A dictionary of the English language: in which the words are deduced from their originals ... abstracted from the folio edition by the author ... to which are prefixed a grammar of the English language, and the preface to the folio edition

Philadelphia: Johnson and Warner, 1813. 8vo, 2 parts in 1, as issued, pp. 40, 385, 341; text in double column; full contemporary sheep neatly rebacked, preserving the original red morocco spine label; some foxing and spotting of the text, but a nice copy. A reprint of the 1805 first American edition of Johnson printed in abridged (i.e. not miniature) form, and based on the London octavos. Contains the full text of Johnson's famous Preface and Grammar. The entries have been abbreviated, but bear considerable resemblance to the originals, and there are also brief etymologies; sources are cited, but citations are not. The first complete American edition (truncated) did not appear until the 2 volume quarto edition of Philadelphia, 1818. Miniature editions appeared in Boston and Philadelphia in 1804 under Johnson's name, but the definitions bear no resemblance whatsoever to the originals; see Alston V, p. 37-39: "These [miniature editions] though having Johnson's name on the title-p., really have nothing whatever to do with the full text ... but they have been entered here since they are generally catalogued under Johnson's name." American Imprints 28842; Vancil, p. 124. (Inventory #: 31077)