In the first passage, lexicographers are described as diligent and accomplished; they have a number of difficult and complex tasks to do. In the second passage, however, the word lexicographer seems to have a negative connotation, and a dictionary writer is compared unfavorably with a poet. This shift is likely because Johnson had to adjust his plan as he wrote his dictionary and thought that he had not met his lofty goals.
"Secondary sources were created by someone who did not experience first-hand or participate in the events or conditions you're researching. For a historical research project, secondary sources are generally scholarly books and articles. A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources."
He was famous for his work in influential political writings