Insteadofmeltingdownmymaterialsintoonemass，andconstantlyspeakinginmyownperson，bywhichImighthaveappearedtohavemoremeritintheexecutionofthework，IhaveresolvedtoadoptandenlargeupontheexcellentplanofMr。Mason，inhisMemoirsofGray。Wherevernarrativeisnecessarytoexplain，connect，andsupply，Ifurnishittothebestofmyabilities；butinthechronologicalseriesofJohnson’slife，whichItraceasdistinctlyasIcan，yearbyyear，Iproduce，whereveritisinmypower，hisownminutes，lettersorconversation，beingconvincedthatthismodeismorelively，andwillmakemyreadersbetteracquaintedwithhim，thanevenmostofthosewerewhoactuallyknewhim，butcouldknowhimonlypartially；whereasthereishereanaccumulationofintelligencefromvariouspoints，bywhichhischaracterismorefullyunderstoodandillustrated。
IndeedIcannotconceiveamoreperfectmodeofwritinganyman’slife，thannotonlyrelatingallthemostimportanteventsofitintheirorder，butinterweavingwhatheprivatelywrote，andsaid，andthought；bywhichmankindareenabledasitweretoseehimlive，andto’liveo’ereachscene’withhim，asheactuallyadvancedthroughtheseveralstagesofhislife。HadhisotherfriendsbeenasdiligentandardentasIwas，hemighthavebeenalmostentirelypreserved。Asitis，Iwillventuretosaythathewillbeseeninthisworkmorecompletelythananymanwhohaseveryetlived。
Andhewillbeseenashereallywas；forIprofesstowrite，nothispanegyrick，whichmustbeallpraise，buthisLife；which，greatandgoodashewas，mustnotbesupposedtobeentirelyperfect。Tobeashewas，isindeedsubjectofpanegyrickenoughtoanymaninthisstateofbeing；butineverypicturethereshouldbeshadeaswellaslight，andwhenIdelineatehimwithoutreserve，Idowhathehimselfrecommended，bothbyhispreceptandhisexample。
IamfullyawareoftheobjectionswhichmaybemadetotheminutenessonsomeoccasionsofmydetailofJohnson’sconversation，andhowhappilyitisadaptedforthepettyexerciseofridicule，bymenofsuperficialunderstandingandludicrousfancy；butIremainfirmandconfidentinmyopinion，thatminuteparticularsarefrequentlycharacteristick，andalwaysamusing，whentheyrelatetoadistinguishedman。Iamthereforeexceedinglyunwillingthatanything，howeverslight，whichmyillustriousfriendthoughtitworthhiswhiletoexpress，withanydegreeofpoint，shouldperish。
OfonethingIamcertain，thatconsideringhowhighlythesmallportionwhichwehaveofthetable-talkandotheranecdotesofourcelebratedwritersisvalued，andhowearnestlyitisregrettedthatwehavenotmore，IamjustifiedinpreservingrathertoomanyofJohnson’ssayings，thantoofew；especiallyasfromthediversityofdispositionsitcannotbeknownwithcertaintybeforehand，whetherwhatmayseemtriflingtosome，andperhapstothecollectorhimself，maynotbemostagreeabletomany；andthegreaternumberthatanauthourcanpleaseinanydegree，themorepleasuredoestherearisetoabenevolentmind。