We have seen that the reward of
his labour was only fifteen hundred and seventy-five pounds; and when
the expence of amanuenses and paper, and other articles are deducted,
his clear profit was very inconsiderable. I once said to him, 'I am
sorry, Sir, you did not get more for your Dictionary.' His answer was,
'I am sorry, too. But it was very well. The booksellers are generous,
liberal-minded men.' He, upon all occasions, did ample justice to
their character in this respect. He considered them as the patrons of
literature; and, indeed, although they have eventually been considerable
gainers by his Dictionary, it is to them that we owe its having been
undertaken and carried through at the risk of great expence, for they
were not absolutely sure of being indemnified.
He this year resumed his scheme of giving an edition of Shakspeare with
notes.* He issued Proposals of considerable length, in which he
shewed that he perfectly well knew what a variety of research such an
undertaking required; but his indolence prevented him from pursuing it
with that diligence which alone can collect those scattered facts that
genius, however acute, penetrating, and luminous, cannot discover by its
own force.
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