduoustobeimagined.Ittook40yearsand40scholarstofinishtheFrenchDictionaryin1694.However,Dr.Johnson,afrailman,accomplishedthisunmatchabledictionaryinaveryshortperiodtimeo
3、fsevenyears!Gatheringmaterial,confirmingtheglossary,explainingoriginsanddefinitionsofwords,hefinishedtheseworkallbyhimself.ItisthisdictionarythatbroughtJohnsontodistinction.Itestablishedhisstatusandanannualpensionof300poundsweregrantedtohimbythecrown,whichenabledhimtolivewithoutanymorefina
4、ncialcare.AndhewasawardedadoctoraldegreebytheUniversityofBerlinandOxford.Yousee,thisdictionaryisamagnetforfame.Thus,LordChesterfield,arichanddistinguishedpoliticianandawell-knownwriterhimself,recognizeditsworthandpublishedtwoarticlestowarmlypraiseitandregardeditscompilertheauthorityoflangu
5、ageandlexicography.However,inhislettertoLordChesterfield,Johnsondeclaredthat“tobesodistinguished,isanhonor,which,beingverylittleaccustomedtofavorsfromthegreat,Iknownotwellhowtoreceive,orinwhattermstoacknowledge.”WhydidherefuseLordChesterfield’spraise?Itwentlikethis:Atthetime,LordChesterfie
6、ld,arichanddistinguishedpoliticianandawell-knownwrierhimself,wasfamedforhiskindnesstowardstartersinliterature.In1747,JohnsonproposedaplananddedicationtoChesterfield,requestingthelatter’spatronageandsupport.However,whenJohnsonwenttovisitChesterfield,hewaskeptwaitingforalongtimeandwastreated
7、dismissivelybyChesterfield.Johnsonhadsufferedthelong7yearsoflonelystruggleanddifficulties,now,howcouldhe,adignifiedanduncourtlyscholarreceivedthebelatedendorsement!Soinhisletter,hepouredoutallhisinjuredandpoignantfeelings,hegaveanaccountofwhathavehappenedwhenh
