The etymology, so far as it is yet known, was easily found in the
volumes where it is particularly and professedly delivered; and,
by proper attention to the rules of derivation, the orthography was
soon adjusted. But to COLLECT the WORDS of our language was a task
of greater difficulty: the deficiency of dictionaries was immediately
apparent; and when they were exhausted, what was yet wanting must
be sought by fortuitous and unguided excursions into books, and
gleaned as industry should find, or chance should offer it, in the
boundless chaos of a living speech. My search, however, has been
either skilful or lucky; for I have much augmented the vocabulary.

As my design was a dictionary, common or appellative, I have omitted
all words which have relation to proper names; such as Arian,
Socinian, Calvinist, Benedictine, Mahometan; but have retained
those of a more general nature, as Heathen, Pagan.

Of the terms of art I have received such as could be found either
in books of science or technical dictionaries; and have often
inserted, from philosophical writers, words which are supported
perhaps only by a single authority, and which being not admitted
into general use, stand yet as candidates or probationers, and must
depend for their adoption on the suffrage of futurity.

The words which our authours have introduced by their knowledge
of foreign languages, or ignorance of their own, by vanity or
wantonness, by compliance with fashion or lust of innovation, I
have registred as they occurred, though commonly only to censure
them, and warn others against the folly of naturalizing useless
foreigners to the injury of the natives.