Fifty years after the folio edition of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary, this American edition included a Standard of Pronunciation taken from John Walker's Critical Pronouncing Dictionary, making it an interesting specimen of what has been called "prescriptive linguistics;" linking Dr. Johnson's valiant endeavor to "fix" the English language with an attempt to establish a corrective standard for American pronunciation and inflection. Dr. Johnson's work remains the most amazing, enduring, and endearing one-man performance in the field of lexicography. His lucid and often idiosyncratic definitions have kept their freshness, and his Dictionary may still be consulted for instruction or pleasure.[PMM] This edition includes a preface written by Johnson after the Folio Edition, still expressive of his inimitable style.