A dictionary of the English language: in which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers : to which are prefixed a history of the language, and an English grammar (Volume 1).

  • Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dictionary of the English language: in which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers : to which are prefixed a history of the language, and an English grammar (Volume 1). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    cause is this, that sothely me semeth better to writer) unto a childe twise a gode sentence, that he foriete it ones. And, Lowis, if it be so that I shewe the in my lith Englishe, as trew conclusions touching this matter, and not only as trewe but as many and subtil conclusions as ben y she we'd in Latin, in any comon tretise of the astrolabye; conne me the more thanke, and praye God save the kinge, that is lorde of this langage, and all that him faith bereth, and obeieth everiche in his degree, the more and the lasse. But consydreth well, that I ne usurpe not to have founden this werke of my labour or of myne engin. I n'ame but a leude compilatour of the laboure of olde astrologiens, and have it translated in myn Englishe oncly for thy doctrine: and with this swerde shal I slene envy. The first party. The first partye of this tretise shall reherce the figures, and the membres of thyne astrolaby,bycause that thou shake have the greter knowinge of thine owne instrument. The seconde party. The seeonde partye shal teche the to werken the very practike of the foresaid conclusions, as ferforthe and also narowe as may be shewed in so smale an instrument porta- tifc aboute. For wel wote every astrologien, that smallest fractions ne wol not be shewed in so smal an instrument, as in subtil tables calculed for a cause. The Prologue of the Testament of LOVE. ■VTAN Y. men ther ben, that with eres openly sprad so moche swalowen the deliciousnesse of jestes and of ryme, by queint knittinge coloures, that of the godenesse or of the badnesse of the sentence take they litel hede or els none. Sothelye dulle witte and a thoughtfulle soule so sore have mined and graffed in my spirites, that soche craft of endit- inge woll nat ben of mine acquaintaunce. And for rude wordes and boistous percen the herte of the herer to the in- rest point, and planten there the sentence of thinges, so that with litel helpe it is able to spring, this boke, that nothynge hath of the grete flode of wytte, ne of semeiyche colours, is dolven with rude wordes and boistous, and so drawe togi&er to maken the catchers therof ben the more redy to hent sen- tence. Some men there ben, that painten with colours riche and some with wers, as with red inke, and some with coles and chaike: and yet is there gode matter to the leude peple of thylke chalkye purtreyture, as 'hem thinketh for the time, and afterward the syght of the better colours yeven to 'hem more joye for the first leudenesse. So sothly this leude clowdy occupacyon is not to prayse, but by the leude, for co- menly leude leudenesse commendeth. Eke it shal yeve sight that other precyous thynges shall be the more in reve- rence. In Latin and French hath many soveraine wittes had grete delyte to endite, and have many noble thinges fulfilde, but certes there ben some that speken ther poise mater in Frenche, of whiche speche the t renche men have as gode a fantasye as we have in heryng of Frenche mens Englishe. And many termes ther ben in Englishe, whiche unneth we Englishe men connen declare the knowleginge: howe should than a Frenche man borne soche terms connejumpere in his matter, but as the jay chattereth Englishe? Right so truely the understandyn of Englishmen woll not stretche to the prine termes in Frenche, what so ever we bosten of straunge langage. Let than clerkes enditen in Latin, for they have the propertie of science, and the knowinge in that facultie: and lette Frenche men in ther Frenche also enditen ther queint termes, for it is kyndely to ther mouthes: and let tis shewe our fantasies in such wordes as we ierneden of our dame's tonge. And although this boke be lytel thank wor- thy for the leudenesse in travail, yet such writing exitcn men to thilke thinges that ben necessarie: for every man therby may as by a perpetual myrrour sene the viceb or vertues of other; in whyche thynge lightly may be conceved to eschue perils, and necessaries to catch, after as aventures have fal- len to other peple or persons. Certes the soverainst thinge of desire and most creture re- sonable, have or els shuld have full appetite to ther per- seccyon: unresonable bestes mowen not, sithe reson hath in 'hem no workinge: than resonable that wol not, is compari- soned to unresonable, and made lyke 'hem. Forsothe the most soveraine and final perfeccion of man is in knowynge of a sothe, withouten any entent decevable, and in love of one very God, that is inchaungeable, that is to knowe, and love his creatour. Nowe principally the mene to brynge in knowleging and lovynge his creatour, is the consideracyon of thinges made by the creatour, wher through by thylke thinges that ben made, understandynge here to our wyttes, arne the unsene pryvities of God made to us syghtfull and knowynge, in our contemplacion and understondinge. These thinges than for- sothe moche bringen as to the ful knowleginge sothe, and to the parfyte love of the maker of heavenly thynges. Lo! David saith: thou haste delighted me in makinge, as who saith, to have delite in the tune how God hat lent me in con- sideracion of thy makinge. Whereof Aristotle in the boke de Animalibus, saith to naturell philosophers: it is a grete likynge in love of knowinge ther cretoure: and also in know- inge of causes in kindelye thynges, considrid forsothe the formes of kindelye thynges and the shap, a gret kindelye love we shulde have to the werkman that 'hem made. The craft of a werkman is shewed in the werk. Herefore trulie the philosophers with a lyvely studie manie noble thinges, righte pre'eious, and worthy to memorye, writen, and by a gret swet and travaile to us leften of causes the properties in natures of thinges, to whiche therefore philosophers it was more joy, more lykinge, more herty lust in kindely vertues and matters of reson the perfeccion by busy study to knowe than to have had all the tresour, al the richesse, all the vaine glory, that the passed emperours princes, or kinges hadden. Therefore the names of 'hem in the boke of perpetuall me- morie in vertue and pece arne writen; and in the contrarie, that is to saine, in Styxe the foule pitte of helle arne thilke pressed that soch godeness hated. And bicause this boke shall be of love and the prime causes of stering in that do- inge with passions and diseses for wantinge of desire, I wil that this boke be cleped the testament of love. But nowe thou reder, who is thilke that will not in scorne laughe to here a dwarfe or els halfe a man, say he will rende out the swerde of Hercules handes, and also he shulde set Hercules Gades a mile yet ferther,and over that he had pow- er of strength to pull up the spere, that Alisander the noble myght never wagge, and that passinge al thinge to ben mays- ter of Fraunce by might, there as the noble gracious Ed- warcle the thirde for al his grete prowesse in victories ne might al yet conquere? Certes 1 wote well, ther shall be made more scorne and jape of me, that I so unworthely clothed altogither in the cloudie cloude of unconning, wil putten me in prees to speke ot love, or els of the causes in that matter, sithen al the eret- test clerkes han had ynough to don, and as who saith gather- ed up clene toforne 'hem, and with their sharp sithes of con- ning al mowen and made therof grete rekes and noble, ful of al plenties to fede me and many an other. Envye forsothe com- mendeth noughte his reson, that he hath in hain, be it never so trusty. And although these noble repers, as gode work-