Eleven years to produce a dictionary ~

"Andrew Millar, the bookseller who published Johnson's Dictionary, had great difficulty in extracting the copy for this work from the author. [Johnson's dictionary took eleven years to produce.]  At last a messenger was dispatched to Millar with the final page.  Upon the messenger's return Johnson asked, 'Well, what did he say?'
  
   'Sir,' Replied the messenger, 'he said, 'Thank God I have done with him.'
   'I am glad,' said Johnson, 'that he thanks God for anything.'

~ Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784) English Journalist, critic, poet & lexicographer, the son of a bookseller.
Source:  THE LITTLE BROWN BOOK OF Anecdotes, Clifton Fadiman General Editor.  1985.

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