In June 1746, Dr Samuel Johnson was approached and asked to write a dictionary for which he would receive payment of 1,500 guineas (£1,575).
Nine years later, Johnson completed the work single-handedly and produced several revised editions during his life.
Up until the publication of the Oxford English Dictionary 173 later, Johnson's Dictionary was regarded as the finest English dictionary.
Do you have a copy of Johnson's English Dictionary? - Johnson's Dictionary has been available in replica editions for some years.
The Publication of Dictionary of the English Language by Dr Samuel Johnson is now celebrated on National Awareness Days on 15th and 16th April every year.
