[LEAF BOOK] Dr. Johnson and Noah Webster; Two Men & their Dictionaries by Littlejohn, David - 1971

San Francisco: The Book Club of California (printed by Grabhorn-Hoyem), 1971. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. One of 500 copies, folio size, 84 pp. Johnson and Webster were both ground-breaking in producing dictionaries which helped to codify the English language; Samuel Johnson's was published in 1755 and was considered the best English dictionary until the OED came out 173 years later. Noah Webster helped to shape American English and his work became the standard in the US; it still exists today in the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary. This book offers insights into the beginning of "language" and also offers an interesting comparison of these two great lexicographers of the English language. Tipped in are two original leaves, one from each of their respective dictionaries, and covering the same part of the alphabet, with one leaf listing the words "positivity" to "postillion" and the second from "postage" to "potash"; placed facing each other it allows the reader to draw conclusions of their own regarding the two.

___DESCRIPTION: Original quarter blue cloth with blue paper covered boards, gilt decoration on both boards, terra cotta leather label printed in gold on backstrip, fore-edge uncut, reproductions from the two dictionaries throughout the text, two original leaves bound terminally; Scotch Roman type, machine made paper, folio size (12.75" by 10.25"), pagination: [1-9] 10-84 [1 half-title], limited edition, one of 500 copies.

___CONDITION: A near fine copy, internally bright, free of prior owner markings, the covers are clean and unscathed and the binding tight with solid hinges; some light sunning to the upper portion of the front board, else fine.

___CITATION: BCC 200, no. 139; Harlan, "Bibliography of Grabhorn/Hoyem" no. 49.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard shipping charge does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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