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tence which he has written. There are few if any words fyno- 

 nymous in any language : Johnfon, who could diftinguifh the moft 

 minute fhades of difference in the meaning of terms, always chofe 

 that which belonged exclufively to the idea he would exprefs ; and 

 where the language afforded no word that would exprefs his 

 thought with prccifion he reforted to a Latin word, and giving 

 it an Englifn drefs and the fiamp of his own authority, adopted 

 it into the language. 



For the frequency of thefe adoptions Johnfon has been blamed; 

 and when an Englifli word could be found commenfurate in its 

 meaning to the idea he would convey, and not debafed by vulgar 

 ufe, he was, no doubt, blameable in reforting to another lan- 

 guage. That he has fometimes juftly incurred this cenfure it 

 were vain to deny : but it will be found, perhaps, on examination, 

 that he did not often refort to exotic words, when he could have 

 found Englifh words of equal force and equal dignity. He did 

 not generally, with the jealous policy of a conqueror, raife foreigners 

 to favour to the exclufion of native worth ; but in the true 

 fplrit of a patriot, fought abroad for a fupply of thofe wants 

 which he found to prevail at home. 



The Englifh is, perhaps, the only language fprung from the 

 Gothic flock into which Greek and Latin words can eafily be 

 adopted, and it is to this facility of adoption that it owes its 

 fuperior flrength and richnefs. Johnfon, therefore, when he 

 adopts from tho.Q; languages words more appropriate to his 

 meaning than the Engliili language could furnifh, does only that 



which 



