Richardson referred to his quotations as 'treasures', apologising for their length and describing them as 'the choicest sentiments of English wisdom, poetry, and eloquence' (vol. 1, Preliminary Essay, pp. 52, 61). These comments, and the length at which he quotes from his chosen authors, make clear the function of his book as a store of literary and philosophical treasures, both instructive and pleasurable: role 1 of quotations identified above.

Fowler 2004: 56ff. has discussed examples of the interplay of quotations in Richardson's dictionary to trace a further element in his work, the way that 'the quotations entice us forward to look at the creatively developing meanings and associations of words in use through time' – role 3 of quotations.