Johnson I have a great respect
for him, and am ready to shew it in any way I can. I am to be in the
city to-morrow, and will call at his house as I return.' His Lordship
however asked, 'Will he write the Lives of the Poets impartially? He was
the first that brought Whig and Tory into a Dictionary. And what do
you think of his definition of Excise? Do you know the history of his
aversion to the word transpire?' Then taking down the folio Dictionary,
he shewed it with this censure on its secondary sense: '"To escape
from secrecy to notice; a sense lately innovated from France, without
necessity." The truth was Lord Bolingbroke, who left the Jacobites,
first used it; therefore, it was to be condemned. He should have shewn
what word would do for it, if it was unnecessary.' I afterwards put the
question to Johnson: 'Why, Sir, (said he,) GET ABROAD.' BOSWELL. 'That,
Sir, is using two words.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, there is no end of this. You
may as well insist to have a word for old age.' BOSWELL.
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