We'll continue our celebration of the great Cham's 300th birthday (coming up on Friday!) with a link to Johnson's poem, translated into English. All practising lexicographers should read it, and probably tack a copy over their desks. Here's the peroration:
What then remains? Must I, in slow decline,
To mute inglorious ease old age resign?
Or, bold ambition kindling in my breast,
Attempt some arduous task? Or, were it best,
Brooding o'er lexicons to pass the day,
And in that labour drudge my life away?
To mute inglorious ease old age resign?
Or, bold ambition kindling in my breast,
Attempt some arduous task? Or, were it best,
Brooding o'er lexicons to pass the day,
And in that labour drudge my life away?
For the rest of the poem and a good contextualizing essay, see Carol Rumens' column in the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2009/sep/14/poem-week-dr-johnson.
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