Today in fiction
On April 15, 1994, Viola writes a letter to Lewis.
-- "A Day Late and a Dollar Short" (2001)
by Terry McMillan
From "The Book of Fictional Days"
Know when something that did not really happen
occurred? Send it to fictiondays@yahoo.com.
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Today in Literary History
On this day in 1755, Samuel Johnson's "Dictionary of the English Language" was published. Johnson's dictionary is considered the first significant work of its kind in English, most notable for the precision of its definitions and the inclusion of exemplary quotations, drawn from Johnson's favorite literary sources.
It took Johnson nine years to assemble his 40,000 words, along with their pronunciations, etymologies, definitions and illustrations. He had originally estimated three years, and when told that it took 40 members of the French Academy 40 years to complete a similar project, he replied with what has become classic Johnsonia: " ... let me see, forty times forty is sixteen hundred. As three is to sixteen hundred, so is the proportion of an Englishman to a Frenchman."
Johnson's definitions are sometimes quirky, if not inflammatory. He defined "oats" as "a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people"; being a Tory, he defined "Whig" as "the name of a faction"; having been snubbed in his effort to obtain financial backing for his Dictionary from Lord Chesterfield, he defined "patron" as "commonly a wretch who supports with insolence, and is paid with flattery." When close to completing his labors, Johnson did receive an offer of help from m'Lord, to whom he replied in a letter now offered as a definition of Johnsonian style:
" ... Seven years, My Lord, have now passed since I waited in your outward rooms or was repulsed from your door, during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it at last to the verge of publication without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before.
The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks. Is not a patron, My Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind but it has been delayed till I am indifferent and cannot enjoy it, till I am solitary and cannot impart it, till I am known and do not want it ...
Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less, for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, My Lord, Your Lordship's most humble, most obedient servant
Sam Johnson
-- Steve King
To find out more about "Today in Literary History," e-mail Steve King.
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