Page:The plan of a dictionary of the English language - Samuel Johnson (1747).djvu/39

 of their authors affords some extraordinary reason for their reception.

used in burlesque and familiar compositions, will be likewise mentioned with their proper authorities, such as dudgeon from Butler, and leasing from Prior, and will be diligently characterised by marks of distinction.

or impure words and expressions, may be branded with some note of infamy, as they are carefully to be eradicated wherever they are found; and they occur too frequently even in the best writers. As in Pope,

in endless errour hurl'd. 'Tis these that early taint the female soul.

In Addison,

Attend to what a lesser muse indites.

And in Dryden,

A dreadful quiet felt, and worser far Than arms

If this part of the work can be well performed, it will be equivalent to the proposal made by Boileau to the academicians, that they should review all their polite writers, and correct such impurities as might be found