So far have i been from any care to grace my pages with modern decorations, that i have studiously endeavoured to collect examples and authorities from the writers before the restoration, whose works i regard as the wells of english undefiled, as the pure sources of genuine diction. –preface to a dictionary of the english language, samuel johnson based on the passage, what made johnson’s dictionary innovative?

It was the first dictionary to trace word usage by using quotations from authoritative writers.

Explanation:

The Dictionary was undoubtedly an admirable work, especially considering that Johnson did it practically on his own. He worked with six secretaries, it is true, and received help from other literati on etymological questions - but an almost insignificant aid given the scale of the task. As shown in the paragraph written by Johnson and shown in the question above, the dictionary was formed with Johnson collecting examples and writers' authority prior to the restoration, which is what this dictionary presented as most innovative.

In other words, we can say that what allowed Johnson's dictionary to be considered innovative was that it was the first dictionary to track word usage using quotes from competent writers.

no